This is the Definitive English Patch for Sony's "PlayStation Broadband Navigator" software (also known as BB Navigator or PSBBN) for the "PlayStation 2" (PS2) video game console.

PSBBN is official Sony software for the PlayStation 2, released exclusively in Japan. Introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the PS2’s OSD, it required both a hard drive and a network adapter to function. It added many new features:

Launching games from the hard drive
Accessing online channels
Downloading full games, demos, videos, and pictures
Ripping audio CDs and transferring music to MiniDisc recorders in the Music Channel
Watching videos in the Movie Channel
Transferring photos from a digital camera and viewing them in the Photo Channel

This project aims to translate PSBBN from Japanese to English, introduce modern features, and make it a viable daily driver in 2025 and beyond.

You can find out more about the PSBBN software on Wikipedia and on my YouTube channel.

Donations

If you appreciate my work and want to support the ongoing development of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch and other PS2-related projects, you can donate to my Ko-Fi.

This project uses webhook.site to automatically contribute game artwork/icons and report missing artwork/icons to the PSBBN Art Database and the HDD-OSD Icon Database. As the project has grow in popularity, we're exceeding the limit offered by a free account. A paid subscription costs $9/month or $90/year, donations help fund this.

Video demonstration of PSBBN

Patch Features

A full English translation of the stock Japanese BB Navigator version 0.32
All binaries, XML files, textures, and pictures have been translated*
Compatible with any fat model PS2 console as well as PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx models with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod, regardless of region
DNAS authorization checks bypassed to enable access the online channels
Online game channels from Sony, Hudson, EA, Konami, Capcom, Namco, KOEI, and Bandai have been translated into English (work in progress). Hosted courtesy of vitas155 at psbbn.ru
"Audio Player" feature re-added to the Music Channel from an earlier release of PSBBN, allowing compatibility with NetMD MiniDisc Recorders
Associated manual pages and troubleshooting regarding the "Audio Player" feature translated and re-added to the user guide
Japanese QWERTY on-screen keyboard replaced with US English on-screen keyboard**
The cross and circle buttons have been swapped: cross is now Enter, and circle is now Back.
Support for the PlayStation 2 DVD remote control
Direct link to the Game Collection in the Top Menu
Launch up to 800 PS1/PS2 games and apps directly from the Game Collection
Large HDD support: no longer limited to 128 GB. It now supports larger drives, with 128 GB allocated to the PlayStation File System (PFS) and up to 2 TB allocated to exFAT
2 TB storage capacity for both PS2 games and homebrew apps
POPS partition up to 111 GB for PS1 games
VMC Groups for PS1 games
Full Game ID support for the Pixel FX Retro GEM and MemCard Pro/SD2PSX
Set a custom size for your music partition. Originally limited to 5 GB. Now the partition can be up to 111 GB for around 170 albums
Set a custom size for your contents partition for the storage of movies and photos. Originally limited to 5 GB, can now be up to 111 GB
PSBBN installer makes setup easy
Game and App Installer fully automates the installation of PS1/PS2 games as well as ELF and SAS-compliant homebrew apps
A choice of OPL or Neutrino for you game launcher
Includes the apps wLaunchELF_ISR and Retro GEM Disc Launcher, with a choice of either OPL or NHDDL
Media Installer for converting and installing music
Install optional extras such as HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0), PS2BBL and PS2 Linux

Changelog

September 09, 2025 - PSBBN Launcher for Windows: Easy Install & Setup

NEW! PSBBN Launcher For Windows - The New way to install the PSBBN Definitive Patch on Windows 10 and 11.
Special thanks to Yornn for all his work on this feature.

Release Notes:

NEW! Menu System:

New central menu system instead of separate scripts, making it easier to navigate the various features of the PSBBN Definitive Patch
Setup now runs automatically if missing dependencies are detected

NEW! Music Installer:

Install music for playback on the PSBBN Music Channel. Supported formats: .mp3, .m4a, .flac, and .ogg

NEW! PSBBN Installer:

PSBBN has fully transitioned from ReiserFS (an old, no-longer-supported filesystem) to ext2, allowing direct access to all BBN partitions
The new PSBBN Installer works with a tar archive instead of a disk image, reducing download size and drastically improving install time
When installing, you can set a custom size for the contents partition used for movies and photos (previously limited to 5 GB)
Increased maximum size of the Music, Contents, and POPS partitions — now up to 111 GB

NEW! PSBBN Updater:

Allows updating to the latest version of the Definitive Patch directly from the menu. No USB thumb drive or USB keyboard required!

Game Installer:

The game installer now offers an HDTV fix for PS1 games, allowing them to display on TVs that do not support 240p
Bug fixes and improved Game ID extraction for ISO and VCD files.
Extracts Game ID directly from ZSO files by decompressing only part of the disc image; ZSO files no longer need to be fully decompressed or renamed, greatly improving processing time

Extras:

PS2 Linux is now an optional install. You can set a custom size for your home partition. PS2 Linux can also be reinstalled if you experience issues
Swap the functions of the Cross and Circle buttons on your controller. Choose between the standard layout (Cross = Enter, Circle = Back) or the alternate layout (Circle = Enter, Cross = Back)

HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0):

New PSBBN icon designed by Yornn
New improved background colour when viewing game icons

July 17, 2025 - Definitive Patch v2.11 - Boot Security Patched! Button Swap, VMC Groups & More!

Release Notes:

PSBBN Updated to Definitive Patch v2.11

Patch v2.11 can be installed by running the PSBBN Installer script (all data will be lost), or via the new Update PSBBN Software option in the Extras script (requires a FAT32-formatted USB drive, 128 GB or smaller, and a USB keyboard to complete setup).

New in Definitive Patch v2.11:

Boot Security Patched. The CRC security check in PSBBN’s boot ELF has been bypassed, allowing the loading of custom kernels.
The cross and circle buttons have been swapped: cross is now Enter, and circle is now Back.
Added support for the PlayStation 2 DVD remote control. The PLAY, PAUSE, STOP, PREV, NEXT, SCAN, and DISPLAY buttons can now be used during music and movie playback in the Music and Movie channels. The ENTER button can also be used when navigating menus.
The PlayStation BB Guide has been updated to reflect the button swap and the relocation of the Game Collection. A new section has been added covering the Online Channels. Numerous improvements to the English translation.
Improves the update process. A USB drive and keyboard will not be required for future updates.

