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POPStarter Rev 12 – Readme [2013/05/12 & 2013/05/14]
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* POPStarter Revision 12 *
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+ Including the "No Debug" build +
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PACKAGE CONTENTS
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__common/POPS/disc0 = The original virtual CD-ROM image of SLBB-00001
__common/POPS/EXECUTE.ELF = The emulator, encapsulated in the POPStarter container (it's the "PORTABLE" build, a stand alone ELF)
PP.YOUR_GAME_PARTITION/EXECUTE.KELF = The emulator, encapsulated in the POPStarter container (it's a KryptoELF, for use with the HDD OSD)
LAUNCHER.ELF = The launcher which executes __common/POPS/EXECUTE.ELF
CUE2POPS_v2.0.zip = BIN/CUE to IMAGE0.VCD conversion tool v2.0
README.TXT = This file
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I - EMULATOR INSTALLATION [IS DONE ONCE]
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1) Mount the partition "__common" and create a directory called "POPS" (UPPERCASE) into it's root;
2) Copy the files "disc0" and "EXECUTE.ELF" in the "POPS" directory you've just created.
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II - GAME INSTALLATION
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1) Dump your game as BIN/CUE with your favorite disc replication software (must output a raw Mode 2 disc image and an ASCII cue sheet);
2) Convert it to a POPS virtual CD-ROM image with "BIN/CUE to IMAGE0.VCD conversion tool v2.0" (CUE2POPS_2_0.EXE);
3) Create a parent partition in your PS2 HDD (example of a partition name : "PP.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME")
4) Transfer your virtual CD-ROM image (IT HAS TO BE NAMED "IMAGE0.VCD", UPPERCASE) to the root of the partition you've just created
> For HDD OSD users <
5) Setup your partition icons;
6) Copy the file "EXECUTE.KELF" to the root of the game partition, or write "EXECUTE.KELF" to the KELF field of PATINFO.
> No HDD OSD ? <
5) Setup your partition icons (optional);
7) Rename "LAUNCHER.ELF" as the name of the game partition (for example, if the game partition name is "PP.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME", rename "LAUNCHER.ELF" as "PP.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME.ELF");
8) Copy the ELF you've just renamed to any place you want to run it from (examples : USB mass drive, +OPL partition, a folder in a PS2 Memory Card...).
You may need uLaunchELF 4.42_ev and pfsshell-0.2a or AKuHAK's reworked HDL_dump...
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OVERVIEW OF THE SETUP
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* PARTITION NAME | FOLDER NAME | SUB FOLDER NAME | FILE NAME | COMMENTS *
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* ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* __common | POPS | | disc0 | The SLBB-00001 VCD, must be present. *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* __common | POPS | | EXECUTE.ELF | Not needed if you don't use the LAUNCHER. *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* __common | POPS | GAME_PARTITION_NAME | SLOT0.VMC | Created by the emulator. Is the Virtual Memory Card of the first slot. *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* __common | POPS | GAME_PARTITION_NAME | SLOT1.VMC | Created by the emulator. Is the Virtual Memory Card of the second slot. *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* __common | POPS | GAME PARTITION_NAME | BIOS.BIN | User dumped BIOS. Optional. *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* __common | POPS | GAME_PARTITION_NAME | OSD.BIN | User made OSD replacement file of Version 1. Optional. *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* PP.GAME_PARTITION_NAME | | | IMAGE0.VCD | The PlayStation game VCD, as it was converted by CUE2POPS. Required. *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* PP.GAME_PARTITION_NAME | | | EXECUTE.KELF | Only needed when doing a BOOT2 = pfs:/EXECUTE.KELF installation (HDD OSD). *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* +OPL | APPS | | PP.GAME_PARTITION_NAME.ELF | It's an example of a LAUNCHER.ELF installation *
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
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EXECUTION MAP
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EXECUTE.KELF (booting from the HDD OSD) -> POPS is running
LAUNCHER.ELF (properly renamed) -> __common/POPS/EXECUTE.ELF (NOT renamed) -> POPS is running
EXECUTE.ELF (properly renamed) -> POPS is running
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HIDING GAME PARTITIONS IN THE HDD OSD
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Put the partition prefix "__." instead of "PP.".
Examples :
"PP.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME" == Shown
"__.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME" == Hidden
"PP.SCUS-80085_FAPFAP" == Shown
"__.SCUS-80085_FAPFAP" == Hidden
"PP.SCUS-84115_BAMBAM" == Shown
"__.SCUS-84115_BAMBAM" == Hidden
Make sure you wrote a DOT right after __
As explained later in "VIRTUAL MEMORY CARD", the prefix has to be 3 characters long !
Of course, there's no point in hiding the partition if you want to run the game straight from the HDD OSD...
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VIRTUAL MEMORY CARDS
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VMCs are created by the emulator in __common/POPS/. One separate directory for each game partition.
Examples
__common/POPS/PBPX-95000.MY_GAME/SLOT0.VMC
__common/POPS/PBPX-95000.MY_GAME/SLOT1.VMC
__common/POPS/SCUS-80085_FAPFAP/SLOT0.VMC
__common/POPS/SCUS-80085_FAPFAP/SLOT1.VMC
__common/POPS/SCUS-84115_BAMBAM/SLOT0.VMC
__common/POPS/SCUS-84115_BAMBAM/SLOT1.VMC
The container skips the partition prefix when naming the VMC directory, so make sure you always name your partitions with a valid 3 chars prefix ("PP." or "__."); otherwise it will truncate the game name.
