The Dark_Alex Custom Firmware Q&A Thread

[ckluckett]

I have 3.95 firmware on psp slim tryed getting CFW M33 to run on this several times several different ways. Is it possible to get m33 on installed on this firmware. Everytime I try I get nothing with pandora battery and mms. When I try to run it through the XMB i get the infomous error that the game gould not be started. I have followed many tutorials and none of them have seemed to work. I have went as far as to just order a new motherboard because I have started this and intend on finishing. Anyhting helpful would be appreciated.

[hoffmabo]

question guys, my flash1 files on my psp need to be reformatted, but i cannot access the recovery menu when I boot up...what do i do??

[mskiproductions]

Hi,

My PSP (slim) has CFW 3.90 M33-3, and I want to upgrade to CFW 3.95 GEN.
I have the .PBP file for the firmware, just need to know how to get it to install.

Can anyone tell me the easiest way to do this.

Thanks.

[sci-fi]

Originally Posted by ckluckett

I have 3.95 firmware on psp slim tryed getting CFW M33 to run on this several times several different ways. Is it possible to get m33 on installed on this firmware. Everytime I try I get nothing with pandora battery and mms. When I try to run it through the XMB i get the infomous error that the game gould not be started. I have followed many tutorials and none of them have seemed to work. I have went as far as to just order a new motherboard because I have started this and intend on finishing. Anyhting helpful would be appreciated.

the function of the mms is not by running inside the xmb. so make a mss successfuly (use xp for better result) once ok. turn off your psp, insert the mms, pop-in the pandora and now your psp will boot the mms and thats the time you can now downgrade your psp. if your using catb50 lite it installs 380m33-5 which is a good base line to install the latest stable m33 cfw 390m33-3.

Originally Posted by mskiproductions

Hi,

My PSP (slim) has CFW 3.90 M33-3, and I want to upgrade to CFW 3.95 GEN.
I have the .PBP file for the firmware, just need to know how to get it to install.

Can anyone tell me the easiest way to do this.

Thanks.

the readme file of the CFW 3.95 GEN is quite easy to understand.

[mskiproductions]

Originally Posted by sci-fi

the readme file of the CFW 3.95 GEN is quite easy to understand.

Been through it multiple times, and the person who put the CFW on my PSP in the first place can't even get it to install.
We get an error saying it can't read the PBP file, so I'm beginning to think the file was corrupted somehow.
I'll DL it from a different source later on.

Thanks anyway.

[ckluckett]

Originally Posted by sci-fi

the function of the mms is not by running inside the xmb. so make a mss successfuly (use xp for better result) once ok. turn off your psp, insert the mms, pop-in the pandora and now your psp will boot the mms and thats the time you can now downgrade your psp. if your using catb50 lite it installs 380m33-5 which is a good base line to install the latest stable m33 cfw 390m33-3.

the readme file of the CFW 3.95 GEN is quite easy to understand.

I Have tried that and I get a blank screen at the jigkick insert, I ahve seen others that say the that is normal for the slim and they suggest hitting X to start it anyway. And they show the light that displays action from the mms as blinking and when it is finished blinking it is done but I get no blinking what so ever.
I have a pandora issued battery and memory stick. The istructions from them was to download despertar cemeterio version 5 that installs 3.90m33 and to also download 1.50,3.40, and 3.90 Fw. It instructs to put despetar cemeterio in the Game folder and 1.50,3.40,3.90 in the root of the memory stick. Funnt thing though the memory stick they gave me does not have a root folder that I can find in it. SO I made one and put those FW's there. I also put them a couple other places but none of them seem to give any response when I plug in the mms and pandora. I get nothing. Please HELP, THANKShttp://www.pspmod.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[stelf12]

Ok, I have only owned my PSP for a week and the first UMD I bought was Hot Shots 2 (big mistake). It would only play if I upgraded to 3.96 firmware. Now that I am getting into custom firmware discussions, everywhere I read says I need 1.5 to do anything with custom firmware. I then read I need pandora battery to downgrade. I am a noob when it comes to PSP but I do understand computers and software. I have not read anything that says I can downgrade from 3.96 to 1.5. Has anyone tried? Also, I see there is a hardware mod to convert a battery into a pandora battery (jump two pins, I have a phat PSP). I get that allows the PSP to boot into service mode. My questions are:

1. Why do you need a magic (pandora) memory stick?
2. I think I read you can create a pandora battery using software, but is this true? If so, how (and then I think I also saw you can covert it back)?
3. Does custom firmware allow you to play iso's from the memory stick, or do I need UMDemulator and just stick with firmware 1.5.
4. Is firmware 1.5 and kernel 1.5 the same? Kernel's to me usually mean operating system where firmware is embedded software, but it seems people use them interchangeably.

So....can anyone answer my questions?

