△◯✕□ POPStarter DOCS
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Launch arguments

Boot POPSLoader straight into a device's game list — or straight into a game — from whatever launcher you already use (OPL's Apps tab, uLaunchELF / wLaunchELF, an NHDDL-style entry). The arguments go after the ELF path and are entirely optional: with none, POPSLoader just opens its normal cover-art carousel.

Where these go
Append the arguments to the POPSLoader ELF path in your launcher entry, separated by spaces — e.g. an OPL conf_apps.cfg line or a wLaunchELF shortcut: mc0:/PS1_POPSLOADER/POPSLOADER.ELF -page=ata.

The arguments

ArgumentWhat it does
-page=<device>Open that device's game list (when used without -game=).
-mode=<device>NHDDL-compatible alias for -page= — identical behaviour, same values.
-game=<selector>Auto-launch a game. Must be combined with -page=.
-debugShow an on-screen boot-context diagnostic toast.

Which device does each -page= value open?

Values are case-insensitive. The two HDD pages are distinct: ata opens the new exFAT internal drive (BDMA-ATA), while hdd / pfs / apa opens the classic APA/PFS HDD.

Opens this pageAccepted -page= / -mode= values
HDD (exFAT) — BDMA ATAexfat, ata, ata0, ataN
HDD (PFS) — APAhdd, hdd0, pfs, apa, apa0
USBusb, mass
MX4SIOmx4sio, mx4, sdc
MMCE (SD2PSX / MemCard PRO2)mmce
SMB (v1) network sharesmb

Not navigable: i.Link, which is unimplemented and has no route. The bare bdma token is a no-op — use ata or exfat to reach the exFAT page. An unrecognised value is ignored and the carousel just opens on its default page. (smb does navigate — it was listed here as unimplemented for a long time and that was wrong.)

Auto-launching a game (-game=)

Combine -page= with -game= to boot straight into a specific title. The selector format depends on the device:

Page-game= selector
USB · MX4SIO · MMCE · HDD (exFAT)the .VCD filename, relative to that device's POPS/ folder (for exFAT use -page=ata)
HDD (PFS)<PARTITION>|<VCD> — the POPS partition label, a literal |, then the .VCD name (e.g. __.POPS|SLUS_007.42.RAMPAGE.VCD)

Examples

POPSLOADER.ELF -page=ata                              ← open the exFAT HDD game list
POPSLOADER.ELF -page=hdd                               ← open the APA/PFS HDD game list
POPSLOADER.ELF -mode=ata                               ← same as -page=ata (NHDDL style)
POPSLOADER.ELF -page=usb -game=Tekken 3.VCD            ← boot straight into a USB game
POPSLOADER.ELF -page=ata -game=Final Fantasy IX.VCD    ← auto-launch from the exFAT drive
POPSLOADER.ELF -page=hdd -debug                        ← open the HDD list + diagnostic toast
Good to know
  • Recovery: hold START while booting to suppress any auto-launch and reach the menu — handy if an entry is mis-typed.
  • Spaces & quotes: game names with spaces work as-is; surrounding quotes are stripped. Don't pack two flags into one quoted value.
  • NHDDL parity: -mode=ata exists because that's how NHDDL selects the internal ATA drive; in POPSLoader it opens the HDD (exFAT) page.
  • These are a POPSLoader feature — stock POPStarter has no launch arguments.