Posted Apr 25, 2006 at 12:08PM by Pranav T Listed in: Hacks & Exploits, Mods, News
Ó

PSP


Well, it's always been a dream for PSP hackers to somehow have full control over the firmware. It's been possible indirectly using Firmware Loaders like the ones made by MPH or SXT. But it's still emulation. And the available resources for actually trying hacks are pretty slim since most of the memory is used up by the PSP's actual firmware.

Well, not any more. A guy called 0okm has been able to use an external 32MB Samsung NAND chip to boot firmware. Can't figure out what I'm saying? Well, for starters, how about being able to boot your PSP using an external source? Yep, it might just be possible. But, it comes at a big risk. So it's still one of those "Do not try this thing at home" situations for most of us.

0okm has been kind enough to provide a few pics and some technical info, including the schematics for the external NAND interface.


Multi Firmware Mod schematic


Wrapping Nand bus for external FirmwareProgram it to a Samsung 32MB NAND Flash


Here are his observations of the hack on different firmwares:

  • 1st PSP w/ FW 1.00
  • 2nd PSP w/ FW 1.00 update to 1.50
  • 3rd PSP w/ FW 2.50 Multi Firmware Mod 50% success - External FW 2.50, 2.60
  • 4th PSP w/ FW 1.51 Multi Firmware Mod 100% success - External FW 1.50, 2.50, 2.60
  • 5th PSP w/ FW 2.50 Multi Firmware Mod 50% success - External FW 2.50, 2.60
  • 6th PSP w/ FW 2.01 Multi Firmware Mod 100% success - External FW 1.50, 2.50, 2.60
If you're looking for more technical info, make your way to the ps2dev forums using the link below.

If you're overwhelmed by all this info, don't worry. In simple words, what this means is that the future of PSP hacking is looking bright. There could be hardware hacks resulting from this in the future, but right now, it's all speculative. And folks, do not even think of trying this at home.


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59 Comments


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   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25

awesome

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » me

someawe


second post

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » :)

id love to see some psp modchips :)

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » unbricker too ?

can this be used to un-brick psp's too ??

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » This won't work

Even if this guy gets this to work how many people are going to throw away their warranty just to dual boot? I mean sure we are screwing over our warranty with homebrew but as long as it doesn't brick our psp's then we can do it and Sony will never know, but this is hardware hacking. There is no way to cover this up. Good luck though, but majority of people will not benefit from this.

   by Pranav T - 2006-04-25
 » -

Well, like I said, there could be hardware hacks resulting from this in the future, but right now, it's all speculative.

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » yeaaaaa

MODCHIPS COMIN BEYOCHEZ!

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » Great

Let's see; a small NAND chip under you batery, a little button to push when you boot to 1.50 firmware, and you release the button too boot in 3.0 and play some PS1 games, let's see...then you have like 70% of consoles/handhelds available ON 14 CENTIMETERS! This is great.

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   by Rudi - 2006-04-25
 » wow

Good idea but it would have taken alot of time and alot of money, but i dont think it would have worked but then again im not that good with chips and syscals and that stuff.

Would you spend about £800 on something that you dont even no if it would work or not. Sorry to be annoying.

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » @ 6 STFU

nocomment

   by slack04 - 2006-04-25
 » i love you nerds

lets get in a heated discussion about this too, okay?

   by Ragarnok - 2006-04-25
 » .

'the hell is a 50% sucess anyway?

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » Warranty? I guess latecomers still have 'em

I bought mine the day they were released in N. America and now it is over 13 months old. No warranty anymore so no worries. It is all gravy from here. I hope this Firmware project gets consumable soon. I'd be willing to dual-boot firmwares.

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » yea baby!

bring on the mod chip!

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » ignore those idiots #5 & #6

good work man !

