PSP Modding - Wrecking my head!

johnie89

I've got a PSP slim & lite, with Sony's 3.90 installed. I want to be able to put 3.90 M33-2 on it. I also want to be able to put the latest custom firmware on my brothers chunky PSP.

I have been on loads of sites, reading guides. But none of them are written for simple minded people such myself.

Is there anyone out there who can write a simple, step by step guide or spend an hour or two on MSN explaining what I need to do.

I dont just want my PSP with 3.90 M33-2. I want to know how it works, how I can put it on. Where to put certain files on my memory stick. What files, where I get them, How to make a Pandoras battery, etc.

ongarite

As you are have a Slim PSP and are on 3.90FW, the ONLY way to mod your PSP is with a hardware/software package called Pandora's Battery. It consists of a Service Battery that auto-boots your PSP into Service Mode (as used by Sony themselves) and a special Memory Stick with IPL (boot file in certain memory location).

There are 3 ways to mod any PSP using this method:
1. With access to another already modded PSP, make a package called UPMS which I posted last week.
2. Buy an already modified battery from Datel called TOOL and then make the Memory Stick portion on your PC using program called TotalNewbieEasyInstaller.
3. Hard-modding your battery by very carefully cracking open the casing and cutting pin1 on the eeprom to set battery to Service Mode.

Seeing as you want to do it yourself I would recommend Option 2 and buy a Datel TOOL battery. Buy the Phat version as it works on Phat and Slim PSP, Slim TOOL battery doesn't work on Phat PSP.

ongarite

How to downgrade, install CFW on ANY PSP using Datel TOOL and TotalNewbieEasyInstaller:

Intro:
As an alternative to my other tutorial on installing CFW using UPMS, this tutorial will show you how to flash your PSP with CFW using a previously purchased Datel TOOL battery and Windows based program called TotalNewbieEasyInstaller.
Disclaimer: I don't have Vista OS, but I have read that the important part of this guide(IPL writing) doesn't work on Vista.

What you'll need:
- Your PSP, either original or Slim PSP.
- Memory Stick Pro Duo ranging in size from 128MB (minimum) to 4GB (maximum)

What to do:
1. Download the TotalNewbieEasyInstaller from QJ.net website here.
2. Extract the contents of the zip package to your desktop.
3. Run the "START.EXE" application.
4. Connect PSP to your PC using USB cable. (Take note of the letter your PC assigns to the PSP MS).
5. Press ENTER to format your PSP. Depending on the size of MS being used, this can take up to 5 minutes to complete.
6. Press ENTER to set the drive label and then Y at the next prompt to format MS again.
7. With USB connection active, remove MS from PSP, then disable USB connection by pressing "O". Press ENTER to continue to next step.
8. Insert MS card into PSP and wait till orange access light stops flashing and then activate USB connection. Press ENTER to continue to next step.
9. A menu will appear with 4 installation options. Choose "4. Universal Unbricker: 3.71 M33 Installer.
10. When installation has finished, the IPL loader screen will appear. Press "Y" to install.
11. Then press ENTER and ENTER to close the program.

How to use:
1. Turn off PSP and remove AC power supply.
2. Insert Datel TOOL battery.
3. DC V3 should load up giving option to flash to 3.71 M33, flash Sony 3.71FW or backup NAND.
4. Backup NAND with square [ ] and it will write NAND to your MS, you will need 32MB (original PSP) or 64MB (Slim PSP) of free space for this. Your PSP will power off after this.
5. Remove and insert Datel TOOL battery again and this time choose X to install 3.71 M33 CFW.

Save nanddump.bin in root of MS to your PC when you are finished for safe keeping, incase you brick your PSP one day.


Updating 3.71 M33 firmware:
3.71 M33-4 is the last update for 3.71 M33 firmwares and is extremely stable and bug-free so for newcomers to PSP CFW I would recommend it over the newer 3.80 M33-5.
1. Download the M33-4 update from Dark_Alex website.
2. Extract the contents and you should have a folder called UPDATE.
3. Connect PSP to PC using USB and copy the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME.
4. Browse to GAME / Memory Stick in XMB and run the M33-4 updater.

Installing 1.50FW (homebrew) addon:
WARNING: THIS IS FOR PHAT PSP ONLY, DO NOT RUN ON SLIM
1. Download the 1.5FW V2 addon from Dark_Alex website.
2. Extract the contents and you should see an UPDATE folder.
3. Connect PSP to PC using USB and copy the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME.
4. Copy the Sony 1.5FW called 150.PBP that we used to make UPMS to root of MS (ms0:)
5. Browse to GAME / Memory Stick in XMB and run the 1.50 V2 installer

johnie89

Wow thats really easy to follow! Thanks.

Erm... Someone on here told me to use 3.9 M33-2. They said it was working fine for them. What do you think?

ongarite

Sorry your friend is full of sh1t.

You can't run unsigned code (3.90 M33) on a PSP that is unmodded.

johnie89

So How come I can put on 3.71 M33-4, but not 3.90 M33-2?

ongarite

You can install 3.90 M33-2 after you have installed 3.71 M33 first.
From the way you had it worded it took it to mean that you installed 3.90 M33 on your unmodded PSP.

johnie89

Nah thats not what I meant. Its just you said 3.71 M33-4 was stable, but I like playing games from the PS store and you need 3.80 or higer.

Whats the worst that can happen from putting 3.90 MM3-2?

ongarite

3.80 M33-5/3.90 M33-2 have 2 bugs/flaws compared to 3.71 M33-4. Both of these bugs are Sony FW issues not CFW related.
One is related to the fatsmod.prx (MS driver) and the Sony NP9660 NO UMD loader.
Both of these issues together cause ISO/CSO,EBOOT loading/access times to increase significantly depending of make,model of your Memory Stick.

