HDD Mode

📎 Recovered from the ShaolinAssassin wiki · snapshot 20170629165244

POPStarter for internal HDD

Requirements :

• POPS decrypted files :

To use POPStarter with an internal HDD, you have to find and download the POPS decrypted files. These files are named “POPS.ELF” and “IOPRP252.IMG”...

• Other Software Requirements :

. A software that allows you to convert your disc images to the POPS virtual CDROM format (such as CUE2POPS)
. A software that allows you to manage/create partitions in your PS2 HDD (such as AKuHAK’s uLaunchELF build or uLE_kHn build)
. A software that allows you to copy the decrypted POPS files to the __common partition of your PS2 HDD (such as AKuHAK’s uLaunchELF build or uLE_kHn build)
. A software that allows you to transfer the converted disc images to your PS2 HDD (such as PFSshell, or uLaunchELF and RadHostClient)
. A PS2 software that allows you to execute the POPStarter ELFs (such as uLaunchELF, or Free Harddisk Drive Boot) or a GUI to execute POPSTARTER.ELF by selecting the VCDs (such as uLE_kHn )

• Hardware Requirements :

. A PS2 console which is able to run PS2 unsigned code;
. A network adapter with/or a HDD interface;
. A PS2-formatted HDD that fits your network adapter/HDD interface.

Installation :

• a) Installing the Emulator :

1. Find and download the decrypted emulator files;
2. Create a directory named “POPS” in the “__common” partition of your PS2 HDD;
3. Paste POPS.ELF and IOPRP252.IMG into the “POPS” directory you’ve just created.

• b) Installing your PS1 Games :

1. Convert your BIN/CUE disc images to .VCD files using the latest stable version of CUE2POPS ;
2. Create a partition named “__.POPS” in your PS2 HDD, large enough so you can put all your VCDs inside.
   Note : +__.POPS is not correct. Use AKuHAK’s uLaunchELF build or uLE_kHn build to create a partition without +.

• c) Installing POPStarter :

1. Rename the POPStarter ELF as the name of your VCDs, replace the .VCD extension with a .elf extension [example : for running a VCD named “Gran Turismo.VCD”, the POPStarter ELF must be renamed as “Gran Turismo.elf”] ;
2. Copy or leave the ELFs where you want to run them from ;
3. Enjoy !

Example of Setup :

=== INTERNAL HDD, NEW LAUNCH TYPE ===
__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG
__common/POPS/POPS.ELF
__.POPS/Crash Bandicoot.VCD
__sysconf/FMCB/Crash Bandicoot.elf

POPSTARTER.KELF :

POPStarter bundle comes with a file named POPSTARTER.KELF (KELF = Krypo-ELF = ELF embedded into a container). It can be used if you have SONY Browser 2.00 (aka HDDOSD) installed on your HDD. Otherwise, it’s useless.

Notes if you use the POPStarter.KELF :

• Partition name prefix is of course PP. (PP(dot)) ;

• 1 partition = 1 game – you can’t install several games into a single partition (unless it’s a multi-disc game).

Read here for a guide about how to set it up.

HDD Launch types (advanced) :

HDD supports 3 “launch types”. The “launch type” relies on the prefix of your ELF names. Each type uses his own way to name the VCD file :

Examples :

(1) With the POPStarter ELF renamed as PP.SomeGame.elf, POPStarter will launch IMAGE0.VCD which is in the partition named PP.SomeGame.

(2) With the POPStarter ELF renamed as __.SomeGame.elf, POPStarter will launch IMAGE0.VCD which is in the partition named __.SomeGame.

(3) With the POPStarter ELF renamed as Some Game.elf, POPStarter will launch Some Game.VCD which is in the partition named __.POPS or __.POPS0 or __.POPS1… up to __.POPS9.

Examples of Setups :

=== INTERNAL HDD, OLD LAUNCH TYPE (HDDOSD COMPATIBLE) ===
__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG
__common/POPS/POPS.ELF
PP.Crash_Bandicoot/EXECUTE.KELF
PP.Crash_Bandicoot/IMAGE0.VCD

=== INTERNAL HDD, ALTERNATE OLD LAUNCH TYPE (HIDDEN PARTITION) ===
__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG
__common/POPS/POPS.ELF
__.Crash_Bandicoot/IMAGE0.VCD
__sysconf/FMCB/__.Crash Bandicoot.elf

=== INTERNAL HDD, NEW LAUNCH TYPE ===
__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG
__common/POPS/POPS.ELF
__.POPS/Crash Bandicoot.VCD
__sysconf/FMCB/Crash Bandicoot.elf

Additional notes :

• The internal HDD has to be PS2 formatted. If you need to format it, use the latest WIP version of AKuHAK’s uLaunchELF HDD edition.

• The partition names are case sensitive, and have to match the POPStarter ELF names.

• The third character of the ELF prefix (when used) is a dot (PPdot / __dot ).

• The prefix (when used) has to be uppercase.

• The file extension .VCD has to be uppercase.

• Whitespaces are not allowed in the partition names (for old launch types).

Related stuff :

You may want to give a look at this :

• [HDD] Transfer VCD files using PFSSHELL 0.2a

• [HDD] Transfer VCD files over network using RadHostClient

Related curated section → Storage Backends