02-PSBBN-Installer.sh:

You can now set a custom size for the POPS partition. Previously, it filled all remaining space after creating the music partition.

03-Game-Installer.sh, ps2iconmaker.sh & txt_to_icon_sys.py:

Multi-disc PS1 games now support disc swapping without additional setup. A DISCS.TXT file is created for every multi-disc game. Multi-disc games also now share a POPStarter Virtual Memory Card (VMC)
POPStarter VMC Groups for PS1 games: games that can interact with each other's save data now share a single VMC. For example, licenses earned in Gran Turismo can be transferred to Gran Turismo 2, and Metal Gear Solid’s Psycho Mantis can comment on other Konami games you've played.
VMCs now display clearer titles in Save Data Management and Browser 2.0 with custom icons for each game and group.
The game installer now automatically generates HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0) icons if not found on the HDD-OSD Icon Database. If cover images for a game are available in the OPL Manager Art Database, a 3D icon for the game will be automatically generated. 3D icons are also created for VMCs when a game logo is available. All newly generated icons are automatically contributed to the HDD-OSD Icon Database, and missing icons are reported.
Fixed a bug where incorrect publisher information could be displayed for ELF files

list-builder.py:

Improved Game ID extraction for edge cases. Now handles non-standard IDs like LSP99016.101 and PS1 games with non-standard system.cnf files.

Neutrino Updated to Version 1.7.0

Full changelog for Neutrino can be found here

Open PS2 Loader Updated to v1.2.0 Beta-2210-6b300b0

Adds support for VMC Groups and bug fixes.

wLaunchELF

Upgraded to wLaunchELF v4.43x_isr. Improves stability, and adds support for exFAT on external drives and MMCE (SD card browsing on Mem Card Pro 2/SD2PSX).

June 05, 2025 - PSBBN Definitive Patch v2.10 – Big Game Installer Changes & More!

Release Notes:

PFS Shell.elf & HDL Dump.elf:

PFS Shell updated to support creating 8 MB PFS partitions
HDL Dump updated to properly modify their headers

PSBBN Disk Image Updated to Version 2.10:

Disk created with a new version of PFS Shell for full compatibility with 8 MB PFS partitions
Added a direct link to the Game Collection in the Top Menu
Improved boot time for users without a connected Ethernet cable
Modified the startup script to format and initialize the Music partition, allowing it to be smaller or larger than before.
Reduced delay before button presses are registered when booting into Linux
PS2 Linux partition now uses ext2 instead of reiserfs
Removed ISP Settings from the Top Menu
Removed Open PS2 Loader shortcut from the Navigator Menu (user can add a shortcut to their choice of game launcher manually)
Modified shortcuts to LaunchELF and Launch Disc
Updated the About PlayStation BB Navigator page
Enabled telnet access to PSBBN for development purposes
Corrections to the English translation

02-PSBBN-Installer.sh:

Prevents the script from installing the PSBBN Definitive Patch if the version is below 2.10
Partitions the remaining space of the first 128 GB of the drive:
- Music partition can now range between 1 GB and 104 GB
- POPS partition can now range between 1 GB and 104 GB
- Space reserved for 800 BBNL partitions
Removed POPS installer (now handled by the Game Installer script)
Code has been significantly cleaned up and optimized

03-Game-Installer.sh:

Added a warning for users running PSBBN Definitive Patch below version 2.10
The PS2 drive is now auto-detected
Added an option to set a custom path to the games folder on your PC
Allows new games and apps to be added without requiring a full sync
BBNL partition size reduced from 128 MB to 8 MB, enabling up to 800 games/apps to be displayed in the Game Collection
Fixed a bug preventing games with superscript numbers in their titles from launching
General improvements to error checking and messaging
Fixed issues detecting success/failure of some rsync commands
rsync now runs only when needed
Improved update process for POPStarter, OPL, NHDDL, and Neutrino
Game Installer now installs POPS binaries if missing
Reduced number of commands executed with sudo
ELF files are now installed in folders and include a title.cfg
Code has been significantly cleaned up and optimized

list-builder.py:

Merged list-builder-ps1.py and list-builder-ps2.py into a single script
Now extracts game IDs for both PS1 and PS2 games

list-sorter.py:

Game sorting logic has been moved here from the previous list builder scripts
Sorting has been significantly improved

General

PSBBN Installer and Game Installer scripts now prevent the PC from sleeping during execution
Added a check in each script to ensure it is run using Bash
Updated README.md

May 01, 2025 - SAS, HDD-OSD, PS2BBL & More!

Release Notes:

Added support for the Save Application System (SAS). PSU files can now also be placed in the local games/APPS folder on your PC and will be installed by the 03-Game-Installer.sh script
Added support for HDD-OSD to the 03-Game-Installer.sh script. 3D icons are now downloaded from the HDD-OSD Icon Database
New script: 04-Extras.sh. Added ability to install HDD-OSD and PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)
Make your own HDD-OSD icons with the HDD-OSD Icon Templates
Translate PSBBN using the Translation Pack to localize the software into different languages.

Mar 28, 2025 - Homebrew Launcher & More!