I will love to have that mod on my PSP

it's the only way to keep homebrew alive ( cheap too ) so far , since most homebrew users are considering of getting another PSP for the new features and games .

uhm beside there are also retards who cant do anything by themselves ,but crying so f|_|cking loud

ha ha ha , not everybody are the same lol

PS: PSPHACKS are the ones who giving bs stuff that brick your PSP , not here ,you idiots ( they have some superFirmware flying around there , you should try it instead of bs-tting here)

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » pooz

@14 When I bought my PSP (two days after the NSTC release) I bought a one year warranty. I get the Sony warranty and an extra one year warranty from Circuit City.

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » Ya ya

This is awesome. My PSP might actually be worth the money I have spent if I could switch between 1.0 and 3.0 (or whatever firmware is out)

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   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » ha..

sure... you can have one...if you can even get them across the border...lmao

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » Perfect Step Forward

This modification could provide developers a handy method to hardmodify PSPs firmwary without being afraid of bricking their device, so we all could benefit from this

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » damnn

this owns as a mawfckr

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » finally

This is the only way psp homebrew is going to survive. Thank you for your efforts and I hope you best of luck! =( i want to get my grubby hands on loco roco and that sweet flash player.

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » Yippie!!!

This could open the flood gates. It could also put the final nail in the coffin for sony. Once the process is figured out and everything gets redisgned, shrunk down, cleaned up. this could be the begginings of the psp mod chip era. customs firmware similar to ps2's toxic os. Unlocking all features for all to use. sony couldnt beat the modchip market on the ps2. and I highly doubt they will on the psp. The only thing left now is a hardware mod to add another analog stick to the other side of the psp!!

   by Mosquito - 2006-04-25
 » yeah

Modchip for PSP, I only hope they won't cost as much as PS2 ones tough...

   by §åggåR - 2006-04-25
 » my thoughts

ok, i dont know much about psp hardware/firmware and whatnot, but does it have a BIOS lieka computer? if that is possible then im sure ardware hacks are in the bag, other than that this looks very promising, like #14 my warranty is just as void as his is, *first day :)* , i will try this out if i ever learn any technical skills. but anyways keep up the hard work!!!

~NAte

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » Djhg2000

Isn't it just easier to have a socket for the flash under the battery that you can replace? In that case you'll just need another identical flash that you can replace the one in the socket with... But I can be wrong tho...

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » omg omg omg omg omg omg!!!

every JUMP THIS UP!!!! THIS IS AMAZING!!! This could lead to EASILY making cutom firmware, since all we woudl have to do is put the custom FW on that external chip, the PSP doesnt load, try fixing it! =) until we can get a custom firmware that will let you choose from 2 flash cghips and be like "FW 1.5 or Latest FW?" and then find place for the second chip inside the PSP and close it back up and BAM!!

And also, this coudl lead to the unbrickable PSP, if you brick the flash chip, load the other, and reflash ti soemthing, this is BEAUTZIFUL!!

I CANT WAIT TO SEE ADVANCEMENTS IN THSI PROJECT!!

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » Hell Yeah!

Womg, This is great!

Good luck with the future work 0okm!

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   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » jn.khl.

ok, this is great, kett it comming tothe 100% success rate

   by RaiderX - 2006-04-25
 » WOOT!!

"every JUMP THIS UP!!!! THIS IS AMAZING!!! This could lead to EASILY making cutom firmware, since all we woudl have to do is put the custom FW on that external chip, the PSP doesnt load, try fixing it! =) until we can get a custom firmware that will let you choose from 2 flash cghips and be like "FW 1.5 or Latest FW?" and then find place for the second chip inside the PSP and close it back up and BAM!!

And also, this coudl lead to the unbrickable PSP, if you brick the flash chip, load the other, and reflash ti soemthing, this is BEAUTZIFUL!!

I CANT WAIT TO SEE ADVANCEMENTS IN THSI PROJECT!!"

That was me, asnt logged in, juyst wanted to point out that Im not a coward =P

   by Anonymous Coward (Unregistered) - 2006-04-25
 » At last

i didnt quite understand the sucess rate...is it 50% of the time the FW will boot upp or is it 50% you will permanently destroy your psp? (assuming you make the mot 100% right)

And say you have FW 2.5, will you be able to boot up 1.5 or just the same or higher version?



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