(Why this guide? There are a few tutorials walking you through how to create a Pandora's battery and magic memory stick, but none of them actually tell you much about it. I've just had to type this out in the news thread, so I'm going to copy it here and expand it so that newbies can be linked to it where necessary)
Everything you need to know about Pandora
This guide will give you the knowledge necessary to downgrade or unbrick any PSP.
What is Pandora?
Pandora is the universal way to downgrade or unbrick a PSP with any firmware version. It's based on Sony's own unbricking procedures. Some very talented people worked very hard to reverse engineer Sony's procedures to provide YOU a free and easy method to downgrade and unbrick your PSP.
It consists of a modified battery and a memory stick.
To read all about it in the words of some of the people who created it, and download the tools necessary, read the following link:
The readme included with the download includes easy to follow instructions for using the tools. It requires no soldering. All it requires:
1. a homebrew capable PSP*,
2. a machine running Windows 2000, XP or Vista,
3. an official sony "fat" battery (ie. not the one shipped with the slim),
4. A memory stick pro duo that's larger than 32MB and smaller than 8GB. A 512MB is ideal,
5. a copy of the Sony v1.5 firmware updater
* Why do you need a homebrew capable PSP? Because you need to create the files necessary to make the memory stick, which will end up containing Sony copyright code, so distributing an already created one is illegal.
If you don't have or have access to a homebrew capable PSP, this page:
has links to pages where you can find a volunteer who will help you.
Why can't I just buy one?
The battery is only half the equation. You also need the memory stick, and for the reasons I stated above, it's illegal to sell or distribute it. Plus, it's MUCH cheaper to create one yourself.
(I believe those are affiliate links - so if you buy the battery through them you will be putting a small amount of wonga in the pockets of those responsible for this breakthrough)
In the UK you can purchase decent compatible memory sticks via www.picstop.co.uk. Other retaillers also sell them, but these are the cheapest I know of, I have personally bought from this site, and it was reliable for me.
The Sony firmware file can be downloaded from various locations on the web. One of the places where it can be reliably found is on dl.qj.net
(don't worry about the North America bit, this update will work for all PSPs)
And?
If you have an original (fat) PSP, then that's it. Download the files, follow the readme, and you will have a pandora's battery and magic memory stick.
To use it, first power off your PSP. Make sure the magic memory stick is inserted in the PSP. Insert the battery and power on. If all is well the PSP will boot to the Pandora menu. Just follow the instructions.
If you have a PSP Slim (or if you want to go straight to 3.71M33 custom firmware), you'll need to read on a little further. Since the PSP Slim doesn't support Sony's v1.5 firmware, you need to use a different version of the memory stick tool.
Download it from here. The link is in Spanish, but the readme included in the archive is in English.
You follow the instructions as for the original PSP, until you have formatted the stick using the msipl tool. Then follow the instructions in the despertar_cementerio archive to create the memory stick.
Once the memory stick is created, use it the same way as the instructions for the original PSP. The only difference is that the screen will not light up. The keys you need to press are all laid out in the readme file, and the memory stick and wireless LAN lights will flash to let you know the process is happening. You have the choice of installing 3.71M33 (homebrew capable custom firmware) or Sony's official 3.71 (non-homebrew capable firmware).
And, that's it! You're done!
ETA: I need to expand this guide to include instructions for the Slim[DONE], and also to take into account the fact that the Sony batteries may not be suitable. Please make any other suggestions for information that should be included.
This was made through the best partnership of homebrew makers, hackers, adn demiGods ever in the history of a hacking scene. I would like to recognize those people for their fantastic releases, adn this is by far one of the best, if not THE best
But as with all of these, nothing is garunteed, adn YOU MUST HAVE ACCESS TO A NONBRICKED PSP
Making The Pandoras Battery and Memory Stick
If you already have one, skip this step and preceed to the next part
Secondly
Obtain the following
1. A bricked PSP
2. A nonbricked PSP that can run homebrew; 256+mb MS PRO DUO. non PRO will not work
3. A battery
4. Download this : http://dl.qj.net/dl.php?fid=14414
unrar it with winrar
move the "Pandorasbox Setup.exe" into C:/
Start it
press Install.
Now find the folder that you extracted originally and double click the "Shortcut to Pandora's Box.exe"
Click Pandora's Battery REquirements; make sure you meet them
press OK
Click on Pandora's Box Easier-Installer For Pandora's Battery
You should get a Command Window
press 1 then enter
***Note***
If you ant to save the files on yur Memory Stick, do so now.
***NOTE***
Now enter your PSPs drive letter. Just the letter no : or :/. Im my case its G
Now insert the memory stick you wish to use as the Pandora's MAgic MS
Press 1 then Enter
Press Y then Enter
***CAUTION***
This WILL erase your memory stick, and all files will be lost. dont say i didnt warn you
***CAUTION***
AFter you press Y you should see the following SCreen
press 1 then Enter if you do, if not, retry
Exit USB
Remove then replace your MS
RE-enter USB mode
Press 1 then Enter
Wiat
You should get the following screen
if so, press 1 then Enter, if not, restart at beginning
Now put the battery you wish to use as your Pandora's Magic Battery in your PSP.
press 1 then enter
Exit USB
Go to Game on your memory stick and launch "Pandora's Battery Creator"
After program has loaded press triangle
Press 1 then Enter
It should say dumping, then done and exit.
REstart "Pandora's Battery Creator"
Press X
Should say done and exit
Press 1 then Enter
now start "Pandoras Battery Firm. Installer
press X
It will display the following screen then exit
RE-enter USB mode
Press 1 the Enter
You should se the following screen
Press 1 then Enter 2 times
Press Y then Enter
Should See Following Screen
Press 1 the Enter***
Your done with this step, move on to the next***
Modifying The Memory Stick files to work as an Unbricker
Download the 3.71 , 3.40, and 1.50 eboots 3.71 Here 3.40 here(Rename to 340.PBP) and 150 Here(rename to 150.PBP
Place it on the root of your MS.
Download this
Extract it and place the despertar_cementerio in PSP/GAME
Run the program
(if you get the Needs firmwre 271 or higher message, go into recovery mode and turn GAME FOLDER KERNEL to 3.XX)
Press X
Wait
Now you have the Battery and Memory Stick needed to unbrick a PSP.[/size][/color]
Unbricking The PSP
Put the Battery and MS in the PSP you wish to unbrick
(On slim you won't see menu, remember that)
- Press X to install 3.71M33. On slim (blind installation), you will see orange led flashing, that means that 371.PBP is being written. When finished, orange and green leds will be flashing, done artificially by the program to know that it's working. On fat, once finished, you will have to press X to shutdown. Restart manually,
get BSOD, press O and you will be on 3.71m33.
- Press O to install original 3.71 (rest of the process as the X option)
- Press [] to dump nand to nand-dump.bin. When done, psp will auto shutdown.
- Press L+R+HOME+start to restore nand from nand-dump.bin
