Hmm, for some reason I thought I read that you could swap discs within pops itself without creating a multi-disc eboot. I'm working with FFVIII right now and am having enough issues getting it to run in the right format, so I was hoping it was something extra I would just need to add-in.Mejilan said:
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
PSP Custom Firmware Thread
- Thread starter Mejilan
- Start date
hey guys,
i am going to get my PSP installed with custom firmware over the weekend. I am a complete newbie to this CFW on the PSP.
can anyone help me or guide me to the right path to read tutorials or guides on what i can do with CFW and why it is so popular. I know about PSone games on PSP and you can run psp games on memory stick. But i just want to know what else i can do with it and to protect myself from bricking my psp by accident.
People talk about switching from CFW to OFW or something back and forth. I don't know how to do that. The guy installing my custom firmware i think will not help me at all. He will just install it but thats it.
thanks guys.
i am going to get my PSP installed with custom firmware over the weekend. I am a complete newbie to this CFW on the PSP.
can anyone help me or guide me to the right path to read tutorials or guides on what i can do with CFW and why it is so popular. I know about PSone games on PSP and you can run psp games on memory stick. But i just want to know what else i can do with it and to protect myself from bricking my psp by accident.
People talk about switching from CFW to OFW or something back and forth. I don't know how to do that. The guy installing my custom firmware i think will not help me at all. He will just install it but thats it.
thanks guys.
Duane Cunningham
Member
Oh my god, I'm so pissed that I can't get popsloader to work. I updated to GEN-B tonight, but it's still the same old problem. I've done everything right, but it just won't come up. Is there some way I disabled all plugins back when FFVII came out with the version.txt trick or something?
I just want Policenauts to run more smoothly.
I just want Policenauts to run more smoothly.
riskVSreward
Member
Well, when you get it back you can see what type of cfw he's given you and you can work from there. If it's not the latest firmware, you can easily update it with a usb cable. Once you're good to go, get a memory card between 4-16 gig. Install your UMDs onto the card, play psx games, emulators for n64, gba, mame - the typical array of emulators. You can customize your theme much more than just changing the wallpaper. Then there's all sorts of apps, you'd just have to look around and see what you'd want.mackaveli said:
riskVSreward said:
okay thanks. is it pretty straight forward how to update from one CFW to another CFW?
also is it easy to install emulators onto the memory stick and read it off the PSP?
one last thing, what kind of memory stick do i need? Pro Duo or something? I just have the 1gb that came with my PSP.
thanks
Duane Cunningham
Member
Well, I don't know where I've consistently erred every time.
I've extracted and renamed every damned available firmware at least twice now.
It's going to turn out to be something stupid, I hope.
I've extracted and renamed every damned available firmware at least twice now.
It's going to turn out to be something stupid, I hope.
Marty Chinn
Member
First time user of Game Categories. Seems really neat so far except it thinks my games are in Uncategorized when they're in the ISO folder at the root of the stick. How do I get them into the proper folder? Do I just move my isos over to my CAT_Game folder?
When you were dumping the PRXes from the various official firmwares, were you using the square button option in PSARDumper to dump and decrypt the files? If you were merely dumping them in their native encrypted states, then they'll serve you no good.
Also, you are trying to run POPSLoader with a home-made conversion, right?
POPSLoader won't work for PSOne classics purchased and downloaded from PSN.
Worst case scenario, if you think there might be something wrong with the files you extracted and set up (they're in the right folders, right? The plugin is actually enabled, right?) you could always try to perform an internet search for a complete and working archive. Hosting and sharing those files are technically illegal, so I can't offer any aid in that respect.
Finally, you don't have too many plugins enabled at once, do you? Too many plugins can cause conflicts or hard-to-diagnose side effects. Try disabling all plugins BUT POPSLoader, and see if you have any luck that way.
Also, you are trying to run POPSLoader with a home-made conversion, right?
POPSLoader won't work for PSOne classics purchased and downloaded from PSN.
Worst case scenario, if you think there might be something wrong with the files you extracted and set up (they're in the right folders, right? The plugin is actually enabled, right?) you could always try to perform an internet search for a complete and working archive. Hosting and sharing those files are technically illegal, so I can't offer any aid in that respect.
