2009-03-14
2009-05-21

Hello, Recently a friend bought a PSP-2010 and took it to some guy to get it flashed. He told me this guy tried to use a battery (which im assuming was a Pandora) and a memory stick (which I assume was a magic memory stick) but the PSP wouldnt go past a black screen when turned on. Some people mistake Pandora’s Battery for the JigKick Battery, but Pandora’s Battery is both the Magic Memory Stick and the JigKick Battery. The Memory Stick and battery can then be used to downgrade any PSP of any version or to recover from a brick. A battery can be converted to JigKick via hardware or software methods (see below).

Check out this video tutorial to see how to make a Pandora battery for your Sony PSP. You will need this tool with a magic memory stick to downgrade or unbrick a PSP. This tutorial is only about getting the battery open, so don't expect any more than that. Just be careful not to short-circuit the portable Playstation device, or you might get mad. This is only referring to the Jig-Kick battery.

To run GNU FreeDink on PSP, you need to disable the 'tivoization'that restrict you from running your programs on your hardware.

What is tivoization?

This means that your computer doesn't let you run the applicationsyou want. In this case, a PSP only runs programs that are signed(digitally) by Sony, so it won't let you run FreeDink.

Links:

• Tivoisation explained- implementation and harms - a good introduction
• What istivoization? How does GPLv3 prevent it? - the GPLv3 is thesoftware license used by GNU FreeDink
• A movie aboutTrusted Computing (subfr) - watch this video about another form ofhardware control called 'treacherous computing' [1]
• Other links at gnu.org and fsf.org: [1] [2]

The goal of this page is to unlock your PSP.

A program that is not signed is nicknamed 'homebrew'. The defaultsystem from Sony (that cannot run homebrews) is called 'originalfirmware' or 'ofw'. The system that can run homebrews is called'custom firmware' or 'cfw'.

Disabling tivoization is possible on:

• PlayStation Portable 1000 'Fat'
• PlayStation Portable 2000 'Slim&Lite'
• PlayStation Portable 3000 'Brit' (since May 2009, semi-unlock only)

Psp Pandora Battery And Magic Memory Stick Download For Pc

For this you can either:

• Use a Pandora Battery: all PSPs
• Use a trick on the original PSP Fat systems
• Use a temporary semi-unlocker aka HEN that works until you reboot

The reference documentation is http://alek.dark-alex.org/pspwiki/.

Solution 1: Pandora Battery

A Pandora Battery consists of:

• a battery with a serial number set to 0xffffffff(JigKick)
• and a bootable memory stick (Magick Memory Stick)

When a PSP is turned on with a battery (no sector), and when thebattery's serial number is 0xffffffff, then it boots on the memorystick. This is similar to booting from a CD-ROM instead of thehard-disk on a PC.

JigKick

This battery can be bought, under the name PandoraTool. For example Datel sells such a battery, color red, underthe name 'Tool, service mode battery', at the price of a classic PSPbattery.

Alternatively, you can reset the serial number of yournormal battery. For this, you need a friend who is alreadyrunning custom firmware on her PSP. You then run a program such as'HellCat's Pandora Installer'; in its menu:

• Battery Options > dump battery serial to file: to save the serial, so you can restore it later
• Battery Options > make battery Pandora: to set the serial to 0xffffffff

If you turn on your PSP while using this battery, you'll be able toboot on a memory card - see below how to prepare it.

There is a limitation: this doesn't work on very recentbatteries. In addition, recent PSP S&L (technically: with amotherboard newer than TA-085-v2) cannot modify the battery serial.Note that all S&L still boot on a Pandora Battery, it'sjust that some cannot create a JigKick. You can check yourmotherboard version using HellCat's Pandora Installer.

Battery versions: you can use a Fat battery in a PSP Slim, but youcan't use a Slim battery in a PSP Fat. Both batteries' serial can bereset.

Magic Memory Stick

This is a normal memory card that you make bootable by installingan executable boot sector near the beginning.

Installing a prepared image

If you are running GNU/Linux, the most simple to download thememory stick image I prepared and burn it to your memory stick (1GBminimum). Download it here (50MB): magicstick.img.tar.gz.

Here is a very detailed installation process:

1. Backup your memory stick, as we'll erase it
2. Connect your PSP to your computer using a standard USB cable
3. Pass the PSP in USB mode: Settings > USB Connection
4. Note the name of your PSP drive (such as /dev/sdb). You can type:after you plugged the USB cable.
5. Unmount the PSP drive in your computer
6. Decompress the archive in your home directory:
7. Type in a terminal, replacing /dev/sdb with what you found in 4.

