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Tutorial: How to unbrick your PSP via Pandora Battery

Posted Aug 24, 2007 at 12:06AM by Jerico G. Listed in: PSP Tags: memory stick, FreePlay, Custom Firmware, SEC, Noobz

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We know you're all still dazzled with the monumental development from homebrew heroes (and now PSP unit saviors) Noobz, Team C+D, and the rest of the minds behind the Prometheus project and Pandora Battery unbricker for PSP. The whole process is simple enough, and the good developers got all bases covered, even instructions on installation.

However, as with any community, it's expected that a flock of total beginners are bound to hear about this. It's not hard to imagine how difficult it'll be for them to understand even some of the simpler things (at least for all of us) homebrew-related mentioned in the process. Of course we just can't let them try to figure things out on their own, it's a good thing there are guys like Freeplay who are willing to extend a helping hand to those who need assistance.

What we have here is a very detailed step-by-step procedure aimed at PSP newbies. Freeplay's got everthing down pat, every single action you need to create a jigstick battery, a magic memory stick, and the actual unbricking process. What's really great about this guide, is it's from someone who created the tutorial on the same time he's doing the whole process himself. It's plucked right from the heart of the PSP community.

Thanks to Spikertk for sending this in!

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: 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.

>>> 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!

To unbrick a bricked PSP (this part's a lot easier, I promise):

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.
2. Insert the "magic" memory stick.
3. Insert the unbricker battery. Your wifi, memory stick, and power lights should all turn on temporarily, and a menu should appear.
4. Press X. After it checks the update file, you should get another menu.
5. Press X to write Firmware 1.50 onto the PSP.

Visit: [Guide] Unbrick or Downgrade any PSP using the Pandora Battery

Buy: [Sony PSP Battery Pack] Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Digg It!

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103 Comments

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by YAY (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Thanks

Thanks, this will help alot. ;)

Re: Suck (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Suck

U all sux

Re: pancracio (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» mspformat is driving me crazy!!!

The seventh step is driving me crazy, when I do mspformat to the MS it returns ALWAYS an error.

Depending on how I do, it returns "open read (error)" or "write error".

I have vista, but I know people who made it in vista without any trouble. But I tried again on my XP laptop but it returns to me: "Logical drive has more than a physical drive. Cannot handle it."

My MS is pro duo and it's sandisk original, so it should work.

I need help on this step, I have slept 2 hours this night trying to solve that, but I'm near to giving up...

Re: Zefrem23 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Universal Downgrader?

So is this battery method a way to downgrade even latest-firmware PSPs? If we can brick it, we can downgrade it - is that that way it works?

Re: coolguy5678 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» replies

It works on any PSP, even if it isn't bricked.

I don't think mspformat works on vista. You'll have to find an XP computer.

Re: pancracio (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» nopes

I tried on vista and on XP as you can read in my previous message, and I could not do it.

Moreover, I know people who made it in vista without problems.

Re: Dman (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» no

You need to have CFW installed in order to create the magic stick and jig bat. So you can't downgrade a PSP on OFW unless you already have created the jig bat. and magic stick with a PSP that was on CFW.

Re: wind (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» downgrade?

does this mean you can brick a firmware 3.51 PSP and use the unbrick to downgrade it to 1.5?
does this mean that you can downgrade any firmware from now on if there's a "brick the PSP" program with a unbrick battery?

Re: Advertising -

Re: ... (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» ...

i have the same prob with vista..
and just as a note the guide was stolen from
http://f6y.ath.cx/pspdev/PandoraGuide.html

and not made by freeplay...

Re: Dave (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Re:downgrade

you dont need to brick it as long as you have access to a 1.5 psp or a cfw psp to make the jigkick and memstick as soon as you use the memstick and jigkick it will flash you to 1.50.

p.s. pancracio is your memstick magicgate supported or not? might be your memstick is corrupt.

Re: AmeriCanSIN (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Try XP instead of Vista

At first I was trying to use the mspformat on Vista and I got the same error as you so I decided to use my dads pc which had xp and everything worked out great and now my psp is unbricked. :)

Re: ... (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» ..

man i cant get hold of a xp todai.. il need to go to my freinds house..

wish they make a GUI for this like they did for the ps1 game to psp eboot converter.. that would be nice :D

Re: monkeyman (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» You need Help

if you can't figure out how to use these programs then you might want to get someone to do it for you... Or buy it on ebay!!! Is your psp making you computer savvy, or driving you crazy?

Re: logfairy (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» » mspformat is driving me crazy too

I have the same problem as pancracio

Re: @ monkeyman.. (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» ...

i noe wht im doing.. im not new to flash at all... itz the dos thtz giving me tha problem.. becus vista's DOS is being an a.s.s so i keep gettin open read (error)... a gui might solve this prob for vista users that can't get hold of a XP comp..

