PS2:Playing Game Backups

There are multiple ways of playing PS2 games without the original disc, provided you own it and have previously created a backup.

Prerequisites
Before choosing a method, you will need:


 * A PlayStation 2 capable of running homebrew (through FreeMCBoot/FreeHDBoot or another exploit)
 * wLaunchELF
 * A computer
 * A USB storage device (8GB or more)
 * A backup of your disc (has to be in ISO format)

Available methods
Depending on your resources, you can choose between the following methods:


 * Open PS2 Loader
 * via USB (easy, lowest compatibility, works with all models)
 * via a hard drive (easy, high compatibility, incompatible with PS2 slim)
 * via SMB (harder, best compatibility, works with all models, phat models need a network adapter)
 * FreeDVDBoot-ESR patching (only works with games burned to a CD/DVD and requires compatibility with FreeDVDBoot)
 * For PSX games only: MechaPwn (only works with games burned to a CD)

Installing OPL

 * 1) Download the latest version of OPL from the official GitHub page (thoroughly read the repo's README first and do not download the pre-release).
 * 2) Extract OPNPS2LD.elf from the archive and transfer the file to a USB storage device.
 * 3) Plug the USB into your PS2 and open wLaunchELF.
 * 4) Navigate to   and highlight the file from earlier.
 * 5) Open the context menu (R1 by default) and select.
 * 6) Navigate to the memory card where FMCB is installed and go to the BOOT folder.
 * 7) Open the context menu again and select   (any older version of OPL will be overwritten).
 * 8) Reset your console.
 * 9) Navigate to the FreeMCBoot configurator.
 * 10) Navigate to   and select an empty   entry.
 * 11) Give it a name and under   navigate to where you put OPL earlier (  where X is your memory card).
 * 12) Return to the configurator main menu and save your config to a memory card.
 * 13) Reset your console.

Loading Backups via USB
When you boot into OPL for the first time with a USB storage device plugged in, the USB will be automatically populated with OPL folders.

Transfer your ISO images into either the  or   folder, depending on your game's format.

Be warned that because of the PS2's extremely slow USB read speeds, you will experience issues such as choppy FMVs, long loading times, or some games not working at all.