[TUTORIAL] noob friendly way to upgrade to higher custom firmware

[flash670]

Welcome All PSP Owners out there worldwide. Welcome to my tutorial.
This tut is a noob friendly way to upgrade your custom firmware to the latest versions out there.
I made this tutorial as an alternate way to upgrading your custom firmware manually other than the using grader option, upgrading through a magic stick, or via network update option. Hope it helps
*At the moment the latest custom firmware is 5.00M33-6
Be reminded that this is a tutorial on how to UPGRADE your already custom firmware enabled psp, to get your psp to custom firmware please read this tutorial by Scorpus. The new Hack Your PSP Thread

I am providing you with 3 different ways on upgrading your custom firmware.
Option 1 = Manual Upgrade
Option 2 = Recovery Flasher Upgrade
Option 3 = Via Network Update
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU UPGRADE YOU MAY NEED TO RESET YOUR UMD ISO DRIVERS BACK TO M33 DRIVER OR SONY NP9660
Read All Steps Before Doing Anything!

Some Rules Of The Upgrading/Downgrading World*

Originally Posted By BCman
DOWNGRADING/UPGRADING TIPS:
Before any upgrade/downgrade, a few things to keep in mind,
Charge ur battery so its 100% full, AC power plugged in when you run the upgrade/downgrade, backup any valuable files/savedata from your psp, restore psp to default settings, format memstick before coping files to psp, remove any umd from your psp, read readme file, NEVER TURN OFF PSP DURING DOWNGRADE/UPGRADE!

After you have upgrade your custom firmware, make a backup of your precious files such as SAVED DATA, ISO's etc. then go to system settings-->format memory stick. It will then create the necessary folders so you may have it easier to know where to put what.
(EX: .iso/.cso go in ISO folder. .mp4 movies in VIDEO folder)

Option 1 On Upgrading Custom Firmware
-The Manual Upgrade

(MAKE SURE TO SET THE KERNAL TO 3.XX/4.XX OR IT WILL FREEZE THE UPDATE AND POSSIBLY BRICK(unless your upgrading to 3.52M33 in which kernal must be set to 1.5)
( : Have your battery fully charged or with AC plugged in : )

(You may need winrar to extract these files)

If you're psp's CFW is 3.52M33, u need patch 3 or 4 installed before u can continue upgrading to any higher custom firmware.
Download the 3.52m33-4 patch here = http://www.psphero.com/download/m33_352_u4.rar
install/run it.
Once your psp is 3.52m33-4, you can upgrade to the latest CFW of your choice.


*Upgrading to 5.00M33-6
Step 1. Download the 5.00 official sony update here = http://www.psphero.com/download/official_500.rar
Step 2. Download the 5.00M33 update here = http://www.psphero.com/download/m33_500.rar
Step 3. Rename the official 5.00 update as 500.PBP and place it in the UPDATE folder
Step 4. Place the UPDATE folder into your GAME folder (ms0:/PSP/GAME)
Step 5. Run the update [to skip the (your psp must be atleast 78%) hold L + the triangle button while the update loads]
Step 6. After the update has completed, download the 5.00M33-6 patch here = http://www.psphero.com/download/m33_500_u6.rar
Step 7. Run the update (hold L + triangle if you wish to skip the 78% battery charge option)

(For Fat PSP's Only)
Installing the 1.50 Kernel Addon
*This Is Used To Run Older Versions Of Homebrew On The Fat PSP ONLY.
Download the 1.50 kernel addon for 5.00 here -->http://dl.qj.net/dl.php?fid=24408
Copy to ms0:/PSP/GAME5XX and run
You might need to have the 1.50 eboot in the root of your memory stick.
Download 1.50 eboot here -->http://www.psphero.com/download/official_150.rar and rename as 150.PBP

If you're psp FW is 1.5

Originally Posted By Scorpus here
1)
- Download the 3.52 M33 easy installer -- http://rapidshare.com/files/15579776..._Installer.rar
- Open the .rar
- If you are on firmware 1.50, open 1.50 Installation.exe; if you are on CFW click on CFW Installation.exe
- Select your PSPs drive letter
- Click Install

