The M33 team has done it again. The PSP Slim can now run M33’s 3.60 custom firmware. The new firmware has “all the features of 3.52 M33, except the 1.50 kernel support”. This means that some homebrew that was developed specifically for 1.50 (e.g. homebrew games that would go into the GAME150 folder) will not work with the custom firmware.

The installation is complex, requiring a Pandora Battery and Pandora memory stick, a non-Slim PSP with firmware 1.50 or custom firmware that supports 1.50 kernel, and of course, a PSP-2000. As always, this is not for the faint of heart nor anyone who hates carefully reading and following instructions, as there is always a possibility of bricking your brand new PSP-2000. As such, use at your own risk. Full instructions for the installation can be found here.

Download M33’s custom 3.60 firmware here (scroll down to the bottom of the first post).

Dark_Alex - PSP hacker and homebrew guru - finally released his custom PSP firmware 3.30 OE-A this week. Only days after that, Sony released another firmware update (3.40). Now, in some kind of crazy twist, Dark_Alex and his team have managed to pump out a custom firmware version of 3.40. Yep, it’s done and ready for download.

In addition to Sony’s official updates in 3.40, the new custom firmware also fixes an annoying memory bug and reduces some risk in bricking your PSP. Use at your own risk.

The Wii’s Twilight Hack has been a big hit for the homebrew crowd. Using the software flaw, they’ve been able to play Tetris on their Wiis and even create some custom Wii channels. Nintendo tried to shut that program down, but 8 hours later, it was back. Nobody can keep the homebrew devs down, and over the past week there have been two more major breakthroughs in “hacking the Wii.”

A group called Waninkoko has created a custom firmware for the Wii which allows writable DVDs to be read by the system. This means that downloading Wii titles to your PC, and then playing them on a burned disc could be right around the corner. The second crack for the Wii came from teamshift. They were able to create a PSP emulator that can play whatever games you wish.

Of course, neither of these hacks have actually been confirmed, so take heed before you try to install the Waninkoko hack. Do so at your own risk. The PSP emulator rumor from teamshift comes from a single image posted on NintendoMax showing Puzzle Bobble Pocket playing on a Wii. The image doesn’t hold much credence, and could be completely fake, but if it’s real then PSP games may become the new black for a while in Wii owner’s homes.

As more information is revealed on this, we’ll let you know.

Read more at engadget and DCEMUuk

Download in High Def Windows Media HD 720p

- The Too Smart Babies show you how to install Custom Firmware 3.52 M33 on your PSP

Files Needed:

3.52 M33

1.5 eboot

3.52 Eboot

Big, huge, gigantic news! The great Dark_AleX, responsible for all the custom firmwares available for the PSP who claimed to have gone into retirement, is back under the name of M33 releasing a brand new custom firmware for both PSP Fat and Slim! The new firmware is barely out of the gate and is already fully hacked.

3.71 M33 by M33=Dark_AleX

Changes in 3.71 M33:

- Now uses 3.71
- VSH Menu is not longer launched using HOME key, but using SELECT now. This is to not interfere with the XMB function of home, which is now more useful in this firmware.
- Psp Slim: umdcache was allocating memory even when homebrew was launched, wasting memory that homebrew programs may want to use. Now umdcache module is stopped before it can allocate any memory, only in the case homebrew is launched.

Also, memory is unprotected for user memory usage by M33 core (only when homebrew is launched).
Developer, for a sample of how to use the extra memory, see the extra ram sample of the M33 sdk.

- Both version boot now from 3.XX ipl, and are independent of 1.50.

The main installer will not install 1.50 kernel anymore.
A 1.50 kernel addon for 3.71 M33 that will install inside 3.71 M33 will be released in a
few days (for fat only)

Note: due to some changes in kernel nids by Sony, you can expect a lot of kernel plugins not working anymore.
Programmers: refer to the sdk readme for details.

It’s nice to see the PSP hacking community is still alive and well.

You will need the official 3.71 firmware and the M33 installer. To install you will need a PSP Fat with 3.52 M33-3 or 3.52 M33-4 or a PSP Slim with 3.60 M33. Visit the Official M33 website for more details and previous M33 releases if you need them to meet the requirements for 3.71.

- How to install Custom Firmware 3.40 OE-A

- Detailed Guide by Fourm member “Bobtentpeg”

Files Needed:

340 OE update maker and flasher

1.5 eboot

3.40 Eboot

6min.

Download H.264

First and foremost we recommend that you do not update your firmware to 3.50 if you wish to partake in the homebrew scene. Once more information is available on special editions, custom editions, or 3.50 downgrades we will post details here.

Details about the update:

To coincide with the recent Playstation 3 V1.80 update, which amongst other things added Remote Play ability allowing anyone with a PSP to access their PS3 over the Internet, Sony has now also released a new v3.50 PSP firmware update, adding support for remote play over the internet, and RSS Channel Guide has been added as a feature.

Ok, so here it is. 3.51 M33 Custom Firmware.

Following in Dark_Alex’s footsteps come a hacking team from Russia called the M33 Team who have developed a 3.51 custom firmware.