Release Notes:

Open PS2 Loader updated to version 1.2.0-Beta-2201-4b6cc21:
- Limited max BDM UDMA mode to UDMA4 to avoid compatibility issues with various SATA/IDE2SD adapters
Added a manual for PS1 games. It can be accessed in the Game Collection by selecting a game, pressing Triangle, and then selecting Manual
Transitioned to BBN Launcher (BBNL) version 2.0:
- Dropped APA support in favour of loading OPL, POPStarter, Neutrino, and configuration files from the exFAT partition to speed up initialization.
- Moved BBNL to the APA header to further improve loading times.
- Removed dependency on renamed POPStarter ELF files to launch PS1 VCDs; POPStarter is now launched directly with a boot argument.
- NHDDL now launches in ATA mode, improving startup time and avoiding potential error messages.
Updated Neutrino to version 1.6.1
Updated NHDDL to version MMCE + HDL Beta 4.17
Added cover art from the OPL Manager Art DB backups. Artwork for PS2 games is now displayed in OPL/NHDDL
Added homebrew support to the 03-Game-Installer.sh script. ELF files placed in the local games/APPS folder on your PC will be installed and appear in the Game Collection in PSBBN and the Apps tab in OPL
Apps now support Game ID for both the Pixel FX Retro GEM and MemCard Pro/SD2PSX

Feb 19, 2025 - BBN Launcher, Neutrino & NHDDL

Release Notes:

OPL-Launcher-BDM has been replaced by BBN Launcher (BBNL)
Added Neutrino support. You can now choose between Open PS2 Loader and Neutrino as your game launcher
When using Neutrino as your game launcher, NHDDL can be used to make per-game settings

Jan 22, 2025 - Game ID, PSBBN Art Database, Updated Tutorial & More!

Release Notes:

Added Game ID support for the Pixel FX Retro GEM, as well as MemCard Pro 2 and SD2PSX. Works for both PS1 and PS2 games
PS2 games now launch up to 5 seconds faster
Resolved conflict with mass storage devices (USB, iLink, MX4SIO). Games now launch without issues if these devices are connected
Apps now automatically update when you sync your games
The art downloader has been improved to grab significantly more artwork
Improved error handling in the PSBBN installer script
The setup script has been modified to work on live Linux environments without issues
Added support for Arch-based and Fedora-based Linux distributions in addition to Debian
Added confirmation prompts to the PSBBN installer script when creating partitions
PSBBN image updated to version 2.01:
- Set USB keyboard layout to US English. Press ALT+~ to toggle between kana and direct input
- Minor corrections to the English translation
Added Open PS2 Loader and Launch Disc to the Game Collection
The Game Installer script has been updated to create and delete game partitions as needed. Say goodbye to those annoying "Coming soon..." placeholders!
Files placed in the CFG, CHT, LNG, THM, and APPS folders on your PC will now be copied to the PS2 drive during game sync
The scripts now auto-update when an update is available
Optimised art work
Introducing the PSBBN art database
If artwork is not found in the PSBBN art database, an attempt is made to download from IGN. Art downloads from IGN are now automatically contributed to the PSBBN art database, and missing artwork is also automatically reported. Manual submissions are welcome, see the PSBBN art database GitHub page for details

Dec 11, 2024 - PSBBN Definitive English Patch 2.0

Release Notes:

Initial release of patch version 2.0
Bandai and SCEI online channels have been added to the Game Channel
PS2 Linux dual-boot
wLaunchELF pre-installed
Large HDD support: no longer limited to 128 GB
Introducing APA-Jail, allowing the PlayStation's PFS partitions to co-exist with an exFAT partition
Introducing OPL-Launcher-BDM, allowing PS2 games stored on the exFAT partition to be launched from within PSBBN
Introducing the PSBBN Installer script:
- Installs PSBBN, POPS binaries and POPStarter
- Partition the first 128 GB of the drive as PFS:
  - Create up to 700 OPL launcher partitions
  - Custom size music partition from 10 GB to max 97 GB
  - Remaining space allocated to POPS partition for PS1 games
- Creates an exFAT partition with drive space beyond the first 128 GB for storage of PS2 games
Introducing the Game Installer script:
- Fully automates the installation of PS1 and PS2 games
- Creates all assets and meta-data
- Downloads game artwork from IGN

User Guide

The PSBBN Definitive Patch scripts are essential for unlocking all the new features exclusive to version 2.0 and above. The scripts require an x86-64 processor and a 64-bit operating system. ARM-based systems, including Apple Silicon, are not supported.

PSBBN requires a Fat PS2 console (SCPH-3000x to SCPH-500xx) with an expansion bay and an official Sony Network Adapter.

It is also compatible with the PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx model with an IDE Resurrector or similar hardware mod and SCPH-10000 to SCPH-18000 models with an official external HDD enclosure, as long as the drive in the enclosure has been replaced with one that is 200 GB or larger. Additional setup is required for these consoles.

For expansion bay type consoles, I would highly recommend using a Kaico or BitFunx IDE to SATA Upgrade Kit

You also require a HDD/SSD for your PS2 that is larger than 200 GB, ideally 500 GB or larger. A SATA SSD is also highly recommended. The improved random access speed over a HDD really makes a big difference to the responsiveness of the PSBBN interface. You can connect the HDD/SSD to your PC either directly via SATA or using a USB adapter.

Installing on Linux

Debian-based distributions using apt, Arch-based distributions using pacman, and Fedora-based distributions using dnf are supported.

It is highly recommended to install the scripts using git clone to enable automatic updates:

Install git, for Debian-based distributions run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/CosmicScale/PSBBN-Definitive-English-Patch.git

You can then change to the PSBBN-Definitive-English-Patch directory and run PSBBN-Definitive-Patch.sh:

cd PSBBN-Definitive-English-Patch
./PSBBN-Definitive-Patch.sh

Installing on Windows

The recommended way to install the PSBBN Definitive Patch on Windows 10 and 11 is to use the PSBBN Launcher For Windows.

Video Tutorial:

Enabling Virtualization:
It may be necessary to enable SVM Mode (for AMD CPUs) or VT-x (for Intel CPUs) in your BIOS settings if they are not already enabled. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.

Download the PSBBN Launcher for Windows here (Right-click and select Save link as).

Set the PowerShell Execution Policy:
Before running the script for the first time, you must change the execution policy in PowerShell:

Open a new PowerShell window from the Start menu by searching for PowerShell and select Run as Administrator.
Type the following command and press Enter:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

You are now ready to run the script:
Right-click on PSBBN-Launcher-For-Windows.ps1 and select Run with PowerShell.