Finally, you don't have too many plugins enabled at once, do you? Too many plugins can cause conflicts or hard-to-diagnose side effects. Try disabling all plugins BUT POPSLoader, and see if you have any luck that way.
Marty Chinn said:
Create a CAT_PSP category (x:\ISO\CAT_PSP). I'm pretty damn sure that PSP ISOs won't launch from the GAME folders. EBOOTs go there. Also, keep in mind that you can "merge" categories as you see fit. For example, if you have a CAT_EMU folder under x:\PSP\GAME and an identical CAT_EMU folder under x:\PSP\GAME150, then any applications (hopefully emulators) placed in either CAT_EMU folder will show up under one unified EMU category on your XMB.
I imagine you could similarly merge the PSP games in x:\ISO with another like-named category elsewhere, if you feel the need.
Keep in mind that the categorization folders have to be one level down from where those applications/games would normally have to be.
For example:
If you want to categorize your PSP ISOs, then the cat folders must be located in x:\ISO.
If you want to categorize your GAME150 applications, then the cat folders must be located in x:\PSP\GAME150\.
You're not moving the games\programs to totally different sections of your memory stick. Just creating nested subfolders one level down from where the applications are supposed to be.
riskVSreward
Member
Yeah, you need Pro Duo. I got an 8 gig at Walmart for $30, you can find them cheaper online I'm sure. I wouldn't go smaller than 4, they're cheap enough now anyway. Installing firmware, emulators, and most applications are as simple as copying files from your PC to the proper folder on your PSP.mackaveli said:
Erebus
Member
Too bad, DA's MS speed up feature is neat. Guess that means no GEN for me yet.Mejilan said:No LEDA support or memory stick speed up hacks, but just about everything else is in.
PSN access is a go (for now).
~95% of all the major plugins and applications work.
I've dry tested a PSP game, a PSOne game (including the updated POPSLoader), an SNES game, and a bunch of plugins, and all are working for me as they were working before. No complaints.
And, of course, the new Game Categories plugin!!
Feel the Swift
Member
Any ideas as to why I can no longer bring up the VSH menu after updating to GEN-B?
Getting a copyright error when trying to launch my PS1 games too.
Edit: Think I fixed it. The firmware wasn't identified properly after going from GEN-A to GEN-B. Trying to reload a different copy of GEN-B.
Getting a copyright error when trying to launch my PS1 games too.
Edit: Think I fixed it. The firmware wasn't identified properly after going from GEN-A to GEN-B. Trying to reload a different copy of GEN-B.
Duane Cunningham
Member
The VSH menu is off by default in GEN-B. You can turn it on in the recovery menu under configuration.
Mejilan said:
I have a 16GB card on the way (upgrading from 8GB) so this is a great time for this to get updated as I have been wanting to use it. Works nice. The "context" mode is nice but I agree with you the multi-memstick mode is better. Why make yourself do an extra click if you don't have to?
MoxManiac said:This sucks. WO2 is confirmed to have 5.55 too. I really want that game too. FUCK
Tempted to OFW up to 5.55 for WO2 and SC then pandora it away once an appropriate CFW comes out but I don't want to lose my CPS2 emulator
Yeah, I was surprised at this. The Japanese version from last year, of course, doesn't use this OFW.
I just got Soul Calibur BD and Tenchu 3 Portable today, and both are OFW 5.55. Sucks having to use the ol' phat for them.
Marty Chinn
Member
Mejilan said:
Sweet, thanks for the help. That worked perfect and I got everything showing up. Now to just figure out how to order the categories in the way I want. I bet it's done by creation isn't it....
riskVSreward
Member
DarkUSS said:
As has been mentioned, nothing there couldn't have been done via spoofing and trickery, methinks. Now, had they loaded up an ISO of a relatively new game known to require the 5.55 kernel... then we'd be excited!
Phreak47 said:
IIRC, the original incarnation of the plugin more closely resembled the Context Menu functionality. I believe he keeps it as an option for those poor fools that prefer that. ;p
Marty Chinn said:
Pretty awesome, no? The last version of the plugin that I've been using for the past 8 or so months had a glitch where the actual categories were sorted more or less arbitrarily. According to the readme included with this new version, that's supposed to be fixed and now it's supposed to sort according to creation and/or last modified date (I forget which). However, I used a Windows utility to "touch" the folders (modifying all 3 time stamps) in an attempt to reorder them, but they remain in the same order. Annoying, but I can live with it for now until I have more time to better look into this.
