Retroarch crashes

I'm on the latest version of multiman (4.19.05) with the latest version of retroarch (0.9.8.1) on Ermac 4.30v3 CFW (yuck).

If I load retroarch from the xmb, it immediately crashes. The system becomes unresponsive and visually, there is some sort of menu (i can make out "path" and some things that look like paths) but it's all jarbled like a broken digital converter on a tv.

If I open multiman and load a ROM from there, it appears to load but I get the same visual issue (audio comes through OK). If I press the PS button, the system freezes.

Grr. Any ideas? I'd like to gtf off of Ermac but it seems I screwed myself, accidentally tried to qatoggle and now I can't downgrade to anything using any method, I just get "data is corrupted" error from XMB or "no applicable update found" from recovery mode. I already have threads open about this issue, I just want to know what I can do about retroarch.

You don't need to downgrade anymore to go to another firmware...Rogero_CEX_4.30_v2.05.PUP update from xmb, don't have a disc in the slot.

And as for retro arch, theres been a lot of shoddy releases recently. Go here, http://store.brewology.com/whatsnew.php?lang= and download the one under previous versions that says RetroArch (4.xx) v0.9.8 Beta 3 this is the only fully functional version I know of that's pretty much up to date.