PSP Hacks · Hacks, Cracks, Mods, Homebrew, Utilities

Art has released a new version of X-Flash, the tool responsible for modifying certain aspects of your 1.50 firmware - changing the game boot intro/sound, spoofing your firmware version, installing custom fonts, removing the XMB wave effect, etc… V9i fixes a false verification warning - that’s it.

(click to enlarge)

Keep in mind - this application does write to flash memory, with that said X-Flash V9i only works on FW 1.50 and if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s highly recommended you do not download this. Otherwise, keep fit and have fun!

Download X-Flash V9i

-source: qj

A few days back modsyn released an app entitled “Flip” which granted the end-user a simple method of flipping vertical oriented images to horizontal for an easier read on the Sony PSP screen. Today he’s released a new version of Flip supporting .ZIP and .RAR volumes.

Quoted from the README.txt:

You can now drop .zip or .rar files onto the window and they will be extracted, flipped, and transferred to your PSP for you.

Note: in order to use the .RAR support, you must do the following:

Windows:
If you have WinRar installed in the default directory, you should be able to use the .RAR support.

Other OS:
You need to have a port of the ‘rar’ command line program either located in the same directory as ‘manga.jar’ or have a soft-link to its location in the previously mentioned directory. From the rarsoft.com download page, it appears there are ports available on Linux, FreeBSD, and MacOS X

And on a related note, modsyn has also written a tiny Java JAR file which launches the ‘nethostfs.exe’ executable into the background so you’re no longer bothered with the annoying command prompt; nethostfs.exe is the program you run with iR Shell so you can play movies and games from your PC via WiFi.

Enjoy!

Download Flip
Download nethostfs Java JAR

Time to take a little breather from all this crazy PSP Modchip, 2.50+2.60 kernel mode exploit and possible downgrader hype, and provide you all with a fine PSP homebrew release from developer SamuraiX. And that’s a new version of the popular open source Beats of Rage game port!

New Feature:

• New High Score file auto save and load.
• OpenBOR engine has been updated to v2.0047.

Updates:

• video.txt update now supports one more resolution mode.
• video.txt support for controllable levelorder

Bug fixes:

• High Score data corruption between games.
• Fixed video mode bug introduced from version 1.2c
• user controlled (x)icons, (x)life & timeloc[x] renabled and fixed to support mods.

I love this game. Enjoy!

Download Beats of Rage v1.2e

Note: Beware! This version will overwrite all save files.

- source: dcemu

Update: Dark_AleX has released v0.4 of his 2.50/2.60 downgrader source code. The download link below has been updated to reflect v0.4.

v0.4 Changes:

* Added Mkdir (This was a CRITICAL error. Thanks for pointing it out)

* Added some more security checks, and a check to see if the psp is connected to AC.

* Moved IoMkdir to a previous functions, since it existed the possibility that the first file wasn’t flashed correctly.

* Removed all display functions. According to my tests with the port of prxdecrypter, using the pspDebugScreen functions in kernel mode in 2.XX can freeze your psp randomly in any time.

* Removed the check for the AC adaptor: it wasn’t working properly. It will be added later again.

* A little add to change the “flash8″ in inputfilelist again to flash0

* Some other minor fixes

* Note: currently if the ioassign fails, there is a brick because the format was done prior to the assignment.

Renown homebrew author, Dark_AleX, released an experimental downgrader yesterday which we refrained from posting at PSP Hacks as it reportedly bricked many PSPs, as per Josh and his bad luck. Today Dark_AleX has released the Downgrader Test v0.2 source code - no binaries, no accidental bricking! This is strictly for the purpose of developers to analyze and advance on for the possibilty of a stable 2.50/2.60 downgrader. Until then, sit tight - don’t try and downgrade your PSP just yet.

Quoted from the readme.txt:

The downdater is mostly confirmed not to work. I update a slightly modified source code. It should be relatively more secure. I don’t provide the binaries.

I found two glitches in the code:

1) The restart function… Originally it was intended for a restart, but it did nothing, making possible that if some premature error before doing the real thing failed to continue the real downdate process. Now it will cause an on-purpose exception (this only will happen either at the begginiing before the unsecure code begins or at the end, when all is finished)

2) Now I’ve re-assigned the flash device after the logical format. Probably more secure.

Download Downgrader Test v0.4 Source Code

Listen up folks, I just official risked my version 2.60 PSP and I went ahead and ran the Downgrader Test that was made availiable today and lets just say I am not a happy camper. After reading the instructions very carefully like eight times, I got the needed 1.5 files from the web (forum) and I placed them in the correct locations on the memory stick. Once I checked everything at least three times for consistency, I ran and got my GTA UMD. I crossed my fingers and ran the Downgrader Test from the eloader. The mem stick started to flash wildly just like the instructions said it would and I waited for 2 minutes after the mem stick light went off and I rebooted my PSP by holding the power button. Just like the instructions said to do. Now I am sitting here with a bricked psp! Now of course I took that risk in my own hands but I wanted to prove or disprove it for everyone. To finally have some sort of ground to work from.

Now, if you people would be so kind as to donate ANYTHING, any amount of money for me to get a modchip so I can ressurect my PSP from the grave that would be greatly appreciated. I know I took the risk and it backfired, but I wanted to provide a service for my homebrew community and my personal knowledge. If you want me to continue to be a part of this wonderful homebrew scene, please find in you at least a dollar or so to spare for the MODCHIP fund. You can donate using the link below.

P.S. My girlfriend got me this for Christmas and she is going to be PISSED if I don’t fix it. Please Help!

Update: Thanks to the few that have donated so far, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. And thanks to the people who supported my effort. And to all the flamers, go get a life. And to allthe people skeptic about if I had the TA-082 hardware, I didn’t and I also didn’t have a factory 2.6, I upgraded. So thanks again to the donators, but the goal still hasn’t been reached. So please donate anything you can.

Update 2: 6/29 - 12:12pm CENTRAL Alright, a few people have graciously donated together a total of $37.00. Thanks so much to all of you. Now that leaves only $62.00 left until I have enough to get a MODCHIP. Thanks to all for considering and please help me out! Any donation is big enough! You will be recognized at the end of this post when the donations are all taken up.

Update 3: 6/29 - 4:09pm CENTRAL The total is up to $65, thanks a bunch! Only $34 more until the goal is met. Thanks to everyone that is donating, the amounts keep trickling in little by little but I am totally grateful for everyone that has donated and a thanks goes out in advance for the people who will donate in the future. There isn’t too too much left so go ahead and top this thing off for me, please!. Note: Once the donations have reached the goal, the link will be taken down. If the link is not down, there is still room to donate!

Update 4: 6/29 - 9:27pm CENTRALWell, We’re almost there! The total so far is $81 dollars! Thanks again for everyone that has/will donate! Now, there is only $18 more until my goal is reached! So, some people have some heart and top it off. I really really appreciate it, I’m so close! Again, I’ll post the first names (no last names for security) of all the people who helped out!

Update 5: 6/30 - 9:ooam CENTRAL WOW! I woke up this morning and the goal has been met! Thanks to everyone who donated and to all the people who obviously love their homebrew community. Thanks for looking out for me guys! Below are all the people who donated.

Thanks, Josh

To view the testing moment in the forums, click here.

A HUGE THANKS TO: Cristina, Roy, Tom, R. S., Duncan, Timothy, Jonathon, Christophe, Myles, Martin, Kevin, Lothar, Dean, Tarek, Marc, Dino, Mama Rosie, James, Melvin, William, Jeff, Alan, Michael, Andrew, Anette (No particular order)

This is quite cool… it was emailed to us a few days ago from a guy by the name of Keith Goldrick. I finally had a moment to try it out and this works very well - it will probably serve a useful purpose for many folks out there in the US. It’s simply a collection of HTML pages formatted for the PSP which pull certain pieces of information from weather.com. It will display current infrared satellite images over all of the U.S. and has current Doppler radar and temperatures displayed. Also it will fetch local weather forecasts for future weather conditions - quite handy…

It works on all firmware versions; you’ll require Device Hook Sample Launcher or Links2 in order to use it on FW 1.0 and 1.50 (you need to emulate the 2.0+ web browser). And of course you’ll have to be within range of a WiFi connection.

Installation is incredibly simple, copy the ‘w’ directory into /PSP/COMMON on your memory stick, and call up the web browser specifying this path: “file:/psp/common/w/s.html” - bookmark it, and you’re good to go.

Take a glance at the ‘Readme-instructions.txt’ for more info…

Download PSP Weather Feed

This arrived a short while ago - the U.P. folks have released the PSP 1.50 firmware for the Undiluted Platinum PSP Modchip.

This essentially allows you to flash your U.P. Modchip with firmware version 1.50, thus allowing you to take full advantage of all the homebrew possibilites provided in FW 1.50! You can also switch between the two firmwares (your PSP’s original and U.P. 1.50) without a problem.

You can fetch the .flash file here and the U.P. PSP Modchip Flash Utility here.

For more U.P. PSP Modchip details - you can read here, here, and here.

And if you want one, pre-order from the next batch here.

Enjoy!

A new version of PSPVBA, the Gameboy Advance emulator, has been released by none other than ZX-81! The previous beta release suffered from certain speed issues rendering it unusable in some cases; however, this one improves on that considerably, as well in many other aspects! Below are the included updates in v1.0.2:

• Major speed improvement!
• Better Sound quality (rewritten)
• Add new render modes (smooth)
• Zip file support
• PNG screenshots (instead of BMP)
• Many bug fixes
• Code cleaning

Have a look at the README.txt for more details.

Download PSPVBA v1.0.2 - includes two binary versions (for 2.x and 1.5 FW) and the source code.

Props ZX-81!

- source: ZX-81

Wowzers - breaking news - full kernel mode access on firmware 2.50 and 2.60! Two programmers by the names of hitchhikr and Neural have released a proof-of-concept EBOOT which takes advantage of a new exploit discovered in Sony’s 2.50 and 2.60 firmware revisions.

What does this mean? Well it means all the lovely homebrew compatible with firmware version 1.50 only (Device Hook, DAX, iR Shell, etc…) will now be available on 2.50/2.60! Please note, this exploit does not exist in FW 2.0 and 2.01. And you will require Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories in order to execute this EBOOT.

The proof of concept simply creates a kernel memory dump in the root of your memory stick.

Download 2.50/2.60 Proof of Concept Exploit

Discuss here

Stay tuned - more to come!

- source: hitchhikr SoftWorks

Installation guidelines for the Undiluted Platinum PSP Modchip have been released. As mentioned in the PDF document (downloadable below) this procedure is not intended for amateurs - it’s wise to have the installation performed by a skilled professional.

1. Installation is for skilled professionals ONLY and should not be attempted by amateurs.
2. Removal of the soldermask is the most difficult and hazardous part of the installation and requires the most patience.
3. The PSP motherboard contains highly condensed traces and components which means a visual aid such as a microscope or magnifying glass will be required. We recommend the use of a video or optical microscope.

Also, the first shipment of U.P. PSP Modchips has arrived at the ModchipStore, unfortunately they’re all sold out from pre-orders. Nonetheless you can pre-order one from the next shipment scheduled for arrival June 30th!

Download U.P. PSP Modchip Installation Guidelines

For more PSP Modchip details, and installation diagrams for both the TA-079 and TA-081 motherboards - read here and here.