P1POPStarter DocsRecovered preservation manual
Setup Storage Reference Archive

CODEX COPY PASTE PROMPT.md

Rendered local archive file: CODEX_COPY_PASTE_PROMPT.md

Source file#

CODEX_COPY_PASTE_PROMPT.md

You are Codex working in a repository that contains a seed pack for rebuilding the best available POPStarter documentation site.

Your job: 1. Read every file in this repository/zip before changing anything. 2. Research POPStarter much more deeply than the seed pack. 3. Recover and preserve dead/scattered documentation. 4. Build a complete static documentation site. 5. Do not hallucinate. Every factual claim must be source-backed or marked unverified.

Context: POPStarter is a PS2 homebrew launcher for Sony's PS2 POPS PS1 emulator. The old ShaolinAssassin Bitbucket documentation is partly dead, and the information is scattered across PSX-Place, ElOtroLado, Retro-Jogos, Archive.org, ASSEMblergames archives, PS2-Home, MetaGames, CDRInfo, regional mirrors, GitHub side projects, and user-tested workflows.

Hard legal/safety rule: Do NOT include, download into the repo, redistribute, or directly link to copyrighted Sony binaries such as:

It is allowed to document that users must supply legally obtained copies and where to place them.

  • POPS.ELF
  • POPS.PAK
  • POPS_IOX.PAK
  • IOPRP252.IMG
  • PS1 BIOS files

Start with these seed files:

  • docs/SOURCE_INVENTORY.md
  • docs/MASTER_KNOWLEDGE_DRAFT.md
  • docs/COMMAND_REFERENCE_DRAFT.md
  • docs/STORAGE_MATRIX_DRAFT.md
  • docs/IGR_EXIT_REFERENCE.md
  • docs/PATCHES_AND_FIXES_DRAFT.md
  • docs/RESEARCH_GAPS_AND_VERIFICATION.md
  • docs/SITE_SPECIFICATION.md
  • data/known_sources.yaml
  • data/popstarter_commands.seed.json
  • data/storage_matrix.seed.json
  • source_notes/user_uploaded_notes_raw.md
  • source_notes/assistant_research_notes.md
  • media/discord_popstarter_test_screenshot.png

Primary research targets: 1. PSX-Place POPStarter thread

  • https://www.psx-place.com/threads/popstarter.19139/
  • Scrape or manually inspect all pages.
  • Prioritize posts by krHACKen, TnA, El_isra, BloodRaynare, jolek, Peppe90, hugopocked, Ripto.
  • Capture package attachment names and thread updates.
  • Do not download proprietary binaries into the repo.

2. ShaolinAssassin Bitbucket wiki

  • https://bitbucket.org/ShaolinAssassin/popstarter-documentation-stuff/wiki/Home
  • It may be dead/404.
  • Use Web Archive and mirrors.
  • Important pages: hdd-mode, usb-mode, smb-mode, compatibility, automated-fixes, vmc, hotkeys, cheat-engine, special-cheats, igr, igr-textures, swap-disc, ps1-cd-mode, irx-loader, bios-osd-handlers, debug-mode, ule-khn, advanced-settings, timeline, changelog, apps-last-version, multi-disc.

3. Archive.org backup

  • https://archive.org/details/backup-popstarter-documentation-stuff-wiki-from-2017-and-2020
  • Download/extract text/HTML/markdown if available.
  • Preserve raw files under research/raw/archive_org_shaolin_wiki/.
  • Diff 2017 vs 2020 docs if both exist.
  • Use newest version for the main manual, but document important deltas.

4. Retro-Jogos mirror

  • https://www.retro-jogos.com/PS2/pops/index.html
  • https://www.retro-jogos.com/PS2/pops/home.html
  • Crawl /PS2/pops/ if possible.
  • This mirror preserves the table of contents and may preserve translated pages.

5. ElOtroLado / El_Patas thread

  • mention-only source; no public outbound link
  • Fully capture the first post.
  • Preserve Spanish original snippets and translate into English.
  • Extract version list, install layouts, CHEATS.TXT syntax, commands, IGR list, troubleshooting.

