PSP 3.01 Firmware Now Emulated With DevHook

[norkusa]

Hard to believe 3.0 was released only a few weeks ago and now it's already being emulated:

http://pspupdates.qj.net/Devhook-0-51-released-3-01-PSP-Firmware-emulation-/pg/49/aid/75120


I installed it on my 1.5 PSP with DevHook and seems to be working fine. Haven't tried any of the PS1 downloads because I don't have a PS3 to connect to, but others that have tried it says the games run real smooth.

This version of DevHook isn't perfect though. Some ripped games aren't booting and some people are having problems with the install (I tried 5 times until I used and auto-installer that did it right). It's still in Beta though so hopefully the bugs will be worked out with the next release.

[Joker T]

I'm running the 1.5/2.71 dual firmware right now, I'll get this at a later release.

[norkusa]

BTW, if anyone wants to install this but don't know where to start, check this out:

http://pspupdates.qj.net/index.php?&pg=49&aid=75236&act=success

It's an auto installer. You basically just run it on your PC with your PSP connected via USB, and it does everything for you. You'll have to do a couple things yourself but it's waaaaay easier than doing the manual install with all the separate files.

[Nature Boy]

3.02 is out now, and the same DevHook (.51) apparantly emulates it with no problems as well. 3.02 is supposed to be a security update but they were obviously more concerned with something other than DevHook.

[norkusa]

Yeah, I just saw that about 3.02. They say the update fixes some holes for the PS1 downloads, so I'm just going to stay at 3.01 until someone figures out to crack 'em. :-P

[rbudrick]

Ok, I'm gonna sound like a newb dumbass here, but I've been doing a lot of research lately in how much I can upgrade my PSP's firmware and still play homebrew, and I *think* I've got my head around this. I don't wanna fuck up my PSP, so I've been researching this like crazy, with most sites assuming you already know what's going on. So, please tell me if I'm wrong here.

Devhook is a hacked firmware that runs off your memory stick, bypassing the real firmware.

The installer loads directly to your memory stick.

Devhook allows you to play isos off the memory stick.

Devhook allows you to play any homebrew.


Please tell me of any caveats or drawbacks of Devhook. Anything else a newb like me should know? I've been running firmware 1.5 forever now, and I really want to use some of the newer features of the newer firmwares. You know, like actually play games that force you to upgrade? ;-)

-Rob

[norkusa]

Yeah, you basically have that right. DH technically doesn't allow you to play homebrew though. Your original PSP firmware does that. All DevHook does is boot your PSP with recent firmware from the memory stick so you can play current UMD's (and ISO's) without having to update your PSP's flash memory firmware. I think you can make a custom hybrid firmware though so you can do both without having to keep switching back and forth, but I have no idea how to do that. I just keep my PSP at 1.5 to play homebrew and boot to 3.01 whenever I need it.

And you don't have to worry about bricking your PSP with DevHook. It's all done thru your memory stick, so if you screw up with the install, you can just re-format it and start over again from scratch. Nothing is written to your PSP's flash memory.

And as far as caveat's go...they really aren't any. The latest version of DevHook (v0.51) is Beta though, so it's a little buggy and might crash sometimes when you try to load or exit a game. But other than that, it runs pretty smooth.

Oh, and if you want a total n00b installer that's impossible to screw-up, use this (you might have to register first to get in the forums):

http://www.psp-hacks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=55270

Grab the 3.01 auto-extractor (don't think 3.02 version is uploaded yet) and follow the instructions. Took me 5 minutes and was soooo easy. It's only for 1.5 users though, so make sure you're running that before you do it.

[rbudrick]

Thanks, Nork!

That's the best explanation ever. I wish someone just wrote what you wrote a long time ago, heh heh.

So just to be clear on one more thing...I can boot 3.01 from the memory stick, but where do I download 3.01 without actually upgrading my firmware. Is it a downloadable file?

Oh, and what's that auto-extracter thingy you mentioned?

-Rob

[norkusa]

So just to be clear on one more thing...I can boot 3.01 from the memory stick, but where do I download 3.01 without actually upgrading my firmware. Is it a downloadable file?

Oh, and what's that auto-extracter thingy you mentioned?


Everything you need is in that auto-extracter program that I posted the link to earlier. It's really just an auto-installer program for DevHook. You basically just run it, extract the files to your PSP's memory stick, run the 3.01 installer app from your PSP/Game folder, and that's it. DevHook + 3.01 should be all set up for you after that.



Here's the rapidshare link to the downloadable file:

http://rapidshare.com/files/6257465/Devhook_v0.51_extractor_.exe



And here's the install instructions (although, I would switch steps 1 and 2 around and format your stick before starting this):

1. Extract to Memorystick.

2. Remove any Devhook files previously installed using Devhook launcher.

3. Launch "3.01/3.02 DH FW Installer".

4. Press X when prompted and wait till its finished it will autoexit.

5. Make sure you have used the fix above, to swap buttons back to normal.

6. Launch "Devhook 0.51 Launcher Beta".

7. Select your game and press start, now you should be emulating 3.01\3.02, its that
easy thanks to Tommydanger.

8. After installation you can delete the following:

ms0:\f0
ms0:\EBOOT.PBP
ms0:\PSP\GAME\__SCE__301_dh_fw_installer
ms0:\PSP\GAME\%__SCE__301_dh_fw_installer

[Nature Boy]

with most sites assuming you already know what's going on.

Ain't that the truth. I don't know if it's all totally snooty technorcracy though - I think sometimes they just can't explain stuff even if they tried...

I don't think of DevHook as hacked firmware because you don't actually intall anything to your PSP. It's more of a firmware emulator in my eyes. After loading it, the target firmware *is* running on your PSP, it's just not there after you shut off your PSP (good ole' 1.50 will still be there).

