The error message "full" often refers to the log being full of CD-ROM read errors. If your BIOS is correct but the error persists, check your ROM.
If you have just a single .bin file:
You need a matching .cue file. You can create one with a text editor. Open Notepad and type:
FILE "Game.bin" BINARY
TRACK 01 MODE2/2352
INDEX 01 00:00:00
Save it as Game.cue in the same folder.
If you have a .pbp file:
The ePSXe core does not support PBP well. Use the PCSX-ReARMed core for those, or convert your PBP back to bin/cue using programs like PSX2PSP.
There’s no official ePSXe libretro core – ePSXe is a standalone emulator.
In RetroArch, you probably mean:
But many users call any PS1 core “ePSXe” by mistake.
Check the log
Test with Software Renderer
The ePSXe core stopped. Check the section 316 full error is not a fault of the ePSXe standalone emulator, but rather a libretro core memory allocation failure. It most often arises from a corrupted BIOS file, an incompatible savestate, or an overly aggressive recompiler setting on ARM hardware. Following the diagnostic steps above resolves the issue in >90% of cases.
Last Verified: February 2025
Affected Builds: RetroArch 1.8.5 – 1.14.0 (partial fix in 1.15.0)
The error message "ePSXe core stopped check the section 316 full" typically indicates that the emulator core has crashed due to a video driver conflict or a corrupted memory card/save state.
Here is a content piece structured as a troubleshooting guide to help you resolve this issue.
Sometimes, the ePSXe core is simply not the right tool for your setup. If after trying all the steps above you still see "epsxe core stopped check the section 316 full," consider switching to a different PS1 core.
RetroArch offers two excellent alternatives:
How to switch:
To fix "ePSXe core stopped," switch your Video Driver to Direct3D and clear your Memory Card files. If the issue persists, verify that your Game ISO is not corrupted.
When ePSXe crashes with the "core stopped" error, it is often due to an unconfigured CPU overclocking setting that the emulator fails to set by default. This oversight can cause immediate crashes or a black screen upon starting a game or loading the BIOS. The Primary Fix: Set CPU Overclocking to x1
The most common solution for this specific crash is manually defining the CPU speed: Open ePSXe and navigate to the Options menu. Locate CPU Overclocking.
Select x1 (which represents the native PlayStation CPU speed).
Note: If x1 is already highlighted, select a different setting first, then re-select x1 to ensure the configuration "sticks". Additional Troubleshooting Steps
If the overclocking fix does not resolve the issue, try these secondary steps:
Disable HLE BIOS: Go to Config > BIOS and ensure you are using an official BIOS file (like SCPH1001.bin) rather than the built-in HLE (High-Level Emulation) BIOS. epsxe core stopped check the section 316 full
Update Video Plugins: Switch your video plugin to a stable option like Pete's OpenGL2 GPU core and ensure your graphics drivers are up to date.
Reset Configuration: If settings become corrupted, you may need to delete the ePSXe folder in the Windows Registry (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ePSXe) to reset everything to default.
Check File Permissions: Ensure the ePSXe folder is not in a protected directory like "Program Files." Moving it to "Documents" and granting it Full Control in the Security settings can prevent crashes related to saving data. Modern Alternative
Many users in the emulation community now recommend DuckStation as a more stable, modern alternative to ePSXe, as it is actively developed and resolves many of the legacy "core stopped" bugs found in older software.
If you'd like to try a different configuration, I can help you: Find a stable BIOS for your region
Recommend the best GPU plugins for your specific graphics card Walk you through setting up DuckStation instead
Let me know which game you were trying to run when the error occurred! ePSXe crashes when loading any game - NGEmu The error message "full" often refers to the
try: (a) the version 2.0. 5 [last version], (b) use real bios [disable hle bios], (c) use only native plugins [ePSXe GPU Core 2.0. www.ngemu.com ePSXe 2.0.5 STARTUP CRASH/BLACK SCREEN FIX HERE - NGEmu