(Full Guide) How to Play PlayStation 2: Play PS2 Games From a USB Drive With OPL

Table of Contents

REQUIREMENTS

A Fat or Slim PlayStation 2
A USB Flash drive
A PS2 memory card
ISO images (backups) of your PS2 games

Play PS2 Games from USB Flash Drive

Step 1: Install FreeMCBoot

To start, you need to install FreeMCBoot on the PS2 memory card:

PlayStation 2: install FreeMCBoot on a Fat PS2

PlayStation 2: install FreeMCBoot on a PS2 Slim

You can also buy a PS2 memory card (generic) with FreeMCBoot preinstalled

Step 2: Install Open PS2 Loader (OPL)

Once FreeMCBoot is installed, install the Open PS2 Loader (PS2) application on the USB key:

PlayStation 2: install and configure Open PS2 Loader (OPL)

Step 3: Copy the Games to the USB Drive

Copy the ISOs of your PS2 games to the USB device

Create two folders and remain them, CD and DVD folders at the root of the USB key (If Open PS2 Loader has not already done so)
Copy the ISOs of your PS2 games to the CD or DVD folder (depending on the type of game disc, early PS2 games were indeed burned to CD)
If the ISO image of your PS2 game is larger than 4 GB, you will notice that you cannot copy it to the USB key, you have the error message saying “File too large” This is due to the FAT32 file system which cannot accommodate files larger than 4 GB. To copy your PS2 game larger than 4 GB to the USB key, you will have to cut it with USBUtil:
1. Download USBUtil then unzip the 7z archive with 7-Zip
2. Run USBUtil v2.2 rev1.0_English.exe file , press OK on startup
3. Click File > Create GAME from ISO
4. Enter the following information and click the Create button
  1. Source: PS2 game ISO image
  2. Destination: the drive letter of the USB Drive
  3. Media: Auto
5. When the copy is complete, your PS2 game will appear in USBUtil’s main window
6. Check that the PS2 game has been cut into several parts (ul.* files) on the USB key
7. Repeat for all games over 4 GB
Eject your USB drive.

✅ The ISOs of your PS2 games are installed on the USB key. For OPL to be able to read them, they must be correctly named. This is what we are going to check.

Step 4: Naming games with OPL Manager

Now check that the game ISOs are correctly named:

Download OPL Manager then unzip the ZIP archive
Run OPL_Manager.exe
At startup, choose the language, activate the automatic search for updates and then select the following options:
- Mode: Normal (iso + ul.cfg)
- Path: the drive letter of the USB Drive
Click on Save
If OPL Manager displays the message “X invalid files. Showing invalid files tab”; this means that some ISOs are misnamed, which may prevent OPL from reading them correctly. Click OK
Click Convert between both ISO file name formats→Select All→Convert to OLD format→Rename
Take the opportunity to download the covers (Batch Actions > ART Download) and configure the compatibility modes (Edit CFG) (see OPL Game Compatibility List ) for each PS2 game.
Close the App

✅ISOs are now properly named. All you have to do is launch your PS2 games with Open PS2 Loader!

Step 5: Play PS2 game with OPL

Follow these steps to play a PS2 game from a USB key with OPL:

Insert the USB drive into your PS2.
Start your PS2 with the FMCB memory card then launch Open PS2 Loader (OPL)
Open the main menu with START
Select Settings then configure as follows:
- BDM Start Mode: Auto (if you want OPL to automatically load PS2 games to the USB on startup) or Manual
- Default Menu: BDM Games (if you want OPL to open the “BDM Games” page on startup)
Return to the menu, select Save Changes to save the changes
Go to the Games List by pressing O
Go to the USB Games menu with the directional pad
If needed, configure the compatibility modes for your PS2 games (see OPL Game Compatibility List ) by going to Game Menu > Game Settings Don’t forget to save the changes by selecting Save Changes
Select a PS2 game then press ✕ to launch it