Storage Backends

The manual chapter for choosing USB, HDD, SMB, or BDM/exFAT and understanding backend-specific path rules.

Backend comparison#

Backend	Best use	Main paths	Main trap
USB	Simple first setup and portable testing.	`mass:/POPS`, `mass:/POPS0..9`	Fragmentation, slow USB bus, split-folder support files.
HDD	Best performance and stable local library.	`hdd0:/__.POPS`, `hdd0:/__common/POPS`	Creating `+__.POPS` or putting support folders beside VCDs.
SMB	Network library with easy file management.	Share root `POPS/`, `mc?:/POPSTARTER/`	Read-only shares, missing modules, wrong `SB.` prefix.
BDM/exFAT	USB exFAT through driver substitution.	`mc?:/POPSTARTER/usbd.irx`, `usbhdfsd.irx`	Assuming it adds internal HDD exFAT support.
Advanced modes	Special and legacy launch paths.	PS1 CD mode, `POPSTARTER.KELF`, `PP.` partitions	Treating historical or risky routes as the default setup.
POPSLoader	Modern launcher and fork workflows.	`POPSLOADER.ELF`, `POPSLDR/`, fork device paths	Mixing fork-only behavior with original POPStarter core rules.

Do not mix backend rules#

XX. belongs to classic USB renamed-ELF launch. SB. selects SMB mode. Modern HDD VCDs belong in __.POPS, while legacy partition installs use IMAGE0.VCD inside PP.<Game> or __.<Game>.