Examples :
Partition "PP.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME" == VMC directory "PBPX-95000.MY_GAME"
Partition "PP.SCUS-80085_FAPFAP" == VMC directory "SCUS-80085_FAPFAP"
Partition "PP.SCUS-84115_BAMBAM" == VMC directory "SCUS-84115_BAMBAM"
Partition "__.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME" == VMC directory "PBPX-95000.MY_GAME"
Partition "__.SCUS-80085_FAPFAP" == VMC directory "SCUS-80085_FAPFAP"
Partition "__.SCUS-84115_BAMBAM" == VMC directory "SCUS-84115_BAMBAM"
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VIRTUAL CD-ROMs
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The virtual CD-ROM image has to be named "IMAGE0.VCD" (UPPERCASE) and located in the root of your game partition.
Examples
PP.PBPX-95000.MY_GAME/IMAGE0.VCD
PP.SCUS-80085_FAPFAP/IMAGE0.VCD
PP.SCUS-84115_BAMBAM/IMAGE0.VCD
One copy of the original "disc0" has to be placed in __common/POPS/ (where "__common" is a system PARTITION and "POPS" is a DIRECTORY).
__common/POPS/disc0
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PLAYSTATION BIOS
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You can use a PlayStation BIOS dump with POPS. Put a "BIOS.BIN" file in the VMC directory (example : __common/POPS/PBPX-95000.MY_GAME/BIOS.BIN) so POPStarter can handle it.
If you didn't, POPS will use the built-in BIOS in fast boot mode (no PS OSD, just like POPStarter Rev.9 does).
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PLAYSTATION OSD REPLACEMENT
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POPStarter Revision 12 can replicate the PS-X EXE injection and execution method that was the heart of the POC1.
If you put an OSD replacement image in the VMC directory, named as "OSD.BIN" (example : __common/POPS/PBPX-95000.MY_GAME/OSD.BIN), the container will inject it in the built-in BIOS for POPS to run it.
When using a OSD replacement file, the container ignores "BIOS.BIN" (no user defined BIOS execution is possble).
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MBR CALLBACK aka IGR
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Your pad does not respond after pressing L1+START+SELECT ? Just disconnect the second pad or use the second pad to validate your choice o_O.
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THE "NO DEBUG" BUILD
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The "No Debug" build is for those who are familiar with the POPStarter operation/installation.
It doesn't display debug texts and boots slightly faster, as some installation verification processes were removed.
Error handlers kick you to TESTMODE.
If you're being kicked off to TESTMODE, please double check your POPStarter/game installation or use the normal build to diagnose the problem.
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BLAH BLAH
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So many revisions for nothing but bugfixes ? Uncool hehehe. Don't blame me, blame the guy who pushed me to add questionable and time eating functions.
You may find a compatibility list here : http://tinyurl.com/as2tzhn It's open for contributions !
Thanks to it's author, who also helped me in testing a beta build and wrote a French tutorial.
CUE2POPS builds and other -> LEGAL <- resources and discussions regarding POPStarter can be found at ASSEMblergames.
Last but not least, in the hope that a former project maintainer reads this... please forward my request to the others and do release a stable container; or at least publish the incomplete USBIO and FAT-FS src of the POPS shell so someone else takes care of it and code something better than POPStarter.
I'm not going to be the one who will disapprove the distribution of some valuable resources for a possible revival of the project :) .
Greets to the contributors, PSX Planet fellaz, and many people that certainly won't see their names mentioned in this README, including technicians who kick the Giant Enemy Crab's ass big time... You know who you are, don't you ^^ ?
I hope that everything works fine this time.
Thanks for using POPStarter.
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CHANGELOG
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POPStarter Revision 12 - "No Debug" - 2013/05/14
+ Removed libdebug
+ Removed the IMAGE0.VCD checker
+ Stripped down the OSD.BIN header parser
+ Linked expected failures/errors to TESTMODE
POPStarter Revision 12 - 2013/05/12
+ SCPH-50000 fix
+ Optimisation of the VMC dir checker and the OSD/BIOS handlers
+ Removed some time consuming container integrity verifiers
+ The KELF's payload was stripped down
POPStarter Revision 11 - 2013/04/30
+ Fixed BIOS & OSD handlers activation failure in EXECUTE.KELF
POPStarter Revision 11 - 2013/04/24
+ Added the "ELF name to argument" thing in LAUNCHER (LAUNCHER.ELF) and PORTABLE (EXECUTE.ELF) builds
+ Solved a file length problem in the OSD replacement file handler
+ Now displays entrypoint relocations of OSD replacement files (limited to jumps from the segment start and the EOF)
+ LAUNCHER, PORTABLE and KEXEC builds were packaged all together
POPStarter Revision 10 [PATINFO/KEXEC Bundle] - 2013/04/19
+ Added on-screen debug info at container startup
+ Added an error handler
+ Added an user BIOS handler
+ Added an OSD replacement image handler
+ Fixed a bug in VMC directory naming
+ Container protections were completely rewritten
POPStarter Revision 9 [PATINFO/KEXEC Bundle] - 2013/04/09
First public release
kHn, 2013/05/21
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Index
Updated