How to run games from a flash drive on PS2

Attention! Performing further instructions implies that your prefix is ​​appropriately prepared - installed hardware or software modifications!

Stage 1: Preparation

At the preparatory stage, we will need to format the USB flash drive, as well as download the bootloader to start games from external media, which is called Open PS2 Loader (abbreviated OPL), and install its files to a USB drive. For hardware modified PS2, you will additionally need to write a disc with the ULAUNCHF utility.

Download Open PS2 Loader

Download ulaunchelf

1. Take a flash drive with a volume of at least 8 GB, and format it into the FAT32 file system.

   Read more: Formatting flash drive in FAT32



2. Load the archive with the desired software, then unpack it at any convenient place.



3. Move the contents of the OPL folder in the root directory of the flash drive.



4. For chipped playstock2, you will need to purchase a CD or DVD media to write the ISO image of ULAUNCHELF. It is recommended to do this using the Alcohol 120% program with the "Minimum" recording speed parameters using the Play Station 2 method.

   Read more: Recording discs with Alcohol 120%



This preparation is completed.

Console setting (software mod)

The prefix that is modified programmatically needs to be adjusted. The most popular shell is the Free McBoot software (FMCB), so the setting will show on its example.

1. Connect the USB flash drive to the console.
2. Turn on your PlayStation 2, wait until FMCB is loaded, select "Free McBoot Configurator" in its main menu and click on the Cross button on the gamepad.



3. Next, select the "Configure Osdsys Options ..." position and press the cross again.



4. Scroll the list of parameters before setting up "Configure Item ...", then select an empty cell with the left and right buttons on the gamepad cross. By installing the desired, press the cross.



5. Now you will need to enter the name of the item, in our case OPL.



6. Next, you need to specify the path to the tool executable file - hover over the "Path1:" line and press the cross.

   

   In the list of media, open the option "Mass", it is he who is responsible for the USB flash drive.

   

   Select OPMPS2LD.ELF and again use the Cross button.



7. Using Return items, go back to the menu from step 3, and this time the Save CNF to MC0 or Save CNF to MC1, which is responsible for the left and right slots of the memory cards in the same way.

   Attention! Do not choose to save the HDD settings or an external drive, which correspond to the "HDD" and "Mass" position!



8. Return to the BIOS and restart the console.

Stage 2: Installing Games on the USB flash drive

At this stage, we write to the flash drive. The procedure depends on its volume: for 4 GB and less enough of the usual transfer of data to the drive, whereas for more severe images it will be necessary conversion.

An image of less than 4 GB

1. Open the media and create a directory on it with the name DVD, which should be found in the root.



2. Make sure the game images are created in ISO format. File names can be arbitrary, however, it is recommended for more stable work to set them the names of no more than 64 characters on the template:

   ID_Game. Name_igar

   Important! The codes of the game region (SLES, SLUS, SLPM) must be written in capital letters, the letters and number of the number are separated by lower emphasis, and after the third digit should stand the point!



3. Copy or move images to the USB flash drive.

An image of more than 4 GB

1. To write a heavy game you will need to download USBUTIL.

   Download usbutil

2. The program is portable, so immediately launch its EXE file.



3. In the first message, click "OK".

   

   Next, use items "File" - "Create Game from ISO".



4. The converter window opens. First of all, in the "Source" paragraph, specify the directory with the target. Next, in the list "ISO (S) to Convert", select the desired one.



5. In the "Destination" block, specify the root directory of the flash drive.



6. You can leave the remaining options by default and click "Create".



7. Wait for the procedure to be completed, then click "Cerrar" and close the USBUTIL.

   

   After recording images, it is recommended to deterrate the drive data, preferably using third-party software.

   Read more: Disk defragmentation in Windows 7 and Windows 10

Check again if you performed the steps of this stage correctly, then go to the next one.

Stage 3: Running Game

Directly launching the image recorded on the flash drive depends on the type of modification.

Software modes

1. Connect the drive to the console, download free McBoot and select OPL in its menu.



2. Use the "Settings" item.



3. In the list of parameters, locate the "USB Device Start Mode" option and set it to the "AUTO" position.



4. Return to the main menu and select "Save Changes".



5. Close the message about saving the settings and press the circle again - a list of games on the flash drive will appear. Use the up and down buttons on the cross for selection, and the Cross button to start.

   

   If the list is empty, click SELECT to retell the directory. In the case when the games still do not appear, check if you recorded them correctly onto the media.

Hardware mod

1. Insert the disk with the recorded OPL into the attachment drive.
2. Wait until the ULAUNCHF shell boots, then press the circle to access the file browser.



3. Go to the Mass catalog and open it by pressing the cross.



4. Select a file in the title of which there is OPL.ELF.



5. Repeat steps 2-3 instructions for the software mode, but set the USB media launch option to "Manual".

   

   To speed up access to games, you can specify the setting option "Default Menu" as "USB Games".

6. Repeat steps 5-6 instructions for software mod.

To start games from a flash drive on hardware modified PlayStation 2, each time you need to install a disk with OPL into the console drive.