PSP Custom Firmware 3.71 M33 Guide

The following article will guide you through installing the latest (and greatest ) custom PSP firmware version 3.71 M33 that was produced by no other than Dark_Alex himself. Not only this guide describes how to get the basic custom functionality, which was already described in great detail, but also talks about how to install the 1.50 kernel patch and the Custom Firmware Extender 1.6. If you come across any problems with this tutorial, I suggest you visit the urPSP forums and post your query there.

Requirements

• A fat PSP with firmware version 3.52 M33-3 or greater. The installer will not work with anything lower than this. You can check out my 3.52 M33-4 guide to find out how to upgrade
  • Or a slim PSP with 3.60 M33 firmware. I do not have a slim PSP, so I cannot help you with it. However this seems like a good tutorial on upgrading to 3.60 M33.
• At least a memory stick with 128 MB of free space
• Fully charged battery (or just leave it plugged in the power)
• M33 installation package that includes the SONY official firmware version 3.71 & 1.50, CFW extender, 1.50 kernel patch.
• Patience to follow this guide step by step

Install 3.71 M33

1. Connect your PSP to the computer via a USB cable.
2. Copy all files on the memory stick to a hard drive. This is a backup just in case something evil happens, even if it’s unlikely.
3. Copy the UPDATE folder (found in PSP/GAME folder in the installation package) to the PSP/GAME folder on your PSP.
4. Disconnect your PSP from the computer
5. Navigate to the games section of the XMB on your PSP and select the Memory Stick tab
6. Run the application called “PSP Update ver 3.71″
7. Press X if asked to correct idstorage keys
8. Press X after that to continue
9. You will be asked to install the official 3.71 SONY update, so follow their instructions. Don’t worry, the installer will patch it to run homebrew afterwards.
10. Your PSP will restart automatically after this update is complete
11. Apply the 3.71 M33-2 Patch
12. You now have 3.71 M33 on your PSP!

Install 1.50 Homebrew Support For the PSP

1. This patch will delete the Location Free Player and the Korean font in order to increase space available. Do not install it if you use these features, use eLoader instead.
2. Connect your PSP to the computer via a USB cable.
3. Copy the 150.pbp file from the installation package to the root of your PSP memory stick.
4. Copy the UPDATE15 folder (found in PSP/GAME folder in the installation package) to the PSP/GAME folder on your PSP.
5. Rename the copied UPDATE15 folder to UPDATE. If you do not do this, it will only show up as “corrupted data”
6. Disconnect your PSP from the computer
7. Navigate to the games section of the XMB on your PSP and select the Memory Stick tab
8. Run the application called “PSP Update ver 1.50″
9. Press X to continue
10. Wait as your PSP paches itself
11. Your PSP will restart automatically after this update is complete
12. You can now run 1.50 applications on your 3.71 PSP!

Install Custom Firmware Extender 1.6

1. Connect your PSP to the computer via a USB cable.
2. Copy the seplugins folder from the installation package to the root of your PS
3. Disconnect your PSP from the computer and turn it fully off
4. Start your PSP while holding the R button, this will access the recovery menu
5. Scroll down to Plugins and hit X
6. Enable the cfe_game.prx plugin by selecting it and pressing the X button
7. Enable the cfe_vsh.prx plugin by selecting it and pressing the X button
8. Go back and exit
9. In the XMB press Note+Volume Up to see the list of all available commands
   1. Close it by pressing the circle button
10. Navigate to the “System Information” page hidden in the System Settings section of the XMB
11. Press Note+Screen to take a screen shot
12. Download it to your computer from the PICTURES folder on the memory stick
13. Upload it to the internet, and leave a comment on this post with the link

Trubleshooting
If you come across any problems with this tutorial, I suggest you visit the urPSP forums and post your query there.