Our daughter project: RIPPS2 by Akilluminati47. A RiptOPL-derived PS2 frontend with a downloadable ELF and a web demo. Use its releases for current builds and its own compatibility notes.

Planned collaboration: ps2build C++ edition. A ps2build C++ edition is planned in collaboration with techwritescode.

Interface languages

English is built into the ELF. The rolling release also provides 33 external language packs (RIPTOPL-LANGS-*.zip), though not every recently added RiptOPL-specific string is localized yet. See the installation instructions for the CWD-first lookup introduced by #1017, legacy LNG/ locations and fonts; see the translation coverage guide to contribute missing strings. CWD support requires a build containing #1017.

Test builds and save-card recovery

For a supplied PR artifact, follow Testing a PR or Actions build. For card creation failures, consult VMC creation and recovery before deleting or recreating a card containing saves. For build flavours, app placement, Browser/OSDSYS and launch-failure reports, see Setup questions.

Community Contributors

A heartfelt thank you to developers who have contributed pull requests directly to this fork. Anyone who opens a pull request against RiptOPL is featured here at the top of the README in recognition of their support for the project and solidarity with its maintainer:

@oMrRexD (MrRexD)

• #795 (fix(sound)): MMCE Background Music Recovery — Made the music decoder recover when SD2PSX/MMCE firmware invalidates its long-lived file descriptor after a failed lookup. Added tracked stream position/size, bounded reopen-and-resume handling for failed reads/seeks, and host coverage for descriptor loss so theme music keeps playing instead of stopping permanently.
• #789 (fix(fntsys)): Font Lock Concurrency Fix — Held the font semaphore lock across draw, measure, and load operations in src/fntsys.c. This resolved a critical boot-freeze race condition where background font/theme loading on the IO worker thread freed glyph caches and texture atlases while the GUI rendering thread was actively drawing text. Tested across 111 consecutive clean boots on real hardware (SCPH-50001 with SD2PSX and exFAT BDM HDD).
• #705 (dialogs): RetroAchievements Settings UI — Restored the RetroAchievements configuration rows to the Network settings dialog page where they are displayed, configured, and persisted.
• #704 (RA): Menu Network Telemetry Initialization — Safely initialized and brought the networking stack up from the menu prior to cold telemetry game launches.
• #703 (Makefile): MMCE DEV9 Integration — Linked MMCE's CDVD driver with the in-game DEV9 network stack in RetroAchievements builds.
• #702 (ee_core): EE Core Stack Protection — Relocated RetroAchievements buffers out of .bss to protect the EE stack from memory pressure and instability during game execution.

@dnunezx (darkladark)

• #733 (Cover art flow): PSBBN Flow — Contributed LUNA's Collection display and its perspective cover animation. Adapted into a selectable native theme alongside Cover Flow, using RiptOPL's existing game lists, artwork cache, settings and launch callbacks. R3 retains its normal favorite shortcut.

RiptOPL

An opinionated Open PS2 Loader fork — aiming to be the "definitive build."
Based on Open PS2 Loader · Copyright 2013, Ifcaro & jimmikaelkael
Licensed under Academic Free License version 3.0
Review the LICENSE file for further details.

What is RiptOPL? A downstream fork of Open PS2 Loader with optional built-in Coverflow and PSBBN Flow cover-art themes, a Favorites tab, per-game Neutrino external-core launching, a reorganized category settings layout, DualSense support, and configurable defaults. Fresh configurations start with <OPL>, 4:3, and Auto menu video mode; see Fresh-start defaults. Its settings live in their own settings_riptopl.cfg to keep its master settings separate from official OPL and wOPL. Other files, including network and per-game settings, can still be shared. Favorites import from uOPL/wOPL is one-way: the next save writes RiptOPL’s own format to favourites.bin. See Where your files live. See This Fork's Additions. For the canonical project, use ps2homebrew/Open-PS2-Loader.

📖 Full documentation & guides: https://nathanneurotic.github.io/Open-PS2-Loader/ — searchable setup and reference guides covering storage backends, the Neutrino core, PS1/VCD, the Theme Engine (with worked examples and an annotated sample theme), a full settings reference, and troubleshooting. For Japanese game names with English menus, see Optional Unicode/CJK font fallback (copy a suitable font_CJK.ttf beside settings_riptopl.cfg and restart).

🌙 Our #1 recommended alternative: LUNA by darkladark. Lightweight Unified Neutrino Access is a visual loader built on NHDDL and Neutrino for lightweight, customized Neutrino gameplay. If RiptOPL is more loader than you need, start there. darkladark also contributes to RiptOPL itself; see Acknowledgements.

Contents

Documentation index · Releases · Quick Start · Sources and cores · Features · Fork additions · PS1 · HTTP · RetroAchievements · Controls & IGR · GSM · PADEMU · Interface · Japanese/Unicode game titles · Apps · Files and folders · USB/MMCE/MX4SIO/iLink · SMB · HDD · Cheats · NBD · ZSO / CSO / CHD · PS3 BC · Troubleshooting · Companion tools · Credits

Releases

Choose a complete install kit for a first installation. Use a loose ELF only to update an existing installation; it does not update Neutrino, Ember or POPSTARTER support files.

Channel	Contents and purpose
Rolling — inceBtion	Current standard development build from rebuild/main; GitHub Latest. Start with RIPTOPL-<version>.zip.
Rolling — Korium	Standard build with the Korium theme, in RIPTOPL-<version>-Korium.zip.
RetroAchievements — both themes	Experimental RA kits: RIPTOPL-RetroAchievements-inceBtion-<version>.zip or RIPTOPL-RetroAchievements-Korium-<version>.zip. Read the RA setup and validation limits.
Current Fan Favorite	Preserved development snapshot for comparisons; its older package names and feature set can differ.

These are development builds. A release's title, publication date or GitHub Latest marker does not establish console compatibility. Check its version, source revision and available assets.

The standard ELF includes GSM, VMC, PS2RD cheats, parental controls and DS3/DS4 PADEMU. Optional DualSense USB and IGS/RTL builds are in RIPTOPL-VARIANTS-*.zip when produced. The ready app and loose RIPTOPL.ELF prefer OFFICIALROLLING; pinned comparison apps are inside the full kit. Both standard editions install APP_RIPTOPL, so switching editions replaces that app. RA uses the separate APP_RIPTOPL-RA name; its two themes replace that same RA app.

