From 4b6c0e31385f5f27a151088c0a2b614495c4e589 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Paul Duncan Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2021 12:47:50 -0400 Subject: initial commit, including theme --- .../2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html | 171 +++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 171 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/posts/2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html (limited to 'content/posts/2008-02-16-custom-firmware-on-the-psp.html') 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 +--- + +

Last night I installed a custom firmware (CFW) on my PSP. The +custom firmwares allow you to run unsigned homebrew (e.g. non-Sony +sanctioned) applications.

+ +

Applications

+ +

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 ColecoVision and +Neo Geo.

+ +

Here's what works for me so far, in no particular order:

+ + + +

I also tried the Genesis, NES, and N64 emulators, but they +aren't working yet. Here's a picture of the SNES emulator at work:

+ + + + +
+ Playing SNES on a PSP +
+ Playing SNES on a PSP +
+ +

The custom firmware also allows you to dump UMDs 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.

+ +

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.

+ +

Installation

+ +

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.

+ +

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.

+ +

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.

+ +

In order to install the custom firmware, you'll need a spare battery and +a spare memory stick. For the love of Douglas Adams, please do not +use this post as a guide! There are several web sites +(here and here) that cover the entire installation +process in far more detail and with the appropriate safety precautions. +If you mess this up you will turn your PSP into a lifeless and +possibly explosive plastic brick.

+ +

The basic, high-level steps are as follows:

+ +
    +
  1. Create a Pandora's battery. This is a battery that +has been modified to make the PSP into boot from the memory stick.
    2. +
  2. Create a Magic Memory Stick. 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.
    3. +
  3. With the PSP powered off and the battery removed, insert the +magic memory stick into the PSP.
    4. +
  4. Insert the Pandora's battery. The PSP will power on automatically +boot from the magic memory stick.
    5. +
  5. 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.
    6. +
  6. 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, 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.
    7. +
  7. Power on the PSP using a regular battery or the power cable. +Congratulations, you are now running the custom firmware.
    8. +
+ +

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.

+ +

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.

+ +

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:

+ + + + +
+ Inside a Pandora's Battery +
+ Inside a Pandora's Battery +
+ +

Creating a Magic Memory Stick is much simpler. Basically you:

+ + + +

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 VMWare +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.

+ +

Here's what finally worked:

+ + + +

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.

+ +

That's it for me. If you're interested in the history and technical +details of PSP homebrew, check out this extremely detailed PSP +homebrew Wikipedia entry.

+ -- cgit v1.2.3