Loading Ps2 Games With MemCard Pro 2 a Quickstart Guide

Gaming
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The MemCard Pro 2 offers a surprising and welcome feature: the ability to launch PlayStation 2 games directly from the memory card. This guide will walk you through the setup process, covering everything from initial configuration to optimizing performance. While compatibility isn’t guaranteed for every title, this method offers a convenient way to play your favorite PS2 games.

Setting up MemCard Pro 2 for Game Loading

These instructions are geared toward users setting up their MicroSD card from scratch. If you already have a working MCP2, skip to Step 2.

Step 1: Format your MicroSD card using the exFAT file system. Using SD Card Formatter is recommended.

Step 2: Unzip the latest firmware for the MemCard Pro 2 to the root of your MicroSD card.

Step 3: Insert the MicroSD card into your PS2 and allow the firmware to update.

Step 4: Place the MicroSD card back into your PC, then create two folders on the root directory: DVD and CD.

Step 5: Copy the MemoryCard1-1.mc2 file to the PS2\MemoryCard1 folder on your MicroSD card, overwriting the existing file. You can download the VMC For FMCB here.

Step 6: Copy your games in .iso format to the appropriate folders (DVD for DVD-based games, CD for CD-based games).

Step 7: Plug the MemCard Pro 2 into your PS2, power it on, and launch Open PS2 Loader (OPL).

Step 8: Navigate to MMCE Settings within OPL and verify the following settings:

  • MMCE Start Mode = Auto

  • Wait cycles after / ACK low = 0

  • Use Timeout Alarms = Off

Step 9: Return to the main OPL menu and select Save Changes.

Step 10: Go back to the main menu and press Circle to list the games you’ve copied to your MicroSD card.

Optimizing Performance

Your PS2 model significantly affects game loading performance from the Memory Card Pro 2. It’s important to identify your console’s revision (located on the label) as “slim vs phat” is not an accurate way to determine performance.

Here is a chart from 8BitMods to help demonstrate the loading speeds of multiple methods:

Important Considerations

  • Game-Specific Settings: Some games may require specific settings within OPL to function correctly. For instance, JAK 3 might need game-specific modes 2, 3, and 6 enabled, while GT4 could require mode 6 to disable in-game reset.

  • Modchips: If your PS2 has a modchip installed, you might encounter issues loading games. Updating to FMCB v1.965 may resolve this.

  • Saving Speed: Because you’re using the memory card slot for both loading and saving, you might experience slowdowns during save operations.

While not perfect, this is an impressive free feature, so depending on the game and your PS2 model, the MMCE loading method will vary.