ROLLING_RELEASE.md is the package, build-flavour and publishing reference. Installation covers app folders, PSU imports and companion placement. Test builds covers PR artifacts.

Quick Start

What you need

• A PS2 with a homebrew ELF launcher, or a supported backward-compatible PS3.
• One prepared storage source from the table below. Ethernet and a reachable server are required for network sources.
• The normal installable RIPTOPL-<version>.zip from Releases.

Minimal startup path

1. Extract the normal installable archive. Copy APPS/APP_RIPTOPL/ to your device's APPS/ directory, or import APP_RIPTOPL.psu with a PS2 save manager to install that app on a memory card. The supplied app uses -OFFICIALROLLING when that build is available; the labelled ELF folders provide other build choices.
2. Copy ART/ to the device's artwork directory. For Neutrino, copy the complete neutrino/ folder to mc0:/neutrino/ or mc1:/neutrino/. Install the POPS/ and EMBER/ companions for PS1 as described in PS1 games. The PSU contains the app files only.
3. Prepare your game's source: CD/ or DVD/ for folder-based PS2 libraries, HDLoader partitions for APA, or games.csv for HTTP. See How to use.
4. In Settings → Game Sources, enable the device and its start mode. For a network source, set Network Connectivity to Manual or Auto and pick the Protocol under it, then enter your server's settings in Network.
5. Use the server's Test action where available, then choose Save Changes before launching a game. A successful menu test is not proof that gameplay works.
6. Launch one test game. If it fails, record the exact build, SDK flavour, source and core before changing settings; see Frequent Issues.

Known limitations

• HTTP: implemented and host-tested, but not yet tested on PS2 hardware. ISO only; no VMC, Neutrino or PS1. DVD9 probing is implemented but unproven. HTTP guide.
• RetroAchievements: a separate development package with limited PS2 telemetry hardware evidence. It supports xeRAbora v0.1.0-alpha.17 or the Caduceus companion service selected in RA Mode. PS2 telemetry uses OPL-core launches; USB PS1 VCDs through POPStarter use a separate IOP reader and still require console validation. Caduceus adds a paired account/game achievement browser; in-game notices use the pulse by default. Settings > Network offers default-Off Caduceus experimental title/points cards for tracked PS2 OPL launches; they may flicker or freeze games because safe GS ownership is unresolved. Companion PC software is managed separately through PS2-Servers. Physical PS2 disc launches also need hardware validation. Keep tracked games on a local device: upstream reports that games with achievement sets stop loading about a minute into network-share play. RA guide.
• iLink: revision 2692 passed Ember on the tested SCPH-39001 but failed native OPL, Neutrino and POPSTARTER handoffs. The Neutrino -qb correction is implemented, and the i.LINK drivers used by native OPL, the bundled Neutrino and POPSTARTER now keep logging in to the drive after an IOP reset (#1018); a passing retest is still needed.
• Core switching is source-dependent: SMB and HTTP use OPL; UDPFS/UDPBD use Neutrino. See the source table.

Introduction

Open PS2 Loader (OPL) is a 100% Open source game and application loader for the PS2 and supported backward-compatible PS3 units (see PS3 BC). RiptOPL source is AFL-3.0; bundled third-party components retain their own licences. Major capabilities include GSM video mode fixes, Virtual Memory Cards (VMC), PS2RD cheats, DS3/DS4 pad emulation, themes, and homebrew app launching.

RiptOPL supports local USB, MMCE, MX4SIO, iLink and internal ATA storage, plus SMB, UDPFS, UDPBD and HTTP over Ethernet. Capabilities depend on both the source and loader core:

PS2 game source	Loader core	Image/layout	VMC notes
USB / MX4SIO / MMCE / ATA exFAT	OPL or Neutrino for ISO	ISO; OPL also handles ZSO and UL split images	Supported; Neutrino cards must be on the game's device
iLink	OPL or Neutrino paths implemented	Local files	Launch remains pending hardware retest; see iLink status
Internal HDD, APA	OPL or Neutrino	HDLoader partitions	OPL supports VMC; Neutrino drops APA/PFS VMC with a warning
SMB	OPL	ISO, ZSO, UL	Server must permit writes for VMC saves
UDPFS Files / IMG and UDPBD	Neutrino	Files under CD/ / DVD/, or a served FAT/exFAT disk image	Depends on backend and write access; see Neutrino
HTTP	OPL	ISO listed in games.csv; compressed images refuse to launch	No VMC; use physical memory cards

Neutrino does not read local ZSO or UL split images. A compatible UDPFS server can instead decompress an image on the PC and expose it to the console as an ISO; that is server-side support. See ZSO / CSO / CHD setup for the source/core table and the UDPFS Files steps using PS2-Servers. ELF apps and PS1 games have their own launch paths, described below.

Note

OPL is developed continuously - anyone can contribute improvements to the project due to its open-source nature.

You can visit the Open PS2 Loader forum at:
https://www.psx-place.com/forums/open-ps2-loader-opl.77/

You can report compatibility game problems at:
https://www.psx-place.com/threads/open-ps2-loader-game-bug-reports.19401/

For historical upstream OPL compatibility reports (not a current RiptOPL compatibility guarantee), visit:
http://sx.sytes.net/oplcl/games.aspx

Major Features Overview

This section is a fast feature map to improve discoverability of core OPL capabilities and reduce setup friction for first-time and returning users.

