Sometimes FAT32 works, but the cluster size is wrong. The PS2 prefers for drives up to 32GB.
If you want to dive deeper into fixing this issue, let me know: What and brand of USB drive are you using?
: Some newer high-capacity USB 3.0/3.1 drives draw too much power or use controllers that the PS2's legacy drivers cannot communicate with. ulaunchelf mass empty
If you absolutely must use a large drive, you must force FAT32 and MBR using command-line tools.
Sometimes the USB driver fails to initialize on the first try. Sometimes FAT32 works, but the cluster size is wrong
However, even the most robust tools have their cryptic error messages. One such message that pops up in legacy forums, Reddit threads, and GitHub issue trackers is the phrase (often appearing as "Mass:" with an empty directory listing, or a specific "empty" error when trying to access USB storage).
UlaunchELF (uLE) is a widely used homebrew file manager and executable launcher for PlayStation 2. Users commonly perform large-scale file removals ("mass empty") to reclaim space on memory cards, USB devices, or internal HDDs on PS2 models with network adapters. This paper focuses on methods, implications, and safeguards when executing bulk-delete operations from uLE. : Some newer high-capacity USB 3
The PlayStation 2 uses outdated USB 1.1 hardware, which imposes strict requirements on any connected storage device: