POPSLoader - Speed Improvements, Device Fixes, Broken Art - FEEDBACK REQUESTED

[NathanNeurotic]

BOOTS FROM: MC, MMCE, MX4SIO, USB(fat32/exfat)
CAN NOT BOOT FROM: host, APA-HDD
CAN RUN GAMES FROM: MMCE, MX4SIO, USB (fat32/exfat), and APA-HDD. BDMA required settings per device except APA HDD._

Coming:

• APA-HDD Bootable
• host bootable (PCSX2 users)
• Graphical fixes (MMCE page seems broken when booted from MX4SIO)
• Art System Fix and Upgrade by nuno and berion
• Multi-USB/HOT Plugging Safe

Requirements:

• :/POPS/or hdd:/__common/POPS/ IOPRP252.IMG , POPS.ELF, POPS.PAK, POPS_IOX.PAK
• :/POPS/ or hdd:/__.POPS/<Title>.VCD - bin/cue converted for POPStarter
• PS1_POPSLOADER/ or APPS/PS1_POPSLOADER/

Video Preview Here

POPSLoader

POPSLoader is an open-source launcher for POPStarter that is scripted in Lua and built on top of the Enceladus runtime. This repository packages the launcher (POPSLOADER.ELF), runtime Lua scripts, textures, and required modules into a single, portable bundle intended for PlayStation 2 environments such as MMCE and USB mass storage.

POPSLoader was created by El_isra, and this repository is a fork of his work. Endless thanks to Isra for his contributions and open-source projects gifted to the community.

Project lineage: This project is derived from the Enceladus Lua environment and retains its GPLv3 licensing.
🧪 POPSLoader Stress Test — Tester Checklist

⚠️ Known issue: ART IS STILL BROKEN. Ignore art problems for now.

Goal: break boot/device handling and report freezes, wrong device usage, or launch failures.

📋 Reporting Format

When posting results, please include:

• Boot device
• Game device
• BDMA setting used
• Result (:white_check_mark: Works / :x: Fail / :warning: Issue)
• Notes (freeze, wrong device, slow, breaking behavior sequence, etc.)
• Hardware details (PS2 model, adapters, caveats, etc.)

🔹 Boot from USB (FAT32)

BDMA settings as noted per test

• Launch USB FAT32 game (BDMA: None)
• Launch USB exFAT game (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch MX4SIO game (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)

🔹 Boot from USB (exFAT)

• Launch USB FAT32 game (BDMA: None)
• Launch USB exFAT game (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch MX4SIO game (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)

🔹 Boot from MX4SIO

• Launch USB FAT32 game (BDMA: None)
• Launch USB exFAT game (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch MX4SIO game (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)

🔹 Boot from MMCE (maintainer will also test)

• Launch USB FAT32 game (BDMA: None)
• Launch USB exFAT game (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch MX4SIO game (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MMCE game
• Launch MMCE game with USB inserted
• Launch MMCE game with 2 USB inserted
• Launch MMCE game with MX4SIO inserted
• Launch APA HDD game

🔹 Boot from APA HDD

• Launch USB FAT32 game (BDMA: None)
• Launch USB exFAT game (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: exFAT)
• Launch MX4SIO game (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MX4SIO game with 2 USB inserted (BDMA: MX4SIO)
• Launch MMCE game
• Launch MMCE game with USB inserted
• Launch MMCE game with 2 USB inserted
• Launch MMCE game with MX4SIO inserted
• Launch APA HDD game

🎯 What We’re Trying to Catch

Report immediately if you see:

• Hard freezes
• Black screens
• Page malformations/bad alignments
• Wrong device being used for launch or page
• BDMA mismatch behavior or failure behavior
• Device not detected when present
• Major slowdown entering pages
• Any crash when multiple devices are inserted`

What's Changed

• Reduce global UI lag by cutting transition/input delays and removing active pad debug trace code by @NathanNeurotic in Reduce global UI lag by cutting transition/input delays and removing active pad debug trace code #148
• Remove runtime boot-device UI navigation locks by @NathanNeurotic in Remove runtime boot-device UI navigation locks #149
• Fix mass enumeration gaps and remove enumerator side effects by @NathanNeurotic in Fix mass enumeration gaps and remove enumerator side effects #150
• Codex-generated pull request by @NathanNeurotic in Codex-generated pull request #151
• Unify USB scenes into GUSB and preserve per-entry mass slot metadata by @NathanNeurotic in Unify USB scenes into GUSB and preserve per-entry mass slot metadata #152
• Codex-generated pull request by @NathanNeurotic in Codex-generated pull request #153
• Codex-generated pull request by @NathanNeurotic in Codex-generated pull request #154
• Add USB-only boot-script retry (USB patience) by @NathanNeurotic in Add USB-only boot-script retry (USB patience) #163
• Add mx4sio IRX externs and unconditional load in main init by @NathanNeurotic in Add mx4sio IRX externs and unconditional load in main init #172
• Add boot-time probing to resolve mass:/ to concrete massN:/ device paths by @NathanNeurotic in Add boot-time probing to resolve mass:/ to concrete massN:/ device paths #173
• Normalize argv0 and verify boot_path before chdir/runScript by @NathanNeurotic in Normalize argv0 and verify boot_path before chdir/runScript #175
• Derive readiness device root from computed boot path by @NathanNeurotic in Derive readiness device root from computed boot path #174
• Fix MX4SIO page freeze by making MX4 init idempotent on page entry by @NathanNeurotic in Fix MX4SIO page freeze by making MX4 init idempotent on page entry #176

Full Changelog: BETA-5...BETA-6

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This discussion was created from the release POPSLoader - Speed Improvements, Device Fixes, Broken Art - FEEDBACK REQUESTED.