An ISO file is a type of disk image file that contains the contents of an optical disc, such as a CD or DVD. In the context of PS2 games, an ISO file is a ripped copy of the game disc.
Several PS2 homebrew developers have reverse-engineered Xploder's code format, creating compatibility layers in modern cheat engines. This means you aren't losing much by moving to open-source alternatives.
If you’re looking for information about what Xploder V5 does, how to use an original disc, or legitimate alternatives for PS2 cheats or backups, I’d be happy to help with that instead. Let me know how you’d like to proceed.