Toolchain and Utilities - POPStarter Docs

Tools are workflow glue, not bundled content#

The recovered wiki has many utility pages. This site documents what each tool is for and what checks matter, without hosting binaries or turning old download pages into a mirror.

VCD conversion checklist#

Dump the PS1 disc as BIN+CUE first. POPS expects VCD images, not normal ISO images.
Confirm the BIN is a raw MODE2/2352 image and the CUE is a plain ASCII cuesheet.
Use CUE2POPS to convert the CUE/BIN pair into a .VCD.
Keep the final .VCD extension uppercase in documented examples.
Use the VCD basename as the anchor for the renamed ELF and per-game support folder.

Game.cue + Game.bin
  -> CUE2POPS
    -> Game.VCD
      -> mass:/POPS/Game.VCD
      -> mass:/POPS/Game/CHEATS.TXT

CUE2POPS and batch conversion#

The recovered changelog material names CUE2POPS 2.3 as a standalone conversion line with fixes around input-file overwrite behavior, workdir BIN handling, and output-path generation. The practical documentation rule is to keep the CUE, BIN, converter, and any bulk script in a predictable folder and inspect the generated VCD names before copying them to the PS2 backend.

Bulk conversion is useful, but it multiplies naming mistakes. After a bulk run, check every VCD basename against the launcher/support-folder scheme you intend to use.

POPStarter batchers#

The old batcher pages describe small PC tools that create renamed POPStarter launchers in bulk. They are convenience tools for making many XX., SB., or HDD-style launchers from VCD names; they do not change POPStarter's storage rules.

Use case	Safe documentation stance
Create many USB launchers.	Explain that output ELFs must still match `mass:/POPS/<basename>.VCD`.
Create many SMB launchers.	Require the `SB.` prefix and matching share paths.
Create many HDD launchers.	Keep HDD frontend rules separate from legacy HDDOSD/KELF installs.
Old batcher download pages.	Record version names and role only; do not host executable mirrors.

PFSSHELL transfer path#

PFSSHELL is an old PC-side path for copying VCDs to a locally attached PS2 HDD. The recovered page's useful core is the command sequence, not the old download link.

device hddX:
mount __.POPS
put NAMEOFYOURVCD.VCD
umount
exit

Use the correct HDD index for hddX:, verify the drive status before writing, and mount the modern __.POPS VCD partition rather than an OPL game partition.

RadHostClient transfer path#

RadHostClient plus uLaunchELF provides a network copy route: configure the PS2 network settings in uLE, connect the PC client to the PS2 IP, browse host:/ from uLE, then copy VCDs into __.POPS. This is a transfer workflow only; it does not make POPStarter itself a network launcher.

PMC and VMC movement#

The recovered wiki has both directions: PS1 memory-card saves into POPStarter VMCs, and POPStarter VMC saves back toward a physical PS1 memory card workflow. Keep these pages as save-conversion appendices. They do not mean POPStarter can save directly to a physical PS1 memory card during play.