diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'content/posts/2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html')
| -rw-r--r-- | content/posts/2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html | 171 |
1 files changed, 171 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/content/posts/2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html b/content/posts/2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d9fd3da --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html @@ -0,0 +1,171 @@ +--- +date: "2008-02-16T15:37:32Z" +title: Custom Firmware on the PSP +--- + +<p>Last night I installed a custom firmware (CFW) on my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable">PSP</a>. The +custom firmwares allow you to run unsigned homebrew (e.g. non-Sony +sanctioned) applications. </p> + +<h2>Applications</h2> + +<p>The PSP homebrew community has been pretty active; there are several +useful applications and emulators for lots of older systems. There are +even emulators for obscure systems like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColecoVision">ColecoVision</a> and +<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Geo_%28console%29">Neo Geo</a>. </p> + +<p>Here's what works for me so far, in no particular order:</p> + +<ul> +<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vnc">VNC</a> client</li> +<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ssh">SSH</a> client</li> +<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Geo_%28console%29">Super Nintendo (SNES)</a> emulator </li> +<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Color">Game Boy Color</a> emulator</li> +<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOS">MS-DOS</a> emulator</li> +<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J2me">J2ME/MIDP</a> emulator (e.g Mobile Java, or the crappy games on +your cell phone)</li> +</ul> + +<p>I also tried the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_genesis">Genesis</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_System">NES</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N64">N64</a> emulators, but they +aren't working yet. Here's a picture of the SNES emulator at work:</p> + +<table> +<tr><td> + <a href='http://pablotron.org/files/20080216-psp_cfw/snes.jpg'><img + src='http://pablotron.org/files/20080216-psp_cfw/snes-thumb.jpg' + title="Playing SNES on a PSP" alt="Playing SNES on a PSP" + width="642" height="482" border="0" /></a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td style='text-align: center; font-size: 9pt'> + Playing SNES on a PSP +</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>The custom firmware also allows you to dump <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Media_Disc">UMDs</a> and run them +from a memory stick. Since it's pretty much impossible to fit a PSP and +8 UMDs in the your pockets without looking like a complete tool, I'm +going to offload as many UMDs as I can into the 3GB remaining on my +memory stick.</p> + +<p>The next section explains the firmware installation process. If you +don't have a PSP, you may still find my creatively ominous safety +warnings entertaining.</p> + +<h2>Installation</h2> + +<p>Installing the custom firmware varies in complexity depending on the +model of PSP model and version of the original firmware. If you're +fortunate enough to have an older "phat" PSP (e.g. the larger black +model) that's running firmware 1.00 or 1.50, then installing the custom +firmware is fairly straightforward. </p> + +<p>If you know someone with a PSP who already has the custom firmware +installed, then the installation process is still easy enough, because +they can use their PSP to help you with yours. </p> + +<p>If you've got a newer PSP Slim (the smaller white model, like the one in +the picture above) and/or are running a newer firmware, then there are +no easy options left, so get ready for the comically unpleasant +experience below.</p> + +<p>In order to install the custom firmware, you'll need a spare battery and +a spare memory stick. For the love of Douglas Adams, <b>please do not +use this post as a guide!</b> There are several web sites +(<a href="http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2665424&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1">here</a> and <a href="http://forums.qj.net/f-psp-homebrew-and-hacks-help-21/t-guide-unbrick-a-psp-slim-or-classic-122651.html">here</a>) that cover the entire installation +process in far more detail and with the appropriate safety precautions. +<b>If you mess this up you will turn your PSP into a lifeless and +possibly explosive plastic brick</b>.</p> + +<p>The basic, high-level steps are as follows:</p> + +<ol> +<li>Create a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable_homebrew#Pandora.27s_Battery">Pandora's battery</a>. This is a battery that +has been modified to make the PSP into boot from the memory stick.</li> +<li>Create a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable_homebrew#Pandora.27s_Battery">Magic Memory Stick</a>. This is a memory +stick that has been specially formatted to boot and perform a +firmware upgrade. Note that there are some limits on the capacity +and brand of memory stick that can be used; see the guides above for +more details.</li> +<li>With the PSP powered off and the battery removed, insert the +magic memory stick into the PSP.</li> +<li>Insert the Pandora's battery. The PSP will power on automatically +boot from the magic memory stick.</li> +<li>Use the software on the magic memory stick to install the custom +firmware. On the PSP Slim the display is blank, so you just have to +hit X and wait. The lights on the front of the PSP will blink for +several minutes. The PSP will automatically power off when the +installation is finished.</li> +<li>Remove the Pandora's battery and the magic memory stick. The +memory stick can be reformatted and used as usual. The Pandora's +battery can not, because some of the battery's safety features are +disabled as part of the conversion process. In other words, <b>do +not attempt to use the Pandora's battery as a regular battery unless +you want your PSP to melt into a smoldering puddle of goo.</b></li> +<li>Power on the PSP using a regular battery or the power cable. +Congratulations, you are now running the custom firmware.</li> +</ol> + +<p>The hardest part of this process is creating the Pandora's battery. If +you know someone with a PSP that already has the custom firmware +installed, then they can run an application on their PSP to temporarily +"soft-mod" a regular battery into Pandora's battery. </p> + +<p>If you don't know anyone with a PSP that already has the custom firmware +installed, then the only way to convert a regular battery into a +Pandora's battery is to "hard-mod" it; that means cutting open the +battery casing and disconnecting one of the leads on the internal +circuitry. </p> + +<p>The guides I read (see above) have plenty of pictures, but I was still +surprised by how small the pieces actually were. Here's a picture I +just took of my Pandora's battery, including a ruler and quarter as +size references:</p> + +<table> +<tr><td> + <a href='http://pablotron.org/files/20080216-psp_cfw/battery.jpg'><img + src='http://pablotron.org/files/20080216-psp_cfw/battery-thumb.jpg' + title="Inside a Pandora's Battery" alt="Inside a Pandora's Battery" + width="642" height="482" border="0" /></a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td style='text-align: center; font-size: 9pt'> + Inside a Pandora's Battery +</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>Creating a Magic Memory Stick is much simpler. Basically you:</p> + +<ul> +<li>format the memory stick in a special way (using <code>mspformat</code>)</li> +<li>copy the necessary firmware installation and upgrade files into place</li> +<li>generates an Initial Program Load (IPL) file, </li> +<li>copy the generated IPL file to the first sector of the memory stick +(using <code>mspinst</code>)</li> +</ul> + +<p>If you're using Windows, the "TotalNewbi Installer" and +"Pandora Easy GUI" tools can automate this process. In +theory, anyway. When I tried to use them in my Windows XP <a href="http://vmware.com/">VMWare</a> +instance, they both had problems. The TotalNewbi Installer simply +refused to work, and the Pandora Easy GUI blue-screened XP each +time I ran it.</p> + +<p>Here's what finally worked:</p> + +<ul> +<li>used Pandora Easy GUI to copy the firmware files into place and +generate the installer definition file (<code>mspinst.idl</code>)</li> +<li>used <code>dd</code> in Linux to copy <code>mspinst.ibl</code> into the first sector of the +Memory Stick</li> +</ul> + +<p>The good news is that creating the Pandora's Battery and Magic +Memory Stick are the hardest steps in the process. Once you get past +them, everything else is relatively straightforward. Even better, the +process can be used to install custom firmware on any PSP, regardless of +hardware model or firmware version.</p> + +<p>That's it for me. If you're interested in the history and technical +details of PSP homebrew, check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable_homebrew">this extremely detailed PSP +homebrew Wikipedia entry</a>.</p> + |