P1POPStarter DocsRecovered preservation manual
Setup Storage Reference Archive

source notes/assistant research notes.md

Rendered local archive file: source_notes/assistant_research_notes.md

Source file#

source_notes/assistant_research_notes.md

Assistant Research Notes#

Key observed facts from web research#

  • PSX-Place POPStarter first post defines POPStarter as a launcher for PS1 games in combination with Sony's PS2 POPS emulator.
  • PSX-Place warns not to post direct links to POPS binaries such as POPS.ELF, POPS.PAK, POPS_IOX.PAK, and IOPRP252.IMG.
  • The release thread links to compatibility lists, IGR info, wLE_kHn, POPStarter Game Installer, POPSY-X, PSXVCD, BDMAssault, MMCEMAN, POPSLoader, cheat-code resources, and regional threads.
  • The release thread exposes attachments for core packages and network/BDM modules.
  • Retro-Jogos mirror preserves the old table of contents and should be used to reconstruct the lost Bitbucket wiki.
  • Retro-Jogos home page states final release is 2019/06/05 and mentions $IGR5 likely fixed in the last build.
  • ElOtroLado preserves a usable Spanish command list and installation guide.
  • BDM Assault README confirms exact IRX rename paths for POPStarter:
  • bdm_assault.irx -> mc?:/POPSTARTER/usbd.irx
  • usbd_bd_assault.irx -> mc?:/POPSTARTER/usbhdfsd.irx
  • PSX-Place POPSLoader page says the original El_isra POPSLoader is Lua/Enceladus based, supports USB/internal HDD, and includes PATCH_5.BIN for custom IGR textures.
  • PSX-Place Hugopocked thread states it is for patch/fix installation info, not general POPStarter emulator installation support.
  • PSX-Place page 15 contains critical IGR discussion:
  • $IGR5 gives OPL-like IGR with no popup.
  • Black-screen exit can be due to incompatible BOOT.ELF.
  • Workaround is to disable POPStarter's ELF loader or use/recompress a compatible BOOT.ELF.
  • This is separate from $NOIGR.

User-provided operational knowledge to preserve#

  • Device layouts for:
  • USB OPL Apps
  • USB OPL DB/Tenth PS1 page
  • USB wLE_kHn
  • USB POPSLoader
  • APA HDD OPL Apps
  • APA HDD OPL DB PS1 page
  • SMB OPL Apps
  • SMB OPL DB PS1 page
  • BDMAssault / exFAT setup with usbd.irx and usbhdfsd.irx.
  • Hugopocked fixes go in the per-game folder matching VCD basename.
  • Multi-disc with DISCS.TXT.
  • Shared VMC with VMCDIR.TXT.
  • Internal exFAT is not supported by POPStarter core.
  • APA-Jail hybrid can place app-side launcher pieces in exFAT but POPS files/VCDs still target APA paths.
  • Recent hardware/user test: hdd0:/__common/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF works as POPStarter path; no separate POPSTARTER folder on MC needed for that HDD-path launch scenario.
  • Debug vs classic POPStarter observation:
  • old/classic 00 POPSTARTER.ELF: black waiting screen until PS logo/startup.
  • POPSLoader/debug FF POPSTARTER.ELF: full log details until PS logo/startup.
  • Both worked in that user test.