How To Install Custom Firmware On Your PSP -A Complete Guide

[Nguyen Trung Hoa]

This tutorial will explain how to install custom firmware on your PSP.

Update: This is now somewhat possible on PSP 3000, and the unhackable 2000's. Follow the guide for instructions on how to install custom firmware on any PSP 2000 or 3000.



Throughout this guide you will see me use these terms. It helps if you know what they mean, but you'll do perfectly fine even if you don't.

Brick - A brick (or bricked PSP) is a PSP that is rendered completely useless either through hardware or software. Basically, the PSP won't work.

Initial Program Launcher (IPL) - The IPL is the part of the PSP's system software that is first run during the boot-up process, and is responsible for loading the rest of the system software. The IPL is stored in a separate part of flash memory to the rest of the system software, and special techniques are required to access it.

Root - The Root is the first page you see when you double click your PSP or Memory Stick under "My Computer".

You will need:

1. - A fully charged PSP [Fat, Slim, or 3000]
2. - A Pandora Battery [You can make one during the tutorial]
3. - A Memory Stick Pro Duo [64MB - 4GB]


Tutorial


Step 1: Can you hack it? - UPDATED

- All Fat PSP's are hackable. If you have a Fat, skip the box below.

- Some PSP 2000's are hackable with the pandora method, some aren't. If you want to find out, you have 2 options:
1) - Follow the instructions in the box below to find out for sure.
2) - Try the pandora method, and if it doesn't work, no harm will be done to your PSP, and you can use the new ChickHEN method [This is described at the very bottom of the guide.]

- No PSP 3000's are hackable using the pandora method, so if you have one, you'll need the chickHEN method. [Described at the very bottom of the guide.]

Finding out if your Slim is hackable. [optional]

Step 1: Download this file:

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34222960/f52a967/88v3id.rar.html

You need to format your memory stick with the app called "mspformat" that is included.

1. - Connect your PSP via USB.
2. - Format it using the command "mspformat E", being "E" the letter of your PSP on your PC.
3. - Program will ask you to confirm it, press Y.
4. - Plug out your PSP. IMPORTANT: DO NOT format again the MS within the PSP until this test has finished.
5. - Connect again the PSP via USB, and manually create PSP and PSP/GAME folders.

Step 2: This must be done on a PSP with Custom Firmware. If you don't have it, ask someone else to do this step and give you the resultant files.

Firstly, download these 2 files:

This is the 3.90 update.

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34224848/b24f038/PSP_390_FW_UPDATE.RAR.html

This is the 4.05 update.

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34229972/f9f117a/PSP_405_FW_UPDATE.RAR.html

1. - Copy the GETIPL folder to PSP/GAME. Put the 3.90 and 4.05 updates onto the Memory stick root with the following names: "390.PBP", "405.PBP".
2. - Run the GETIPL app from your PSP with custom firmware, and it will create a couple of files on the Memory Stick root, called "ipl390.bin", "ipl405.bin".
3. - Connect the PSP via USB, and use the "msinst" program that its included on the pack to install the 3.90 IPL on the Memory Stick.
4. - You must do it this way: "msinst E E:\ipl390.bin", being "E" your PSP letter on your PC. Program will ask you to confirm it, press Y.

Insert the MS with the 3.90IPL installed onto the PSP that you want to confirm if it's a TA-088v3 or not, and turn it on with a Pandora Battery plugged in. You'll have two possible results:

- PSP turns off immediately after starting - Your PSP is NOT a 88v3.
- PSP stays turned on with a green light. - Your PSP is a 88v3, or you have done something wrong. The next step will confirm this.

- Connect again the PSP via USB, and use again the msinst, but this time with the 405IPL. Remember, "msinst E E:\ipl405.bin", being E your PSP letter on your PC.

Try to load it again with a Pandora battery. You have two possible results:

- PSP turns off immediately. If PSP turns off immediately with this IPL and on the other test it had that green light, it is definately a 88v3.

- PSP stays on with a green light. This CANT be on any PSP, being 88v3 or not. If this is the case, youve done something wrong.

Step 2: Making a Magic Memory Stick:
Now we're going to prepare the Memory Stick PRO Duo to install Custom Firmware.