After 5-10 minutes, the image is copied: it has a bootable sector andcan be used with the JigKick. Put it off the PSP and insert it backso it detects the memory stick changed. You now can put your filesback on it.

You can also look for installers that work from ms windows, such as'Rain's UltraLite MMS Maker' or 'PSP Pandora Deluxe'.

Preparing the card manually

Alternatively, you can create the memory stick manually (cf. thisFrench tutorial):

• Install HellCat's Pandora Installer R4b (post byHellCat):
• Run it from Game > Memory Stick > Pandora Installer for 3.xx+ -R4b-
• In the menu, choose MemStick and MS-IPL Options > Repartition and format MemStick (DESTRUCTIVE!) (this gives more space to boot sector)
• Install 'Despertar del cementerio v8' to PSP/GAME/dc8 (cf. dark-alex.org)
• Install 500.PBP (from http://alek.dark-alex.org/pspwiki/index.php/Official_Firmware or http://www.psp-hacks.com/category/36) to the root / of your memory stick.
• Run DC8 from Game > Memory Stick > Despertar del cementerio v8

Use it

• Turn off your PSP
• Unplug the electrical outlet
• Insert your Magic Memory Stick
• Install your JigKick battery

At this point, the PSP boots on the Magic Memory Stick, and offeryour to install the custom firmware (Install 5.00 M33).

Solution 2: Tricks

Psp Pandora Battery And Magic Memory Stick Download App

If you don't have a Pandora Battery, some tricks can be used toupgrade to custom firmware. I didn't try first hand, so I'll just notethe general principle here.

• The original 1.5 firmware for PSP Fat can be told to run ahomebrew. It works out-of-the-box.
• In later versions, the initial verification can be bypassed byusing an upgrade (using a vulnerability in the Tiff library).
• In later versions it is also possible to bypass the initialverification by using special savegames for some games. This isgenerally a buffer overflow technique.

Solution 3: HEN

The latest HEN, or semi-unlocker, which works on all PSPs includingmodel 3000, iscalled ChickHEN.

Without it, when you try to run FreeDink, the PSP says 'This gamecannot be started. The data is corrupted' (which is a lie).

To install ChickHEN:

• Upgrade to firmware 5.03. (If you installed 5.50, that's bad luck,you need to downgrade (PSP1&2, see Pandora Battery above) or you're stuck(PSP3))
  • Download the 5.03 firmware from Dark Alex's page
  • Put 503.PBP in ms0:/PSP/GAME/UPDATE/EBOOT.PBP (precisely)
  • On your PSP, go to 'Game > Memory Stick' and run 'PSP^TM Update ver 5.03'
• Download ChickHENR2 (not a previous version, they don't work fine yet) from thelink above
• Copy h.bin to the root of your memory stick (i.e. not in a subdirectory)
• Copy slim the ChickHEN/ directoryin PSP/PHOTO/ on your memory stick. For example you willget ms0:/PSP/PHOTO/ChickHEN/slim.tiff
• Go to 'Photo > Memory Stick', then in the 'ChickHEN' directory
  
• The PSP will attempt to read all pictures. Don't touch any button. The last image is special and will run ChickHEN
• The screen flashes and the PSP reboots, now your system information will show '5.03 ChickHEN R2'
• You now can run FreeDink from 'Games > Memory Stick'. Note that,since this is only a semi-unlock, you can't use the latest front-end,which needs a small kernel module (kernel modules need fullunlock). You still can run stand-alone FreeDink alright.
  

Other tools

Open Source Pandora Battery tool

Copyleft

How to create a magic stick

Step 1: Extract the .ZIP file. Download

it here.
Step 2:Insert the memory stick that you want to turn into a 'magic
memory stick.' Back up the contents of the stick to your computer.
Step 3: Use the built-in format tool (in the PSP System Settings
menu) to reformat your memory stick.
Step 4:Connect your PSP in USB mode.
Step 5: Open a command prompt (Start -> Run -> cmd)
Step 6: In the command prompt, switch into the 'mspformat' folder
you extracted in step 1... wherever you put it.
Step 7:

Magic Memory Stick Creator

Type 'mspformat X' where X is the drive of your PSP. Do not
include the colon. For example, my PSP is connected at O:, so I type
'mspformat O'.