[XxXJuAnXxX]

Originally Posted by stelf12

Ok, I have only owned my PSP for a week and the first UMD I bought was Hot Shots 2 (big mistake). It would only play if I upgraded to 3.96 firmware. Now that I am getting into custom firmware discussions, everywhere I read says I need 1.5 to do anything with custom firmware. I then read I need pandora battery to downgrade. I am a noob when it comes to PSP but I do understand computers and software. I have not read anything that says I can downgrade from 3.96 to 1.5. Has anyone tried? Also, I see there is a hardware mod to convert a battery into a pandora battery (jump two pins, I have a phat PSP). I get that allows the PSP to boot into service mode. My questions are:

1. Why do you need a magic (pandora) memory stick?
2. I think I read you can create a pandora battery using software, but is this true? If so, how (and then I think I also saw you can covert it back)?
3. Does custom firmware allow you to play iso's from the memory stick, or do I need UMDemulator and just stick with firmware 1.5.
4. Is firmware 1.5 and kernel 1.5 the same? Kernel's to me usually mean operating system where firmware is embedded software, but it seems people use them interchangeably.

So....can anyone answer my questions?

umm i think i can help yew out
with sum of ur questions

NUMBER 1
yew need a pandora battery and a MMS [magic Memort Stick]
to hack a psp and what this does is it enables ur psp to run hombrews and emulators. it also alows yew to customize it.

NUMBER 2
i believe yew can buy a datel battery [ google it] or a psp battery
service tool which converts the original battery in to a pandora and it can reverse it 2

NUMBER 3
i believe that is true
except about firmware 1.5
i believe its 1.5 kernal and yew can download this add on with the cfw

NUMBER 4
they are not the same because i beleive the kernal is a
add on yew can put on the cfw
and firmware 1.5 was the official sony one

im not sure about 3 & 4
so if someone is to correct me that would be ok

[Mitch45]

i just downloaded 4.01 M33 and when i trty and update it it gives me the error msg 80020148 is it because i stupidly downloaded the sony 4.01 firmware?

[swatkat]

can you mod a slim 3.95 useing the new 4.01m33

[sexybeast099]

First of all, I'd like to expand on XxXJuAnXxX's response.

Number 1:
You need the memory stick because the battery pretty much bypasses the loading "stuff" (for lack of a better word) that tells it how to interpret things or what to do in general. Normally the PSP circuits (idk which ones or where they are located exactly) tell it all of that but Pandora's Battery goes around it. In that "stuff" is what sony did to not allow homebrew on the PSP. The magic memory stick has replacement "stuff" so that it can do a certain function, namely downgrade to 1.5 FW or upgrade to a CFW.

Number 2:
It is true you can create a pandora's battery with software, but it requires access to a CFW PSP. A way to get around that is to use Dark Alex's Despertar Del Cementario version whatever. You can get the latest version off of his site HERE. I've got it as my homepage XD. Mind you this is only for the magic memory stick.

To softmod the battery part of it (pandora-ize it without sawing it in half) you cannot do without access to a CFW. As previously stated, there is the DATEL TOOL battery you could order or a DATEL Service mode switcher you could order that would not compromise the integrity of the battery. I ordered the Service mode switcher and it didn't work. I worked with DATEL and they got me a non-defective one but it was an inconvenience. Google DATEL TOOL for more info on that one since I'm obviously just rambling on.

Number 3:
I wondered the same thing until I did some uber research and found out that CFWs have it built in. Put all disc image files (.ISO, .CSO, or .DAX) into a folder labeled "ISO" on the root of your memory stick and they will all show up under the "Games" section on the memory stick portion.

Number 4:
Here the terminology is somewhat out of wack. Kernal is an add-on to the firmware so that it has more functionality, much like adding a codec to your computer. Currently, I can only think of a 1.5 kernal addition for an example but there are probably more. The firmware is like the OS of the PSP and is constantly upgraded.


@Mitch45: If you already had 3.5 or greater Official Sony Firware on your PSP, you need pandora's battery to be able to have a Custom Firmware. Can you explain more about what you were doing to get the error code? By "downloaded the sony 4.01 firmware" do you mean you ran the EBOOT or a game's attached update? If so, you're screwed. see the first line directed at you.

@swatkat: see the first line directed at Mitch45.

[rrroach21]

I'm trying to download the 4.01 CF onto my Slim, which is upgraded to sony's v4.00, which was a mistake - i think... right? whenever i try running the update i get a message that says "The game could not be started (80020148)." Is there any way i can downgrade my PSP to use this firmware? or do i have to go and buy a MMS and Pandora Battery? If so, which ones do i have to buy? HELP PLEAASSSSSSSSE!!!

[mizfresh]

i downloaded 4.01 m33 and put it in the game folder. but when i try to run it, it wont work. can anyone plz help???

[lord mms]

hey can some tell me how to upgrade psp version 4.01 to 4.01 m33
or down grade it to ver 3.90 m33

[lord mms]

when will psp frimware version 4.02 or higher will be available