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

Here are some worthwhile updates while I was MIA for most of the weekend: ZX-81’s AFKIM (Away From the Keyboard Instant Messenger) v3.3.4 and custom firmware 3.93 Update #2. The latest CFW update removes Hellcat’s “Savegame Deemer;” that is now distributed separately.

AFKIM 3.3.4 changes:

• Fix issue with ICQ / AOL account icon / login stuff (due to bitlbee server changes)
• Fix IR keyboard issue with fw >= 3.80 for FAT PSP (thanks to Angelo)
• Fix online status issue

CFW 3.93 Update #2:

• Select button probelm on Sony Keyboard has been solved.
• HellCat’s save game deemer has been deleted.

Savegame Deemer:

This is a small CFW plugin that will make the PSP to save any savedata in unencrypted form as well as the usual way.

The unencrypted savedata can then be directly edited with whatever tools you use for tasks like that (mostly a hexeditor, I’d guess ;-) ) and on the next load those (edited) unencrypted data is loaded and off you go :-)

Download:
AFKIM v3.3.4 (fw 1.50)
AFKIM v3.3.4 (cfw 3.xx)
AFKIM source code

CFW 3.93 Update #2
Savegame Deemer

- source: ZX-81’s web site & pspgen.com

A new custom firmware has sprung up over the weekend… It doesn’t pack any catchy name, and the developer [apparently] wishes to remain anonymous; despite that, PSP Custom Firmware 3.93 is fully functional and works quite well. Evidently it’s based off the work of Dark_AleX and Team M33.

PSP Custom Firmware 3.93:

• Uses the 3.93 kernel
• Implemented all the original custom firmware features.
• Ability to use the normal recovery inside the XMB by pressing the HOME button:
  • When in the recovery, the system is suspended, and you can change all options directly.
  • All options work immediately, there is no need to reboot (even the Slim’s USB charging option)
  • Ability to make a Pandora battery from the recovery, read and restore the EEPROM, etc. Providing that the motherboard supports it.
  • Ability to hide the MAC address in System Information, if you do so, the MAC will show visually as all 0’s.
  • Ability to save the savegames in normal format, rather then encrypted (only functions in March33 and Sony NP9960 mode).
• The native 3.93 pops isn’t as good as the previous pops; therefore I hope the popsloader will get updated to support 3.93.

1.50 Kernel Add On:

• Install kernel 1.50 on a PSP Fat. To use the 1.50 kernel for an application, you’ll absolutely need to put the kernel to 1.50, even if the application is in the GAME150 directory. If you change the kernel in VSH Recovery, you’ll still need a reboot.
• The new recovery has this two asked features:
  • Suspend device
  • Shutdown device

Whether or not you should upgrade — that’s your discretion. I’d only recommend ensuring you have a means of recovery if something unforeseen happens; i.e.) a pandora’s battery.

!WARNING! Press “X” when the official updater finishes; if not, you will have a brick.

Download:
PSP CFW 3.93
CFW 3.93 — 1.50 Kernel Add On

- source: pspgen.com

Roll out the red carpet; Dark_AleX back in the spotlight with two PSP updates… We got custom firmware 3.90 M33-3 and Despertar del Cementerio version 5 — the universal unbricker.

If you’re already running 3.90 M33, feel free to update via M33’s network update function.

CFW 3.90 M33-3 Update:

• March33 noumd driver compatibiilty has increased to support games like Coded Arms, Patapon, Harvest Moon Innocent Life and probably others affected by same errors.

Despertar del Cementerio v5 changes:

• Now installs 3.90 M33-3 instead of 3.80 M33-5
• Integration with timemachine in case it is installed.

Download:
Custom Firmware 3.90 M33
Custom Firmware 3.90 M33-3 Update
Despertar del Cementerio v5

- source: dark-alex.org

Update: 2.2 is out…

• The Time Machine reboot function should now be fixed … stupid error I made. Note that the functions only made for use with NAND firmware and 150_340 one, with the TM files provided in this archive. If you want to use it with another firmware than 150_340, you will have to edit your firmware files manually to add the cfe_vsh.prx and cfe_game.prx plugins (TM/fw/pspbtcnf.txt and TM/fw/pspbtcnf_game.txt).
• Fixed some little bugs in the music player, and found the reason why it was not working for all the people. If the psp hang while loading the music menu, you should apply the dark_alex 3.71 fatmsmod.prx patch, it should fix all the problem’s.

