[Cabe]

I made this thread to help others that are having trouble with installing Custom Firmware or just want to learn about it. These are the custom firmwares that I use. There are newer ones out there but I've never used them so perhaps someone who has could expand this a little.

Custom Firmware: What is it?
Custom Firmware are Firmwares(software,version, etc.) created by DarK_AleX that let you run 1.5 and the latest Sony Firmware at the same time.

Why?
1.5 lets you run homebrew which are games or applications created by people as extra games for your PSP. Homebrew is 99% of the time free. The other 1% is made by greedy snobs. The latest Sony Firmware is an update for your PSP that adds things such as camera or internet browser. Custom FW lets you customize your Icons and gameboot and such to your liking. such as have Wii Themed icons.



How?
The first thing you need to do is to find out the FW of your PSP right now. To do this, go to Settings>System Settings>System Information. It should say system software: *.**. That is your version. You need to downgrade to 1.5 in order to upgrade to a Custom FW. If you are above version 3.03, there is no way to install Custom Firmware. In order to downgrade for any versions 3.03 or below, follow this tutorial.

I am not going to include instructions for EVERY Custom Firmware. There are many that are just updates to others. I am going to put the latest update for each one of Sony's official update (i.e. 3.02 OE-B 3.03 OE-C)


3.02 OE-A
I take no responsibility if you do something wrong and brick your PSP.

You will need:
3.02 OE-A Installer Files
Official Sony 1.5 Update
Official Sony 3.02 Update

Instructions:
1. Copy oeupdmaker and oeupdmaker% to /PSP/GAME/ if you are using 1.50 firmware and to /PSP/GAME150 if you are using whatever version of 2.71 Se.

2. Get the 1.50 and 3.02 sony updaters in the oeupdmaker folder with the names "150.PBP" and "302.PBP".

3. Run the program. This program won't write to the flash, it will just create a file called DATA.DXAR in the
same directory (oeupdmaker).The program will verify that the SHA-1 of the generated file is correct.

4. Once that you have done this, you can save the DATA.DXAR file to skip this step in the future.

5. Copy the directories 302oeflasher and 302oeflasher% to /PSP/GAME (or /PSP/GAME150 if you are on 2.71 SE)

6. Copy the generated DATA.DXAR file at 302oeflasher directory.

7. Run the flasher. If your battery is less than 75%, the program will show the error saying that and will return to the XMB.

8. The program will continue showing an agreement. Press X to accept it and flash the custom firm, or R to cancel and exit to the XMB.

9. If you accept, the program will flash the custom firmware. DO NOT shutdown the psp and DO NOT pull out the memory stick.

10. After finished, shutdown the psp and restart manually... to 3.02 OE-A


3.02 OE-B
I take no responsibility if you do something wrong and brick your PSP.

You will need:
3.02 OE-B Installer Files

This is the Update from 3.02 OE-A to 3.02 OE-B. DO NOT try to do this if you are on 1.5.

Instructions:
1. Place the folder OEB_UPDATE inside /PSP/GAME150 and run it.


3.03 OE-C
I take no responsibility if you do something wrong and brick your PSP.

You will need:
3.03 OE-C Installer Files
Official Sony 1.5 Update
Official Sony 3.03 Update

Instructions:
1. Copy oeupdmaker and oeupdmaker% to /PSP/GAME if you are in 1.50, or to /PSP/GAME150 if you are in
2.71 SE, 3.02 OE or 3.03 OE. Copy also the 1.50 and 3.03 updaters with the names 150.PBP and 303.PBP.

2. Execute the update maker. It will generate the dxar file.

3. Copy 303oeflasher and 303oeflasher% to /PSP/GAME (1.50) or to /PSP/GAME150 (2.71 SE, 3.0X OE).

4. Copy the dxar file inside 303oeflasher.

5. Execute the flasher and follow the instructions.

[MARQO]

I got 3.50 will it work with that?

[Cabe]

At the moment there is no way to downgrade from 3.50

My advice is to hang tight and wait, someone will crack it and a downgrader will be along soon enough. I remember when I got my PSP people were talking about how the people on 2.00 were screwed because a downgrade was impossible. Give it some time and soon you'll be rocking a custom firmware with homebrew and emulators etc.

[MARQO]

yay thre is a 3.50 domngrader but it needs a game i dont have

[Cabe]

You could try pick it up second hand at your local video game store.

[MasterSteve]

Great tutorial!

[koopa]

nice tutorial....

you didn't add 3.40oe but its not that good anyway....


3.03OE-C is the best firmware around.

if you want a few more features like "conserve memory" on the browser and better ps1 compatibility go for 3.40. ( also you have have 4th brightness without ac adapter)

if you want a stable and fully customizable firmware that works with all PRXs go for 3.03OE-C

Tips for NOT bricking....

chances of bricking are 1% but if your that little bit extra paranoid here are some tips to do before hand to make it 0.000001% chance of bricking

Take UMD out
Use clean 32mb card
restore default settings
Charge 100% and keep ac adapter in
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY!

[Cabe]

Originally Posted by koopa

Tips for NOT bricking....

chances of bricking are 1% but if your that little bit extra paranoid here are some tips to do before hand to make it 0.000001% chance of bricking

Take UMD out
Use clean 32mb card
restore default settings
Charge 100% and keep ac adapter in
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY!

Good thing about the new OE's is that if you do manage to brick your PSP its possible to reflash it back to 1.50 using the recovery menu, one of my friends managed to brick his by messing with the flash to get custom icons without really knowing what he was doing so I had to go through the recovery menu and reflash it for him.

Just to let anyone who bricks there PSP know, ALL IS NOT LOST!!