[GUIDE] PSP Custom Firmware Reference Guide 4.01 M33-2

PSP Custom Firmware Reference Guide

Now that's a mouthful.
Created by SolidSnake44x
Edited by Rith

You can also download this guide in a ZIP package here. The password for that is 'pspslimhacks'.

Introduction

This will work with ANY PSP with ANY firmware (yes even 4.00)!
PLEASE READ:
Note: Sorry TA-088 V3 motherboards will not work. These are unpandorable.
These PSPs will ship with 4.00+ firmware.
If you are unsure if you're PSP is hackable or not, have a read through this.

If your completely new to custom firmware, or even the wonderful world of PSP, you should know a few things before using this guide:

I am not responsible for anything that happens - including successful installation..
If you follow this guide well, you shouldn't have any problems.
If you are unsure about something, stop where you are and post your problem here.
You should have basic PSP knowledge - such as how and where to place files on your memory stick
This will work on ANY PSP!

This guide has everything you need to install custom firmware on your PSP. If you should have any problems or questions, please leave a comment. If you like the guide, leave some feedback. It's greatly appreciated. Grin

Thanks for reading...

What exactly is 'custom firmware'?

1. To start, firmware is the 'operating system' that your PSP runs. Much like Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.

2. To install custom firmware (modified) will enable you to run unsigned software. This makes your experience limitless in that you can emulate classics such as NES, Sega, GBA, and so much more. You can also play 'homebrew', games and applications made by developers that aren't part of a major company. Not only that, but you can play PSP and PSone (PSX) backups straight from your memory stick without having to download them from PlayStation Network (PS Store). This is great because you can play a very large majority of your PSone classics, and backup your UMD's and play them.

What will we be doing to install custom firmware ?

1. We will modify and put specific files on your memory stick for the installation. The term for this is - magic memory stick or Pandora memory stick. This is completely 'reversible' and poses no threat to your memory stick.

2. We will be modifying your battery to let us go into service mode, allowing the installation of custom firmware, using the magic memory stick. The term for this is - Pandora battery. Depending on whether you use a software program to do this, or if you open up your battery and hard mod it, it is reversible if you follow procedure.

3. We will then use the two tools mentioned above to flash M33 firmware on your PSP, and follow all of the important safety measures available to ensure that you get the most enjoyment out of your custom firmware. Keep in mind that using this method does not pose a risk of bricking (internally damaging your PSP)

4. If all of this sounds confusing, please read the following guides. They'll help you understand everything better.
Custom Firmware Terminology
The Complete Newb Guide
Super Newb FAQ

Preparing Our Tools

Magic Memory Stick

Note: You will want to use a 256 mb to 4 gb memory stick for the next process..

We will first be making your magic memory stick. For this process, we will be using a program that does all of our work for us. This program is called PSP Grader and is made by Klutsh at X-Projects. This tutorial has exclusive rights to the PSP Grader application as I have special permission from klutsh. This particular version installs Despertar del Cementario v6 on your memory stick, allowing the installation of 4.01 M332 firmware. It is also compatible with Vista and XP. Download here. By request, I have uploaded 2Mb split archives of PSP Grader for people with very slow internet connections. You can download these files here.

For this installation you will also need official firmware 4.01. This can be obtained here. If you have any PSP Grader specific questions, please ask at their forums. Feel free to ask any general CFW installation questions here. It's also worth noting that Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 is needed for this program. Grab that at Microsoft, unless you have Vista (preinstalled on there).

1. Extract the downloaded RAR file

2. On your PSP, format your memory stick (back it up if necessary) and enable usb mode

3. Install PSP Grader on your PC

4. PSP Grader Steps:

- Step 1: Start PSP Grader
*Note - You may need to run in administrator mode in Vista if you are getting errors. Right click the program and select that option.

- Step 2: Select the paths of your 4.01 official eboot

- Step 4: Adjust your settings click Create Pandora Stick to begin the process

- Once you finish, your magic memory stick is ready for use.

Note: If the PSP Grader keeps failing for you during MMS creation or CFW installation, try using an alternate installer. HERE is a DCv3 installer that should be used as a last resort. It installs 3.71 M33-2 which contains a flash writing bug so you should update away from it.

Pandora Battery

Now we will prepare our Pandora battery. There are many choices for this: you can run the OS Pandora Battery Tool if your on a homebrew enabled PSP to soft mod it (best method) - be sure to backup the EEProm before hand so that you can revert it back to normal. You can download that program here.

If soft modding isn't an option, you can open it up yourself and hard mod it. If your going to hard mod it, there are currently three methods you can choose, the best being the trace cut method. Please use one of these links:

Standard Slim Battery (old guide - don't use - by Raziel36) - not recommended: Tutorial
Standard Slim Battery (new guide - use this one - by JPness57): Tutorial
> Note - with the above linked tutorial, you may want to skip step 6.A and go to 6.B for the track cut method
Extended Life Battery (Fat Battery): Tutorial

Also be aware that if doing it yourself is out your league, you can purchase one of two tools. Go to Code Junkies, select your region, and enter the psp store. You can find these items:

'PSP Battery Service Tool' - a small component that soft mods any Sony battery and reverts it back
'PSP Max Power Tool' - a pre-hardmodded tool battery (available in fat or slim)

Custom Firmware Installation

Installing
Once you have your modified battery & memory stick, you are ready to begin the installation.