Cpasjuste has again updated Custom Firmware Extender. Most notably — courtesy of joek2100 — CFE v2.1 adds in game access to your MP3s. Now enjoy your own tracks while doing whatever else on your PSP.

CFE v2.1 changes:

• Added music playback based on music.prx by joek2100. (only tested under 3.90fw), default combo button for the music menu is NOTE+SQUARE.
• Changed the way we reboot from one firmware to another firmware with Time Machine, the original configuration file is now backup and restored at each boot.

Download: Custom Firmware Extender v2.2

- source: mydedibox

Thanks DC

Still rockin’ Custom Firmware Extender (CFE) 1.9.2? If so, it’s time to update… Cpasjuste has released CFE version 2.0, adding support for Dark_AleX’s latest work — both custom firmware 3.90 M33 and TimeMachine.

As the name implies, “Custom Firmware Extender” is a collection of useful 3rd party plugins, which in effect extend the functionality of whatever custom firmware you may be running. Full feature set can be read on the download landing page.

CFE v2.0 changes: (from the README)

• Removed usb/wifi ISO streaming for multiples reason, principally it was not the goal of cfe at the beginning. There is now “USB ISO Loader” by psp.padawan that will do the job well. You should soon be able to grab it from http://www.mydedibox.fr/~psppadawan/
• 390m33-2 and 150_340TM custom firmware now supported (cfe should now work on any firmware), note that on the 150_340 time machine firmware, the ftpd server will not work, and remotejoy under ISO/HOMEBREWS won’t work too for now. All other functions should work well.
• Time Machine compatibility: You can now reboot “on the fly” from one time machine firmware to another, just edit the cfe.config file under “ms0:/seplugins/cfe/” to choose which firmware you will reboot to by pressing a combo button. Format is the same as the original time machine configuration file. Default configuration is NOTE+LEFT => reboot to 150_340 firmware, NOTE+RIGHT => normal reboot (NAND).
• Remotejoy fixed to work on both slim and phat psp, without savegame bugs, so it should now be completely usable for gaming and recording.
• Tested on 390m33-2 and 150_340TM firmware on SLIM and PHAT psp.
• And more, can’t remember all the work i have done on this

Download: Custom Firmware Extender (CFE) 2.0

- source: qj

Not only does Dark_AleX hold the PSP championship belt of awesomeness, he probably has your girlfriend washing out her panties in his reverse engineered Maytag. Hitting hard yet again with a fresh new release — TimeMachine v0.1.

Similar to BOOSTER’s DevHook; TimeMachine loads previous official/custom firmwares off the memory stick using a Pandora battery and custom IPLs.

The timemachine is useful to run software that is not supported anymore, and also as a way of booting psp’s even if the internal firmware is destroyed. It can also be useful for developers to test their homebrew in different firmwares.

The packaged readme details the available installation options, usage, known problems and considerations; I strongly encourage you to read that over before you begin.

Find all the necessary firmwares here (official), and here (custom).

TimeMachine v0.1 currently supports the following:

• Original 1.50 — can only be loaded on the phat
• 1.50 with some 3.40 hw modules — can be loaded on both, phat and slim
• 3.40 OE — can only be loaded on phat
• 3.60 M33 — can only be loaded on slim

Other firmwares are said to be added in the future.

Download: TimeMachine v0.1

- source: dark-alex.org

Thanks for the quick emails, Fergatron and Dave C.

Update: v2 of the patch is available…

• Added to the installer the check of correct checksum of fatmsmod.prx. Use only encrypted or decrypted version of file.
• Music, videos, etc now work.

Dark_AleX has released a patch enabling the memory stick driver from 3.71 on custom firmwares 3.80/3.90 M33. Why 3.71? Its fatmsmod.prx just plain old works better.

Instructions:

• Use psardumper to grab ‘fatmsmod.prx’ from 3.71; encrypted or decrypted
• Copy /F0/kd/fatmsmod.prx to the root of your memory stick
• Copy FATMSPATCH from this package to /PSP/GAME and run it

Few things to note:

1. it’s probably a better idea that fatmsmod.prx is encrypted because it’s compressed and uses less flash space
2. fatmsmod of 3.71 usually works better because it has a better cache system, and usually reads on bigger blocks (sometimes 3.80/3.90 reads more data than needed — lazy prediction)
3. however this driver uses more kernel memory, and it’s unknown if it will have any kind of secondary effect running this module in 3.80/3.90 — use at your own risk
4. the lags in np9660 no umd mode won’t probably be solved, as that is a different problem

Download:
PSARdumper
3.71 FW EBOOT
3.71 MS Patch for 3.80/3.90 M33 v2

- source: dark-alex.org

Sony, what’cha gonna do when Dark_AleX runs wild with custom firmware updates on you? For those who haven’t spotted this via Network Update, here is 3.90 M33-2.