• MMCE support: OPL supports MMCE devices using the Memory Card Mass Storage protocol for SD-based loading through the Memory Card slot.
• MX4SIO support: OPL supports MX4SIO adapters for SD-based loading through the Memory Card slot. See the USB/MMCE/MX4SIO/iLink section for filesystem and layout guidance.
• Internal HDD exFAT support: the internal ATA HDD can be loaded as exFAT — mounted through the Block Device Manager (BDMAssault / "BDMA") into the same massN: namespace as USB/MX4SIO — in addition to APA/PFS, including GPT partitioning for large disks, for PS2 and PS1 (POPSTARTER) games. See the HDD section for formatting, the BDMA equip, and fragmentation guidance.
• Themes: Fresh configurations start with the built-in <OPL> theme, 4:3, and Auto menu video mode. The built-in <Coverflow> carousel, <PSBBN Flow> perspective fan and 16:9 are optional choices under Settings → Interface; apply and save them to keep that presentation. Saved settings override fresh defaults. See Fresh-start defaults. Place external theme assets in THM/; UDPFS Files also reads udpfs:/THM once connected (at boot with Network Connectivity Auto, or after opening the page with Manual). See the Theme Engine reference to author themes.
• Cheats / PS2RD: OPL supports PS2RD .cht cheat files from the CHT folder, with both auto-apply and launch-time selection modes.
• Pad emulation (DS3/DS4): On any build with PADEMU (the default), a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 plugged into the console's USB port can navigate the OPL menu right away, with nothing to enable first. To play games with it, turn on Pad Emulator under Settings, then Controller Settings (globally, or per game via Game Settings). One caveat: pad emulation shares the SIO2 bus with MX4SIO SD-card loading, so running both can cause a game to hang on a black screen; leave Pad Emulator off if you boot from an MX4SIO card.
• GSM (video mode handling): Builds that include GSM allow game video mode handling/overrides for display compatibility.
• VMC (Virtual Memory Cards): Create and use VMC images (8MB to 64MB) via the VMC folder and per-game options. Create VMC on First Launch (Settings → Game Launching, off by default) does it for you: a PS2 game launched with nothing in VMC slot 1 gets an 8 MB card on its own device, named as the VMC screen suggests (so every disc of a multi-disc game shares one), assigned and saved before the game starts. An existing card of that name is reused. Back during creation cancels the launch. It skips PS1 and app rows, HTTP, and the internal APA HDD under Neutrino (which has no VMC); a fragmented new card gets the same warning as the VMC screen.
• Per-game settings workflow: Highlight a game, open Game Settings, adjust options (such as compatibility modes, cheats, GSM, PADEMU, and VMC), then save so settings persist per title.
• App launching (APPS + config methods): OPL can launch homebrew ELFs using either conf_apps.cfg entries or per-app title.cfg metadata in APPS subfolders.

This Fork's Additions

Feature	Setup and detailed behavior
Optional built-in <Coverflow> and <PSBBN Flow> themes	Select under Interface → Theme. Left/Right browse, Up/Down change sources, R3 toggles Favorites. Theme Engine includes layout, reflection, animation and per-device placement.
Favorites across devices	Enable Favorites under Game Sources; R3 stars a game or app. L3 cycles PS2 → PS1 → ELF → All in One independently of device display modes. Favorites guide.
External Neutrino core per PS2 game	Complete runtime installation, path aliases, video, cheats, VMC and argument precedence: Neutrino.
Network libraries	SMB and HTTP use OPL's core; UDPFS/UDPBD require Neutrino. Choose Network Connectivity in Game Sources and Protocol on Game Sources or Network. Network boot, HTTP.
Folder browsing, Apps/PS1ELF split and menu audio	Interface behavior, Apps and controls.
Artwork archives, disc/logo art and optional 3D save icons	Theme Engine. Save-icon rendering still requires hardware validation.
Fresh-start defaults and separate master settings	Built-in <OPL>, 4:3, Auto menu video, artwork/notifications on, audio off. Defaults and file locations.
Per-game parental locks	Password prompts also apply to Favorites and remembered launches. Parental lock.
Experimental special hardware	PC CARD CF and PSX DESR DVR; both opt-in and awaiting console validation.

PS1 games — two cores, one list

POPSTARTER *.VCD entries and Ember game folders share a PS1 library; the entry determines the core. PS2/PS1 Game Display controls separate, mixed or locked device views. Favorites and the optional Apps/PS1ELF split keep their own L3 cycles.

Use the PS1 reference for the complete folder layout, BIOS/runtime requirements, Ember global/per-game settings, APA containers, alternate POPSTARTER builds, BDMA selection, SMB and POPS UDPFS. POPS UDPFS uses Okeanos's separate USB-first driver and valid matching USB runtime configs; UDPBD and UDPFS IMG remain Ember-only for PS1. iLink POPSTARTER is wired, and its driver now waits out the drive's post-reset login hold (#1018), but it still awaits a passing hardware retest. Neutrino and OPL's PS2 core do not launch PS1 rows.

Controls and In-Game Reset

Use the on-screen Confirm and Back hints: fresh settings use Circle to confirm, and the Select Button setting can swap Circle/Cross. Start opens the main menu; Triangle opens the selected game's menu; R3 toggles Favorites. Flow themes browse horizontally. The complete button reference covers list views, dialogs and boot recovery.

For native OPL games, hold L1 + L2 + R1 + R2, then Start + Select to reset, or L3 + R3 to power off. IGR resets to OSDSYS unless an IGR Path is configured. It is unavailable under Neutrino, before the game opens its controller, or with Mode 6 enabled. PS1 cores have their own reset behavior. IGR covers reset targets, USB driver requirements, the power button and optional screenshots.

For controller emulation use PADEMU; for menu vibration, folders and audio, use Interface. Per-game video overrides belong in GSM or the Neutrino video picker, depending on the core.

How to use

Folder-based PS2 libraries use the following support folders under their configured library prefix. APA uses its selected PFS data partition. HTTP uses local support folders beside the active settings home; it does not open these folders on the server. Availability also depends on the core:

Folder	Description	Modes
CD	for games on CD media - i.e. blue-bottom discs	All folder devices¹
DVD	for DVD5 and DVD9 images (if filesystem supports +4gb files)	All folder devices¹
VMC	Virtual Memory Card images (headline save feature): stored in VMC/, typically 8MB to 64MB, then assigned per game via Game Settings	See source/core table
CFG	for saving per-game configuration files	See source/core table
ART	for game art images	See source/core table
THM	for themes support	See source/core table
LNG	for translation support	See source/core table
CHT	for cheats files	See source/core table
APPS	for ELF files	See source/core table

¹ Folder-based devices — USB, MMCE, MX4SIO, iLink, SMB, and the exFAT (BDM) HDD — keep games as files in the CD/DVD folders. The APA/PFS HDD instead stores games as HDLoader partitions (no CD/DVD folders), while still using CFG/ART/VMC/THM/CHT/LNG/APPS on the configured OPL data partition (+OPL root by default, or __common/OPL/ for the legacy layout).

Per-game settings are stored per title in the CFG context. Typical use cases include compatibility toggles, video options (GSM), cheat toggles, and assigning a VMC file from the VMC folder to that game.