2)
- Once finished, go (on your PSP) to Game > Memory Stick.
- 1.50 Step Only Run KXploit Permanent Patcher. Follow on screen instructions. Once finished, continue with the steps
- Run 3.52 M33UPDATE (from Game > Memory Stick)
- Follow the on screen instructions
- Once completed you should have 3.52 M33
- Backup first, then format your Memory Stick

3)
- Open the .rar you downloaded before (3.52_M33_Installer.rar)
- Then, inside that, open M33-1234.rar
- Plug your PSP into the computer, and copy the entire PSP folder to the Memory Stick, confirming to merge, copy, replace whatever comes up
- Once copied, go into Game > Memory Stick and run the 3.52 M33-4 Updater
- Follow the prompts. If the installer fails, set your game kernel to 3.52 in the recovery menu. To do so, turn off your PSP by holding the switch up for 3 seconds. Then bootup while holding R. Go into Configuration then set "Game Folder Homebrew" to 3.52 Kernel

And there you have it, your psp is now on 3.52M33-4 and can upgrade to any higher firmware

Option 2 On Upgrading Custom Firmware
-Using Hellcat's Recovery Flasher

Posted By RainMotorsports here
*I suggest reading the tutorial by Rain for further knowledge of the program.

Installing Hellcat's Recovery Flasher
First Download from HERE - or check the Release Thread for Updates
On Custom Firmware - Place the RECOVERY folder from the download into ms0:/PSP/GAME/
-or-
On 1.50 - Copy both folders from inside the 1.50 folder contained within the download to ms0:/PSP/GAME/
Then download the 3.71 3.80 3.90 4.01 or 5.00 Update and copy to the root of the memory stick renamed as 3.71.PBP or 3.80.PBP or 3.90.PBP or 4.01.PBP or 5.00.PBP (You may already have one of these from your DCv3/4/5/6/7/8 pandora setup. You can just keep that on there then.)
NOTES: Never run the recovery version outside of the folder specified or it will fail (Additionally there is an elf menu version for those of you wanting it on your pandora stick).

Using Hellcat's Recovery Flasher
1.50, SE, OE requires the program be started from the XMB otherwise on M33 or GEN you can run it from Recovery or XMB.
1 - You will be greeted by the warning screen read it and select one of the I Agree statements.
2 - Make your selection between 3.71 3.80 3.90 4.01 or 5.00 using X.
3 - Scroll down to "Install M33 CFW" and click on it.
4 - Choose between reset settings or not though i would recommend the reset.
5 - Wait for it to complete and enjoy!
NOTES: If your power light is flashing just wait this is normal!

Option 3 Upgrade Via The Network Update
(Can only be used if you have wireless)
(can only be used if u have 3.80M33 or higher custom firmware)
Step 1. Go to recovery mode (fully turn off the psp and boot while holding R)
Step 2. Go to configuration.
Step 3. Scroll down to the "Use m33 network update" and make sure that is ENABLED.
Step 4. Go to network update.
Step 5. Make sure you have atleast 25MB of free space in your psp.
Step 6. It will say to have atleast 1mb of free space, that is just the m33 update. When that is done click X to run it.
Step 7. After you run it, it SHOULD say "incorrect or inexistent 500.PBP" It will then ask you to download it. Or it will just start downloading it.
Step 8. When it is finished downloading continue with the update.
Step 9. Remember to NOT turn off the psp or remove the memory stick/AC charger or you will cause a brick.
Step 10. When it finishes reboot the psp.
Then run around kicking and screaming with your upgraded custom firmware.



(!I DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU UPGRADE TO OFFICIAL FIRMWARE!)

HAVE FUN


*If You Thought This Guide Was Useful, Please Add To Rep By Clicking The Silver Scale In The Top Right Corner Of The Thread.

Special thanks to
Dark_AleX and Team M33 for creating cfw
BCman for the help
Scorpus for his HACK thread
Rain for his recovery thread
And all others unmentioned that have helped me in the past
Long Live The Dash Hacks Society!