Internal memory cards

Internal memory cards on the PS3 are used to store Playstation and Playstation 2 data (e.g. PS2 game saves). A PS2 card stores up to 8MB, and a PS1 card up to 120KB.

Because these cards emulate the older Playstation hardware, they have been given a concept of slots. It works in the same way you would plug a physical memory card into a slot on a PS2; now you assign the Internal Memory Card to a virtual slot. A card must be assigned to a slot to be available for use when playing PS/PS2 games.

Create an internal memory card

Go to the “Game” menu and choose Memory Card Utility
Choose New internal memory card
Choose which card type of want—Playstation (PS) or Playstation 2 (PS2)
Enter a new name for the card if you wish (you can always change it later)
You will be informed that the card must be assigned to a slot to be used
The new card will now be showing in the menu

Assign a card to a slot

Find the card you want to assign and go to its options (Triangle controller button)
Choose the Assign Slots option
Assign it to Slot 1 or Slot 2. If it’s already assigned you may choose to Remove it here
The memory card will now be shown in the menu with a number next to it (a circled “1″ or “2″). This allows you to browse the cards you have and see which are currently assigned

Browse card contents

Select the memory card you want to browse
If the card is empty you will get a “There is no saved data” message
Otherwise you should see the content items, like game save files. Each file should have a title and show its filesize and modification date. PS2 game saves typically have small 3D models that correspond to the game, like a prince from “We Love Katamari”
Go to the options (Triangle controller button) of an item to Copy or Delete it. You can copy to a new memory card, an existing memory card, or a USB drive

Transfer PS2 memory card data to PS3

Screenshots

Magnus

Hey, i’ve just buyed a ps2 game becuase a friend of mine told me it would work on ps3…
but it does’nt i’ve made a ps2 memory card inside the ps3 but the ps3 just tell’s me it’s not able to play ps2 games.
is there anyway to fix this?
why would they make it possible to create a ps2 memory card if it’s not able to use it?
please awnser me…

Darren

Haha, i asked the same exact thing. Why do they keep gthe feature when you can’t use it? I have a few thoughts, if your have the new ps3 slim [120gb if it matters] like i, then it may be the system it self, opr maybe you need to download ps2m software. Or maybe, the feature was kept by mistake, just a thought.

http://shahryar.net Shahryar

I’m guessing it’s because your PS3 is a newer model that isn’t backwards compatible?
John

Only certin ps3s’ can play ps2 games. For example the 60gb ps3 can play ps2 games.

Ruthlessgreekman

what annoys people is there given hte option of a ps2 slot that doesnt work it should be removed if theyll never let you use it flipin nazi

Ps3 expert

all systems play ps1 games but…

Only the 1st generation ps3 (such as the 60gb) have full hardware backwards compatibility,(or in other words have a built in ps2 allowing them to play ps2 games) these are no longer being made

the 2ed generation ps3(such as the older 80gb) have had Emotion Engine CPU chip taken out in exchange for 20 extra gigabytes of hard drive *See comment* ( however the it isn’t not that bad since they left the graphics chip making software backwards compatibility possible (not as good as hardware emulation but it still plays ps2 games well enough). these are also no longer being made.

*Comment* since any monkey with 5 minutes and a screwdriver can put in a 1 terabyte hard drive at a cost of 100$ dollars which works out to 10 cents per gigabyte that’s a 2 dollar value mother @#?#$%#^#$*&% at Sony…. *End of Comment*

the 3rd generation ps3(new 80gb and anything bigger in other words all new systems) took out the graphics chip… so it will not play ps2 games at all !!!! guess which generation you bought…

yup that’s right you got yourself a 3 gen ps3 the best part is that there is no fix other then buying a older ps3 (good luck) or a ps2

Andrea

I just checked on here and i am so upset. I wondered why my ps3 had the slots for ps1 and ps2, but i had that same problem where none of my ps2 games work. What a let down. What pisses me off is that the option is there for ps2 why? if it doesnt even let you play them. Well i guess i best start hunting me down a ps2 because i love my silent hill games and i wanted to play them.Thanks for the info

Heidi

Could it be because you can download PS2 games from Playstation Online?

Surge

I still need a solution of why my First generation 60 GB is not Reading the Virtual Memory cards while in PS2 games…

miguel

Surge did you work it out? I have the same problem. No one seems to have a n answer…

chris

If you have bought a ps3, chances are pretty good that you have a ps2 as well. So what does it matter if your ps3 plays ps2 games or not?

Darren

Most ps2′s are broken, old, not working properly, if they are, most people probably exchanged it at game stop, haha, considering how ps3 games are $60 a pop, like selling an old car for a new car’s gas money.