It also doesn't let you run any homebrews (1.50 lets you do that without any help). What it does do is let you play ISOs from a memory stick (by tricking your firmware into thinking the UMD you have inserted is actually the ISO, as well as let you use the features of whatever firmware you're emulating (1.50, for example, doesn't allow you to set a custom background without hacking it. After running DevHook you can select any Photo as your background and the next time you emulte the firmware, it's still there.

Personally, I'm a fan of the custom firmware. Yes you have to flash it to your PSP (which, given their ability to explain things, was a little scary), but the end result is far more useable IMO. I'm running 2.71 SE-C on my PSP - I know have all the advantages of both 1.50 (homebrew) and 2.71 (playing newer games) without having to run DevHook. And yes, it plays ISOs too, even slicker than DevHook (although it doesn't quite have 100% of the compatibility DevHook does - for those games you can run, uh, DevHook :) ).

[rbudrick]

Wow, this is all so cool. I really wish I knew all this months ago! I'm very excited aboout what I'll be able to do with my PSP now that this is all explained. What folder do I put my isos in? What's the best program to back up my games to isos so I don't have to carry them all around? So Devhook really has 100% compatibility in playing isos? How much better is the load times for isos from the memory stick compared to the UMD drive?

-Rob

[norkusa]

Wow, this is all so cool. I really wish I knew all this months ago! I'm very excited aboout what I'll be able to do with my PSP now that this is all explained. What folder do I put my isos in? What's the best program to back up my games to isos so I don't have to carry them all around? So Devhook really has 100% compatibility in playing isos? How much better is the load times for isos from the memory stick compared to the UMD drive?

-Rob

Just create a folder called "ISO" and put that on the root of your memory stick. After DH is installed, just drop the ISO's in there and you should be good to go.

There are apps out there that let you back UMD's up to ISO's, but I never used them. DH should have 100% compatibility with ISO's as long as DH is running the appropriate firmware to play them with. Although, people are reporting some problems playing newer games with this recent release of DevHook. Think it has to do with the fact that this is a Beta release instead of an issue with the actual games.

[Nature Boy]

What folder do I put my isos in?

The ISO folder of course. Root of your memory stick. The instructions generally lay that stuff out for you (in lots of cases, the directory is created for you)


What's the best program to back up my games to isos so I don't have to carry them all around?

I used UMD Loader, but that doesn't work with 2.71 SE-C (only 1.5). Make sure you have a 2GB memory stick, as the UMD format holds up to 1.8 GB of data.


So Devhook really has 100% compatibility in playing isos? How much better is the load times for isos from the memory stick compared to the UMD drive?

Hold your horses dude - nothing is ever 100% compatible. 97% is probably more accurate. And as was pointed out, the game has to be trickable by the emulated firmware you're running.

I couldn't put a number to how much faster using the memory card is over a UMD, but it's definitely signifigant. I did a PSP to PSP test with my buddy using Syphon Filter. When loading a level, you get this scrolling text explaining the background. On UMD, you have to wait until the whole spiel is displayed before the level has loaded. As an ISO, it's ready after maybe a couple of lines (not that you don't wait to read it all anyway your first time through :) ).

[rbudrick]

I used UMD Loader, but that doesn't work with 2.71 SE-C (only 1.5). Make sure you have a 2GB memory stick, as the UMD format holds up to 1.8 GB of data.

How is UMD Loader's compatibility...I mean are there games it can't dump? And it doesn't care what firmware the game requires to play as long as I dump it with 1.5, right? If UMD Loader doesn't work, are there other programs?

-Rob

EDIT: Oh, and since the new eloader is out, but nobody cares so far about the thread I made, here's a plug for it:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93937

Basically just asking about the new eLoader that I *think* makes 2.8 sorta the new 1.5. Or something. Or not. I dunno. Well, that's why the thread's there.

[Nature Boy]

How is UMD Loader's compatibility...I mean are there games it can't dump? And it doesn't care what firmware the game requires to play as long as I dump it with 1.5, right? If UMD Loader doesn't work, are there other programs?

I've never had a problem dumping a UMD with it, and I've definitely dumped games of mine whose firmware requirements are higher than 1.5.

FYI: I haven't been able to access the forums for a couple of days, which could explain why you haven't gotten answers in your other thread. For the record, I don't think 2.80 will be the next 2.71.

[rbudrick]

I've never had a problem dumping a UMD with it, and I've definitely dumped games of mine whose firmware requirements are higher than 1.5..

Cool, thanks, man. I've heard references to .cso files for PSP, is this synonomous with .iso for the sake of Devhook running them?


FYI: I haven't been able to access the forums for a couple of days, which could explain why you haven't gotten answers in your other thread. For the record, I don't think 2.80 will be the next 2.71.

Right, the forum was down on my end too. Oh, did you mean 1.5, not 2.71?

-Rob

[Nature Boy]

Cool, thanks, man. I've heard references to .cso files for PSP, is this synonomous with .iso for the sake of Devhook running them?

cso files are compressed iso files. I don't use 'em, because they run slower. It's for those who are more concerned with cramming as many games as possible onto their memory stick IMO. But I'm pretty sure they still work with DevHook, yeah.


Right, the forum was down on my end too. Oh, did you mean 1.5, not 2.71?

Nope, I meant 2.71.

There's a certain motherboard on PSPs which disallows downgrading. They're called "TA" something or others. Those users are stuck on 2.71, but there's an excellent application called Homebrew Enabler (aka HEN) that allows users with that motherboard to run homebrew without having to use an eLoader (correct me if I'm wrong anyone...) Anyway, I don't see that app being written for 2.80. Maybe 3.0x ...