You should see a prompt like this:

>>> C:psppandoramspformat>mspformat.exe O
>>> You are about to format the drive O.
>>> All data will be lost. Do you want to continue? [Y]

Type 'y'.

>>> y

and you should see

>>> Drive succesfully formatted, and partition moved.

Step 8: Disconnect from USB mode, then remove and re-insert your
memory stick. Reconnect in USB mode.
Step 9: On your memory stick, make sure that you have folders
named GAME and GAME150 in a folder named PSP. If you don't have
them, make them.
Step 10: Copy the two folders from 'battery' into GAME (for 1.50) or
GAME150 (for custom firmware). The folders should be named 'pandora_battery' and 'pandora_battery%', so they should be
PSPGAMEpandora_battery and PSPGAMEpandora_battery% (or
PSPGAME150pandora_battery and PSPGAME150pandora_battery%).
Step 11: Disconnect from USB mode, insert the battery you wish to
use as your unbricker, and run 'Pandora's Battery Creator' from the
Memory Stick section of the GAME menu.
Step 12: ***OPTIONAL - SEE NOTE *** Press Triangle to back up the
contents of your battery's flash into a file on you memory stick. The
program will automatically exit. Run 'Pandora's Battery Creator' one
more time. *Note:* This step is REQUIRED if you want to make this a
normal battery again; otherwise it's optional.
Step 13: Press X to turn your battery into an unbricking battery (a
Service Mode battery). The program will automatically exit.
Step 14: Connect in USB mode.
Step 15: Copy the Firmware 1.50 update file onto the root of your
memory stick; it should be the same place as your 'PSP' folder.
Rename it to 'UPDATE.PBP'.
Step 16: The extracted folder 'installer' contains two folders. Copy
both of these into the same place you copied 'pandora_battery'.
Step 17: Disconnect from USB mode and run 'Pandora's Battery Firm.
Installer' from the Memory Stick section of the GAME menu.
Step 18: Press X to unpack the 1.50 firmware files into their proper
place on your memory stick. The program will automatically exit. If
this step fails, go back into USB mode and rename 'UPDATE.PBP' to
just 'UPDATE', then try again.
Step 19: Connect in USB mode. Look in the root of your memory stick
(where you have the PSP folder and the UPDATE.PBP file). There
should be a file named 'msipl.bin'.
Step 20: Copy 'msipl.bin' into the folder called 'msinst' that was
extracted from the ZIP file.
Step 21: In the Command Prompt, switch into the 'msinst' folder...
wherever you put it.
Step 22: Type 'msinst X msipl.bin' where X is the drive of your PSP.
Do not include the colon. For example, my PSP is connected at O:, so I
type 'msinst O msipl.bin'.
You should see a prompt like this. I guarantee that your stuff will be
slightly different; it depends on how your computer is set up, what
sort of memory stick you have, and so on. As long as you get the 'Are
You Sure? [Y]' prompt, you know that the msipl.bin file is OK.

Psp Pandora Battery And Magic Memory Stick Download For Windows 10

>>> C:psppandoramsinst>msinst O msipl.bin
>>> PSP MS IPL Installer
>>> Load IPL code msipl.bin
>>> 241664 bytes(59 block) readed
>>>
>>> Target DRIVE is 7
>>> Check partation Sector
>>> boot status 0x80
>>> start head 0x05
>>> start sec/cyl 0x0004
>>> partation type 0x06
>>> last head 0x0F
>>> last sec/cyl 0xB7E0
>>> abs sector 0x00000810
>>> ttl sector 0x000767F0
>>> signature 0xAA55
>>> Check BPB Sector
>>> signature AA55
>>> Check free reserved sector:OK
>>> Write ABS Sector 0x10 to 0x1E7
>>> Are You Sure ?[Y]

Type 'y'.

>>> y

and you should see

>>> Write MS BOOT CODE

That means that you now have a 'magic' memory stick.
You're all set!

Magic Memory Stick Maker

To unbrick a bricked PSP:

Step 1. With a working PSP or memory stick reader, copy the firmware 1.50
update file into the root of the 'magic' memory stick, namd
UPDATE.PBP, just like in step 15 above.
Step 2. Insert the 'magic' memory stick.
Step 3. Insert the unbricker battery. Your wifi, memory stick, and power
lights should all turn on temporarily, and a menu should appear.
Step 4. Press X. After it checks the update file, you should get another
menu.
Step 5. Press X to write Firmware 1.50 onto the PSP