ELFs and Backups

Just having a quickie search over the forums, I can't find a post about my question, so here it is:

According to exploitstation.com, it says I can load backups of my original games using ELF files on my MC (My DVDs don't last forever in my household :) ), BUT their tutorial just goes over how to make the slide tool and stuff. It doesn't go ANYWHERE!

My question is: How can I load backups of PS2 games using an ELF file? I have a way of loading ELFs onto a storage medium, AND a program to run them. Do I need the famous 'Memory Card Exploit' to run it? Because the tut says I need that to run ELFs in the first place, but PS2Menu runs them without hassle. Any clues / suggestions?

I wanna play some backups. I have a HDD I can put them on, but if I have a 'backed-up' game on a DVD-R or something, I wanna be able to put it in, run an ELF and then play the game (Like what a modchip does, but I don't want to get a modchip)