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Guide to convert from OFW to CFW. EASY & Noob Friendly.

Kc Kewlz

Teh Awesomeness.
Intro
Okey dokey. you just got your psp. but you go online to download apps and it says you need something for it, Custom Firmware.


Its confusing, horrific, and frustrating to import custom firmware. so ill break it down step by step in my guide on how to install custom firmware into your psp.


First of all, i will say something. Proceed at your own risk. Installing custom firmware is void to the sony terms of use and agreement. Im not responsible if you break your psp, psp battery, or memory stick. If you disagree with this statement, not continue. If you do, good. lets move on. :smile:

NOTE : I did this on my Red god of war psp. i had a friend do it on his phat one

DOUBLE NOTE : Please follow this guide one false move can brick (Brick = Render your psp useless) your psp.

Requirements.
First of all you will need some stuff
1. A PSP. (Any kind) on sony official software.
2. A memory stick PRO duo. 1G or More.
3. A PsP battery for pandorizing. (OR Instead you can buy a datel TOOL battery for 50-60$)
4. A usb cable to connect your psp to your computer (Or a memory stick drive on your computer either way works)
5. A commitment to following this ALL the way through.

You'll need some other little stuff but ill let you know that as we go down the guide.

Got it all? good. lets move on.

Well go ahead and start with,

Magic memory stick

1. Download [Link Deleted by Acerthief] Files.
(The link is a rapidshare link. if you dont have a rapidshare subscription click Free user)

2. Be patient, it takes a while.

3. Note while downloading : youll need to make a backup of your memory stick as the program requires the formatting of it.
a. Plug in your memory stick (Or plug in your usb cable to your psp to plug it in)
b.open up the drive your psp is connected to, and open psp. then minimize the page.
c. make a folder {Right click>new>folder} in an easily accessible place. (Desktop, my document etc., etc.) name it whatever you want.
d. Open up your Real psp files and COPY (dont move) the files into that new folder you just made. that way, youll be able to keep track of any music, saves, and themes you had before this.
e.Done.

4. done yet? Good. Unzip and extract the files to a new folder preferably on desktop.
Connect your psp via usb cable. make sure your memory stick is in. open them up and hit autorun.exe (Dont mess with the other programs there not important.)

5. follow the instructions on the command prompt. (im not going to list them here because i know your not all retarded.) Except the menu that says what action to take {the one through four option menu} and hit 4 [the unbricker v3 and it should say its also a 3.71 m33 installer]

6. when thats done close it and reboot your psp. (To be safe)

7. Give yourself a pat on the back, you now have a magic memory card.

Lets go ahead and take a look at,
Pandoras Battery.

ill tell you about it first.

The battery (unpandorized) is used to power the different components of the psp system. but if tampered with, it can only power one. which is the goal of the pandora battery. to only Power the psp system, not the screen, the guts of it, just power it in general, much like pandora's box. she was told not to open it, but she did out of curiousity , when she did, she unleashed pure evil. that evil, is custom firmware.

So for the pandora battery, here are your options.
1. Go buy a pandora battery. they range from about 15-40 bucks. but they take away the risk of accidentally bricking your psp. they are a SEPRATE battery. here are the purchasing links.
For Fat psp : click this link
For slim psp: click this link

2. Hardmod your psp battery.
note:this involves cutting wires, dismantling your battery and using sharp objects. its a very delicate and difficult process.

Im goin out on a limb here. im giving you guys something that other guides dont even recommend. A guide on how to make your own pandoras battery. ill do fat batterys first.

NOTE: Some of sonys newer batterys cant be pandorized.

PHAT/FAT Psp battery hardmodding and restoring.

Note : Its harder to do than the slim psp. if you own a fat, i strongly reccomend buying a datel instead of hardmodding.

1. Youll need a razor, a screwdriver {Flathead}, a roll of scotch or electrical tape, and a regular number 2 pencil. and a soutering iron [i cant spell soutering].

2. Get your screwdriver and pick up your battery. (you might need your razor for this. i dont reccomend that.) wedge it in between the tiny indent or line on the side of the battery.

3 keep on doing that until the cover pops off. inside youll be looking at a huge motherboard/Circuit board. look for the huge black chip and look for the smaller on near it. it should have 4 connecting pins on each side. LOOK for it dont cut it yet.
(Heres a picture of where to cut. indicated in red.)
dscf2043.jpg


4. get the iron up to heat. when it is, wedge the tip of the razor in the side carefully so that it covers the other pins. and apply jut a LITTLE bit of heat to the pin, with the tip of the iron. PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO TOUCH ONLY THE PIN AND NOT THE BOARD OR THE CHIP. and when its flexible, remove the pin with the razor. and wash it under the sink before throwing away as it can start a fire in your trashcan. let the battery cool before restoring, using, Or taping your brand new pandora.