Search Backend Launcher Confidence

Workflow	Backend	Launcher	Filesystem	Required files	Exact paths / config	Warnings	Sources
USB - OPL Apps per-game renamed ELF medium verified-hardware-user	USB mass storage	OPL Apps page	FAT32 32K/64K clusters, or exFAT through BDM Assault	Per-game VCD Per-game renamed POPSTARTER.ELF POPS_IOX.PAK title.cfg	`mass:/POPS/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS/<Game>/ mass:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK mass:/APPS/<AppFolder>/<Prefix>.<Game>.ELF mass:/APPS/<AppFolder>/title.cfg` Sample config `title=[PS1] Soul Blade boot=XX.SLUS_002.40.Soul Blade.ELF`	The renamed ELF and VCD basename must match the launch method's expectations. Do not store proprietary POPS files in this repository.	User uploaded operational notes ElOtroLado POPS emulator for PS2 thread (mention only)
USB - OPL DB/Tenth PS1 page medium verified-hardware-user	USB mass storage	OPL DB / Tenth Anniversary PS1 page	FAT32 or exFAT through BDM Assault	POPSTARTER.ELF Per-game VCD POPS_IOX.PAK	`mass:/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF mass:/POPS/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS/<Game>/ mass:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK`	Modern OPL fork behavior; do not present as original POPStarter core behavior.	User uploaded operational notes
USB - wLE_kHn VCD launcher medium verified-hardware-user	USB mass storage	wLE_kHn	FAT32 or exFAT through BDM Assault	POPS_IOX.PAK POPSTARTER.ELF Per-game VCD wLE_kHn ELF	`mass:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK mass:/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF mass:/POPS/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS/<Game>/ mass:/APPS/APP_wLE_kHn_20200810/wLE_kHn_20200810.ELF mass:/APPS/APP_wLE_kHn_20200810/title.cfg` Sample config `title=wLE_kHn_20200810 VCD Launcher boot=wLE_kHn_20200810.ELF`	User notes recommend omitting game IDs from VCD filenames for cleaner wLE_kHn lists.	User uploaded operational notes ElOtroLado POPS emulator for PS2 thread (mention only)
USB - POPS0 through POPS9 split folders high recovered-cross-check	USB mass storage	Original POPStarter folder scan	FAT12/FAT16/FAT32; defragmented media strongly preferred	VCDs in mass:/POPS or mass:/POPS0 through mass:/POPS9 POPS_IOX.PAK in main mass:/POPS	`mass:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK mass:/POPS/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS0/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS1/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS9/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS#/BIOS.BIN mass:/POPS#/PATCH_#.BIN mass:/POPS#/TROJAN_#.BIN mass:/POPS#/<Game>/CHEATS.TXT`	POPStarter scans POPS, then POPS0 through POPS9. POPS_IOX.PAK and IGR TM2 textures stay in the main POPS folder. BIOS.BIN, PATCH_#.BIN, TROJAN_#.BIN, and VMCDIR.TXT do not propagate into POPS# folders; copy them into each split folder that needs them.	POPSLoader recovered POPStarter documentation site (mention only) ShaolinAssassin POPStarter documentation wiki
USB - POPSLoader app high verified-cross-source	USB mass storage	POPSLoader	FAT32 or exFAT through BDM Assault	POPSLoader ELF and POPSLDR folder POPSTARTER.ELF POPS_IOX.PAK Per-game VCD	`mass:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK mass:/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF mass:/POPS/<Game>.VCD mass:/POPS/<Game>/ mass:/APPS/PS1_POPSLDR/POPSLOADER.ELF mass:/APPS/PS1_POPSLDR/POPSLDR/ mass:/APPS/PS1_POPSLDR/title.cfg` Sample config `title=[PS1] !POPSLOADER boot=POPSLOADER.ELF`	POPSLoader behavior is a modern side project, not original core POPStarter behavior. POPSLDR must stay next to the POPSLoader ELF according to the resource page.	User uploaded operational notes POPSLoader by El_isra
APA HDD - OPL Apps per-game renamed ELF high verified-cross-source	Internal APA HDD/SSD	OPL Apps page	PFS/APA	Per-game VCD POPS.ELF IOPRP252.IMG Per-game renamed POPSTARTER.ELF	`hdd:/__.POPS/<Game>.VCD hdd:/__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG hdd:/__common/POPS/POPS.ELF hdd:/__common/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF hdd:/+OPL/APPS/<Game>/<Game>.ELF hdd:/+OPL/APPS/<Game>/title.cfg` Sample config `title=[PS1] Soul Blade boot=SLUS_002.40.Soul Blade.ELF`	ElOtroLado warns OPL network start mode should not be Auto when launching HDD POPStarter via Apps, because black-screen hangs can occur. __.POPS spelling matters.	User uploaded operational notes ElOtroLado POPS emulator for PS2 thread (mention only) PSX-Place POPStarter page 15 - IGR and BOOT.ELF discussion