\/ Please Read The Following Instructions Carefully \/

1. Take out any battery and insert your magic memory stick in your psp
2. Connect your ac adaptor and insert your Pandora battery WHILE holding L (or whatever you assigned)
- If it doesn't start automatically, just turn on the psp with the switch like normal.
3. You will see an XMB like screen with several options
4. First go to 'NAND Operations' and BACKUP the NAND (Bad blocks are completely normal!)
5. When finished, restart choose 'Install 4.01 M33'
6. When that's finished, restart.
* - You can now use a normal battery, or convert your Pandora back to normal. (Step 11 below) - *
7. After entering your information, go straight to USB mode and copy your NAND backup to your computer
8. You now have a secure custom firmware PSP! Cheesy

OPTIONAL - STEP 9
9. so do another NAND backup with this tool -

Go here and download Open Source Nand Dumper (toward the bottom) - http://nds.cmamod.com/downloads/psp_downloads/

Transfer the folder containing the EBOOT.PBP to the X:/PSP/GAME folder on your memory stick. Just run the program and it should do it's job automatically.
END OF STEP 9

10. Congratulations - your done for the main part Grin

Post - Installation

11. If you did the track cut method to hard mod your battery, fill in the trace again with a #2 pencil
12. If you softmodded your battery, you can now reverse it by using the same program you used to mod it
13. When your completely finished and you don't plan on using Time Machine or another IPL, you can format your memory stick to make it function normally again (recommended - some games are reported to lag on an MMS).

Extras

Dark~Alex's Website - creator of custom firmware, tech genius, source for m33 updates
Cory1492's Blog - technical genius, lots of great apps for your PSP
lan.st - a great resource for information about the PSP

F.A.Q.

Q: How can I give back to the homebrew community, or thank you for making this reference?
A: You can stay here and help people who are new to psp, and you can give me some positive feedback. Giving karma never hurts, but I honestly would rather you give back to the community not me.

Q: How do I unbrick my PSP?
A: By using Pandora to reinstall the custom firmware (follow the tutorial again)

Q: What are some safety precautions of modding my PSP?
A: Make sure to follow my guide step by step, make a NAND backup plenty of times, transfer your NAND backups to your computer for safe keeping, and remember that a dedicated magic memory stick is useful, or always having a way to remake your magic memory stick.

Q: Do I need a CFW PSP to make a magic memory stick?
A: No.

Q: I have a different MMS program, can I use it?
A: Yes.

Q: I have a memory stick, but it is fake. Can I use it for the installation process?
A: It may or may not work. You'll have to try it first if you don't have any other memory stick.

Credits

Dark~Alex & Team M33 - He's the man behind everything to do with psp homebrew, the creator of custom firmware
PSPFan - He's the man behind this website, the man who pays the bills *cue horror music*
Spikerosoft - Our first second Administrator (1st 2nd), creator of the easy installer once used in this guide
Klutsh from X-Projects - for the use of PSP Grader
Rith (simon) - Good friend of mine, greatest moderator ever..
All of our users who put their time into the forum and help others out. You guys make this website what it is.
Simple Machines Forum - What this forum runs on, good people
Opera - The greatest browser ever, very good people (Download it Here)

hehehe.... Firefox is just as good if not, better. Mozilla are good people. (Rith)*
Everyone knows Opera is the fastest.. (SS44x)
Yeah right... Get Firefox (Rith)

Google - That's how you found us
Maddox - Great inspiration, funniest and truest articles ever.. (The Best Page in the Universe)

Updates

August 13: Updated to PSP Grader v6 (DCv6 - 4.01 M33-2).
August 7: Edited guide.
June 27: Replaced image headers with text headers for efficiency.
June 26: Incorporated PSP Grader v005..
June 13: Updated PSP Grader info.
May 25: Updated some information about PSP Grader.
May 23: Added tool for NAND dump after installation.
May 22: Also updated entire guide, now version 3.0.
May 22: Revised memory stick section and other parts of the guide. Added pictures.
May 11: Added note about NAND dump and touched a few things up. (rith)
April 30: Revising pandora memory stick, introduction, and other sections.
April 6: Changed a few things -> 3.90 M33-3 and 3.90 OFW link (rith)
April 1: Vista section coming soon..
March 30: Adding a few things there and here..
March 24: Fixed up 3.90 M33-2 link so it wasn't linking to exophase. (rith)
March 11: Addind things here and there..
March 1: Touching it up a bit..
February 29: I completely restarted my guide, from scratch. It's a lot better.. Version 2.0.
Somewhere around Fall of 2007: This guide was built, not much at the time..

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