How to Your Custom Firmware MOD Your PSP

In this instructable I will show you how to create a pandora battery, magic memory stick and, the installation process! I will also show you how to convert your Pandora battery back to a normal battery! Video Included !

Materials:
-First of all your going to need a PSP (I am using a slim)
-A SONY battery (other brands dont function the same way)
-A Memory Stick (1gb -4gb)
-Tape
- 7-ZIP (YAY Open Source) ...... or winrar....
-Iced Tea ?

Tools:
-Utility Knife
-Pencil

Ok lets get started ! First you need a couple of files. Rains MMS Maker , And a 5.00.pbp (A SONY Update File). First We Must extract both Folders,Then Rename the EBOOT.pbp to 500.pbp and place it in the Rains MMS Folder.

Connect your psp via USB to Your PC !
Okay Now Open Up RAINS MMS, Select Your PSP's drive letter, Then Check off the FORMAT option , and if you want to backup you data Check the BACKUP box as well !

CREATE MMS

WAIT....

You Have 2 Options Softmod (safest/ easiest) or Hardmod (Time Consuming)
Step 3 is a Hardmod, Cutting open your battery and splicing a connection.
Step 4 is a Softmod, Using software on another modded PSP to make a Pandora battery

This step is "SLIM" Specific, And we can make your battery normal after !!
1 With your utility knife cut the crease in the plastic, Please don't puncture the lithium cell inside !!!. This may take 30-60 minutes.

2 Now that your inside locate the connection we need to cut ! its probably under a number mine was 19

3 Cut the connection as shown in the picture. (Don't worry we can make your battery normal after)

4 Place everything back together, and tape firmly tape it down!

5 You should have a SLIM Pandora battery

(DO NOT PUT IT IN A PHAT PSP IT WILL RUIN YOUR BATTERY)

Softmod (Slim/Phat)
Here's the catch on the softmod, you have to know someone with a PSP thats already moded !
Simply download UltraPandoraInstaller Put the files in the PSP Game Folder, Start the app on the modified PSP, Then go to battery options>Make Battery Pandora ! You now have a PANDORA battery !

(Once Again DO NOT PUT A SLIM BATTERY IN A PHAT PSP)

Simply cut the tape, and using a pencil generously score lead into the crease you cut , Tape it back together and EUREKA !

Note If you don't hold the "L" button on boot it will automatically start your PSP in normal mode !

The installing process...

Well on your freshly modded PSP the first thing you should do is format your memory stick (with the psp). Then plug it into the computer and you should see some new folders:

ISO - This is where you put your OWN PERFECTLY LEGAL NOT DOWNLOADED GAMES ;)
seplugins - This is the plugins folder, I will explain more of this in the next step.
PSP>GAME4/5XX - This is where you put your Homebrew apps for your firmware !
PSP>GAME150 - This is where homebrew apps for 1.50 firmware goes

Homebrew:
Hombrew is a fancy word for "PSP Applications." (Yes I know it sounds like homemade coffee) Anyways with homebrew you can control your computer, use your PSP as a second monitor, use common IM clients, check your email, run emulators, you can run linux and windows 95 ( and mac ) with homebrew ! The list could go on for a couple of steps!

This is QJ.net They have lots of homebrew for many consoles. I encourage you to find an app at QJ or PSP-HACKS and come back, then I will show you how to install an app.

Now that you have found an app (and I have refilled my glass of iced tea :)) You need to extract the .rar or .zip archive. Then dig around and check out the readme (its way easier if you learn the controls firest !) after that we have to copy the directory containing EBOOT.PBP and a bunch of other files to our memory stick in the X:>PSP>GAME directory !

Now test out your homebrew app ! If you have any problems ASK in the COMMENTS then other people can learn from your problem or mistake !

NOTE: Some apps only work on the Phat, some only on the slim, and sometime they don't work at all !

Plugins are used to add functionality to the psp, they can flip the screen over, play YOUR music during games/web browsing, take screen shots.... once again I could make a LONG list.

Plugins come with the .prx extension, there are three different places to use plugins VSH (XMB), in GAME, and POPS (this is for playing ps1).

For example if you wanted to listen to music durring a game you would:
Download the plugin from QJ
Extract the file
Copy music.prx to the seplugins directory
Open or create a text file called GAME.txt
Inside GAME.txt you would put "ms0:/seplugins/music.prx"
Now with your memory card inserted completly shutdown your psp (hold the power switch for 7 seconds or remove the battery and put it back in (make sure its not still pandora))
Then turn it on while holding the "R" trigger this will take you to recovery mode.
Go to >PLUGINS and make sure music.prx is (enabled)
Then go back>EXIT and you will be at your XMB. Now if you launch a game or hombrew, and press the correct button combination (mentioned in the readme) you will here music !

Plugins for XMB are listed in VSH.txt
Plugins for PSone are listed in POPS.txt
Plugins for GAME are to be listed in GAME.txt

You can have a MAX of 5 plugins in each category and a MAX of 7 in total !
Plugins for the web browser are to be used in VSH.txt

This step explains the difference between UMD image formats, and PSP executables. First of all PSP software is either downloaded from PSNetwork or On a UMD format disc.

UMDs are simply mini DVDs in a plastic case, they can store 1.6GB of data and are non-rewriteable. So they can be ripped in .ISO format. But there is more than Just .isos there is also .csos and .dax and .jso
The difference is:

.ISO - The largest size, with the fastest loading speed, With almost NEVER any problems in the game.
.CSO - A Mid size with slightly slower loading speed (its unnoticeable) I have experienced one issue with a grand theft auto game.
.DAX - The smallest size, It is still supported but rather obsolette
.JSO - Once again a small size, but format has is no longer supported.

.CSO is the standered.

To play .isos

You can download games for free at pspisoz.com or pspiso.com however you are only downloading games that you own and have the UMD disc for. right ?

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU DO WHEN IT COMES TO DOWNLOADING GAMES WHICH YOU DO NOT OWN OR SELL AND KEEP THE ISO.

There are several different kinds of firmwares, including M33 which I showed you how to install in this instruct able as well as, GEN, OE, LE, HX,OMEGA, Theres more but theres only a few I want to talk about.

5.00 M33-4 - Is developed by the most popular PSP Hacker of all time (so far). It is the most common and it has support for the most available hombrew, and plugins. I Recomend this for NOOBS

5.02 GEN-A - The second most common firmware, it is a reconstructed M33 firmware, but its designed for more advanced users. It has support for everything except the CXMB plugin (there is a way to use CXMB on 5.02 however it is very complicated). It also has a built in feature to softmod pandora batteries! This is the firmware I Use, simply because it is the latest and greatest

5.02 OMEGA - This firmware isn't the most popular and its very buggy with homebrew, If you like playing your old PS1 games this firmware is "supposed" to have good support for that. (However didn't work for my PS1 games)

5.02 XFC - This firmware is once again a recompiled M33 firmware, It DOSENT support .iso or .cso playing. So if you want to use homebrew and not look like a pirate. This firmware is good for you.

M33 is the best for noobs, so unless your battery is PANDORA don't mess around with other firmwares !

Can I Put a Slim Battery in a PHAT Psp ?
NO

Can I Put a Phat battery in a SLIM PSP
Yes

Can all PSP's be modded ?
NO, All Phat PSPs can be moded(1000series), The Newest Slims (2000 series) CAN'T be moded and neither Can the PSP BRITE (3000 series) !

What happens if I put a pandora battery in an unmodifiable PSP ?
Nothing, (New slims do show a light)