Wheee! Got the categories to re-sort themselves how I want them!
Man, this update was LOOOOONG overdue.
I'm thrilled he decided to release this as is and not wait until he finishes struggling with whatever new features he had planned for this release. Though, I am curious about what those features are!
Man, this update was LOOOOONG overdue.
I'm thrilled he decided to release this as is and not wait until he finishes struggling with whatever new features he had planned for this release. Though, I am curious about what those features are!
Oh, and as far as that rumored 5.55 CFW, I'll believe it when I see it, THEN I'll let many others be guinea pigs first. I find it curious that in the youtube video he didn't demonstrate running one of the new games that require 5.55. Why should we be impressed that he ran an old Need for Speed game? At this point to me it's nothing more than a hex-edit.
Have you ever used or heard of PSP Content Manager 1.8 before?
http://pspupdates.qj.net/PSP-Content-Manager-v1-8/pg/49/aid/100606
It's a handy PC app that allows you to scan your PSP (via a USB hookup) for homebrew, and sort the icons, all with a few mouse clicks.
Two caveats:
1) The app is pretty ancient and hasn't been updated to support newer CFWs (and thus, the newer folders that go with it). That's easily fixed.*
2) The app doesn't recognize CAT_ folders, so if you want to sort your game icons, you need to remove them from their CAT_ folder locations and place them back in their normal/expected locations. After you use this PC app to sort the icons, you can place them back in their respective CAT_ folders and they'll keep their new icon order.
*You can type up a Windows XP .reg (Windows Registry) file to "patch" PSP Content Manager to work with newer CFWs. I'll list below the two newest .reg files I've whipped up.
Open up Notepad (or whatever) and create a new file called CFW5XX.reg (or similar).
Cut and paste the following into that .reg file, save, and close it.
Double click on that .reg file in order to "patch" PSP Content Manager for 5.00 M33-x.
5.50 Gen-B uses the same folders as 5.00 M33-6, so technically a new patch isn't required. If, however, you'd like PSP Content Manager to mirror Gen CFW, then you can paste this instead:
Either way, once you have PSP Content Manager up and running, sorting the actual CAT_ folders is deceptively simple. However, first I recommend connecting the PSP to your PC via USB, enabling USB mode, and launching PSP Content Manager just to get familiar with it. The tab you're looking for is the far-right tab.
If you used one of the registry patches I quoted above, then the tab will be named 5.00 M33 or 5.00 GEN. The name isn't really too important. If it lists something WAY older, though (such as 3.30 OE, for example), then you didn't properly patch it, and the app will probably not recognize all of your CFW folders, limiting functionality somewhat.
Keep in mind that if you have your homebrew sorted in CAT_ folders, then they won't all show up in this view, and you might get a ton of corrupt icons instead. I wouldn't fuck with things too much at this point.
Once you're comfortable with navigating the program, and would like to use it in an unintended way to sort your categories, continue reading below:
a) PSP Content Manager will pick up on all of the CAT_ folders listed under GAME, GAME150, or GAME5XX, so you don't need to do anything with those for now.
b) If you'd like to include your ISO category(ies), then you'll have to move them to one of the aforementioned folders (I used GAME5XX, since it's always empty for me). The CAT_ folders you want to sort can either be empty, or not. It makes no difference.
c) Connect your PSP to your PC via USB, enable USB mode, and launch PSP Content Manager. Click on the right-most tab to list all of your homebrew.
d) Chances are, not much will show up beyond "corrupt" icons sharing the folder names of your various categories (CAT_ this and CAT_ that). The program should also report that no eboots were found.
e) Simply drag and drop these corrupt icons into the order you the categories to show up in your XMB, and hit Apply Sort.
That's it.
Pro-tip: Move your homebrew/emulators/games/apps/ISOs from their CAT_ folders back to their natural folders and reload/refresh this application. If you proceed to the right-most tab again, you should see all of the games and whatnot show up. Drag and drop them into the order you want, Apply Sort, disconnect, and move your goodies back to their CAT_ folders.