APA HDD - OPL DB / PS1 page medium verified-hardware-user	Internal APA HDD/SSD	OPL DB / PS1 page	PFS/APA	Per-game VCD POPS.ELF IOPRP252.IMG POPSTARTER.ELF POPS_IOX.PAK	`hdd:/__.POPS/<Game>.VCD hdd:/__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG hdd:/__common/POPS/POPS.ELF hdd:/__common/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF hdd:/__common/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK`	Modern OPL DB/Tenth behavior needs fork-specific verification. A local screenshot reports hdd0:/__common/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF worked as POPStarter path.	User uploaded operational notes Discord POPStarter test screenshot
APA HDD - wLE_kHn VCD launcher medium verified-hardware-user	Internal APA HDD/SSD	wLE_kHn	PFS/APA	wLE_kHn ELF Per-game VCD POPS.ELF IOPRP252.IMG POPSTARTER.ELF POPS_IOX.PAK	`mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF hdd:/__.POPS/<Game>.VCD hdd:/__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG hdd:/__common/POPS/POPS.ELF hdd:/__common/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF hdd:/__common/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK hdd:/__common/POPS/<Game>/ hdd:/+OPL/APPS/wLE_kHn_20200810/wLE_kHn_20200810.ELF hdd:/+OPL/APPS/wLE_kHn_20200810/title.cfg` Sample config `title=wLE_kHn_20200810 VCD Launcher boot=wLE_kHn_20200810.ELF`	Use this as a launcher workflow, not as a different POPStarter storage backend. __.POPS remains the VCD partition/path.	User uploaded operational notes ElOtroLado POPS emulator for PS2 thread (mention only)
APA HDD - __.POPS through __.POPS9 split folders high recovered-cross-check	Internal APA HDD/SSD	Modern WIP01/r13 HDD launch type	PFS/APA	__.POPS or __.POPS0 through __.POPS9 partitions/paths __common/POPS with POPS.ELF and IOPRP252.IMG	`hdd0:/__.POPS/<Game>.VCD hdd0:/__.POPS0/<Game>.VCD hdd0:/__.POPS9/<Game>.VCD hdd0:/__common/POPS/POPS.ELF hdd0:/__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG hdd0:/__common/POPS/<Game>/CHEATS.TXT`	Do not create +__.POPS; the leading plus is wrong for the POPStarter partition name. Per-game VMC/fix folders go under __common/POPS, not beside the VCDs in __.POPS.	POPSLoader recovered POPStarter documentation site (mention only) ElOtroLado POPS emulator for PS2 thread (mention only)
APA HDD legacy - PP.<game> HDDOSD-visible partition medium recovered-needs-hardware-check	Internal APA HDD/SSD	HDDOSD / Sony Browser 2.00 / legacy POPStarter KELF	PFS/APA partition	PP.<Game> partition IMAGE0.VCD POPSTARTER.KELF or matching launch entry	`hdd0:/PP.<Game>/IMAGE0.VCD pfs0:/IMAGE0.VCD PP.<Game>.ELF or POPSTARTER.KELF launch entry SYSTEM.CNF BOOT2 = pfs:/IMAGE0.VCD` Sample config `BOOT2 = pfs:/IMAGE0.VCD VER = 1.00 VMODE = NTSC`	Every partition-installed game image is named IMAGE0.VCD; game identity comes from the partition name. Use PP.<name> for HDDOSD-visible installs; hidden __.<name> is a different legacy mode.	POPSLoader recovered POPStarter documentation site (mention only) ShaolinAssassin POPStarter documentation wiki
APA HDD legacy - __.<game> hidden partition medium recovered-needs-hardware-check	Internal APA HDD/SSD	Legacy alternate POPStarter partition launch	PFS/APA partition	__.<Game> hidden partition IMAGE0.VCD Matching launch ELF	`hdd0:/__.<Game>/IMAGE0.VCD pfs0:/IMAGE0.VCD __.<Game>.ELF or matching legacy launch entry`	Hidden __.<name> partition-installed games are not the same as the modern shared __.POPS VCD folder. Do not rename the image away from IMAGE0.VCD inside a partition-installed game.	POPSLoader recovered POPStarter documentation site (mention only) ShaolinAssassin POPStarter documentation wiki
APA-Jail hybrid - Apps on exFAT, POPS on APA medium verified-hardware-user	Internal APA HDD/SSD plus APA-Jail exFAT app side	OPL Apps page	exFAT app paths plus APA/PFS POPS paths	App-side launcher on exFAT VCD and POPS files on APA/PFS	`exfat:hdd:APPS/<Game>/<Game>.ELF exfat:hdd:APPS/<Game>/title.cfg apa:hdd:/__.POPS/<Game>.VCD apa:hdd:/__common/POPS/IOPRP252.IMG apa:hdd:/__common/POPS/POPS.ELF apa:hdd:/__common/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF` Sample config `title=Soul Blade boot=SLUS_002.40.Soul Blade.ELF`	POPStarter core does not support internal exFAT for VCD/POPS data; this is an app-side hybrid workflow.	User uploaded operational notes