3.90 M33-2 changes:

• Improvements in plugins loading code:
  • Fixed some problems with problematic cards due to file system not mounted.
  • Now plugins should read the faster.
  • Problem fixed with lines with spaces at the end.
• Added the rest of regions to the recovery option fake region.
• (PSP SLIM): Added patches in nand ipl to allow Booster multiiplloader and TimeMachine iplloader to boot from nand.
• Note: only 3.90 M33-2 and higher can be booted from nand in slim with those ipl loaders, not official Sony firmwares or previous versions of M33.

Changes in updater:

• The 3.90 eboot downloading code is now more stable, no more freezes after selecting AP
• Memory stick write in the 3.90 downloading code is delayed the maximum possible for faster operation (the system prefers big chunks of data written at once).

Download:
CFW 3.90 M33
CFW 3.90 M33-2 Update

- source: dark-alex.org

Meka-leka-hai, meka-leka-cha-ni-ho — the custom firmware genie, Dark_AleX, makes it so. Enjoy 1.50 kernel-enabled homebrew on your phat PSP running custom firmware 3.90 M33.

Upgrade instructions: copy to /PSP/GAME and run.

1.50 Kernel Addon v2 changes:

• TA086: when being in 4th brightness level and recovering from sleep mode, the display was black. Fixed.
• Added support in the 1.50 kernel for memory sticks greater than 4 GB. (I finally got my 8GB card!) Before, only the first 4 GB portion was recognized by the 1.5 kernel. Now, the theoretical limit is 4GB*512 = 2 Terabytes. (”only” 1 TB, if Sony were using signed variables).

Download: 1.50 Kernel Addon v2 for 3.90 M33
(for PSP Phat on CFW 3.90 M33 only)

- source: dark-alex.org

Gh0st’s UPMS Installer packs a collection of useful software tools for converting to & from a Pandora’s battery, writing the IPL to your memory stick, and creating the Ultimate Unbricker/Downgrader solution.

Easily achieve any of the following when combining both the Pandora battery and Ultimate Pandora Memory Stick (UPMS):

• Upgrade a Slim to 3.71-2 M33;
• Upgrade a Phat to 3.71-2 M33 w/ 1.50-2 kernel patch;
• Upgrade a Slim to 3.80-5 M33;
• Upgrade a Phat to 3.80-5 M33 w/ 1.50 kernel patch;
• Downgrade a Phat to 1.50;
• Upgrade a Phat straight to 3.52 M33 from Extended Boot Menu, then install update 4 via XMB — with no need to downgrade to 1.50;
• Boot the PSP using Ultimate Loader with support for choosing which Pandora you require — V1, V3, or V4;
• Boot to the XMB with the Pandora battery inserted (Phat Only);
• Boot to a full 1.50 firmware from the memory stick (Phat Only);
• Use PSP Filer and other tools;
• Upgraded a Phat or Slim to 3.71-4 M33 from the XMB with the update;
• Recover any bricked PSP (Phat or Slim).

Of course you’ll require the corresponding [official] firmware EBOOT(s) depending on your selection. Copy each EBOOT to the root of your memory stick — 1.50 (rename to 150.PBP), 3.71 (371.PBP), 3.80 (380.PBP), and also a second copy of 1.50 named “UPDATE.PBP.”

To start using UPMS Installer:

1. Ensure UMD Mode is set to “Sony NP9660.” Hold R-Trigger while booting to enter the recovery console, go to Configuration, and set the UMD Mode there.
2. Copy UPMSInstallerV3.cso to the ISO directory on your memory stick; i.e.) F:\ISO or /Volumes/PSP/ISO
3. Browse to the XMB game menu and launch.

Tutorial, other important info, and ongoing discussions concerning UPMS can be found here, and here. All software authors are properly credited.

Download:
UPMS Installer V3 (Sapphire)
Official PSP Firmware Updates

- source: upms-project.com