RiptOPL attempts to create support folders when you enable a writable source. Read-only sources need preparation on the server or PC; enabling a device does not format a disk or create APA partitions.

For APA, RiptOPL uses existing partitions only: a usable hdd_partition selection in hdd0:__common/OPL/conf_hdd.cfg, then an existing +OPL, then __common/OPL/. If no suitable data partition exists it fails without creating one. See HDD.

An internal HDD can use GPT partitioning with exFAT to address capacity beyond MBR's conventional 2 TiB limit. exFAT alone does not remove that limit from an MBR disk. See exFAT storage for setup and driver/hardware limitations.

Where your files live

settings_riptopl.cfg holds RiptOPL's master settings; an older conf_riptopl.cfg is imported on read and migrated on save. The normal settings home starts with the loader's boot directory and uses discovery/fallbacks when that location cannot be used. Custom Settings Path can select a different home, a memory card included: mc1: saves to the card root, and mc1:/OPL saves to that folder, which RiptOPL creates (with its browser icon) on the first save. Check the active location instead of assuming all settings are on mc0:/OPL/.

If a place RiptOPL checks has no RiptOPL settings but does have official OPL's conf_opl.cfg, RiptOPL starts from that file. It is read-only: RiptOPL never writes it, and the next save writes settings_riptopl.cfg to RiptOPL's own settings home. On an APA + exFAT hybrid disk (PSBBN Definitive's "APA-Jail" layout), a RiptOPL launched from APA uses the exFAT volume as its settings home, as official OPL does, and starts its BDM page so the exFAT games show. RiptOPL settings an older build saved in the APA data home are carried over and written to exFAT on the next save. The menu and Auto Loading use the same settings. See docs/AUTOLAUNCH-GLOBAL-SETTINGS.md.

Network configuration (conf_network.cfg), app lists, per-game settings, artwork, themes and VMCs can still be shared with other OPL installations. Separate master filenames do not isolate these files. Favorites import from uOPL/wOPL is one-way: saving writes RiptOPL's own OFAV format.

PS2 folders follow the source's configured library prefix. Local PS1 POPS/ and EMBER/ live at the device root, even if PS2 games use a subfolder. APA has its own partition layouts, covered in PS1/VCD. HTTP's CFG/, ART/ and CHT/ are local folders under the active settings home; placing them on the HTTP server does not make the console load them from there.

USB/MMCE/MX4SIO/iLink

Supported file systems: FAT32 and exFAT are the usual folder-based layouts. MBR is the conventional setup for USB and SD media; partition-table support also depends on the device/driver. For large internal disks, see HDD for GPT/exFAT. This section applies to MMCE and MX4SIO SD setups, USB storage, and iLink SBP2 storage.

Warning

Revision 2692 iLink status is not a blanket pass. On an SCPH-39001, Ember passed from the same IEEE 1394 disk in all four SDK flavours, while the native OPL core, Neutrino, and POPSTARTER failed at their reset/handoff boundaries. The current code corrects a confirmed RiptOPL-side Neutrino handoff mismatch (-qb was not auto-emitted for iLink); only hardware retesting can establish whether that was the complete cause. POPSTARTER's external .ilink BDMA equip and mass:/POPS/XX.<name>.ELF handoff are present, but remain unconfirmed. The i.LINK drivers used by native OPL, the bundled Neutrino and POPSTARTER (its .ilink driver) now retry the drive's login for up to 5 s after an IOP reset instead of giving up inside the drive's reconnect hold (#1018), the cause found in the source for all three failures; this is not yet confirmed on hardware. See Neutrino and PS1/VCD for the exact status and isolation checks.

Note

MX4SIO game launch requires the matching PS2SDK freesio2 module to load before mx4sio_bd after OPL resets the game IOP. See MX4SIO game-launch notes for the dependency, regression history, and hardware test checklist.

Game files should be ideally defragmented either file by file or by whole drive.

Fragmentation has a bounded budget. OPL’s BDM reader shares a 64-entry fragment table across the game image parts; Neutrino’s block-device budget includes the ISO and VMCs together. Contiguous copies leave the most headroom.

If you choose to use the FAT32 file system, games larger than 4gb must use USBExtreme format (see OPLUtil or USBUtil programs).

If a fragment-limit error is reported, first try a fresh sequential copy with enough free space. Back up all data before considering a reformat; a screen colour alone does not diagnose fragmentation.

SMB

For loading games by SMB protocol, you need to share a folder (ex: PS2SMB) on the host machine or NAS device and grant read access for game loading. Write access is also needed for VMC saves and changes to files stored on the share. USB Advance/Extreme format is optional - *.ISO images are supported using the folder structure above.

SMB version: the Network page has an SMB Version row (SMBv1 / SMB2) directly under Protocol, live only while Protocol is SMB (greyed out otherwise). It defaults to SMBv1; setting it to SMB2 switches both sides — browsing loads the SMB2 driver instead of the SMBv1 one, and so does the in-game reader — so the server must speak SMB2 for the whole session.

RiptOPL network defaults: the network protocol selector defaults to Off — under Game Sources set Network Connectivity to Manual or Auto and Protocol (under it, or on Network) to SMB, before the NET Games tab appears. The Network page ships static defaults (PS2 192.168.1.10, PC 192.168.1.100, share games, user guest); adjust them to your LAN. The default SMB Port is 1111 — a non-privileged port (>1024), so a server binds it without admin/root. The Network page opens with Advanced Options on, so the Port field (and ETH link mode) are editable immediately. If Windows 10/11 has disabled SMB1/NTLMv1, set SMB Version to SMB2; the PS2 Servers all-in-one launcher remains the fallback for SMBv1-only setups. Choose its SMBv1 server, then set RiptOPL's IP, port, share and credentials to the values the launcher displays. Its documented custom SMBv1 port is 1111, matching RiptOPL’s default. Windows’ built-in server or a NAS may use a different port; enter the value that server actually listens on. Release packages include PS2-Servers.url as a direct shortcut to the repository.

