Suddenly, those “copy-protected” saves became universal. You could download a Gran Turismo 5 save with 20 million credits and re-sign it in seconds.
If you have a backward-compatible PS3 (launch 20GB/60GB models with 4 USB ports) and play physical PS2 discs, the PS3 creates a "Virtual PS2 Memory Card" on the hard drive. You cannot simply plug a physical PS2 memory card into the PS3 without a specific USB adapter accessory.
This is where comes in. To bypass the lock, you need to decrypt the save, change its ownership identifier to your own, and then re-encrypt it.
If you are moving everything to a new PS3 console, use a direct Ethernet connection. This moves all save games, including locked ones, alongside downloaded games and profiles. ps3 save games
PS3 save games are stored on the console's hard drive, in a specific directory for each game. The save game data is typically stored in the following locations:
Select , then choose Online Storage as your destination.
The PlayStation 3 manages save data differently than modern consoles. Each save game is stored as a specific folder containing multiple files (like PARAM.SFO and DATA.BIN ) rather than a single packaged file. Location on the Console Suddenly, those “copy-protected” saves became universal
: Place the downloaded save folder (e.g., BLES00001-SAVE01 ) inside the SAVEDATA folder.
On your PS3 XMB (Cross Media Bar), navigate to Game > Saved Data Utility (PS3) . Highlight your save, press Triangle , and select Copy . Choose your USB device as the destination. Full System Backup Utility
By default, PS3 saves are digitally signed and locked to the specific PlayStation Network (PSN) Account ID that created them. If you download a 100% completion save file from the internet, your PS3 will display an error message stating, "The save data belongs to another user," and will disable trophies or refuse to load the file. You cannot simply plug a physical PS2 memory
Even today, you can find Discord servers offering “custom save sets” for games like The Last of Us Remastered (PS4) or Persona 5 —a direct lineage from those PS3 resigning tools.
: The PS3 only recognizes the FAT32 file system. Plug your USB drive into a PC, right-click it, select Format , and choose FAT32 .
The main drawback was that it required both consoles to be functioning and present simultaneously. It would also delete the data from the source console after the transfer, so it wasn't a simple backup tool but a full system migration.
If the downloaded save unlocked trophies immediately, you risk a PSN ban. Sony’s anti-cheat detects impossibly timed trophies (e.g., earning the Platinum trophy 2 seconds after starting the game). Always load the save offline first, then sync manually after playing legitimately for a few minutes.
To use a downloaded save file (e.g., from GameFAQs), users must "resign" it to match their own account using tools like Bruteforce Save Data .