Copy Games to Playstation 2 Fat Hard Drive 🌱

Things You Will Need

Setting Up and Starting the PS2 HDL Server

  1. Connect the PS2 console to your network
  2. Make sure the memory card with Free McBoot is inserted
  3. Power on the PS2 and wait for Free McBoot to load 
  4. Launch Open PS2 Loader from the Free McBoot browser
  5. Press Start > select Network Settings
  6. Set the network settings to meet your network requirements

    IP Address Type: Static
    IP Address: 192.168.0.227
    Mask: 255.255.255.0
    Gateway: 192.168.0.252
    DNS Server: 192.168.0.2
    Tip: if you don't want your PS2 console to reach the internet use a bogus gateway IP

  7. Navigate to OK > Press X
  8. Go to Settings > Press X
  9. Set HDD device start mode = AUTO
  10. Set Enable write operations = ON
  11. Navigate to OK > Press X
  12. Navigate to Save Changes > Press X
  13. Navigate to Start HDL Server > Press X
  14. The HDL Server should now be running and ready to accept incoming connections

Downloading and Configuring Software

  1. Download the HDL Dump Helper GUI application Download
  2. Extract the downloaded .rar file
  3. Launch HDL Dump Helper GUI by right clicking de.hdld.gui.HdlDHGui.exe > Run as administrator
    If you get an error here saying Java cannot be found and you do have it insatlled, try the following:
    1. Right click the Start button > Command Prompt (Admin)
    2. Type java -version, if you get a response you have Java properly installed and configued and can continue. If you don't install/reinstall Java
    3. Type the following commands to launch HDL Dump Helper GUI as and administrator, updating the path if you extracted it somewhere else
      cd "%userprofile%\Downloads\hdl_dump_helper_gui_2.3\hdld_2_3"
      java -jar "de.hdld.gui.HdlDHGui.jar"
  4. Enter the IP address assigned to the PS2 console earlier > Click Connect

Copying Games to the Hard Drive

  1. With HDL Dump Helper GUI connected to the PS2 console, click the elipsis next to ISO-File:
  2. Browse to the PS2 .iso file to be copied to the console
  3. If the .iso file is valid the application will set the Type, Name and StartUp automatically
  4. Click the Add to Jobs button if you'd like to queue several games before copying, otherwise, click the Install button
  5. Wait for the game(s) to copy to the console. Expect to see 2-8 MB/s speeds

Downloading and Applying Artwork for OPL (Optional)

  1. Download OPL Manager Download
  2. Extract OPL Manager
  3. Right click on OPL_Manager.exe > Run as administator
  4. You should be prompted with the Change Mode/OPL Folder dialog, if not select Settings > Change Mode/OPL Folder
  5. Select the Network mode
  6. Enter the IP address of the PS2 console
  7. Select hdl_dump_086.exe from the version dropdown
  8. Click the test button
  9. If the test fails, try stopping and starting the HDL Server on the PS2 console. Once the test is successful click Save
  10. Select Network Options > Get game list from PS2
  11. Select Batch Actions > ART Download
  12. Select the artwork you'd like to download in the Download options section
  13. Click Start
  14. Close the Art downloaded window but leave OPL Manager running
  15. On the PS2 console, stop the HDL server and close OPL by navigating to Exit > Press X
  16. Start uLaunchElf by selecting it from the Free McBoot menu
  17. Press Select > Network Settings > press O
  18. Using the D-pad, set the IP address, netmask and gateway
    • Tip: If you don't want your PS2 to reach the internet input a bogus gateway IP address
  19. Navigate down to Save > press O to save your changes
  20. Navigate down to OK > press O
  21. Highlight MISC/ > press O
  22. Highlight PS2Net > press O
  23. The FTP server should start running and give status output at the top of the screen
  24. Back in OPL Manager, select Network Options > Sync files to PS2 via FTP
  25. Click the Connect FTP button
  26. One connected, click the Sync PC to PS2 button
  27. After the sync completes, fire up OPL to see the new games with artwork