HDD

Both PS2 HDD types are off by default in RiptOPL — enable the one you use under Game Sources. For PS2, 48-bit LBA internal HDDs are supported. The HDD can be formatted as:

• APA partitioning with PFS filesystem (up to 2TB)
  • RiptOPL mounts an existing data partition. A usable hdd_partition selection in __common/OPL/conf_hdd.cfg takes priority, followed by existing +OPL, then __common/OPL/. No partition is created, resized or formatted. +OPL uses its root for support folders; __common uses OPL/.
  • Table protection: RiptOPL is a game loader, not a partition manager. It writes only inside PFS partitions (settings, art, VCD and Ember renames) and never to the APA partition table: its driver refuses formatting and creating, deleting or renaming partitions, and raw sector writes. So HDL games can't be deleted or renamed from RiptOPL, and neither can one-game PP.* PS1 installs; use a PC tool. If a disk reports code 402 (or "Formatted: NO" elsewhere), do not format it — your games are almost certainly still there. See docs/APA-SAFETY.md and the PC recovery tool in pc/apa-recovery.
  • 4Kn drives (4096-byte logical sectors) are refused: every PS2 driver counts in 512-byte sectors. 512e drives (4K physical, 512 logical, nearly every modern disk) work normally.
• MBR partitioning (up to 2TB) or GPT partitioning (capacities above the MBR limit, subject to the driver and tested hardware) with the exFAT filesystem
  • Enable BDM HDD in Game Sources. The exFAT HDD then mounts through the Block Device Manager (BDMAssault / "BDMA") into the shared massN: namespace — the same path as USB/MX4SIO — and appears as an HDD (exFAT) games list with the HDD icon.
  • Files should be added contiguously or synchronously to avoid fragmentation. For example, drag and drop files one at a time, or ensure that files are added sequentially.
  • When formatting drives for the exFAT filesystem, please make sure the Allocation unit size is set to Default.
  • PS1 games: PS1 *.VCD titles in the HDD's POPS/ folder list under the L3 PS1 view like any other device. To boot them, use the BDMA rows on Settings → PS Emulation Settings. VCD BDMA Apply on Launch is on by default and equips the matching exFAT driver automatically; turn it off to reveal the manual BDMA Source / BDMA Mode pickers and set BDMA Mode → HDD (exFAT) by hand so POPSTARTER can read the exFAT volume. See docs/VCD.md.

For internal exFAT HDD setup, MBR/GPT choices, large-file benefits, fragmentation and VMC limits, and an empty-game-list checklist, read exFAT storage. APA and exFAT use different game lists; enabling APA is not required for a plain exFAT disk.

APPS

There are two supported methods for adding apps to OPL. Keep both available and choose the one that fits your setup:

• Use legacy conf_apps.cfg when you want one central list and/or apps stored anywhere on supported devices.
• Prefer folder-based title.cfg when you want each app self-contained inside APPS/<APP_FOLDER>/.

conf_apps.cfg method (Legacy)

Each entry uses Display Name=DevicePathToELF:

• Left side: the name shown in the OPL app list.
• Right side: full device/path to the ELF.

To begin:

1. Create a text file called conf_apps.cfg.
2. In this file, put the name you want to appear in the list of apps, followed by the "=" sign.
3. Add the device prefix and ELF path (for example mass: for USB/MX4SIO/iLink/exFAT-HDD, mmce0: for MMCE, mc0: for the Memory Card, or hdd0:/pfs0: for the APA HDD), then the file path to the ELF.

NOTE: Enter the exact path and exact letter case. OPL is case-sensitive.

The structure should look like this:

My App Name=mass:APPS/MYAPP.ELF

let's use OPL itself as an example:

OPL=mass:APPS/RIPTOPL.ELF

With this method, ELFs do not need to be in APPS, but keeping them there can make your setup easier to manage.

RiptOPL checks mc?:OPL/conf_apps.cfg first, then conf_apps.cfg under each enabled source’s configured prefix; the first file found wins. With a default mass-device prefix, use mass0:/conf_apps.cfg. mass0:/OPL/conf_apps.cfg is only found through this route when OPL/ is that source’s configured prefix. Files are not merged into one legacy list.

title.cfg method

This method uses one title.cfg per app folder, with two required lines and one optional one:

• title= for the app name shown in OPL.
• boot= for the ELF filename to launch, relative to the app's own folder.
• argv1= (optional) for a single argument passed to the ELF as its first argument. It shares storage with the per-app Custom ELF field, so it can also be edited from the console.

To begin:

1. In APPS, create a folder for the app.
2. Put the ELF in that folder, and create a text file named title.cfg in the same folder.
3. In that file, add the following instructions:

title=My App Name
boot=MYAPP.ELF

Using OPL again as an example:

title=Open PS2 Loader
boot=RIPTOPL.ELF

In this method, both the ELF and title.cfg must be in the same folder under APPS.

NOTE: In both methods, pay close attention to file names because, as already mentioned, OPL is case-sensitive.

The REBOOT IOP? prompt

Launching an ordinary app ELF, from Apps or from an app in Favorites, first asks REBOOT IOP?:

Button	Result
Configured confirm button (YES)	Reset the IOP before the app starts, so it begins with a freshly reset I/O processor.
Configured back button (NO)	Start the app on the IOP as RiptOPL left it, with its drivers still loaded.
Triangle	Cancel and stay in the list.

To answer it once for good, add REBOOTIOP=YES or REBOOTIOP=NO to the app's title.cfg. REBOOT_IOP also works as the key, and 1/0, TRUE/FALSE or ON/OFF as the value; any other value brings the prompt back. A conf_apps.cfg entry reads the same line from its per-app file, CFG/<ELF name>.cfg on an enabled source (for mass:APPS/MYAPP.ELF, that is CFG/MYAPP.ELF.cfg). That also applies when conf_apps.cfg and a title.cfg list the same ELF: RiptOPL keeps the conf_apps.cfg entry, so a REBOOTIOP line in title.cfg has no effect there.

POPSTARTER launches never ask: POPSTARTER.ELF and the XX., SB., EL. and SM. launcher ELFs keep their own PS1 launch path. An app on the APA HDD always gets the HDD cleanup before it starts, whichever answer you give.

Cheats

OPL accepts .cht files in PS2RD format. Name them after the game’s startup ID, for example CHT/SLUS_123.45.cht. An uncompressed CHT/cht.tar containing <startup>.cht members is also supported, with loose files used as a fallback. Each cheat file corresponds to a specific game and must be stored in the CHT directory on your device. Cheats are structured as hexadecimal codes, with proper headers as descriptions to identify their function. You can activate cheats via OPL's graphical interface. Navigate to a games settings, enable cheats and select the desired mode.

