Recovery for Dummies documentation
The LaunchELF project gave rise to LbFn [1] [2] and a plethora of unofficial LaunchELF forks. So many of the latter have been created that it can be difficult for anyone who does not actively follow the so-called scene to choose the right one. Below is a list of uLE versions, arranged in chronological order based on when the projects first appeared. Each entry includes a brief description of how it differs from the others.
The abbreviated name for unofficial LaunchELF is uLE, but you may also come across wLE (from double-unofficial LaunchELF) and uLaunchELF/wLaunchELF. Throughout the list below, I will use the abbreviated form.
The last version of uLE developed by EP and Dlanor, and in my opinion the last thoroughly tested release with the fewest bugs. It is also worth mentioning the experimental 4.40h version, which is the only release in this line that works with older versions of the PCSX2 emulator (although wLE does as well, so there is little point in keeping this one).
Thanks primarily to the work of SP193 and AkuHak, the project evolved from version 4.42d, with several longstanding bugs fixed and the libraries and modules updated to the then-latest versions. This release was distributed as part of the FMCB v1.966 package and, in my opinion, is another solid release.
Development of wLE continued, driven in part by the work of Balika and Julian Uy, this time without separate stable, thoroughly tested releases. Added support for 2 TiB HDDs, all HDD partitions on DESR models (dvr_hdd0:/__xdata and dvr_hdd0:/__xcontents), and fake DVD-Video discs for Free DVD Boot and ESR.
Fork based on one of the wLE versions, modified by krHACKen. It allows renaming any HDD partition as well as launching PSX games from VCD disc images (that is, it actually launches POPStarter with the appropriate parameters). Versions of wLE kHn were released not only as ELF, but also as XIN (a signed ELF for the hdd0:/__mbr partition), XLF (a signed ELF for hdd0:/PP.* partitions), a disk image, and a CD image for the so-called Swap Trick.
Fork based on one of the wLE versions, modified by Balika. Adds support for reading the internal NAND flash memory (xfrom0:/) on DESR models.
Fork based on one of the wLE versions, modified by El_isra. It recognizes and allows editing of text files with the following extensions: CFG, CNF, CHT, and INI. It also preserves the modification timestamp of mc?:/LAUNCHELF.CNF, preventing it from interfering with the Fortuna and OpenTuna exploits. Depending on the edition (there are a plethora of variants for each release), it supports exFAT on external storage, MX4SIO, MMCE, and dongles on COH models.
Fork based on one of the wLE versions, modified by El_isra and Alexparrado. Allows copying files from USB to the Attributes area of any APA partition.
Fork based on one of the wLE versions, modified by Ronnie Sahlberg. It adds support for NFS, SMB v2/v3 and simplifies the syntax of their configuration file relative to SMB v1.
The first wLE fork (based on wLE ISR), which unifies all previously unique features and adds new ones (except for NFS and SMB). wLE R3Z supports all devices, mount points, partition tables, and file systems. It is the first wLE to support both IDE channels; ata*:/ (an internal exFAT-formatted HDD); APA-Jail for both environments simultaneously; as well as the UDPFS network protocol. wLE R3Z dropped support for JPG, FTP, and Host.
Berion
2026-08-01
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