Now, not only will your categories be sorted, but the goodies stored within those categories will ALSO be sorted.
It's a bit of a hack-y workaround, but it works rather well and the GUI interface is rather functional. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing a more modern successor app (either for the PC or one that functions from the PSP itself) to replace this. Preferably one that also supports the CAT_ folders.
Alas, I've yet to find one PSP icon-sorting app that doesn't break with the CAT_ folders, let alone one that could sort the CAT_ folders as well. Before this awesome Game Categories plugin, I used to use PSPFiler (PSP app) to PSP Console (awesome PRX plugin) to sort my homebrew icons.
http://pspupdates.qj.net/PSP-Content-Manager-v1-8/pg/49/aid/100606
It's a handy PC app that allows you to scan your PSP (via a USB hookup) for homebrew, and sort the icons, all with a few mouse clicks.
Two caveats:
1) The app is pretty ancient and hasn't been updated to support newer CFWs (and thus, the newer folders that go with it). That's easily fixed.*
2) The app doesn't recognize CAT_ folders, so if you want to sort your game icons, you need to remove them from their CAT_ folder locations and place them back in their normal/expected locations. After you use this PC app to sort the icons, you can place them back in their respective CAT_ folders and they'll keep their new icon order.
*You can type up a Windows XP .reg (Windows Registry) file to "patch" PSP Content Manager to work with newer CFWs. I'll list below the two newest .reg files I've whipped up.
Open up Notepad (or whatever) and create a new file called CFW5XX.reg (or similar).
Cut and paste the following into that .reg file, save, and close it.
Double click on that .reg file in order to "patch" PSP Content Manager for 5.00 M33-x.
5.50 Gen-B uses the same folders as 5.00 M33-6, so technically a new patch isn't required. If, however, you'd like PSP Content Manager to mirror Gen CFW, then you can paste this instead:
Either way, once you have PSP Content Manager up and running, sorting the actual CAT_ folders is deceptively simple. However, first I recommend connecting the PSP to your PC via USB, enabling USB mode, and launching PSP Content Manager just to get familiar with it. The tab you're looking for is the far-right tab.
If you used one of the registry patches I quoted above, then the tab will be named 5.00 M33 or 5.00 GEN. The name isn't really too important. If it lists something WAY older, though (such as 3.30 OE, for example), then you didn't properly patch it, and the app will probably not recognize all of your CFW folders, limiting functionality somewhat.
Keep in mind that if you have your homebrew sorted in CAT_ folders, then they won't all show up in this view, and you might get a ton of corrupt icons instead. I wouldn't fuck with things too much at this point.
Once you're comfortable with navigating the program, and would like to use it in an unintended way to sort your categories, continue reading below:
a) PSP Content Manager will pick up on all of the CAT_ folders listed under GAME, GAME150, or GAME5XX, so you don't need to do anything with those for now.
b) If you'd like to include your ISO category(ies), then you'll have to move them to one of the aforementioned folders (I used GAME5XX, since it's always empty for me). The CAT_ folders you want to sort can either be empty, or not. It makes no difference.
c) Connect your PSP to your PC via USB, enable USB mode, and launch PSP Content Manager. Click on the right-most tab to list all of your homebrew.
d) Chances are, not much will show up beyond "corrupt" icons sharing the folder names of your various categories (CAT_ this and CAT_ that). The program should also report that no eboots were found.
e) Simply drag and drop these corrupt icons into the order you the categories to show up in your XMB, and hit Apply Sort.
That's it.
Pro-tip: Move your homebrew/emulators/games/apps/ISOs from their CAT_ folders back to their natural folders and reload/refresh this application. If you proceed to the right-most tab again, you should see all of the games and whatnot show up. Drag and drop them into the order you want, Apply Sort, disconnect, and move your goodies back to their CAT_ folders.
Now, not only will your categories be sorted, but the goodies stored within those categories will ALSO be sorted.
It's a bit of a hack-y workaround, but it works rather well and the GUI interface is rather functional. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing a more modern successor app (either for the PC or one that functions from the PSP itself) to replace this. Preferably one that also supports the CAT_ folders.