If a game has no cheat file, what happens depends on where cheats were turned on. With cheats on in the Global Settings (every game), the game just starts without cheats. With cheats on in that game's Per-game Settings, RiptOPL lists where it looked and asks: Accept starts the game without cheats, Back returns to the menu. A cheat file that exists but can't be read always asks: that includes a cht.tar member that is empty, over 1 MB or won't parse, and a loose file the device refuses (access denied, or held by another session). A generic I/O error still counts as missing, because an SMB share reports a missing file that way.

Cheat Modes

• Auto Select Cheats:
  This mode will enable and apply all cheat codes in your .cht file to your game automatically.

• Select Game Cheats:
  When enabled a cheat selection menu appears when you launch a game. Turn on the cheats you want, then press Start. Your picks are remembered for that game and shown ticked the next time, matched by cheat name, so a cheat file that gains or reorders cheats keeps them. The first time, only the master code is on. Master codes (Mastercode, Master Code, Enable Code (Must Be On)) are always on and can't be switched off, because every other code needs them. An autolaunch uses the remembered picks without showing the menu.

Cheats work the same way for games launched through Neutrino: same settings, same file, same menu. See Cheats under Neutrino.

NBD Server

The built-in NBD server exports the PS2's internal drive to a PC for tools such as hdl-dump or pfs-shell. This is different from UDPBD/UDPFS, which serve game data from a PC to the PS2. Configure the console's IP (static or DHCP), choose Start NBD server, and connect only after the console reports that it is running. Disconnect the PC client before leaving the server screen.

See the NBD client setup guide for Linux, WSL and Windows examples. The implementation uses lwNBD and the NBD protocol.

ZSO Format

As of version 1.2.0, compressed ISO files in ZSO format is supported by OPL.

To handle ZSO files, a python script (ziso.py) is included in the pc folder of this repository. It requires Python 3 and the LZ4 library:

pip install lz4

To compress an ISO file to ZSO:

python pc/ziso.py -c 2 "input.iso" "output.zso"

To decompress a ZSO back to the original ISO:

python pc/ziso.py -c 0 "input.zso" "output.iso"

For OPL-core folder-based sources, copy ZSO files beside your ISOs. Local ZSO is not a Neutrino format, and HTTP refuses compressed-image launches; see the source table. To install onto internal HDD, you can use the latest version of HDL-Dump.

PS3 BC

The inherited OPL support targets hardware backward-compatible PS3 models: CECHA/CECHB (COK-001, EE+GS) and CECHC/CECHE (COK-002/002W, GS with an emulated EE). Use a PS2 ELF entry point appropriate to that console. USB, SMB and CFW-dependent HDD support are the inherited paths; current RiptOPL features are not all validated on PS3. See the PS3 guide for scope and hardware references.

Some notes for DEVS

Repository helpers live in tools/, with CI and documentation helpers in .github/scripts/; run them from the repository root. Existing Makefile targets retain their names and output locations.

Use one of the toolchain images in the CI matrix. Both pinned and rolling SDK images are supported; the latest SDK is not required. For a reproducible baseline, use the PS2DEVPINNED image digest from that matrix. From the repository root with Docker available:

docker run --rm -v "${PWD}:/src" -w /src ps2dev/ps2dev@sha256:8fba50ecc2229acd7f8da63d34302f12939b7d4fa6848dda1e6a0ce083321a11 make -j4

Use a clean checkout/build directory when changing SDK images. See the Makefile for flags such as DUALSENSE=1 and EXTRA_FEATURES=1; build success does not establish console compatibility.

src/xparam.c holds a hardcoded table of special disc titles whose EE parameters are taken from SYSTEM.CNF. It is applied automatically and has no setting, dialog row or language string — it is deliberately internal and is not user-facing documentation.

OPL Archive

Successful archive uploads preserve rolling builds on MEGA under run-specific folders (RiptOPL/Rolling/<version>/run_<number>/). Uploads depend on publishing success and configured credentials; superseded or failed runs may have no archive. The archive includes installable packages, source and build metadata; VARIANTS and DEBUG bundles are excluded. You can access it by clicking the MEGA badge at the top of this readme or visiting the MEGA Rolling Archive.

Frequent Issues

OPL freezes on logo or grey screen

Hold START while RiptOPL initializes to skip saved configuration. If that restores the menu, review the active settings location, configure the required source, save, and retry a normal boot. This isolates configuration as a possibility; it does not diagnose every startup freeze.

Game freezes on white screen

A white or black launch screen alone does not identify the cause. Record the exact build/SDK, console, game ID, source and core. Check the image against a known-good dump and test with game overrides disabled. If the loader reports a fragment-limit error, try a fresh sequential copy. Back up the device before any reformat; do not reformat solely because of the screen colour.

OPL does not display anything on boot

Hold Triangle + Cross while RiptOPL initializes to force 480p for the OPL menu. Your display and connection must accept 480p. On a TV that only takes interlaced signals (a CRT, for example), hold Triangle + Circle instead: it forces Auto, the region's interlaced mode. Once visible, choose a suitable menu mode under Interface and save. START skips saved configuration and uses defaults if you need to undo a saved menu setup.

When you change the video mode, keeping it takes a hold of Accept (about 2 seconds, until the bar fills). A tap does nothing, and Back or 10 seconds without an answer restores the previous mode, so a mode your TV can't show can't be kept by pressing buttons blind. The prompt counts those seconds down; holding Accept hides the count but doesn't stop it, so a hold you started always finishes, while letting go early after the time is up goes straight back.

The internal HDD shows code 402, or "Formatted: NO" in another tool

The drive answered, but its APA partition table can't be read. This is almost always the table's first sectors only — every partition, and every game, is normally still on the disk. Do not format or initialize it. Connect it to a PC and follow docs/APA-SAFETY.md, which uses pc/apa-recovery/apa_recover.py to check and, when safe, rebuild just that table.

A drive shows code 500 and never appears

The drive uses 4K (4096-byte) logical sectors. Every PS2 storage driver counts in 512-byte sectors, so RiptOPL refuses such drives on purpose rather than risk reading or writing the wrong data; this will not change. It mostly affects large desktop external drives whose enclosures present 4K sectors. The same drive in a generic enclosure usually presents 512-byte sectors, but it must be reformatted after the move. A drive that is 4K natively (4Kn) stays 4K in any enclosure. Ordinary 512e drives (4K physical, 512 logical) are not affected.