I haven't bought any games from PS store for PSP but I think 3.71 M33 should work fine.

johnie89

Oh ok. So if they dont work on 3.71 M33-4 then I can put on 3.90 M33-2 and all it will do is make the loading times slower?

ongarite

Sure, its worth a try.

sharkDawg

I'm sure someone here will do it for you , where abouts are you based?

johnie89

Nah its ok... I've ordered a Datel TOOL battery so I can figure it all out myself....

witnessmenow

how much is the Datel battery?

johnie89

Well theres two things you can get.

You can get a Pandoras battery maker for stg£12.99, but you need your own spare official Sony battery (From the original PSP).

or you can buy the tool battery (Which is basicly a pandoras battery) in either chunky or slim types for stg£14.99. You can use it as a spare normal battery as well...


Battery Maker.


TOOL Battery (Original)


TOOL Battery (Slim)


I got the Original TOOL battery, because I can use it in the Original PSP and the Slim & lite PSP

mo-bo2000

All is well until step 10. The IPL loader does not run properly. An error message appears telling me it can not open the fragment. Please advise

ongarite wrote: »

How to downgrade, install CFW on ANY PSP using Datel TOOL and TotalNewbieEasyInstaller:

Intro:
As an alternative to my other tutorial on installing CFW using UPMS, this tutorial will show you how to flash your PSP with CFW using a previously purchased Datel TOOL battery and Windows based program called TotalNewbieEasyInstaller.
Disclaimer: I don't have Vista OS, but I have read that the important part of this guide(IPL writing) doesn't work on Vista.

What you'll need:
- Your PSP, either original or Slim PSP.
- Memory Stick Pro Duo ranging in size from 128MB (minimum) to 4GB (maximum)

What to do:
1. Download the TotalNewbieEasyInstaller from QJ.net website here.
2. Extract the contents of the zip package to your desktop.
3. Run the "START.EXE" application.
4. Connect PSP to your PC using USB cable. (Take note of the letter your PC assigns to the PSP MS).
5. Press ENTER to format your PSP. Depending on the size of MS being used, this can take up to 5 minutes to complete.
6. Press ENTER to set the drive label and then Y at the next prompt to format MS again.
7. With USB connection active, remove MS from PSP, then disable USB connection by pressing "O". Press ENTER to continue to next step.
8. Insert MS card into PSP and wait till orange access light stops flashing and then activate USB connection. Press ENTER to continue to next step.
9. A menu will appear with 4 installation options. Choose "4. Universal Unbricker: 3.71 M33 Installer.
10. When installation has finished, the IPL loader screen will appear. Press "Y" to install.
11. Then press ENTER and ENTER to close the program.

How to use:
1. Turn off PSP and remove AC power supply.
2. Insert Datel TOOL battery.
3. DC V3 should load up giving option to flash to 3.71 M33, flash Sony 3.71FW or backup NAND.
4. Backup NAND with square [ ] and it will write NAND to your MS, you will need 32MB (original PSP) or 64MB (Slim PSP) of free space for this. Your PSP will power off after this.
5. Remove and insert Datel TOOL battery again and this time choose X to install 3.71 M33 CFW.

Save nanddump.bin in root of MS to your PC when you are finished for safe keeping, incase you brick your PSP one day.


Updating 3.71 M33 firmware:
3.71 M33-4 is the last update for 3.71 M33 firmwares and is extremely stable and bug-free so for newcomers to PSP CFW I would recommend it over the newer 3.80 M33-5.
1. Download the M33-4 update from Dark_Alex website.
2. Extract the contents and you should have a folder called UPDATE.
3. Connect PSP to PC using USB and copy the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME.
4. Browse to GAME / Memory Stick in XMB and run the M33-4 updater.

Installing 1.50FW (homebrew) addon:
WARNING: THIS IS FOR PHAT PSP ONLY, DO NOT RUN ON SLIM
1. Download the 1.5FW V2 addon from Dark_Alex website.
2. Extract the contents and you should see an UPDATE folder.
3. Connect PSP to PC using USB and copy the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME.
4. Copy the Sony 1.5FW called 150.PBP that we used to make UPMS to root of MS (ms0:)
5. Browse to GAME / Memory Stick in XMB and run the 1.50 V2 installer

Nick_oliveri

mo-bo2000 wrote: »

All is well until step 10. The IPL loader does not run properly. An error message appears telling me it can not open the fragment. Please advise

Is that the exact message that appears? Or does it say something about the memory stick fragmentation?

mo-bo2000

Appologies for delay, I've been away. Thanks for assistance. The message on the screen is as follows:

PSP MS IPL Installer
Load IPL code g:/MSPL.bin
241664 bytes<59 block> readed

Target Drive is 2
Check partition sector
Cannot open device \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE 2
Can't read partition sector

I'm using a Sony Duo MS and have used a 2Gb MS and a 512Mb with the same result.

I bought the PSP from Dubai and I'm sure this model was meant for the Japenese market, not sure if that's part of the problem. On this PSP I have to use the 'O' key to proceed instead of the 'X' key.


Thanks again.

LeoGilly

Well i just finished installing custom firmware on my psp 1000. I have 5.00 m33.
I used this link
http://www.psp-hacks.com/forums/f133/the-new-hack-your-psp-thread-t227349/
It's very straight forward and the best step-by-step instructions i could find!

rai555

LeoGilly wrote: »

Well i just finished installing custom firmware on my psp 1000. I have 5.00 m33.
I used this link
http://www.psp-hacks.com/forums/f133/the-new-hack-your-psp-thread-t227349/
It's very straight forward and the best step-by-step instructions i could find!

thank you, that's the best tutorial online