Alas, I've yet to find one PSP icon-sorting app that doesn't break with the CAT_ folders, let alone one that could sort the CAT_ folders as well. Before this awesome Game Categories plugin, I used to use PSPFiler (PSP app) to PSP Console (awesome PRX plugin) to sort my homebrew icons.
Can someone bring me up to speed real quick? I'm going get a PSP-3000 in the future, and I want to know if Custom Firmware will be a problem with that specific model or not. I want to be able to play PS1 ISO's, and fan translations on my PSP. Sorry for the scrubby question, but I really don't know anything about PSP's.
Thanks.
Thanks.
No 3000 can be fully hacked and flashed with CFW.
If your 3000 is at official firmware 5.03, you can temporarily load a non-persistent instance of CFW that will grant you much of what you ask, but it gets lost with ever power down and needs to be redone.
It's a bit of a pain, but it's better than the situation was a few months ago.
If your 3000 is at official firmware 5.03, you can temporarily load a non-persistent instance of CFW that will grant you much of what you ask, but it gets lost with ever power down and needs to be redone.
It's a bit of a pain, but it's better than the situation was a few months ago.
SecretBonusPoint
Banned
So, with no sign of a CFW 5.55 in sight and no newer games running on CFW, Dark Alex completely silent and none of the other CFW bro's talented enough to break through...
...is this the end of the road?
...is this the end of the road?
Adam Prime
hates soccer, is Mexican
SecretBonusPoint said:
Umm, I think you missed a few posts up. There's a video floating around of a a Team MX working on 5.55, they say that they're going to have a release on their website of the beta on Friday through Monday this weekend. But nobody knows if it's real or not, their video didn't show them doing anything that couldn't be faked.
... So unless this "Team MX" pulls it off, looks like the end of the road. At this point I think my love for CFW has ran its course and I wouldn't feel bad at all updating to OFW. I've had a PSP since launch and have been into custom firmware since the early days of swapping out two memory sticks, I think I've gotten enough joy out of it for me to last.
SocksForWoks
Banned
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/...-distribution-with-sony-plays-with-psp-go.ars
The PSP is a system that has been plagued with piracy issues, but Sony is starting to get a grasp on the problem. "We've had a lot of success with the 3000," Koller says when I bring up the issue. While the earlier models of the PSP were incredibly easy to use with ripped or downloaded games, the PSP Go is going to make things tougher on the pirates. "You won't be able to rip your games and play them on the system, the firmware precludes that," Koller explained. "There's no external battery, so there's a number of protections put into place on the system."
If it weren't for software pirates...
The PSP is a system that has been plagued with piracy issues, but Sony is starting to get a grasp on the problem. "We've had a lot of success with the 3000," Koller says when I bring up the issue. While the earlier models of the PSP were incredibly easy to use with ripped or downloaded games, the PSP Go is going to make things tougher on the pirates. "You won't be able to rip your games and play them on the system, the firmware precludes that," Koller explained. "There's no external battery, so there's a number of protections put into place on the system."
If it weren't for software pirates...
Jet Grind Radio!
Banned
I'm not going to run around screaming "the sky is falling" when it comes to CFW, but if nothin's done soon, I might go the PSP Go route.
And by soon, I mean 6 months.
And by soon, I mean 6 months.
Schrade
Member
The PSP is my main eBook reader. I use it EVERY night for that. Bookr is so damn awesome... especially the way you can change the text/background colors to anything you want!eznark said:
I like to read in the dark so I set my background color to black and the text color to a darker yellow. Makes it super easy to read and isn't harsh on my eyes in the dark.
red shoe paul
Banned
Mejilan said:
No pain whatsoever. All you do is just hit X on the cracked file on the XMB and it loads.
Marty Chinn
Member
SocksForWoks said:
That almost all but seals it that I will never buy a PSP Go then. I would love to have one if they figured out how to hack it so I can use all my old games on it, but if that's the case I'll stick to my PSP 2000 which really is the best video player I've ever used. It's crazy to think of how much stuff I encode just for the PSP and to have available on trips.
It's not the end of the road. Developers such as Dark Alex are basically waiting for the PSP Go to hit. They're in no particular rush in pushing new exploits/weaknesses to the forefront before a new major hardware revision (the PSP Go) hits, and the firmware updates it'll obviously come with. They'd rather have Sony content with the feeling that they've "won" this round and thus, and consequently, potentially rob them of a chance of fixing things too much before they release the new hardware.