A USB / MX4SIO / exFAT page lists no PS2 games

If RiptOPL says Could not open the CD or DVD folder in mass0: (error 5), neither folder would open at the path it names (the device plus your BDM Prefix Path, if set). Error 5 is an I/O error (check the device on a PC), 2 means the folder is missing and couldn't be created, 13 is access denied. An empty folder never shows this: RiptOPL creates CD and DVD itself and simply lists nothing. It scans once and does not retry in the background; press Select on that page to scan again. Details: Troubleshooting.

The menu works, but launching a game loses the picture

Menu recovery does not clear game video settings. Open that game’s settings and disable/change its GSM override, or its Neutrino video options if that is the selected core. Check inherited global video defaults too. Retry with the game's normal video mode before adding overrides again.

Report RiptOPL regressions in this repository’s issue tracker. Include the version/SHA, SDK flavour, console model, game ID, storage/protocol, loader core, reproduction steps, relevant settings and any known-good build comparison. For upstream/community discussion, the OPL forum remains available.

External Tools & Services

RiptOPL is intended to work with these maintained companion tools:

• PS2-Servers by Ripto — all-in-one PC server launcher for SMB, UDPFS, UDPBD and HTTP.
• udpfs-server by YouKnow-sys — the same idea from a phone: an Android app that shares folders and disk images to the PS2 over UDPFS, found by broadcast so there is no server address to type in on the console. Works over a router or a direct cable. Built on udpfsd by pcm720; MIT licensed. An android-udpfs-server.url shortcut ships in installable packages.
• OrbitPS2 Manager by Luden — cross-platform PC library manager for importing discs, artwork/screenshots, ZSO compression, per-game settings and VMC management.
• LUNA by darkladark — Lightweight Unified Neutrino Access, a visual PS2 loader built on NHDDL and Neutrino, and our #1 recommended alternative if RiptOPL is more loader than you need. darkladark also contributes to RiptOPL: the PSBBN Flow theme adapts LUNA's Collection display (#733, superseded by #977), preserving the normal R3 favorite action.
• RIPPS2 by Akilluminati47 — our daughter project: a PS2-inspired front end with a web-theme beta at akilluminati47.github.io/RIPPS2. It now offers a downloadable PS2 ELF; consult its own releases and compatibility notes for current builds.
• OPL PS1 AIO Converter GUI by shaan — Windows all-in-one PS1/POPStarter preparation tool for converting BIN/CUE backups to VCDs and installing them to USB, MX4SIO, MMCE, iLink, exFAT HDD, SMB and APA internal HDD.
• xeRAbora by hacan359 — the PC client for RetroAchievements on real PS2 hardware. Recommended client: v0.1.0-alpha.17. RiptOPL's RA build supports xeRAbora v0.1.0-alpha.17 and its snapshot-only Mode 6 behavior. xeRAbora runs rcheevos, talks to the RetroAchievements servers and unlocks the achievements. It also builds the per-game watch list the console needs. Shipped as a shortcut inside RIPTOPL-RetroAchievements-*.zip; MIT licensed. RiptOPL’s RA stabilization on real hardware was driven by oMrRexD, whose PRs #702–#705 fixed the ee_core stack squeeze, MMCE DEV9 path, cold-launch networking and settings placement.
• OPL HTTP PC server by Docmine17 — the PC side of RiptOPL’s HTTP protocol: a small static HTTP server with byte-range support that serves your games.csv catalog and streams the ISOs themselves. RiptOPL works with it unmodified — no new API, no catalog conversion, no changed folder layout — with host conformance checks against the upstream server. PS2 hardware validation is still pending.
• PS2RD CHT Manager by TheRealNextria — PC manager for the PS2RD .cht cheat files RiptOPL reads from your device's CHT folder. A PS2RD-CHT-Manager.url shortcut ships in installable packages.
• Ember by Gageformer — a PS1 emulator that runs natively on the PS2, used as RiptOPL's second PS1 core alongside POPSTARTER. Unlike the others this one is not just a shortcut: an EMBER/ folder ships inside the release package, ready to drop onto a device. It is bundled unmodified under the Ember Public Beta Testing Licence (EMBER/LICENSE-BETA.txt in the package); releases: https://github.com/Gageformer/Ember/releases.
• BDM-UDPFS Assault by Okeanos — POPSTARTER-specific BDMA drivers with read-only UDPFS fallback for VCDs, based on israpps' BDM Assault.
• POPStarter by krHACKen — a PS1 launcher built around Sony's native POPS emulator for the PS2, used as RiptOPL's primary PS1 core alongside Ember. POPStarter provides the compatibility and launch layer for running PS1 VCDs from USB, MX4SIO, MMCE, iLink, internal HDD, and SMB; RiptOPL's iLink handoff is wired but still awaiting a passing hardware retest. The official POPStarter r13 package contains no Sony emulator binaries, libraries, or BIOS files; those components must be supplied separately by the user. Official download, documentation, compatibility information, and releases are maintained on PSX-Place.
• ORBIT Neutrino RA runtime by Daniel (danielnuld) — the existing RA-capable Neutrino runtime, bundled only in the RetroAchievements kit. Based on Neutrino by Maximus32 and xeRAbora protocol work by hacan359; AFL-3.0. The exact release, archive digest and source commit ship in neutrino/ORBIT-RA.json. Standard kits retain ordinary upstream Neutrino.
• Neutrino by rickgaiser — a "Small, Fast and Modular PS2 Device Emulator", and RiptOPL's second PS2 loader core alongside OPL's own. Like Ember it is not a shortcut: a ready-to-use neutrino/ folder ships inside each installable ZIP, drag-and-drop to mc?:/neutrino/. Neutrino is deliberately UI-agnostic — it has no interface of its own, which is exactly what lets a front-end like RiptOPL drive it per game. Licensed AFL-3.0; releases: https://github.com/rickgaiser/neutrino/releases.
• PSUManager by techwritescode — the CC0 PS2 save-container implementation used by RiptOPL release tooling to independently validate APP_RIPTOPL.psu and APP_RIPTOPL-RA.psu. The exact upstream core and license used by CI are preserved in third_party/PSUManager/.

