How to Use a Computer HDD As a PSP Memory Stick

The Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) can play stored games, music and video from its removable Memory Stick Duo card. If your PSP's memory card is getting full, however, saving PSP media and game files to your home computer's hard disk drive (HDD) is an option. Using your computer's HDD as a PSP memory stick is relatively simple, provided you keep some key concepts in mind.

Create a folder directory on your computer's HDD where your PSP files will be saved. Choose a location on your computer's hard disk drive that is easy to access--such as the desktop--to make the process of finding your PSP game and media files quick and simple. This folder will soon become your virtual PSP memory stick.

Open the folder you have created on your computer's HDD and create sub-folders within for different types of Memory Stick Duo media. For example, if you plan to store audio files as well as game files, keeping each type in a dedicated, named folder will greatly help to use your PC's hard disk drive as a virtual memory stick. "Games," "Videos" and "Music" are simple names that can help you keep your PSP files organized.

Establish communication between your PC's hard disk drive and your PSP's Memory Stick Duo by using the PSP to PC USB cable. After you've connected the console to your computer, select the "USB Mode" option from the far left drop-down menu on your PSP's main menu screen. You will see a confirmation screen that will verify that your PSP and PC are in communication.

Open the PSP's directory, located on the main hard disk drive directory of your computer. In this directory, you will see folders named for the content they hold; for instance, "GAME" is where your downloaded games will be located and "MUSIC" is the folder in which audio files can be added or removed.

Transfer the files from your PSP to your computer's HDD by copying them from your PSP's memory stick directory into the folder you've created on your computer. This process may take a few minutes, depending on how many files you are transferring at once and how large they are. Once your files are successfully transferred from your PSP to your PC, they can be copied back to the PSP whenever you need them, enabling you to free up space on your Memory Stick Duo without losing any files.