Re: hmm (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» u guys are going down in the history books for this one...

i just wish u waited another month before releasing this...Now sony might find a solution for the psp slim...

btw, someone settle this once and for all.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONVERT A MAGIC BAATTERY INTO A NORMAL ONE??

by ... (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» I wonder...

I wonder if this works with the 2200mAH batteries.. oh well looks like I'll be buying one anyways so I can convert my old batt to pandora ;D btw be careful not to buy this expensive battery wtf???

http://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/index.html/102-8114160-5911305?ie=UTF8&sellerID=A1NIGLK1X2PBO3

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» ...

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Re: Snarg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25

» .

I read that, and I wasn't excited.
Can you go commit hari kari now?

by mr toasty (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» hurray!

Great job!

by natedawg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» ahhh

i got down to the last step(22) and i get an error saying it cant read the msipl.bin
help???

Re: zoogderrick2 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» re: ahhh

copy msipl.bin to the same folder as msinst.exe

Re: natedawg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» ahahah

ya i did that, but i watched the video and the guy got the same error. he just put msinst after the drive and before msipl.bin
so somethin like this
>>msinstmsinst.exe i msinstmsipl.bin
thx though

Re: chipeytwo (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» ahhhhhhhhhhh

i got the same problem and it's *****ING PISSING ME OFF did u get it to work yet

by Glocky (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Some vital information

Guys, when it says switch into the folder you must change your current directory to that folder by using the "cd" command. so for example if your pandora folder is extracted in C: then you must put: cd C://pandora/
and then after that you must put in either /mspformat or /msinst.

by Morlok8k (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Gah...

a great day to leave my PSP at work...

by KingKwanLee (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» wow

is there anyway i could do this with a 3.50 psp?

Re: Advertising -

Re: FreePlay (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» If you can run homebrew on it...

Can you downgrade it? If so, do that, *then* you can do this.

Re: natedawg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» not exactly

but you need the already prepared battery and memory stick. so u need some one to do all of this for you and you just put the battery and memory stick in. so i gues no? unless u have get help from a hombrew enable psp

by Jasper (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» wow

This is simply amazing...i remember months bakc when a rumor about such a battery was floating around..no one took it seriuce...haha but I had a feeling it was a very practial way sony could have complete recovery access to psp's.

:)

Re: serious (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» serious

serious

by EVILKARLOS82 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» THIS IS NOT HELPING

THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR PSP'S LOVERS LIKE ME , BUT EVERYTIME I'D TRIED TO INSTALL THIS THING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE , I FOLLOWED THE STEPS AND NOTHING , MY COMPUTER IS WINDOWS VISTA BASED , NOOBZ!! PLEASE UPDATE THE UNBRICKER SO A$$HOLES LIKE ME CAN DO THIS THING , THANK YOU.

Re: NOOB (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» RE

Start Command line as Administrator or disable UAC

Re: steve00000 (Unregistered) - 2007-09-03

» re EVILKARLOS82

I found that it didnt work vista too so I done it on XP

by Anonymous (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» On converting back the battery...

I didnt back up the battery flash, but I still managed to convert back the jig battery to normal after 2 tries with the battery creator.

Re: belinea (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» psp slim

maby this will work on an psp slim, just brick the console use a magic battery and memorystick and you have fw 1.50 on a psp slim? can this work?

Re: .. (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» ..

lol...why brick the console before. do people seriously have not the slightest clue how this works?

you don't have to have a bricked psp to do this.

Re: Marshall (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» On converting back the battery...

How you manage to convert back battery to normal.
Mine wont boot to the XMB.

Re: dave (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Re: On converting back the battery...

to convert the battery power on the psp using the power lead (leave the battery out of the psp) once psp is booted insert battery and use the battery software. the jigkick only works powering on so power on first using ac adapter.

by sony-hater (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» can you brick (on purpouse)

can you brick (on purpouse) official 3.52 firmware?

Well done devs. You have won the homebrew war between sony

Re: amj (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» brick?

I don't think so. but managed tobricked my old 2.80 psp by removing battery while updating to get new 2.71 PSP from sony dealer...

Re: come (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» on

... why does almost everyone think that he has to brick his psp before using this application?
YOU CAN USE IT EVEN IF THE PSP ISNT BRICKED

Re: Carmacan.com (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» Homebrew on 3.51

I was updateing 3.51 to 3.52,and I remove the memory stick,batery and charger-BRICKED PSP.
Then I easy unbrick and downgrade to 1.5!

Re: tay (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» why brick?

why brick ur psp just get a jig battery pack and a magic memstick . the program erases the flash so it shouldn't matter what FW u have.

Re: Gah! (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» You don't need to brick

You DON'T need to brick it first!

You can use is if your psp is not bricked!

by FreePlay (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24

» A couple notes

1. You don't need to have a bricked PSP to use the unbricker. You can use a working one, too.

2. I was wrong about needing to back up the battery's flash. I forgot that there's an option in the battery hack program that lets you return it to normal, backup or no.

by KingBK - 2007-08-24