The script will:

Automatically set up the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
Prompt you to select a drive and games folder
Launch the PSBBN Definitive Patch Main Menu

Accessing the PSBBN Definitive Patch Main Menu in the Future:
Simply right-click on PSBBN-Launcher-For-Windows.ps1 and select Run with PowerShell

NOTE:
Always exit the PSBBN Definitive Patch Main Menu by pressing q to quit. This ensures the drive is unmounted from WSL. If you are using a drive connected via USB, remember to also eject it from the Windows system tray.

PSBBN-Definitive-Patch.sh is your gateway to the PSBBN Definitive Patch. Running this script launches the main menu.
If this is your first time running the script or you are missing dependencies, the setup process will automatically run and install everything required.

From the main menu, you will have the following options:

Install PSBBN
Performs a fresh install of PSBBN.
Update PSBBN Software
Updates an existing install to the latest version of the PSBBN Definitive Patch.
Install Games and Apps
Installs PS1 and PS2 games, plus homebrew apps.
Install Media
Optional Extras

PSBBN Installer

Fully automates the installation of PSBBN:

Formats the drive for a clean installation
Downloads and installs the latest version of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch from archive.org
Creates partitions for the Music, Contents (to store movies and photos) and POPS (to store PS1 games), with user-defined sizes on the first 128 GB of the drive.
Reserves space for 800 BBN Launcher partitions, used to launch games and apps.
Runs APA-Jail, creating an exFAT partition using all remaining disk space beyond the first 128 GB (up to 2 TB) for the storage of PS2 games and apps

Update PSBBN Software

Selecting this option will check online for the latest version of the PSBBN Definitive Patch and installs it automatically. All your games, settings, and personal data will remain intact.

Game and App Installer

Fully automates the installation of PS1 and PS2 games, as well as homebrew apps:

Auto-detects your PS2 drive
Let you set a custom path to the games folder on your PC
Gives you a choice of Open PS2 Loader (OPL) or Neutrino for the game launcher
Installs any available updates for Open PS2 Loader (OPL), Neutrino, NHDDL, Retro GEM Disc Launcher, and wLaunchELF_ISR
Downloads and installs the POPS binaries and installs POPStarter
Offers the option to apply a HDTV fix for PS1 games, useful for users with a TV that does not support 240p
Offers the option to synchronise the games and apps on your PC with your PS2's drive, or to add additional games and apps
Creates all assets including meta-data, artwork and icons for all your games/apps
Downloads artwork for the PSBBN Game Collection from the PSBBN Art Database or IGN if not found in the database
Automatically contributes game artwork downloaded from IGN and reports missing artwork to the PSBBN Art Database
Downloads cover art for PS2 games from the OPL Manager art database for display in OPL/NHDDL
Creates Virtual Memory Cards (VMCs) for all PS1 games. Creates VMC Groups for for games that can interact with each other's save data
Downloads icons for both games and VMCs for use with HDD-OSD/Browser 2.0 from the HDD-OSD Icon Database. If icons are unavailable, but images for a game are available in the OPL Manager Art Database, 3D icons will be automatically created.
Automatically contributes HDD-OSD icons and reports missing icons to the HDD-OSD Icon Database
Creates BBN Launcher partitions, making games and apps launchable from the PSBBN Game Collection and HDD-OSD

Synchronize All Games and Apps

The script lets you set the location of the games folder on your PC. Simply place your files in the games folder: PS2 ISO or ZSO files in the CD/DVD folders, PS1 VCD files in the POPS folder, and ELF or SAS-compliant PSU files in the APPS folder. To add or delete games and apps, just modify the contents of the games folder on your PC, then run the script and select Synchronize All Games and Apps.

Add Additional Games and Apps

Alternatively, you can add PS2 games directly to the exFAT partition of your PS2 drive by placing ISO or ZSO files in the CD or DVD folders, and ELF or SAS-compliant PSU files in the APPS folder. Then run the script and select Add Additional Games and Apps. This will add the new content to the PSBBN Game Collection and HDD-OSD. Additionally, any new PS1 and PS2 games and apps found in the games folder on your PC will also be installed.

Note: PS1 games can only be installed by placing the VCD files in the games/POPS folder on your PC.

Additionally, PS2 games and homebrew apps can be manually deleted from the exFAT partition on the PS2 drive, and PS1 games can be deleted from the PFS __.POPS partition. Running the script and selecting Add Additional Games and Apps will remove any deleted games from the PSBBN Game Channel and HDD-OSD.

Sorting

In the PSBBN Game Collection, items are grouped into PS1 games, PS2 games, and homebrew apps. PS1 and PS2 games are sorted alphabetically and organized by game series, with games in a series ordered by release date. Homebrew apps are sorted alphabetically, while SAS apps are further divided into sub-groups based on app type (system, game, emulator, etc.).

Media Installer

Select Install Media from the main menu and you will be presented with the following option:

Install Music
Set Media Location
Initialise Music Partition

Music Installer

Install music for playback on the PSBBN Music Channel. To use the Music Installer, you must be running PSBBN Definitive Patch version 3.00 or later. If you have previously upgraded from a lower version, you must Initialise the Music Partition first.

Supported formats are .mp3, .m4a, .flac and .ogg. Each file’s metadata must include the album title and track number. Place your music files in the default music folder, or choose a custom location using Set Media Location and place the files its music subfolder.

Set Media Location

Set a custom location for your media folder. Music should be placed in a music subfolder.

Initialise Music Partition

Erases all music data from PSBBN and resets the music database. Use this option if you have upgraded from a version of PSBBN Definitive Patch lower than 3.00, in order to use the Music Installer. You can also use this option if you experience problems with the Music Channel.

Extras

Select Optional Extras from the main menu and you will be presented with the following option:

Install PS2 Linux
Install HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0)
Install PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)
Uninstall PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)
Reassign Cross and Circle Buttons

PS2 Linux

PlayStation 2 Linux is an official kit from Sony that turned the PS2 into a Linux-based personal computer.
The Install PS2 Linux option allows you to install or reinstall PS2 Linux.

To install PS2 Linux you need at least 3 GB of free space on your PS2 drive. During installation, you will be asked to set the size of your home directory (used for storing personal files and apps).