Felipe

Am I the only one who thinks it’s just flat out dumb to allow virtual PS2 memory card creation on non-backward compatible PS3 machines?

Allan

It’s because they still offer PSone and PS2 games that you need memory cards for in the PS store. For instance, I downloaded and am playing FFVII.

Heidi

Allan, did you have any trouble saving your FFVII game? I followed the walkthrough in assigning a slot for the internal memory card and when I get through to the game, I can’t save anything.

Batboygunnar

nope i do too . Sony is just power and money hungry

Felipe

It would make totally sense having that feature on backward compatible machines but since, very few consoles can actually play PS2 software it’s a bit stupid not adjusting firmware to match the actual consoles. I got a working PS2 so the lack of compatibility doesn’t bother me. I just think it doesn’t make sense to have the feature unlocked on the majority of the machines, considering most aren’t backward compatible.
greg

i understand that newer ps3′s will not play ps2 discs, but does the ps3 allow you to download some ps2 games? is that why there is the option to create an internal ps2 memory card?

Ninja

I think thats what Felipe meant…

http://yahoo anonymous

Can you take out an Internal memory card
you

all of you are stupid you ask the same questions over and over lts called common sense get some
…

this is a forum for people to ask and answer questions, not be a douchebag.
Surge

Okay look. My PS3 Used to Play and save PS2 games perfectly.
But now the PS3 does not recognize the Virtual Memory cards In-Game.

Please help me with that

My PS3 has Hardware Emulated Backwards compatability (2006 60GB)
http://www.ps3explained.com Farah

so today i put a ps2 game in my ps3, and ive been playing it for a while, but when i put it in today, my internal memory card was gone and so was all of my ps3 demos. can someone please tell me what happened?
its happened once before.
Ninja

I have a 40 gb ps3. Can it play ps2 games on it? I really just want to play star wars battlefront 2. If it can’t can I buy star wars batltefront 2 for the ps3 in the play station store?
Thanks
-Ninja
Blackdragonbelt

Hey i just downloaded Final fantasy 9 and 7 and that totally worked thanks a lot
Nassafellow

The Ps3 updates killed the backwards compatibility on old consoles, hence you can play but not save.
juan carlos galli

i do transfer data from ps2 to ps3 to the internal memorie on ps3 ,but i got a problem i can’t get my savings credits ,i have to start from the biginning of the game[gt3] but when i get the reply of the races i got saved all are there ,and the car i was driving got out of control and back and foward from where it crashes ,and i know i won that race ,i got no idea why it do that it was ok ,before i connect my ps3 to the internet ,so i did disconnect it ,and nothing has change ,can you help please ,i dont want to star all over agein ,the gt3 is compleated and it tookme a long time to do it ,ps can you email me at vamos@live.com.au thank you j c g
i dont have a name

thanks
Kennedy

ma ps3 isnt saving my metal gear solid data says ther is no memory card is this cause its a ps1 game and the internal card is a ps2 card ??

http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

You need to make sure you’ve created a PS1 internal memory card if you want to save PS1 games.

BigcapitalDD

i made a ps2 internal memory card but i cant play any ps2 games. why cant i.

http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

Only the very early PS3 consoles were able to play PS2 games. The feature was removed later so most can not play them.

Sensonosukanko

Then why can the new ones still make ps2 internal memory card?
http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

The PS2 emulator was hardware based, so Sony had to leave in the Internal Memory Card functionality for older model PS3s. The newer PS3s have the same system software (firmware) but without the hardware.
hocolli52

You can download your favorite PS2 games from the Playstation Store to play on your PS3. I did; I downloaded Resident Evil Director’s Cut. This game started the whole “Shoot em up-Survival-Genre”, but I digress. Anyway may problem is getting the PS3 to recognize the Internal Memory Slot. Anyone, had this problem and found a FIX?

asapisaiah

My Spyro: Year of the Dragon game stopped reading the internal memory card after a soft reset. Is there any way to fix this?
Mproman69

how about if the screnn with select slot doesnt appear by itself?
Razen

does a ps3 has a built in memory card save data or do i nned to buy a memory card

http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

All PS3s have a built-in hard drive, like “320GB PS3″. So no, no memory cards needed.

hocolli52

I tried the above. I’m still having a problem getting the old PS2 game to recognize the PS3 Internal Memory Card (virtual) slot . Any suggestions?? The game keeps giving me the error message: “There are no internal memory cards.”

http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

“Resident Evil Director’s Cut” is a PS1 game, so you’d have to make sure you’re using PS1 Internal Memory cards.
Deanthemean

u need to have the first playstation 3 that came out but u can neva update it to the net if you want to keep the ps2 gaming function

Sagasta

Hey, i can’t find the memory card utility option through the menu. Nowhere. What could it be? I’m at 3.41

PS3 Explained