Hacking the PSP: What Firmware Do I Have?

[zomg!]

OK last episode, I gave a very brief intro for PSP hacking basically just letting you know what the PSP is capable of. Well now Its time to see if we can actually DO anything with it.

The first step is turning on your PSP, if you are unable to do this because of losing beer pong or you quite simply are just retarded, please have someone else do this for you.

Next Navigate to the Settings Bar, then browse to System Settings and press X

Scroll all the way down to the bottom, second option from the bottom is System Information, Press X.

Read what System Software says, Mine says "3.03 OE-A'" because I'm uber leet.

At this point I hope you are not reading any of the following versions:

2.80
2.81
3.00
3.01
3.02
3.03

The above listed Software versions are blacklisted from being modified b/c we do not have kernl access due to encryption and in some cases, physical hardware design.

However if you see something like 2.x (where x < 8) or if you even more lucky to have a 1.x system, you are going to have some fun!

Aside from knowing which software you have, you will need to leap one more hurdle, knowing which hardware design revision you're working with. At one point Sony modified the actual motherboard of the PSP. There's basically just one thing you're going to want to know. Turn off you PSP and open the UMD slot. Look inside with a light pen or in a well light room. Look for the Green breadboard that is the motherboard everything is attached to. Now look at the top right hand corner for some silk screening. What is written there should appear upside down. Does it say "IC1003" ?? If it does it just means you will have to do a little more work to get your PSP modded. This is one of more recent motherboard designs called a "TA-82". If you see anything else there you should be ready to go!

Well that's about it for this lesson, believe me when I say its very important for you to know which PSP you have. My next Lesson will cover your first downgrade!!! and if you don't know this material you might "brick" your PSP, turning it into a $199 paper weight.

Thanks, Stay Tuned!