When reinstalling Linux:

If Linux came pre-installed with your version of the PSBBN Definitive Patch, all PS2 Linux data will be erased, including your home directory.
If you installed or reinstalled Linux using this menu, only the system files will be reinstalled — your personal files in the home directory will not be affected.

Notes:

To launch PS2 Linux, power on your PS2 console, wait for the PlayStation 2 logo, then hold any button on the controller until the spinning orbs stop. PS2 Linux will then boot.
PS2 Linux requires a USB keyboard; a mouse is optional but recommended.
The root password is password. There is also a ps2 user account with the password password.
To start a graphical interface, type startx at the command line.
Launching the Dillo web browser will open a mirror of the old official PS2 Linux website, where you can find a wide range of software to download and try.

HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0)

HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0) is an enhanced version of the PlayStation 2’s system menu that adds hard drive support, letting you manage software, save data, and launch games/apps directly from the HDD. It is fully compatible with both the official Sony Network Adapter and 3rd-party HDD adapters.

HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0) can be launched from the PSBBN Game Channel, or, if PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL) is installed, by holding down the cross button while the console starts up.

Games installed with the Game Installer will appear in the Browser represented by 3D icons modelled after the game case. Apps downloaded from the Save Application System Apps Archive will also be represented by unique icons. POPStarter virtual memory cards also get unique icons.

Game and VMC icons are downloaded from, and contributed to, the HDD-OSD Icon Database.

Note:
HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0) is not compatible with drives larger than 1 TB.

PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)

If you choose to install the PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL), the console will auto-boot into PSBBN unless the cross button is held during startup, in which case HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0) will be launched instead (if installed).

Launch keys and other settings for PS2BBL can be modified by editing the CONFIG.INI file stored on the internal drive at __sysconf/PS2BBL, more info can be found here.

Uninstall PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)

Provides the option to uninstall PS2BBL, returning the boot process to normal.

Reassign Cross and Circle Buttons

This option lets you swap the functions of the cross and circle buttons on your controller. You can choose between the standard layout (cross = enter, circle = back) or the alternate layout (circle = enter, cross = back), depending on your preference.

Notes

Exiting Games

To quit PS1 games, press L1 + SELECT + START
If you are using OPL as your game launcher, to quit PS2 games, press L1 + L2 + R1 + R2 + SELECT + START and to power off the console press L1 + L2 + L3 + R1 + R2 + R3

BBN Launcher (BBNL)

BBN Launcher is a multi-purpose launcher co-developed by pcm720 and CosmicScale. It is responsible for launching PS1 games (via POPStarter), PS2 games (via OPL and Neutrino), and homebrew ELF files from the PSBBN Game Collection.

Open PS2 Loader (OPL)

Open PS2 Loader (OPL) is a 100% open source game and application loader for the PS2.

If you selected OPL as your game launcher, per-game settings assigned in OPL are reflected when launching games from the PSBBN Game Collection
If OPL freezes at startup, delete any existing OPL configuration files from your PS2 Memory Cards or connected USB devices.
To display the games list in OPL, make sure a regular PS2 Memory Card inserted into your console (if you are using either the MemCard Pro 2 or SD2PSX, remove it), launch OPL and adjust the following settings:

Settings > HDD (APA) Start Mode: Off
Settings > BDM Start Mode: Auto
Settings > BDM Devices > HDD (GPT/MBR): On
Settings > Save Changes

These settings will be saved to your PS2 Memory Card. You can keep this card in Slot 2 and use your MemCard Pro 2 or SD2PSX in Slot 1.

Neutrino and NHDDL

Neutrino is a lightweight device emulator for PS2. NHDDL is a frontend for Neutrino.

If you selected Neutrino as your game launcher, per-game settings assigned in NHDDL are reflected when launching games from the PSBBN Game Collection
Neutrino does not support compressed ZSO files. If ZSO files are found in your games folder, they will be automatically decompressed to ISO files by the Game Installer

POPStarter and Virtual Memory Cards

POPS is an official Sony PS1 emulator for PS2, originally released exclusively in Japan as a way to distribute PS1 games over the internet to PSBBN users. POPStarter is a homebrew launcher for POPS that enables the emulator to play any PS1 game.

A POPStarter Virtual Memory Card (VMC) is created for every PS1 game played, and your progress is stored there. VMCs can be found on PSBBN in Save Data Management and in Browser 2.0, under the POPS folder. A VMC Group is used for games that can interact with each other's save data. This allows, for example, licenses earned in Gran Turismo to be transferred to Gran Turismo 2, and Metal Gear Solid’s Psycho Mantis to comment on other Konami games you've played.

Hotkey button combinations are supported for disc swapping and various other options. Full details can be found in the Manual of each installed PS1 game. To access it, select a game in the Game Collection, press Triangle, then select Manual.

Save Application System (SAS)

Save Application System (SAS) is a new standard for distributing homebrew applications for the PS2. Currently in beta, but already has over 20 apps available for download on the Save Application System Apps Archive with many more coming soon. All SAS-compliant apps come packed in a PSU file and include icons and metadata, making it the recommended way to install homebrew on PSBBN.

Game ID

Game ID for both the Retro GEM, MemCard Pro 2, and SD2PSX is fully supported when launching PS1 games, PS2 games, and homebrew apps from the Game Collection.

If you have a Retro GEM, I would highly recommend that you install the Retro GEM Game ID Resetter on your PS2 Memory Card. With this app, when you quit a game, the Game ID is reset, and the Retro GEM settings are returned to global.

Launch Disc

Launch Disc loads the Retro GEM Disc Launcher application.

For physical PlayStation game discs:

Sets the Retro GEM Game ID
Adjusts the PlayStation driver's video mode, if needed, to ensure imports play in the correct mode

For physical PlayStation 2 game discs:

Sets the Retro GEM Game ID
Skips the PlayStation 2 logo check, allowing MechaPwn users to launch imports and master discs

Recommended usage:

Add a shortcut for Launch Disc to the Navigator Menu if it is not there already
Press SELECT to open the Navigator Menu
Insert a game disc
Select Launch Disc from the menu

wLaunchELF_ISR

A fork of wLaunchELF written by Matías Israelson. The version included with this project offers improved stability and adds support for exFAT on external drives and MMCE (SD card browsing on Mem Card Pro 2/SD2PSX). More details about this fork can be found here.

