Download and Install PCSX2 PS2 Emulator

Edited by Sam, Train Wreck, Lukward Thomason, Eng and 1 other

Have you ever wished you could go back and play your favorite old PlayStation 2 games, but your old PS2 just won't boot up? Well, if you've still got your PS2 discs, you're in luck.

Meme PS2 Games were great! Why not play some while they get PSN back online? 44161.jpg

Instead of taking the PS2 console to a repair shop, or selling your old PlayStation discs on eBay or Amazon, you can actually make your PC run those games. That's right, you can turn your computer into a PlayStation 2, with a little help from an emulator and your CD drive. Let's get started.

Download the PCSX2 Emulator

  1. 1
    First you need to download the emulator
    .
    The best one that is currently out there is PCSX2 and you can visit their website for the free download. If you're doing this for the first time, consider yourself very lucky. PS2 emulation is in a very stable state nowadays, with the PCSX2 emulator offering a complete standalone installer for the emulator which contains all the parts and plugins you need for it to run.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-01.png
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  2. 2
    On the main PCSX2 page move your mouse cursor over "Download Get PCSX2 here"
    .
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-02.png
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  3. 3
    In the popup menu, select your operating system
    .
    In our example we're going to select Windows.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-03.png
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  4. 4
    Now choose the package that you want to download, and press DOWNLOAD on the right side
    .
    You should always download the latest stable build, which is version 1.4.0 at the time of this tutorial.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-04.png
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  5. 5
    Choose the destination where you want to download the file
    .
    You'll end up with something similar to the image below when the file has been successfully downloaded.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-06.png
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Install the PCSX2 Emulator

  1. 1
    Open the downloaded file
    .
    Depending on your security settings, you may see a User Account Control pop up. It will ask if you want to open the app. Click 'Yes' to continue.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-07.png
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  2. 2
    Now choose all the components that you need to install
    .
    If you're not sure what you need, just apply all ticks and let it install everything. For this tutorial, we're going to install everything. Don't worry if you may already have some of the components. For example, if you are running new games on your computer you may already have the latest versions of Visual C++ and DirectX. If you have checked the option to install these items, your system will simply tell you that the programs are already up to date. When you've selected the options you want, you need to press 'Next' to continue.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-08.png
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  3. 3
    You will then be asked to choose the destination for your install
    .
    If the default one suits you fine, click 'Next' to continue. If you want to change it, either input the directory manually in the field, or click browse and select a location from there, remembering to click 'Next' when you are done.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-09.png
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  4. 4
    The installation should now begin
    .
    Keep in mind that it may take several seconds or several minutes, depending on your computer and what you chose during the installation process.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-10.png
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  5. 5
    If you left the Visual C++ box ticked, and you did not already have it installed, a new window will open
    .
    You will need to read the license terms carefully, check the 'I agree to the license terms and conditions' box, and then click install to proceed.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-11.png
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  6. 6
    Wait for the Visual C++ installation process to finish
    .
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-12.png
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  7. 7
    If you left the DirectX box ticked, and you did not already have it installed, a new window will open
    .
    This window will start downloading the required files for DirectX. It will automatically find any and all the packages that your system may be missing. This is much easier than getting those files manually one by one.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-13.png
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  8. 8
    When DirectX has finished downloading and installing, the PCSX2 install will also finish
    .
    You will end up with an executable icon for the PS2 emulator.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-14.png
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Launch and Set Up the PCSX2 PS2 Emulator

  1. 1
    Double click the emulator icon to launch it for the first time
    .
    Here you will be asked to select a language, which will be set to the system default. If you want to set a custom language, you can click the drop down menu and select the language that you desire. Keep in mind that not all languages are supported, and we selected English for this tutorial. When you are done click 'Apply', and then click 'Next' to continue.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-15.png
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  • 2
    The PCSX2 emulator should now scan for all plugins
    .
    This usually takes a couple of seconds, and then they will be shown.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-16.png
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  • 3
    Now you can choose your desired plugins, and even change the configuration of the ones that can be customized
    .
    To choose a different plugin for GS you need to click the drop-down menu of GS and choose the one that you want. To configure the chosen plugin press Configure on the right side of the plugin. However, our advice is that when launching the emulator for the first time, you should leave all the settings as they are. This way you can adjust and configure emulator settings for individual games better in the future. Click 'Next' to proceed.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-17.png
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  • 4
    After clicking 'Next' in the step above, the PS2 emulator will launch
    .
    When it launches, you'll be asked to select the BIOS. As the installer packages don't come with BIOS files, you'll either want to dump the BIOS from your console, or download from the web. We recommend downloading from the web, which is done by opening your favorite browser, and typing in 'PS2 BIOS'. This will return many websites for the BIOS file for your PS2. Unfortunately, many of the sites you find will have files with viruses in them. We recommend you use a clean site, like EmuParadise for your download, or just search directly on the site, which we will now do in our tutorial.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-18.png
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  • 5
    On the EmuParadise website, scroll down and find the PS2 BIOS.zip file
    .
    When you find the file, download it.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-19.png
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  • 6
    Once downloaded, extract the zip folder
    .
    You can use any zip extractor you are comfortable with. It can be WinRar, Winzip, 7Zip or any other.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-20.png
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  • 7
    When finished, we recommend placing the extracted files in the default location of the app
    .
    This will make the process easier for you. Alternatively, uncheck the 'Use Default Setting' option, choose the destination manually, and click refresh. Then select the BIOS and click Finish.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-21.png
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  • 8
    Now your PS2 emulator should be ready for use
    .
    It is configured, up and running. You can now enjoy your games.
    How to download and run PS2 emulator-22.png
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  • Additional Tips

    • To learn how to make PS2 game backups or how to run them, be sure to check my other tutorials!

    Questions and Answers

    Can you download on windows 10 without an administrator password?

    Can you download on windows 10 without an administrator password?

    VisiHow QnA. This section is not written yet. Want to join in? Click EDIT to write this answer.

    I can't find BIOS zip file..and can't even download?

    PS2 BIOS zip couldn't be found, I was looking for Call of duty 3 ..but I couldn't even download the zip ..is it necessary to be registered. I can't proceed to play COD 3.. and it is very different wen it ask for one to be registered

    VisiHow QnA. This section is not written yet. Want to join in? Click EDIT to write this answer.

    If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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    Article Info

    Categories : Gaming

    Recent edits by: Eng, Lukward Thomason, Train Wreck

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