Getting started with a PSP2000 3.52 OFW

[Alcor]

Dear all,

First, I´d like to thank every one that directly or indirectly contributes to this forum, you have here a priceless knowledge database that helped me a lot in getting familiar with all the concepts behind PSP hacking. To you all, my deepest acknowledgment.

Second, I registered in this forum to understand how can I hack a PSP. Now, hacking my PSP doesn't make me a pirate! I want to be very clear about this. My purpose on hacking is solely the exploration of the full potential that a PSP has because as a paying customer I don't feel obligated to be restricted to the only features that Sony has to offer me with their official firmware. Just to mention some rights that I have as a PSP owner, I think I have the right to backup my own legit PSP games (if they stay safe at home the longer they last), I think I have the right to use the PSP platform to play legit games that I bought for other consoles (namely PS1, I have tons of them!) and I also think I have the right to test a game before I buy it (games are expensive so to fulfill the guaranteed satisfaction as a costumer I should be able to try a given game before I buy it). I know that you may think this is hypocrisy because hacking a PSP opens the doors to hundreds of free games but it is not, I have no position regarding piracy, using or not illegit software concerns the conscience of each individual and I'm not in a position to judge anyone.

Sorry for this long bla-bla-bla, but I just wanted to write that, I'm new to the forum and also this serves as a kind of presentation...

Now, back to the main topic! After some research in this forum, I realized that if wanted a hackable PSP I had to get something with a OFW of 5.03 at the most, regardless the model. I didn't want to take chances so I decided to go for a second-hand console. I live in Stockholm (though I'm not swedish :P) so I went to GAME and GAMESTOP. In the first one there were not any console in second hand available (only some new brand-new packs, probably with 5.5x) but in the second store I managed to buy the last second-hand available PSP. I wanted to immediately check OFW version but I was not allowed to, anyway, a 10-day money-back refund policy made me feel relaxed. Being a second-hand PSP2000 with a value pack box I knew I had a good chance to get a older OFW. I paid 98 euros (141 USD) for it. Basically I got a good console, with some minor scratches in the LCD, some small scratches on the back as well. Only the battery charger and the case came together with the console, so no USB cable (I have a card reader though), no ear pieces (do standard ones work?), no instruction manual (I´ll get a PDF copy on the sony website) and nothing else that I might be forgetting. I also bought a 4GB MS for around 40 euros (57 USD).

When I got home and plugged it I immediatly went to system settings and fortunately I have a 3.52 OFW. Therefore, I know I have an hackable PSP! I was thinking on upgrading to 5.03 and then doing the chikHEN + CFE 3.60 trick. I'm open to suggestions though...

Now I'm currently working so I still didn't manage to hack my PSP but I'll keep you updated.

Thanks for everything!

[ultimakillz]

since you have a psp-2000, its probably completely hackable and will allow you to install a full, permanent cfw. cfwenabler 3.60 is a great tool, but its only a patrial cfw. 5.00 m33-6 is arguably the best cfw out right now, so you might want to consider installing it instead. just a thought.

it all depends on your motherboard. if you want to double-check, once you get chickHEN up and running, download and run pspident. it will tell you exactly which motherboard you have installed. then you will know for sure which cfw you can install. you can find pspident here:
PSPident 0.4 - Find out what PSP Motherboard you have., PSP Hacks - PSP Slim Hacks

because of the low ofw, you should be fine, but if you want to double-check, you can.

congrats on the new psp!

btw: most people on this forum are open minded, and no one is going to call you a pirate, unless you come out and say it outright, like many people do. so dont worry about it! its all good!

[Alcor]

Hi, I read your guide on CFW and first let me congratulate you for gathering all that information! Excellent work!

Now, I have a question. First, let me tell you what I learned from it to see if I´m not missing anything. Basically, in terms of functionality, 5.00 M33-6 and CFE 3.60 do the same, however you say that in relation to the latest option that it has a "limited (native) ISO/CSO gameplay" but you stress "M33-6 like features in general".

So, my question is, what´s the functional difference between 5.00 M33-6 and CFE 3.60 when it comes to ISO/CSO gameplay? It means that there are ISOs that run better in one CFW than the other??