Acknowledgements

This fork stands entirely on the shoulders of the PS2 homebrew community. None of this would exist without the ps2homebrew team and their many years of open-source work on Open PS2 Loader and the PS2SDK — kept free, open, and readable so that people like us can study it, learn from it, and build on it. Every feature in this fork began as their code and their ideas. We are deeply grateful that this work was shared openly; it is the only reason a fork like this is even possible.

RiptOPL is a direct agglomeration of the wider OPL family, bringing together features, code, and ideas from rickgaiser's OPL, neutrino, sOPL, uOPL, wOPL (historical; its public repository is unavailable), OPL DB, POPSLoader, OPL RetroGEM ID by CosmicScale, nhddl, hacan359's RetroAchievements OPL, Modulo-R1, PS2-Launcher, and official OPL.

With special and sincere thanks to:

• KrahJohlito — the legend, and the single biggest influence on this fork. Creator of uOPL (Unofficial Open PS2 Loader) and its continuation wOPL (historical; its public repository is unavailable), where the modern OPL experience was invented. The Neutrino external-core loader, the Coverflow interface, and the Favorites tab — the features that define RiptOPL — were designed and pioneered by him, and everything this fork does with them is a reimplementation of his work. We learned more reading his code than anywhere else, and RiptOPL is, above all, a tribute to it. Thank you.
• Wolf3s — for contributions across the wOPL effort and the wider OPL scene, and for past work on an independent uOPL fork that kept unique features and unmerged work alive. Thank you.
• bbsan2k — for the MMCE (Memory Card Mass Storage) protocol that makes SD-via-memory-card loading through the PS2's memory-card slot possible. OPL's MMCE support builds directly on it.
• hacan359 (yoba) — for RetroAchievements on real PS2 hardware and the xeRAbora PC client (v0.1.0-alpha.17) (MIT). The console identifies the game and streams the memory addresses its achievements watch; xeRAbora handles rcheevos, the RetroAchievements service, and login. RiptOPL implements the published wire protocol in its RIPTOPL-RetroAchievements-*.zip build, which includes a shortcut to xeRAbora.
• oMrRexD — for the decisive real-hardware RetroAchievements stabilization pass behind PRs #702–#705: tracing the ee_core stack corruption, restoring MMCE's in-game DEV9 dependency, making cold telemetry launches bring networking up safely, and putting the RA controls back where they are actually read and saved. The fixes were narrow, well-tested, and explicitly kept from contaminating normal build behavior.
• darkladark — creator of LUNA (Lightweight Unified Neutrino Access), his own visual loader built on NHDDL and Neutrino, with a PS2-inspired glass interface and four switchable library views. LUNA is our #1 recommended alternative to RiptOPL for lightweight, customized Neutrino gameplay. He also contributes to RiptOPL directly: his #733 contributed LUNA's Collection display, adapted as the native PSBBN Flow theme in #977 with the normal R3 favorite action. Thank you for sharing your work with us.
• Okeanos — for BDM-UDPFS Assault, bringing read-only UDPFS VCD fallback to POPSTARTER through BDMA, based on israpps’ BDM Assault.
• saildot4k — for BDMA-ATA (exFAT internal-HDD block-device support), and the fixes, feedback, and oversight that shaped this fork's block-device work. A big piece of getting it right.
• techwritescode — for PSUManager, whose CC0 core documents the PS2 save container format and independently validates the APP_RIPTOPL.psu and APP_RIPTOPL-RA.psu release saves. Its unmodified core and license are preserved in third_party/PSUManager.
• eliminator1403 — for dedicated testing, bug reports, and real-hardware feedback that has repeatedly caught issues and shaped fixes across this fork. Invaluable QA.
• Berion — for the artwork and theme design that has shaped how OPL looks for years. The visual language this fork builds on owes a great deal to that craft.
• AdityaKumar7209 — whose Modulo-R1 project inspired this fork's folder browsing in the game list.
• Irfanlesnar — creator of PS2-Launcher, for UI, feature ideas, and contributions across the OPL fork ecosystem.
• Ifcaro and jimmikaelkael — the original Open PS2 Loader authors — and every contributor across OPL's long history.

The wider Open PS2 Loader team

RiptOPL inherits the work of everyone who built Open PS2 Loader over the years. They are credited in full in CREDITS, and named here so this fork never obscures whose work it is built on:

• Core developers — Ifcaro, volca, jimmikaelkael, polo35, izdubar, hominem.te.esse and SP193, with the original main code based on Polo's HD Project.
• Contributing developers — BatRastard, crazyc, dlanor, doctorxyz, reprep, belek666, Maximus32 and misfire.
• Module authors — Eugene Plotnikov (SMSUTILS / SMSMAP / SMSTCPIP), Marcus R. Brown (DEV9 / ATAD and the derived cdvdman code), bbsan2k (MMCE), icyson55 (OPL-CL / network update), Eric Young (the DES algorithm in the SMB code), and the ps2dev team (USB / Network / PS2HDD modules from the PS2SDK).
• CI/CD — fjtrujy (Docker + GitHub Actions).
• UI & artwork — Berion.
• Quality assurance — RandQalan, yoshi314, EP, LocalH, lee4, El_Patas, ShaolinAssassin, algol, gledson999, jolek and zero35.

Real-hardware testing (this fork)

• Aerosol — isolated a UDPFS connection setup issue and confirmed that CRLF config output could leave a carriage return in a VMC filename; converting the config to LF restored VMC loading.

Enormous thanks to the testers who run rolling builds on real consoles and file the reports that shape the fixes — eliminator1403, lucaslmgv, AndrewBento, AcidReach, bodvenomz, nuno6573, zackcage6, Blade1984, Vapor, V3ditata and Aislinn🏳️‍⚧️.

The name (this fork)

RiptOPL is named by Akilluminati47 — he came up with it before the project existed, and it stuck. Every release, every build, every thread carries a name he thought of first.

Financial support (this fork)

Heartfelt thanks to Akilluminati47 for generously funding this fork's development — a kindness that keeps the rolling builds coming and is deeply appreciated.

If you want the canonical, actively-maintained project, it lives at ps2homebrew/Open-PS2-Loader — please support it. This fork is a downstream labor of love, not a replacement, and it exists only because that upstream work is open for everyone to learn from.

Experimental early-model PC CARD CompactFlash support and opt-in DESR DVR discovery: see hardware requirements and limits. Both source toggles default to off; RiptOPL console acceptance remains outstanding. CF driver credit: mihhru / PS2CF.