6. Modern side projects

  • BDM Assault: https://github.com/israpps/BDMAssault
  • POPSLoader by El_isra: https://www.psx-place.com/resources/popsloader.1396/
  • POPSLoader fork for MMCE/MX4SIO/USB/APAHDD: https://www.psx-place.com/resources/fork-popsloader-for-mmce-mx4sio-usb-and-apahdd.1665/
  • Hugopocked fixes: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/hugopocked-fixes-for-popstarter.39750/

Build the site:

  • Use Astro + Starlight unless a better static-docs stack is clearly justified.
  • It must build as a static site suitable for GitHub Pages.
  • Include local search if practical, preferably Pagefind.
  • Data-driven pages should use JSON/YAML data under src/data.

Required site sections: 1. Home 2. Quick Start 3. Storage Matrix 4. Launcher Matrix 5. Command Reference 6. IGR and Exit Behavior 7. Patches and Fixes 8. Multi-disc and VMC 9. Video / Display 10. SMB / Network 11. Debugging 12. Troubleshooting 13. Source Archive 14. Research Log 15. Glossary

Required structured data: Create or refine these:

  • src/data/sources.json
  • src/data/commands.json
  • src/data/storageLayouts.json
  • src/data/patches.json
  • src/data/knownIssues.json
  • src/data/glossary.json
  • src/data/hotkeys.json
  • src/data/researchGaps.json

Each command entry must include:

  • command
  • category
  • scope
  • placement
  • effect
  • notes
  • conflicts
  • source ids
  • confidence
  • verification status

Each storage layout must include:

  • storage backend
  • launcher frontend
  • filesystem
  • required files
  • optional files
  • exact paths
  • sample config
  • warnings
  • source ids
  • confidence
  • verification status

Every documentation page must:

  • include citations/source links
  • label unverified claims
  • avoid pretending dead-link info is confirmed
  • separate original POPStarter core from modern side-project/fork behavior

Special priority: solve and document these: 1. Exact "disable ELF loader" artifact

  • Is it a PATCH_#.BIN, TROJAN_#.BIN, command, or another file?
  • Exact filename?
  • Placement?
  • Effects?
  • Source evidence?
  • Difference from $NOIGR?

2. Full PATCH_X.BIN map

  • Mode/function
  • Placement
  • Equivalent CHEATS.TXT command if any
  • Conflicts

3. Full TROJAN_X.BIN map

  • Game/fix content
  • Changelog
  • Placement

4. Full CHEATS.TXT command table

  • Include all commands from ElOtroLado, Shaolin wiki, PSX-Place posts, and package docs.
  • Include $HDTVFIX, $480p, $IGR0-$IGR5, $NOIGR, $SAFEMODE, $SMOOTH, $NOPAL, $FAKELC, $COMPATIBILITY_0x##, $USBDELAY_#, $FORCEPAL, $XPOS, $YPOS, $DWSTRETCH, $DWCROP, $SCANLINES, $CODECACHE_ADDON_0, $CACHE1, $SUBCDSTATUS, $MUTE_VAB, $WIDESCREEN, $ULTRA_WIDESCREEN, $EYEFINITY, $MUTE_CDDA, $UNDO_MUTE_CDDA, $NOVMC0, $NOVMC1, $UNDO_GAME_FIXES, $D2LS, $D2LS_ALT.
  • Add any missing ones found in archived docs.

5. Validate filename typos

  • Confirm SMB config filenames are SMBCONFIG.DAT and IPCONFIG.DAT, not .DAY.
  • Confirm whether poweroff file is poweroff.irx, not poweroff.irc.
  • Confirm case sensitivity rules.

6. Preserve user-tested modern workflows

  • The seed includes user notes with working USB/HDD/SMB/POPSLoader/wLE_kHn layouts.
  • Treat these as user-tested operational notes, then cross-check against public sources.
  • Do not delete them just because old docs do not mention modern OPL forks.

Deliverables:

  • A working static docs site.
  • A research/raw/ folder with non-proprietary captured source excerpts or archived markdown/html.
  • A research/SOURCE_AUDIT.md explaining each source, status, and reliability.
  • A research/CONFLICTS.md listing conflicting claims and final decisions.
  • A research/MISSING.md listing still-unrecovered items.
  • Updated data JSON files.
  • README.md with setup/build/deploy instructions.
  • Ensure npm install, npm run build, and any checks work.

Quality bar: We are competing with another AI research/build attempt. The output should be more complete, better sourced, more cautious, and more useful. It should not just be a pretty website. It must be a durable preservation-grade documentation project.

Begin by creating a short implementation plan in research/IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md, then execute it.