terça-feira, 25 de junho de 2024

Playing PS2 Games via USB Drive: A Practical Guide

In this post, I'll teach you a method to play PS2 games using a USB drive. The method is practical and, with minimal difficulty, you can fit around 12-15 games on a 32 GB USB drive. Without further ado, let's get to the necessary items. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me through the comments.

Here's my video explaining the method:

Method Compatibility

It is important to remember that the PS2's USB port is 1.0. If your HDD or USB drive doesn't work, this might be the reason, as the low speed can compromise compatibility with some devices.

Devices connected to the PS2's USB port must be compatible with USB 1.0. There are some external HDDs that are not compatible (though very few), and USB drives generally work more smoothly (Kingston drives typically have no issues, while Sandisk drives tend to be more problematic).

Finally, using a FAT32 partition format is mandatory; other formats do not work. USB drives are usually easy to format in this way, but for HDDs larger than 40GB, specific programs are necessary. We will use Gui Format.

PS2 Models

The method works on any PS2 model, but each model or modchip might have a different way to run OPL. Below is a list of models and possible methods (at least the ones I know).

Burning OPL to a disc is the easiest and most compatible method (and my favorite), but you'll need any model of PS2 with a working reader (almost all PS2s can run OPL). Other methods are optional and listed below:

PS2 Slim: OPL can be loaded via DEV1 (memory card) with Matrix Infinity, Thunder PRO II, DMS3, and DMS4 chips.
PS2 Fat or Slim with Thunder PRO II: OPL can be loaded via DEV3 (external HDD or USB drive). This is the easiest and fastest method, but only PS2s with this modchip have this feature.
PS2 Fat: OPL can be loaded via DEV1 (memory card) or DEV2 (internal HDD) with Matrix Infinity, Thunder PRO II, DMS3, and DMS4 chips.

How to Install Games

There are two ways to install the games:

Method 1: Copying Files

This method involves simply moving ISOs smaller than 4GB to the USB drive or HDD. First, open the ISO (using WinRAR, 7zip, or another method of your choice) to find the executable name of the game.

Look for a file with a name like "SLUS_123.45" (for example), with four letters followed by an underscore, three numbers, a dot, and two more numbers. Copy this name, then rename the ISO with this executable name at the beginning, followed by a dot, the game name, another dot, and the ISO extension in lowercase. It should look something like this:

SLUS_123.45.Shadow of Colossus.iso

Next, create two folders on the HDD/USB drive, one named CD and the other DVD, both in uppercase. Move the ISO to its corresponding folder based on size: CD for those smaller than 700MB and DVD for those larger than 700MB. Both folders must be in the root directory of the HDD or USB drive (i.e., not inside another folder).

Method 2: Using USBUtil

For ISOs larger than 4GB, you will need to use USBUtil (a program I will provide a link to below). The procedure is simple: open the program, go to the menu and select "Crear juego desde ISO," choose the ISO and the destination HDD, making sure it's in the root directory, not inside another folder. To add more games in USBUtil, open ul.cfg in the menu and repeat the process of adding games.

Running the Games

After installing everything and transferring the games to the USB drive/HDD, turn on the console with the OPL CD burned and the USB drive/HDD already connected. Go to settings and change the USB loading mode to AUTO, then change the default menu to USB Games, confirm with OK, save the configuration, and press Circle (or "O"). If everything is installed correctly and the HDD is compatible, the games will appear.

Do All Games Work?

USB compatibility is not 100%, and it is slow, but personally, I have seen very few games that don't work. Keep in mind that games will run with choppy music and animations due to the USB 1.0 interface speed, which is normal and unavoidable.

USB Drive Fragmentation

If you frequently install and delete games, the HDD will fragment, and OPL may not run some games, displaying an error message. To fix this, you need to defragment the drive. Use programs like Defraggler or Power Defragmenter (or even Windows' built-in defragmenter).

Program Links

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