1) Download PSP Grader v008 here:

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34412607/494df2f/Graderv008.zip.html

Also, download the 5.00 update file here:

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34414918/8843d57/PSP_500_FW_UPDATE.RAR.html

2) Plug your PSP into the PC via the USB cable ensuring that the Memory Stick Pro Duo is inserted into the PSP. Back up important data on your stick, as it will be formatted.

3) Run PSP Grader. Once it has opened, select 'Load 5.00 Official eBoot', then select the update file you just downloaded.

4) Under 'Target Memory Stick', select the drive letter of your PSP. Also, tick the box that says 'Format Memory Stick'.

5) Select 'Create Pandora Stick', and let it do it's thing. This should take 3 or 4 minutes.

You can now plug out the USB cable.

You now have a magic memory stick!


Step 3: Making A Pandora Battery:
If you already have a Pandora Battery, then you can skip this step!

I advise you buy a Pandora Battery to have as a spare.
Here are some places to get them:

USA
For Fat PSPs:

Code:

http://us.codejunkies.com/Products/PSP-MAX-Power-TOOL__EF000536.aspx

For Slim PSPs:

Code:

http://us.codejunkies.com/Products/PSP-MAX-Power-Digital---Universal-Mode-Battery__EF000738.aspx

Europe
For Fat PSPs:

Code:

http://uk.codejunkies.com/Products/PSP-MAX-Power-TOOL___EF000536.aspx

For Slim PSPs:

Code:

http://uk.codejunkies.com/Products/PSP-MAX-Power-Digital---Universal-Mode-Battery___EF000738.aspx

If you do not own a Pandora Battery, follow these instructions to make one:

Requirements:

1) Any PSP Fat with Custom Firmware OR
2) A PSP Slim with custom firmware AND A TA-085v1 Motherboard. [If your PSP Slim came with 3.60 firmware then you most likely have a Ta-085v1 Slim PSP]
3)'Hellcat's Pandora Installer v4b'
Download:

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34415312/e34a5e5/HellcatPandora.rar.html

Installing 'Hellcats Pandora Installer v4b':
1. Unzip the downloaded file to your computer
2. Connect your PSP to your computer and make a USB connection,
3. Copy the "pan3xx" folder to your memory stick in the PSP > GAME folder.
4. Close the USB Connection and disconnect the USB Cable.
5. Turn off your PSP.

Converting a 'Normal battery' to a 'Pandora Battery':
1. Insert the Battery you want to convert into your PSP and turn your PSP on.
2. Go to the Game menu, then run the "Pandora Installer for 3.xx+ -R4b-"
3. Once the program starts, press "X" to go to the main menu.
4. Scroll down to "Battery Options" and press "X"
5. Scroll down to "Dump Battery Serial to File" and press "X"
(this will backup the battery serial to your memory stick)
6. Select "Make Battery Pandora" and press "X"
7. The Battery serial in the top left should change to "0xffffffff"
(If the battery serial doesn't change then your PSP can't write to the battery or the battery is not compatible)
8. If the battery serial is "0xffffffff" then your Normal Battery is now a Pandora Battery.
9. Scroll down to "Back to main menu" and press "X"
10. Choose "Quit" and press "X" and the program will exit
11. Turn off your PSP and remove the battery (which is now a Pandora battery)

You now have a pandora battery!


Step 4: Installing Custom Firmware On your PSP:
Now for the final and most important step, actually installing the Custom Firmware onto your PSP. Don't worry, you've already done all of the hard work.

1) Power off your PSP fully.
2) Put the Magic Memory Stick in your PSP.
3) Put the Pandora Battery in your PSP, and hold down the left shoulder button. Once the IPL has loaded on your PSP, press X. Your PSP will begin installing Custom Firmware. This should take around 3 or 4 minutes.
4) When this process is finished, press X to shut down your PSP.
NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU PRESS X TO SHUT DOWN YOUR PSP BEFORE YOU REMOVE THE PANDORA BATTERY OR MAGIC MEMORY STICK. YOU COULD BRICK YOUR PSP IF YOU DON'T DO THIS.
5) Once your PSP has shut down, you can now remove the Pandora Battery, and put in your normal one. You can also now format the magic memory stick to get it back to normal.

Congratulations, you now have a PSP with Custom Firmware!

