A Dummy’s Guide To Running Homebrew Apps on The PSP

I have got an email asking me to talk about how to run homebrew applications on your PlayStation Portable. It seems that it is not as intuitive as I though, so I decided to write a short generic guide on how to run different types of applications and games. I will write more specific guides later when I find good programs, feel free to suggest some in the comments! 😉 Subscribe to my RSS feed to be notified of any updates immediately.


Requirements

The requirements to run homebrew games are quite simple and standard. Almost any PSP should meet most of them, with the exception of the first one.

• A PSP running a custom firmware, you can use one of my guides to upgrade.
• A Sony Duo Memory stick for PSP

Instructions

1. Download the homebrew PSP application. I suggest using QJ.Net’s download section, because it contains a lot of games.
2. Unpack it to your desktop.
3. There are two possible types of applications, each requiring a different step
   • 1.5 kernel applications: you know you got one if you have two folder — appname and %appname
     • place BOTH folders into the x:/PSP/GAME150 folder on your PSP memory stick, where x:/ is the drive letter that it got mapped to
   • 3.xx kernel applications: these only come with one folder — appname
     • place the folder into the x:/PSP/GAME folder on your PSP memory stick
4. Fully turn off your PSP and turn it back on while holding the R button, this will access the Recovery Menu
5. Navigate into the Configuration section and set the following settings as such:
   • GAME kernel: kernel 3.xx
   • Hide Corrupted Applications: Enabled
6. Exit the recovery menu
7. Go into the Games->Memory Stick section of your XMB menu, and you should see your homebrew application there
8. DONE!

Troubleshooting

There are several problems that might arise. For example, it is possible that the application requires a more complicated setup. In that case read the included readme.txt file, or ask me to write a short guide on its usage. You can do it by either leaving a comment or contacting me by email. Don’t forget to check out the urPSP forum for help.