Home >> Internet Games >> PS2 Games

How to Make Backup Copies of PlayStation 2 Games

Though games have come a long way in terms of reliability, game discs can still scratch or stop working without warning. If you want to ensure you'll always have a working copy of your favorite PlayStation2 game, create a backup of the disc for use if the original fails. While copying your own games is legal, you can only do so if you still own the original game and you cannot sell or distribute the copied game. To play the backup disc you'll need either a mod chip in your PS2 or a boot disc. After you have one of those two items, you can create and play backup PS2 games.

Things You'll Need

CD/DVD burning software
CD/DVD burner
Blank CD or DVD
DVD Decrypter (optional)

Instructions

Copying a CD or DVD
- 1
  Turn the PS2 disc over to the blank side and check what color it is. A blue or purple disc is a CD and a silver disc is a DVD. The burning process for each follows the same basic steps but a few choices are different, thus it is important to check the type of disc before you start.
- 2
  Install and run your chosen CD/DVD burning software, such as Alcohol 120 percent or CloneCD. For best results, choose a program that has a burning wizard to walk you through the process if you don't know all the technical terms.
  
  For a DVD you may wish to use a DVD decrypter. The process is faster, simpler and can overwrite certain copy protection features on the PS2 that may cause a copied game to stop working over time.
- 3
  Insert the PS2 game into the CD or DVD burner on your computer. Select "CD" or "DVD" from the burning software program and choose the CD or DVD drive with your PS2 game in it. Click the "Copy" option. Alternatively, you may wish to start the wizard to walk you through the process. This option will appear when you start the program.
- 4
  Choose your read speed. Check your computer manual to see which speeds your burner can handle. Higher speeds work faster but certain burners cannot handle those speeds.
- 5
  Click "Start" or "Copy" to copy the game to your computer's hard drive. When the copy finishes, which may take some time, remove the game from your burner. Wait for the program to tell you it is safe to remove the disc.
- 6
  Insert a blank CD or DVD to burn the game onto. A DVD works best because it holds more information and creates a better quality game. If you copied the PS2 game from a CD you can still burn it onto a DVD if you choose. Start the CD/DVD burning software again and choose to burn a game.
- 7
  Click the drive with the blank disc in it and choose your write speed. You can also use the wizard for this process. As with the read speed, higher write speeds work faster but not all burners can handle them.
- 8
  Click "Start" or "Burn" to start copying the game. Once it finishes, you can remove the game and play it. Remember that you'll need a mod chip or a boot disc to play copied games on your PS2.
Using a DVD Decrypter
- 9
  Insert the PS2 game into your DVD burner. Remember this only works for PS2 games on DVD discs. It will not work for CDs.
- 10
  Open the DVD decrypter program and click "Mode." Choose "ISO" from the menu and select "Read." The computer will copy the game information. When it finishes, remove the game and insert a blank DVD.
- 11
  Click "Mode" again in the DVD decrypter and choose "ISO" and "Write." Select the game file you just copied to the computer. Click "Start" or "Burn" if the computer does not start the burn process automatically. When it finishes, remove the DVD disc and label it. It should now work as a copy of your PS2 game.

PS2 Games