Note: Now that you've got custom firmware, here are some things you should do:

I) - You might want to turn that Pandora Battery back to a Normal Battery so you can use it properly. To do so, just follow these steps:

Converting a 'Pandora Battery' to a 'Normal Battery':
1. Insert the Pandora Battery and magic memory stick into your PSP, your PSP will turn on automatically. [Note you must put the Pandora installer in the PSP/GAME folder of your magic memory stick]
2. At the menu, select 'Test M33'
3. Your PSP will load up as normal
4. Go to the Game menu, and to Memory Stick.
5. Select 'Pandora Installer for 3.xx+ -R4b-'
6. Press X when it loads, to enter the menu.
7. Go to 'Battery Options', and select 'Set Battery Serial From File'
8. Your battery is now normal again! You can now exit the program, and turn off your PSP.

II) -When you're booting up your Custom Firmware'd PSP for the first time, hold down the R Trigger. This will bring you to the 'M33 Recovery Menu'. To get the best experience from your PSP, do the following:

1) Go to Configuration, then to 'UMD Mode'. Set this to 'Sony NP9660'.
2) In Configuration, find 'Use M33 network update', and enable it. Now you can use the network update to update your custom firmware.

III) - This step is for PSP Fat [1000] users only. It only works with firmware 5.00 M33 and above, which you should have already if you followed this guide. It helps you to run most emulators and Eboots better.
The 1.50 Kernel Add-on:

1. Download the kernel add-on here:

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34415441/a8d0a86/150k_addon500.rar.html

2. And download the 1.50 official update file here:

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34416462/f6d187b/150.PBP.html

3. Place the 1.50 file at the root of you memory stick and rename it to 150.PBP
4. Place the 150k_addon500 folder PSP>GAME directory of your memory stick.
5. Boot up your PSP and run the installer. It should be done in a minute or two.

ChickHEN Method - For 2000's and 3000's.

This method is for all PSP 3000's and the 2000's that are not hackable with the Pandora method.
NOTE: YOUR PSP MUST BE RUNNING FIRMWARE 5.03 FOR THIS TO WORK!

1. Download these two files:

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34417041/714fa60/5.03GEN-A.zip.html

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/34417111/9f11273/HenR2.rar.html

2. Extract the contents of the HenR2 rar file you just downloaded. You should get a ChickHEN folder and a h.bin file.
3. Connect your PSP to your PC.
4. Copy the ChickHEN folder to your PSP -> PHOTO directory. [If this directory doesn't exist, just create it.]
5. Copy the h.bin file to the root of your PSP.

6. Extract the contents of the 5.03GEN-A rar file you downloaded. You should get a folder called CF 5.03GEN-A for HEN. Go into this folder, and run the file called 'LAUNCH-ME.exe' [Some antivirus software sees this as a trojan, this is a false positive.]
7. We need the drive letter of your PSP for this. To find this, go to My Computer, and you should see your PSP there, something like 'PSP (X:)'
Obviously replace X with whatever letter your PSP is.
8. A box will come up on your screen. Set the PSP model to 2000 or 3000 depending on what PSP you have. Set the Mode to FULL, and set PSP Install to YES. Put in your PSP's drive letter in the box at the bottom. Click start and you should get a box that just says Done. Click OK.
9. There should be a new folder in your PSP called files. Leave it alone. You're good to go.
10. Disconnect your PSP from your PC. In your XMB, go to PHOTO -> Memory Stick. Open the ChickHEN folder. Wait for the thumbnail to load up, and scroll down to the bottom picture. You PSP may freeze and reboot. But this does not mean it's done. You'll know it's done when you screen freaks out for a second, then reboots. Like this:
.
11. After this happens, check your system software version under system information. It should be 5.03 ChickHEN R2.
12. Go to your games folder , and select memory stick and run the file called INSTALLER-LOADER. When it loads up, press L or R to install custom firmware. Your PSP should reboot again after this. Check your system software version again. It should now say 5.03 GEN-A (Full). You are now ready to use homebrew on your PSP.

Note: if you do not see the INSTALLER-LOADER in the your PSP, try using the LAUNCH-ME program after you use ChickHEN.

Note: When you turn your PSP off you will have to reinstall ChickHEN and GEN-A. This is because the CFW is installed to RAM and makes no permanent changes to your PSP.



You're now ready to use your hacked PSP, have fun!