Remember how the Slim came out with a brand new firmware (3.60 IIRC) and was cracked and CFW'd within 1 or 2 weeks?
Well, IF Team Gen, Team M33, and others have something cooking, they're not going to release it now, particularly if what they're cooking involves an exploit, workaround, or development Sony has yet to learn about and fix. In their eyes, it's better to have the scene "suffer" by not being able to play the newest games for a month or two than potentially cock up the cracking of a whole new line of PSP hardware.
5.50 Gen hit because there wasn't all that much changed between 5.00 and 5.50, so developing it didn't really compromise anything else the scene might have been working on as far as the new generation of PSP hardware is concerned. Dark Alex didn't bother because the updates included in 5.50 weren't significant enough, in his eyes.
Months ago, Dark Alex basically said that 5.00 M33 would be his last major CFW before the Go hit. That's why he built in some new version spoofing tricks. Sadly, those now lie defeated, but it was his intention to future proof 5.00 M33 as much as possible, and for a few months, it was more than holding its own.
Edit - Also, it bears mentioning that these new games that come with 5.55 seem to be a different beast than earlier games that required higher firmware versions. It seems that they're not simply scanning to make sure our FW is updated enough, but are actively isolating CFW users and blocking them from loading the game. The sceners are looking into it, and might be close to some kind of solution or workaround, but common consensus is that even were a 5.55 based CFW to hit, that might not, alone, make these games playable. Unlike games with earlier lockouts which strictly looked for the updated kernels. Hell, some are saying that the 5.55 and 5.50 kernels are almost identical, so it clearly isn't a simple kernel check.
Remember how the Slim came out with a brand new firmware (3.60 IIRC) and was cracked and CFW'd within 1 or 2 weeks?
Well, IF Team Gen, Team M33, and others have something cooking, they're not going to release it now, particularly if what they're cooking involves an exploit, workaround, or development Sony has yet to learn about and fix. In their eyes, it's better to have the scene "suffer" by not being able to play the newest games for a month or two than potentially cock up the cracking of a whole new line of PSP hardware.
5.50 Gen hit because there wasn't all that much changed between 5.00 and 5.50, so developing it didn't really compromise anything else the scene might have been working on as far as the new generation of PSP hardware is concerned. Dark Alex didn't bother because the updates included in 5.50 weren't significant enough, in his eyes.
Months ago, Dark Alex basically said that 5.00 M33 would be his last major CFW before the Go hit. That's why he built in some new version spoofing tricks. Sadly, those now lie defeated, but it was his intention to future proof 5.00 M33 as much as possible, and for a few months, it was more than holding its own.
Edit - Also, it bears mentioning that these new games that come with 5.55 seem to be a different beast than earlier games that required higher firmware versions. It seems that they're not simply scanning to make sure our FW is updated enough, but are actively isolating CFW users and blocking them from loading the game. The sceners are looking into it, and might be close to some kind of solution or workaround, but common consensus is that even were a 5.55 based CFW to hit, that might not, alone, make these games playable. Unlike games with earlier lockouts which strictly looked for the updated kernels. Hell, some are saying that the 5.55 and 5.50 kernels are almost identical, so it clearly isn't a simple kernel check.
Marty Chinn said:
I wouldn't be too concerned. From a technical standpoint, stock PSP FW has always precluded the loading of (unofficial) ISOs from the memory stick. If the PSP Go gets hacked and CFW becomes possible, then ISO loading will be one of the first things restored.
More troubling is the suggestion that being able to swap out/upgrade the battery was removed due to the Pandora battery. I'm not really sure I believe that rationale (since newer 2000s and 3000s are STILL Pandora-proof), but the fact remains that the battery got effectively downgraded and is now not easily swappable.
But wouldn't Sony need something similar to Pandora themselves to gain access to the psp go in the factories? It's their own "fault" that we have the Pandora now to begin with I'm not really in the know on how these things work but personally, I'm not that worried about the go never getting hacked. Doesn't sound feasible at all imo. Necessity is the mother of all invention right?
I'm not really in the know on how these things work but personally, I'm not that worried about the go never getting hacked. Doesn't sound feasible at all imo. Necessity is the mother of all invention right?