Features >

* All functions of v3.51 firmware retained - PS1 support, high video
resolution, MP3 visualizer, internet navigation, PS3 connection etc
* Launch official UMDS which require v3.51 firmware
* Direct launching of ISOs/CSOs
* Direct launching of homebrews and demonstrations
* Direct launching of PS1 images
* Ability to alter the CPU speed of the PSP
* Recovery mode
* Multi-region
* Bugfixes
* Customize all your icons etc

This works will all models of PSP including TA-082 motherboards

Your PSP must be running either 1.5 firmware or any 3.XX OE or 2.71 SE custom firmware.

Download > 3.51 M33 CUSTOM FIRMWARE

Installation Instuctions >

1. If your PSP is firmware 1.50, copy the folders kxploitpatcher and kxploitpatcher% which are in the “1.50only” folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME/ and run the patcher first.

if you are already running custom firmware you don’t need to do this so skip to step 2

2. if you already have firmware SE/OE, copy the folder M33CREATOR to ms0:/PSP/GAME150.

If you have 1.50 copy to ms0:/PSP/GAME

3. Download Sony official 3.51 firmware update from here >3.51 UPDATE
extract with winrar and rename EBOOT.PBP to 351.PBP and copy into the ms0:/PSP/GAME150/M33CREATOR/ or for 1.50 users to ms0:/PSP/GAME/M33CREATOR/

4. Download sony official 1.50 firware update from here >1.5 UPDATE
extract with winrar and rename EBOOT.PBP to 150.PBP and copy into the ms0:/PSP/GAME150/M33CREATOR/ or for 1.50 users to ms0:/PSP/GAME/M33CREATOR/

5. on your PSP, run the “3.51 M33 CREATOR”. Once finished, press X, the PSP will return to the XMB, and a new program, the “3.51 M33UPDATE” appears!

6. now run “3.51 M33UPDATE”.

7. Once it finishes, press X to shut off the psp. Restart manually.

8. Down a shot of Vodka and celebrate.

please note, if you are under 18 (21 in some places) please skip step 8.

pics courtesy of wertypsp2

FAQs >

Q. My battery is under 75% can i still flash the firmware >
A. Yes, just hold triangle and L trigger whilst the flasher is loading (do this at your own risk)

Q. Do homebrew and isos still work in the normal way?
A. Yes, homebrew, iso/cso etc load just like OE firmware, iso/cso go in the ISO folder and homebrew goes in GAME150

Q. Will my 3.40 OE customisations work (icons/fonts etc)?
A. Yes, except for certain files which you must not flash >
* system_plugin_fg.rco (psp will freeze going into usb mode)
* pspbtcnf.txt
* vsh.prx not installable
* paf.prx not installable (semi-brick)
* common_gui.prx noncompatible (semi-brick)
* the topmenu_plugin.rco of the topics which contain a vsh.prx are
non compatible

Q. is NO-UMD 100% compatible with all games?
A. No it isn’t. Games that needed a UMD on OE firmware also need a UMD with M33 firmware.

Q. I have 3.XX OE on my psp and it is customised. Do I have to remove the customisations or go back to 1.5 before installing?
A . No this will install fine over the top.

Q. Does cwcheat work?
A. i’ve heard reports of games not loading when the cwcheat.prx is on. cwcheatpops.prx works

Q. I can’t enter USB mode.
A. go into recovery mode and toggle flash1. delete config.se. If you have customised your psp after installing make sure you have not flashed system_plugin_fg.rco to your flash0

Q. Can I use the EBOOT the installer creates on another psp to install custom firmware instead of creating one again?
A. it seems the EBOOT is generic, so yes.

Q. Does the brightness fix work?
A. Yes it does.

Q. Are there any other known issues?
A. quite a few at the moment including wifi enabled homebrew like pimpstreamer. i’ll try to keep this FAQ updated as best I can.

Lets get one thing straight first: you cannot directly install any custom firmware on the official SONY firmwares higher than 1.50. This means that you have to downgrade your PSP to 1.50 before you can run any of the installation programs. For certain firmware versions below 3.03, you can directly use a glitch in GTA: Liberty City Stories to downgrade. However for firmwares above 3.03, there is no such way. Instead you have to use something called Pandora’s Battery. This is a modified PSP battery that allows you to boot any code on any PSP, including the programs that will downgrade your PSP. The process is quite long and complicated, so I will not be writing a guide on this blog. However there are many good ones that come up from a simple Google search.

• QJ.Net Tutorial
• MaxConsole Tutorial (with screenshots)
• IRShell Tutorial

You don’t have a friend with a PSP? Well, all hope is not lost. There is a way to physically modify the battery and make it act as a Pandora’s Battery. However it requires you to crack open the battery, and place a pin between two connectors. Some guides that describe this process are here:

• How to create a Pandora’s Battery and Slim MS without a Fat PSP (with Pictures)
• GUIDE:HOW TO MAKE A PANDORAS BATTERY WITHOUT A PSP WITH CFW