APA-Jail

APA-Jail, created and developed by Berion, enables the PS2's APA partitions to coexist with an exFAT partition. The first 128 GB of the HDD/SSD are reserved for APA partitions, while the remaining space (up to 2 TB) is formatted as exFAT. This setup allows PSBBN to access the first 128 GB directly.

An application called BBN Launcher resides on the APA partitions and directs Open PS2 Loader or Neutrino to launch specific PS2 games and apps from the exFAT partition.

Warning: Manually creating new APA partitions on your PS2 drive and exceeding the 128 GB limit will corrupt the drive.

Legacy versions of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch

Click to expand

Patch Features

A full English translation of the stock Japanese BB Navigator version 0.32
All binaries, XML files, textures, and pictures have been translated*
Compatible with any fat model PS2 console as well as PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx models with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod, regardless of region
DNAS authorization checks bypassed to enable access the online channels
Online game channels from Sony, Hudson, EA, Konami, Capcom, Namco, and KOEI have been translated into English. Hosted courtesy of vitas155 at psbbn.ru
"Audio Player" feature re-added to the Music Channel from an earlier release of PSBBN, allowing compatibility with NetMD MiniDisc Recorders
Associated manual pages and troubleshooting regarding the "Audio Player" feature translated and re-added to the user guide
Japanese QWERTY on-screen keyboard replaced with US English on-screen keyboard**
Storage capacity limited to 128 GB
Not compatible with the PSBBN installer, PSBBN Software Updater, Game Installer, Media Installer, or Extras

Version History

v1.2 - 4th September 2024

Fixed a bug on the Photo Channel that could potentially prevent the Digital Camera feature from being launched.
Fixed formatting issues with a number of error messages where text was too long to fit on the screen.
Various small adjustments and corrections to the translation throughout.

v1.1.1 - 8th March 2024 NEW

X11 has been set to run in English. The restore, move, resize, minimize, and close buttons now show in English while using the NetFront web browser. When saving files, time stamps now also display in English formatting.

v1.1 - 5th March 2024 NEW

The NetFront web browser is now in English. The browser can be accessed by going through the "Confirm/Change" network setting dialogs, then selecting "Change router settings".
Atok user manual has been translated.

BUG FIXES

General: When a game disc was inserted while on the Top Menu, it would cause the console to freeze.
Music Channel: The number of times a track had been checked-out to a MiniDisc recorder was not displayed correctly.
A number of typos have been fixed.

v1.0 - 21st September 2023

Initial release.

Installation Instructions

There are two ways to install this English patch:

PS2 HDD RAW Image Install: Use this method if you have access to a PC and a way to connect your PS2 HDD/SSD to your PC. This is the most straightforward option. All data on the HDD will be lost.
Patch an existing PSBBN install: Use this method if you already have an existing PSBBN install on your PlayStation 2 console. Also, follow these instructions to install future patch updates. No data will be lost.

PS2 HDD RAW Image Install

What You Will Need:

Any fat model PS2 console*
An official Sony Network Adapter
A compatible HDD or SSD (IDE or SATA with an adapter). The drive must be 120 GB or larger
A way to connect the PS2 HDD to a PC
120 GB of free space on your PC to extract the files
Disk imaging software

Installation Procedure:

Download PSBBN_English_Patched_v1.x.x_Image.7z and uncompress it. PSBBN_English_Patched_v1.x.x_HDD_RAW.img is a raw PS2 disk image of the Japanese PlayStation BB Navigator Version 0.32 with the PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch pre-installed.
To write this image to your PS2 HDD, you need disk imaging software. For Windows, I recommend using HDD Raw Copy ver. 1.10 portable. You can download it here.

Patch an existing PSBBN install

What You Will Need:

Any fat model PS2 console*
An official Sony Network Adapter
A compatible HDD or SSD (IDE or SATA with an adapter)
An existing install of PSBBN software 0.32 on your PS2 console
A Free McBoot Memory Card
A USB flash drive formatted as FAT32
A USB keyboard

Installing the English Patch:

Install the PSBBN software on your PS2 console if you haven't done so already. Either via a disk image or manually, see the section Installing the Japanese PSBBN software below for details on a manual install.
Download PSBBN_English_Patch_Installer_v1.x.x.zip and unzip it on your PC.
Copy the files kloader3.0.elf, config.txt, xrvmlinux, xrinitfs_install.gz, and PSBBN_English.tar.gz to the root of a FAT32 formatted USB flash drive.
Connect the USB flash drive and a USB keyboard to the USB ports on the front of your PS2 console.
Turn the PS2 console on with your Free McBoot Memory Card inserted and load wLaunchELF.
Load kloader3.0.elf from the USB flash drive.
Eventually, you will be presented with a login prompt:
Type root and press enter.
Type install and press enter.
When you see the text INIT: no more processes left in this runlevel, hold the standby button down until the console powers off.

Remove your Free McBoot Memory Card. Power the console on and enjoy PSBBN in full English!

Installing the Japanese PSBBN software

There are a number of ways this can be achieved. On a Japanese PlayStation 2 console with an official PSBBN installation disc, or with Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3.

To install via Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 you will need a way to boot backup discs on your console, be that a mod chip or a swap disc. If you are lucky enough to have a SCPH-500xx series console you can use the MechaPwn softmod.