5. put your battery in your psp once cooled. if you get the green power light and a black screen, youve successfully created a pandora battery.

Restoration

1. AFTER you have finished installing all this CFW (Custom Firmware) you will need to restore your battery if you want to play your games again.

2. open your battery up again and find the roots of where your pin used to be.

3. As silly as this sounds, Connect the roots of the pin with your pencil. (draw it in hacker/artist) get lot of graphite or lead in between the port on the chip and the port on the board. what this does is, uses the graphite or lead {both types of metal dust} to conduct the previous root that your pin did! isnt life so simple?

4. close it up and give it a try {put it in your psp and turn it on} if its restored, congratulations. pull it out and tape it closed. (dont go crazy with the tape or the battery wont fit back in) if not, open it up again and put some more lead in between. if for any reason it needs to be a pandora again, just open it back up and erase the marks. and restore it the same way you did the first time.

5. Done.


Slim psp battery hardmodding and restoring

1. youll need a screwdriver {flathead}, a razor, hobby knife, or an exacto-knife.
some scotch or electrical tape, and a number 2 pencil, and of course a psp slim battery.

2. take your screwdriver and your battery, and wedge the screwdrivers edge in between the small indent running around the side of the battery. push the tops up but be careful around the battery terminal, its delicate.

3. once open, unfold the motherboard/Cuircutboard dont bend it too much or that little peice of metal will break off and render your battery useless. it should look like this when unfolded.
6xg7nfk.jpg


4. this is the hard part. look for the big balck chip in the middle you cant miss it, we will refer to it as chip A. a ways up is a smaller chip, now known as chip B. in this picture. the chip with four pins is chip B. here,

tracecut.jpg


5. Cut the indicated copper trace shown it the picture, with your sharp object, its metal, you can cut hard, just dont slice the board.

6. When its cut, close up the battery and pop it in the psp. if you get a power light (steady)
and a black screen, youve got a pandora battery.


Restoration

1. AFTER installing the CFW {Custom Firmware} open up your battery and look for your cut.

2. grab your pencil. (It sounds stupid) and draw the connection between the ends of the copper trace. The graphite in the pencil will reconduct the electrical current.

3. close the battery up and pop it in. if you get the sony screen. pop it back out, and tape it closed this time. dont go crazy with it though. or it wont fit back in. if you get pandora again, open it up and get some more lead in the cut.
NOTE: if you ever need to get it pandorized again for whatever reason, just erase the marks.

5. Done.

Installation

All right. your almost there. i assume you have your hardmodded/datel battery charged and ready, and your psp is off.

stick your "Magic" memory stick into your psp with out the battery. then stick your HMMD/Datel battery in [ it should turn on automatically ] and if done correctly you should get a prompt-like menu. hit x and it will install your CFW. when thats done, turn off your psp and restore your battery. stick it in your psp. and when it start loading the main psp menu its SUPPOSED to freeze. so turn the psp off. while off, hold down the R button. while holding it, turn your psp on. keep holding it until the recovery menu pops up.
hit advanced>Format flash0 and reset settings. after that, Reboot if it dosent do it for you, and start it up.

CONGRATULATIONS! you have just installed 3.71 M33-2 on your psp!

Well if this all worked out I'd like to give you my...

Parting Words

*3.71 M33-2 Is after all an old version of firmware. but, it allows installing different firmware without the pandora battery and Magic memory stick, Just from the game menu!

*To use CFW apps, connect your psp open its drive and open PSP folder and make a GAME150 Folder. (it has to be all caps) and lace the apps in there.

*If you notice any problem from a grammatical error to a dead link please let me know (asobwhore@windstream.net) so i can update for members.

*I created this guide because there wasnt a good guide for me when i was installing. if you know someone that is struggling with installing CFW please tell them about this guide.

*Bricked means broken. you dont want that.

*please dont spam my Email or posts.

*My Psp is currently Version 4.01 M33-2, God of War Edition Red with custom kratos tag on the back and used a hardmodded battery and a 2g sandisk memory card for installation.

*For any reccomendations for the guide let me know.

*Remember, You dont HAVE to have CFW you can have OFW and still live with it. would you rather have An OFW psp or Bricked CFW psp?

*Like i said, its your problem if its bricked not mine. ive never bricked mine so i have no i idea what to do if you do.

*Enjoy your new 3.71 M33-2 Psp. and remember that its all for fun right. its all about your entertainment.

*Bye guys. Contact me at Asobwhore@windstream.net or send me a message via this website.

*w00t Domo-kun!
 
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