SMB - OPL Apps per-game renamed ELF high verified-cross-source	SMB network share	OPL Apps page	Host filesystem over SMB	Per-game VCD POPS_IOX.PAK SB-prefixed renamed POPSTARTER.ELF OPL conf_apps.cfg MC network modules	`PS2SMB:/POPS/<Game>.VCD PS2SMB:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK PS2SMB:/POPS/<Game>/ PS2SMB:/APPS/SB.<Game>.ELF PS2SMB:/ART/SB.<Game>.ELF_COV.jpg mc0:/OPL/conf_apps.cfg mc?:/POPSTARTER/IPCONFIG.DAT mc?:/POPSTARTER/SMBCONFIG.DAT mc?:/POPSTARTER/poweroff.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/ps2dev9.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/ps2ip.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/ps2smap.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/smbman.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/smsutils.irx` Sample config `Crash Bandicoot=smb:/APPS/SB.Crash Bandicoot.ELF Crash Bandicoot=smb0:/APPS/SB.Crash Bandicoot.ELF IPCONFIG.DAT: 192.168.0.13 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.1 SMBCONFIG.DAT: 192.168.0.254 PS2SMB`	Some later OPL betas reportedly require smb0: instead of smb: in conf_apps.cfg. Use .DAT, not .DAY, for IPCONFIG.DAT and SMBCONFIG.DAT. Use poweroff.irx, not poweroff.irc. The SMB share must allow writes for VMC creation/update. SMB debug text is forced in SMB mode according to ElOtroLado.	User uploaded operational notes ElOtroLado POPS emulator for PS2 thread (mention only)
SMB - direct SB-prefixed POPStarter launcher high verified-single-source	SMB network share plus PS2-side ELF launch	Direct renamed POPStarter ELF	Host filesystem over SMB	Shared POPSTARTER folder Per-game VCD POPS_IOX.PAK SB-prefixed renamed POPSTARTER.ELF launched from PS2 side MC network modules	`POPSTARTER share:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK POPSTARTER share:/POPS/<Game>.VCD POPSTARTER share:/POPS/<Game>/ <PS2-side launcher path>/SB.<Game>.ELF mc?:/POPSTARTER/IPCONFIG.DAT mc?:/POPSTARTER/SMBCONFIG.DAT mc?:/POPSTARTER/poweroff.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/ps2dev9.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/ps2ip.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/ps2smap.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/smbman.irx mc?:/POPSTARTER/smsutils.irx` Sample config `IPCONFIG.DAT: 192.168.0.13 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.1 SMBCONFIG.DAT: 192.168.0.254 POPSTARTER`	Do not confuse the PC/NAS POPSTARTER share with mc?:/POPSTARTER. The SB. prefix selects SMB mode. The share must be writable for VMC files.	ElOtroLado POPS emulator for PS2 thread (mention only)
SMB - OPL DB / PS1 page medium verified-hardware-user	SMB network share	OPL DB / PS1 page	Host filesystem over SMB	POPSTARTER.ELF Per-game VCD POPS_IOX.PAK MC network modules	`smb:/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF smb:/POPS/<Game>.VCD smb:/POPS/POPS_IOX.PAK smb:/POPS/<Game>/ mc?:/POPSTARTER/IPCONFIG.DAT mc?:/POPSTARTER/SMBCONFIG.DAT`	Modern OPL DB/PS1-page behavior needs fork-specific verification. Keep this separate from the SB-prefixed OPL Apps workflow.	User uploaded operational notes
BDM Assault - USB exFAT driver substitution high verified-primary	Memory card IRX override for USB	POPStarter core or compatible launcher	exFAT USB through substituted USB drivers	bdm_assault.irx renamed to usbd.irx usbd_bd_assault.irx renamed to usbhdfsd.irx	`bdm_assault.irx -> mc?:/POPSTARTER/usbd.irx usbd_bd_assault.irx -> mc?:/POPSTARTER/usbhdfsd.irx bdm_assault.irx -> mc?:/SYS-CONF/USBD.IRX usbd_bd_assault.irx -> mc?:/SYS-CONF/USBHDFSD.IRX`	This is USB driver substitution, not native internal exFAT support in POPStarter core. BDM Assault releases are external; do not vendor binaries here.	BDM Assault GitHub repository User uploaded operational notes
POPSLoader fork - USB, MX4SIO, MMCE, APAHDD high verified-primary	USB / MX4SIO / MMCE / APA HDD	Ripto POPSLoader fork	Device-specific; PFS for HDD	POPSLoader app POPSTARTER.ELF on a supported path VCDs in device POPS folder or HDD __.POPS	`mc0:/POPSTARTER/POPSTARTER.ELF mass:/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF mx4sio:/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF mmce:/POPS/POPSTARTER.ELF <device>:/POPS/<Title>.VCD <device>:/POPS/<Title>.png hdd:/__.POPS/<Title>.VCD hdd:/__common/POPS/ART/<Title>.png`	mc0 is required for settings and BDMA in the fork. BDMA is required for all non-HDD devices and only one BDMA mode can be active at once.	Ripto/NathanNeurotic POPSLoader fork