Installing with Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3:

Preparations:

Download the Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 ISO from the Internet Archive here.
SCPH-500xx consoles only: Patch the ISO with the Master Disc Patcher.
Burn this ISO to a writable DVD. I recommend using ImgBurn.
SCPH-500xx consoles only: MechaPwn your PS2 console with the latest release candidate, currently MechaPwn 3.0 Release Candidate 4 (RC4). It is important that you use a version of MechaPwn that does not change the Model Name of your console or it will break compatibility with the Kloader app, we use later in this guide. Currently the latest stable version is not compatible. More details about exactly what MechaPwn does and how to use it can be found here.
Format the PS2 HDD. In wLaunchELF press the circle button for FileBrowser, then select MISC > HddManager. Press R1 to open the menu and select Format. When done, press triangle to exit.
Launch the Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 DVD on your console. SCPH-500xx consoles only: Insert your newly burnt Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 DVD into the DVD drive on your PS2 console. On the first screen of wLaunchELF, press the circle button for FileBrowser, then select MISC > PS2Disc. The DVD will launch. On all other model consoles, launch the Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 DVD any way you can (e.g. Mod chip/Swap disc).
After the disc loads, select HDD Utility Discs > PlayStation BB Navigator Version 0.32 from the menu to begin the installation.

Installation:
There's an excellent guide here that talks you through the Japanese install. Because we have already formatted the hard drive, during the install you will be presented with a different screen. It's important that you select the 3rd install option. This will install PSBBN without re-formatting the HDD. When the install is complete you will be instructed to remove the DVD, do so but also remove your Free McBoot Memory Card, before pressing the circle button.

Network Settings:
You will be asked to enter your network settings. Make sure your Ethernet cable is connected. Everything is still in Japanese, but it's relatively straightforward:

Press the circle button on the first screen.
On the next screen, select the bottom option, "Do not use PPPoE" and press circle.
On the next screen, select the top option, "Auto" for you IP address and press circle.
On the next screen, select the top option, "Auto" for DNS settings and press circle.
Press right on the d-pad to proceed to the next screen.
Select the bottom option, "Do not change router settings" and press circle.
Finally, press circle again to confirm your settings.

For your efforts you will be given a DNAS error. This is to be expected. We'll fix that next. Press cross and feel free to explore your fresh install of the Japanese PSBBN.

Disable DNAS Authentication:

Turn off the console and put your Free McBoot Memory Card back into a memory card slot.
Turn the console on and load wLaunchELF.
Go to FileBrowser. Navigate to hdd0:/__contents/bn.conf/ and delete the file default_isp.dat. This will disable the DNAS checks.

Please Note Before installing the English patch, you must power off your console to standby mode by holding the reset button. Failure to do so will cause issues with Kloader.

Notes

* Also compatible with the PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx models with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod. PS2 HDD RAW Image Install is not compatible with early model Japanese PS2 consoles (SCPH-10000, SCPH-15000 and SCPH-18000) that have an external HDD due to space limitations (unless the stock drive is replaced with a 120+ GB drive). When patching an existing PSBBN install, Kloader might have compatibility issues with early model Japanese PS2 consoles (SCPH-10000, SCPH-15000 and SCPH-18000).

Use OPL-Launcher to launch PS2 games from the Game Channel. More details can be found here.
Lacks support for large HDDs, drives larger than 130 GB cannot be taken full advantage of. PSBBN can only see the first 130,999 MB of data on your HDD/SSD (as reported by wLaunchELF). If there is 131,000 MB or more on your HDD/SSD, PSBBN will fail to launch. Delete data so there is less than 131,000 MB used, and PSBBN will launch again. Be extra careful if you have installed via the PS2 HDD RAW Image on a drive larger than 120 GB, going over 130,999 MB will corrupt the drive.
You may need to manually change the title of your "Favorite" folders if they were created before you Patched an existing PSBBN install.

Troubleshooting

Problems Launching PSBBN

When you connect the drive to your PS2 console and power it on, PSBBN should automatically launch.

Fat PS2 console models SCPH-3000x-500xx:

If your console boots to the regular OSD or freezes, it means that your drive has not been recognised or you are experiencing a hardware issue. You should check the following:

Make sure you are using an official Sony Network Adapter; 3rd-party adapters are not supported
Ensure the network adapter and drive are securely connected to the console
Check that the connectors on the console and network adapter are clean and free of dust/debris
If using a SATA mod, make sure it has been installed correctly
Try using a different HDD/SSD
Try using a different IDE converter/SATA mod
Try a different official Sony Network Adapter
Try a different PS2 console

Early (SCPH-10000–18000) and Slim (SCPH-700xx) Consoles

If you are using a PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx model with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod, or SCPH-10000 to SCPH-18000 model with an official external HDD enclosure, download the External HDD Drivers. Extract the files and place hddload.irx, dev9.irx, and atad.irx in the appropriate system folder for your region on an official Sony PS2 Memory Card:

Region	Folder Name
Japanese	BIEXEC-SYSTEM
American	BAEXEC-SYSTEM
Asian	BAEXEC-SYSTEM
European	BEEXEC-SYSTEM
Chinese	BCEXEC-SYSTEM

For the SCPH-700xx model if, after doing so, the console freezes at the PlayStation 2 logo, the most likely cause is an incompatible IDE to SD card adapter.

Problems Launching Games

If games do not appear in the games list in NHDDL or OPL (after modifying the OPL settings as described above), or fail to launch from the PSBBN Game Collection, try the following:

If you have a mod chip, disable it
Re-run the `Game Installer and select a different game launcher
Connect the PS2 HDD/SSD directly to your PC using an internal SATA connection or a different USB adapter, then reinstall PSBBN
Try using a different HDD/SSD and then reinstall PSBBN
Try using a different IDE converter/SATA mod on your console