I apprehend that installing CFE 3.60 has the advantage of being temporary, I say advantage because that way, in case I want to return to OFW, I don't have all the trouble unninstalling plus, being temporary, there´s no way I brick my PSP. The con I would say to either leave the PSP always on sleep mode or re-starting the CFE whenever I turn it off (which, honestly, I don't see it as a big disadvantage).

On the other way around, 5.00 M33 is constantly updated, has the quality of being developed by Dark_Alex team and I can switch off the console every time I want without worring about re-lauching a CFW again... but it's permanent, which means more trouble in unninstalling if needed.

The bottom line is, I was thinking on starting with CFE, because if I don't like it all I have to do is switch off the console, bye-bye CFE, and then I can do an easy M33 instalation... what do you think??

PS- Im saying all this providing that my PSP allows me to use any of the referred CFW

[ultimakillz]

ok. first off, thanks for the props on the guide. secondly, let me say that i have never used cfwenabler 3.60, so what i am telling you is based on what i know, which may not be the full story. it probably isnt too far off, if at all.

when playing ps1 games on a psp, most people use a program called popsloader, which is a plugin which emulates various versions of pops (playstation one portable system btw). certain games only work on certain versions of pops, so it is useful to have a lot of different versions.

the latest version of pops comes installed with both 5.00 m33-6 and cfwenabler 3.60, which is what native pops means. it is a good version, and can be used to play many of the games without errors, but not all games play well on this version. but here is the difference: i am not sure is popsloader can be used on cfwenabler 3.60 or not, but i know that it can be used on 5.00 m33-6.

simply, they both have native pops that works on many of the ps1 games, but im not sure that popsloader, which will allow you to play the majority of ps1 games, can be used on cfwenabler 3.60. it would be great if someone could verify this for us.

as far as temporary vs. permanent, its really just a matter of preference. having to reload your cfw everytime isnt that bad, but it can be annoying. even with a permanent cfw you are still able to reinstall official firmware if you choose. dont worry about bricking, if your psp is completely hackable (you can find that out with that pspident program) than you dont have to worry (unless something crazy happens).

if you want to try both, that would be great. i would suggest that you try cfwenabler 3.60 first (since its easier to uninstall). just dont forget to uninstall it fully before you try 5.00 m33-6. they are both the best (in my opinion) of their respective classes, and i think you will be happy with whichever you pick.

[Alcor]

I'm so idiot, I confused a PSP slim with a PSP 1000 FAT which is the model I have! I followed the OFW 5.03 + ChichHEN tutorial, I spent hoursssss to get the ChickHEN in (even when I replaced for the correct eggsploit.tif) but as soon as it kicked in I immediately installed CFW M33... However, I have an old version and I want to upgrade it for 5.00, but I won't do it right now because I need time to read some extra tutorials on how to upgrade without bricking the PSP...

Now, just one question I reminded... Considering that now I have CFW, in case I format my MS in the PSP (I was thinking on doing that to get rid of chickHEN and other stuff I don't need anymore), does this CFW formats the MS as the OFW does, I mean, the MS gets ready to popup in PSP? I believe I had to manually add folders like ISO, for example...

[ultimakillz]

when you format your ms in the psp, it should create the file structure used by that version of cfw. depending on what version you have you may see slight variations, but adding folders isnt that big of a deal. when you update to 5.00 m33-6 (which i suggest you do, its as easy as running a network update, and even has the same interface), the file structure will contain all the folders you need. i hope this helps.

[Alcor]

Yeah, I'll be updating for 5.00 M33-6 tonight!

[ultimakillz]

i copied this out of the 5.00 m33-6 readme for you:
Instructions: Copy UPDATE folder /PSP/GAME/ and run.

If you come from a version prior to 5.00 M33, put sony update as 500.PBP in same folder, or let the program download it for you using a wifi connection.

easy, no?

[Alcor]

Originally Posted by ultimakillz

i copied this out of the 5.00 m33-6 readme for you:
Instructions: Copy UPDATE folder /PSP/GAME/ and run.

If you come from a version prior to 5.00 M33, put sony update as 500.PBP in same folder, or let the program download it for you using a wifi connection.

easy, no?

Yeah, I had read the help file as well, it seems very easy!! Thanks anyway!