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Getting PSO save files off a real GameCube

Unlike a Dreamcast VMU, a GameCube memory card can't just be plugged into a PC-side adapter for its save data — the common, well-documented route is software running on the GameCube, copying files to an SD card. That software needs a way to launch in the first place, so there's one extra step here that Dreamcast doesn't have.

Step 1: Get homebrew running at all

You need exactly one of these, once:

  1. A boot disc + a cheap SD adapter. If you (or a friend) have any later-revision Action Replay/Datel disc for your region, any inexpensive SD-to-memory-card-slot adapter (SD2SP2 or SD Gecko) lets you boot straight off an SD card — put Swiss on the card's root as autoexec.dol and the disc will boot into it automatically.
  2. A pre-loaded game-save exploit. A handful of common, cheap games (Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Paper Mario: TTYD, and others) have known save-data exploits; sellers offer memory cards pre-loaded with one plus Swiss/GCMM, or you can build your own from a legitimately-owned copy of the game.
  3. A modchip (e.g. XenoGC) — a physical, soldered mod. Not needed for saves alone; only worth it if you want other benefits (region-free, faster loading via an optical drive emulator).

Whichever you use, the point is just to get Swiss (a GameCube homebrew multi-tool) booted once. After that, memory cards and SD cards can both be plugged in together and Swiss/GCMM handle everything from there without needing the original exploit again.

Sources: Booting Homebrew – ConsoleMods Wiki (the authoritative overview of all current entry points), The Ultimate Homebrew (and Swiss) Guide for n00bs (a practical walkthrough that also shows how to build your own permanent Swiss+GCMM memory card from a one-time exploit).

Step 2: Copy save files to an SD card

Once Swiss is running, use either of these (both work; GCMM is the longer-established, more battle-tested tool for this specifically):

Option A: GCMM (GameCube Memory Manager)

Needs: a memory card in one slot, an SD2SP2/SD Gecko/GC Loader (or, in Wii mode, the front SD slot) in the other, GCMM itself.

  1. Launch GCMM — via an SD card, by streaming it, from a bootable disc, or through Swiss.
  2. It lists the memory card(s) and storage device(s) it finds; pick yours.
  3. Enter Backup Mode, select the save(s) you want.
  4. Press A to back up one selected save, or R (GameCube pad; 1 on Wiimote) to back up every save on the card at once, no prompts.
  5. Files land in sd:/MCBACKUP/ as standard save files, ready to drop into the editor.

Sources:

Option B: Swiss's own file manager

Swiss (the same tool you likely used to boot in Step 1) has a built-in file manager as an alternative to a separate GCMM step.

  1. In Swiss's settings, enable File Manager.
  2. Navigate to the memory card; save files are listed like any other files.
  3. Copy them across to the SD card (mounted via SDGecko/SD2SP2).

One community note worth knowing: some users have reported saves copied this way not always working correctly back on real hardware/Dolphin, whereas GCMM's backups have been more consistently reliable — worth trying GCMM first if a Swiss-copied save misbehaves.

Sources:

Building a reusable Swiss+GCMM memory card (optional, avoids repeating Step 1)

If you only have a temporary exploit (e.g. a borrowed game), you can make it permanent:

  1. Format an SD card FAT16, 2GB or smaller.
  2. Copy Swiss and GCMM onto it.
  3. Boot the exploit once, use GCMM to write both Swiss's boot files and the exploit save itself onto a spare/blank memory card.
  4. That memory card now boots Swiss on its own, with no disc or original exploit game needed again.

Source: GameCubeHomebrew/GameSave-Exploits on GitHub — also a good reference for which specific games/regions have known save exploits.