Known Issues

Using a Definitive Patch version older than 2.10 with the latest game installer may corrupt APA partitions, rendering PSBBN unbootable. If you are running an older version, it is highly recommended that you upgrade by running selecting Install PSBBN from the main menu.
PSBBN only supports dates up to the end of 2030. When setting the time and date, the year must be set to 2030 or below.
PSBBN will freeze when launching apps if a mod chip is detected. To use PSBBN, mod chips must be disabled.
PSBBN will freeze at the "PlayStation 2" logo when booting, if a 3rd party, unofficial HDD adapter is used. An official Sony Network Adapter is required.
When using a drive larger than 2 TB, the first 128 GB will be allocated to the PlayStation File System (PFS), and the next 2 TB will be formatted as an exFAT partition. Any remaining space beyond that will be unusable.
OPL cannot read settings saved on the exFAT partition of the internal drive. Settings should be saved to a PS2 memory card. If you have a MemCard Pro 2 or SD2PSX, it is recommended that you save your OPL settings to a standard PS2 memory card inserted in slot 2.
wLaunchELF and other native PS2 apps cannot create PFS partitions on the PS2 drive. New partitions should only be created using the version of PFS Shell included with this project. When creating additional partitions, care must be taken to ensure PFS partitions do not exceed the first 128 GB of drive space, or the drive will become corrupted.
HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0) may report drives larger than 1 TB as broken.
MiniDisc support is broken on patch version 2.10. I hope to fix this in a future update
The PS2 DVD Remote Control can behave erratically if no controller is plugged into Controller Port 1

* Instances in feega where some Japanese text couldn't be translated due to it being hard-coded in an encrypted file. Atok software has not been translated.
** The default on-screen keyboard is set to Japanese. However, a US English on-screen keyboard has been added, though you’ll need to press the SELECT button multiple times to switch to it. There's a bug where spacebar doesn't work on the US English on-screen keyboard, but you can enter a space by pressing the triangle button on the controller instead.

Credits

PS2 Homebrew Community:

PSBBN Definitive English Patch project by CosmicScale
PSBBN English translation by CosmicScale
Setup.sh, PSBBN-Installer.sh, Game-Installer.sh, Media-Installer.sh, music-installer.py, Extras.sh, art_downloader.js, list-sorter.py txt_to_icon_sys.py, vmc_groups.list written by CosmicScale
ps2iconmaker.sh written by Sakitoshi and CosmicScale
PSBBN-Launcher-For-Windows.ps1 written by Yornn
Contains code from list_builder.py from XEB+ neutrino Launcher Plugin by sync-on-luma, modified by CosmicScale
Contains data from TitlesDB_PS1_English.txt and TitlesDB_PS2_English.txt from the PFS-BatchKit-Manager by GDX-X, modified by CosmicScale
PFS Shell and HDL Dump with 8MB PFS partition modifications by AKuHAK
PFS Fuse by PS2 Homebrew Projects
BBN Launcher written by pcm720 and CosmicScale
Open PS2 Loader with BDM contributions from KrahJohlito and Auto Launch modifications by CosmicScale
Neutrino by Rick Gaiser
NHDDL written by pcm720
POPStarter written by KrHACKen
Retro GEM Disc Launcher written by CosmicScale
PS1VModeNeg written by AKuHAK
Uses APA-Jail code from the PS2 HDD Decryption Helper by Berion
APA Partition Header Checksumer by Pink1 and Berion. Linux port by Bucanero
PSU Extractor written by Bucanero from the PS2 HDD Decryption Helper project
ziso.py from Open PS2 Loader written by Virtuous Flame
icon_sys_to_txt.py written by NathanNeurotic (Ripto)
PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL) written by Matías Israelson (israpps)
wLaunchELF_ISR by Matías Israelson (israpps)
Online channels resurrected, translated, maintained and hosted by vitas155 at psbbn.ru
PlayStation Now! and Konami online channels translated by CosmicScale
PSBBN Art Database created and maintained by CosmicScale
HDD-OSD Icon Database created and maintained by CosmicScale
Uses PS2 cover art from the OPL Manager Art DB backups
Uses App icons from OPL B-APPS Cover Pack and OPL Discs & Boxes Pack courtesy of Berion
VMC and PSBBN 3D icons designed by Yornn
Thanks to everyone on the Save Application System team for their ongoing work on the Save Application System Apps Archive
Special thanks to pcm720 for patching osdboot.elf to bypass the CRC security check

Third-Party Libraries & Binaries:

vmlinux BB Navigator kernel (Linux 2.4.17) – Source code available here
SQLite v2.8.17 from sqlite.org
mkfs.exfat (exfatprogs 1.2.2) from exfatprogs

All libraries and utilities are open-source and used in accordance with their respective licenses.

README.md Unescape Escape

PSBBN Definitive English Patch

Donations

Video demonstration of PSBBN

Patch Features

Changelog

September 09, 2025 - PSBBN Launcher for Windows: Easy Install & Setup

August 28, 2025 - PSBBN Definitive Patch v3.00 - Music Installer, Menu System, Faster Installs & More!

July 17, 2025 - Definitive Patch v2.11 - Boot Security Patched! Button Swap, VMC Groups & More!

June 05, 2025 - PSBBN Definitive Patch v2.10 – Big Game Installer Changes & More!

May 01, 2025 - SAS, HDD-OSD, PS2BBL & More!

Mar 28, 2025 - Homebrew Launcher & More!

Feb 19, 2025 - BBN Launcher, Neutrino & NHDDL

Jan 22, 2025 - Game ID, PSBBN Art Database, Updated Tutorial & More!

Dec 11, 2024 - PSBBN Definitive English Patch 2.0

User Guide

Installing on Linux

Installing on Windows

Main Menu

PSBBN Installer

Update PSBBN Software

Game and App Installer

Synchronize All Games and Apps

Add Additional Games and Apps

Sorting

Media Installer

Music Installer

Set Media Location

Initialise Music Partition

Extras

PS2 Linux

HDD-OSD (Browser 2.0)

PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)

Uninstall PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)

Reassign Cross and Circle Buttons

Notes

Exiting Games

BBN Launcher (BBNL)

Open PS2 Loader (OPL)

Neutrino and NHDDL

POPStarter and Virtual Memory Cards

Save Application System (SAS)

Game ID

Launch Disc

wLaunchELF_ISR

APA-Jail

Legacy versions of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch

Patch Features

Version History

Installation Instructions

PS2 HDD RAW Image Install

Patch an existing PSBBN install

Installing the Japanese PSBBN software

Notes

Troubleshooting

Problems Launching PSBBN

Fat PS2 console models SCPH-3000x-500xx:

Early (SCPH-10000–18000) and Slim (SCPH-700xx) Consoles

Problems Launching Games

Known Issues

Credits

README.md