CTRL+F IS YOUR BEST FRIEND IN THIS MEGA THREAD!
[Tutorials from another hacking website, edited by me on wordpad, and edited again on here]
/!\ Warning: /!\
Upgrading / Downgrading your PSPs firmware will write to the 'flash memory' of your PSP.
There is a very small risk of bricking your PSP when writing to flash memory.
All downgrades should be successful if you follow the instructions carefully and correctly.
Although you may be one of the unlucky few that the downgrade fails on.
By following this guide you understand the risks you are taking with your PSP.
Formatting your memory stick will erase 'everything' on it.
Please make a backup copy of any important files to your computer before you continue.
(Like the savegames in your \PSP\SAVEDATA\ folder and any video / music / pictures you may have.)
Note: After installing the required files to your memory stick, wait for about 1 minute before closing the
USB connection and disconnecting the USB cable, Sometimes windows will keep the data in memory
and will write that data to the memory stick even after the installation looks like has successfully finished.
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What is Custom Firmware??
Custom firmware replaces your PSPs official firmware but it is not a permanent upgrade.
You can easily uninstall the custom firmware and to back to official firmware 1.50
by using the recovery mode if you don't like / don't want to use custom firmware.
Custom Firmware has all the features of the official sony firmware, but also adds the ability
to load homebrew PSP ISOs and PSX EBOOTs directly from the game menu in the XMB.
Custom Firmware also has an option to use 'No-UMD Mode' so you can run your PSP ISOs without a UMD inserted.
The No-UMD mode doesn't have a high compatibility rate yet, so only a few games will work with it enabled.
If you have any PSP ISOs in the DAX format then you need to convert them to ISO or CSO using UMDGEN.
Custom Firmware currently doesn't support the DAX format yet but it has planned for the future versions.
You shouldn't need to use devhook to play your ISO/CSO files anymore as the compatability rate is very high.
There may be a few games that are not compatible with Custom Firmware so you may need to use Devhook to play some games.
You will need to have a Game or Demo UMD disc in your PSP when you want to run PSP ISOs.
(Movie UMDs will not work and give an 'invalid region' error when you start a PSP ISO game)
Your PSPs UMD Drive should be empty while upgrading / downgrading your PSP.
(Except when downgrading from 3.03 & 3.50 as you need a UMD inserted to start the downgrader)
Remove any UMD that you have in your PSP before you do anything in this guide.
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Contents of this topic:
Gathering information about your PSP:
* Checking your PSP Firmware Version
* Checking your PSP Motherboard Model
* What should I do next?
Upgrading / Downgrading Firmware:
* Updating your PSPs Firmware
* Downgrade 2.00 to 1.50
* Downgrade 2.71 to 1.50
* Downgrade 2.80 to 1.50
-skipping 3.03 and 3.50 downgrader for now, PM me if you really need it-
Installing Custom Firmware:
'M33' Custom Firmware:
* 3.52 M33 + Update
New!!
* 3.51 M33 + Update
'Dark Alex' Custom Firmware * 3.40 OE-A I use this one
* 3.30 OE-A + Update
* 3.10 OE-A + Update
* 3.03 OE-C
Using the 'Custom Firmware' Recovery Mode
* Configuring 'Custom Firmware'
* Reinstall / Uninstall 'Custom Firmware'
Help with using 'Custom Firmware':
Mini Guide (Includes):
* Installing PSP ISO games onto your PSP
* Installing PSX EBOOT games onto your PSP
* Installing Homebrew onto your PSP
* Putting Music on your PSP
* Putting Videos on your PSP
* Putting Photos on your PSP
* Customize your PSPs Background Picture
* Joining Multi-part Rar Files
* Converting Between ISO and CSO formats
Error messages you may get while running 'Custom Firmware'
* The game could not be started. (80020321)
* The game could not be started. (8002014C)
* The game could not be started. (80020130)
* This disc cannot be started. The region code is not correct.
* Connection Error: The WLAN switch is not turned on.
How do I....
* Stop the UMD from Auto-starting when I turn on my PSP?
* Enable the flash player and WMA playback without wireless internet?
