Sony PSP CFW : Getting purchased Final Fantasy VII from PSN Store working on CFW 5.00x

Contributed by seamonkey420

June 2, 2009

Tagged: Games

This recipe explains how to spoof your CFW PSP’s version.txt file to allow you to play games requiring a newer firmware version. This also lets you your purchased Final Fantasy VII from the PSN store on a CFW 5.00 M33-2 PSP.

This recipe is for you PSP users out there. During this year’s E3 announcements, Sony and Square Enix re-released the official PSone classic Final Fantasy VII on their PSN store.

However, in order to play the purchased Finaly Fantasy VII from the PSN store is by having official PSP firmware 5.50.

For us long time CFW users, updating to a non-CFW seems like a huge sacrifice. Lets avoid that!
Starting with CFW versions 5.00; Dark Alex included a version.txt plugin that allows you to ’spoof’ your PSPs firmware version to games.

Some newer games of course require more than just a version check, the new firmwares may contain updated api libraries, things that can’t be spoofed, etc and this may not work with.

HOWEVER, PSone classics should not be a problem since its functionality most likely is a given and for the most part is in its final state/version.

How to spoof your CFW PSP 5.00 M-xx version to a PSP 5.50:

Requirements:

PSP w/CFW 5.00 M33-2 (dark alex 5.00 M33-2 variant tested/working)
Final Fantasy VII purchased from PSN
PS3 (Optional, i downloaded it to my ps3 and then to psp from ps3)
PC and usb cable

1. Boot your PSP and hold the R trigger. This boots you to your CFW recovery menu. It will look like this:

———————————-

M33 Recovery Menu
Main menu

Toggle USB
Configuration ->

Run program at /PSP/GAME/RECOVERY/EBOOT.PBP
Advanced ->
CPU Speed ->

Plugins ->

Registry hacks ->

Exit

———————————-

2. Go to Configuration

3. Then go to XMB USB Device (currently: Memory Stick) and hit X until it shows: Flash 0

4. Then go down to Use version.txt (currently: Disabled) and hit X to Enable it.

5. Then go to Back and then Exit. Your psp will reboot.

6. Connect you PSP to your PC.

7. Go to your PSP’s memory stick in My Computer (it should show as Memory Stick)

8. Once in your memory stick, go to the VSH folder, then to the etc folder.

9. In here will be a version.txt. First we will need to make sure its not read-only, right-click on the file and go to Properties and uncheck the Read-Only attribute and hit OK. Now open the version.txt file, it will look like such:

release:5.00:
build:2740,0,3,1,0:builder@vsh-build6
system:46876@release_500,0×05000010:
vsh:p6264@release_500,v46652@release_500,20081010:
target:1:WorldWide
10. all we need to do here is to change the release:5.00: to release:5.50: and then save the file.

11. i would also reboot your PSP and go back into the recovery menu and change the XMB Usb Device back to Memory Stick afterwards.

12. Enjoy your legimate PSN purchased Final Fantasy VII on your CFW PSP! We keep our homebrew but still can support our developers and sony with our purchases!! :)

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seamonkey420

correction: verified on Dark Alex 5.00 M33-6 :)
PSP Phat.

also, any previous FFVII save files from your own autopopsloader made file will work too! :)
so i could re-use my save file from the eboot.pbp i had created prior to buying the real version.

jiplank

Have you managed to get your own popsloader saves working with the PSN version? I copied them over but it comes up with the CA000005 error if they are there but works if they are not.

seamonkey420

wassup.

yes, i was able to get my save working. however, i had to copy the save from my psp to my ps3 (had psp connected via usb). then once it was on my ps3, i then copied back to the psp at that point it asked me to convert the save file and i did a yes to that and it worked fine! :)

my previous eboot FFVII was the USA version and not hte PAL (that could cause save problems if the version yours was from was not the same gameid, ie SLUSxxxx )

hope that helps! :)

Sisp

Thanks a bunch, work great on my white PSP Phat with 5.00 M33-6. Feels good to support Squenix another time, already own FFVII on both PAL and NTSC release. Third buy was still the cheapest so that's ok.

seamonkey420

excellent! good to hear it worked for you too.

agreed on feeling good to be able to support Squenix again! they finally heard our pleas and should make a boatload of money :) i like being able to play it on my PS3 and HDTV and also having the full user manual too.

Michael

Thank you so much, was almost ready to go with regular fw. . . I appreciate it a lot!!!!

Matt

Hey guys, first off I would love to say thanks so much for your work! Secondly, I'm having a tad of a problem... I just updated to 5.00 m33-6, and I followed the instructions, and I still get the "The system software of your PSP system is version 5.00. To start, you must update to version 5.50... etc." I changed the release:5.00: to release:5.50:, then saved the file, and I still get this message. Do you have any advice? Thanks for your time! I am using a psp phat 5.00 m33-6

Matt

Hey all, just thought I'd let you know captain obvious gave me a call. There is a menu option in the reboot menu called "Use version.txt" on the bottom... make sure you enable it after you change 5.00 to 5.50 in the document:) Thanks again guys, keep up the good work!

rockyjr

Hey... mind helping me? I've enabled it again after i changed to 5.50 but it still can't work... am using psp2000 5.03 m33

Joe Guy

Thanks! I thought I just wasted $10 bucks.

stx

Thanks you saved me!

MaxSalsa

This trick works... it also fools Media Go, which also seems to require 5.50, and could care less that you shouldn't be able to run most of the stuff you've got in your GAME folder. (It can't see your ISO folder.)

James

ok so I have 5.00 m33-6, did everything correctly, went back and double checked but it wont work. FFVII now starts and gets to the warning screen but then quits and says "game could not be started (CA000006). Any ideas?

roger

me too! help!

CHICHO13_420

Thanks worked perfectly. Now I can play FF 7 and not have to resort to OFW. Thank you again.

drakus

I love you!!
Like other users here, I had thought that i just wasted 10 dollars. Thanks a ton!
Confirming that this works perfectly on 5.00 m33-3

drakus

Oops. The last post was supposed to be a response to the article, not a reply to Chicho's comment. My bad.

Kid

THANK YOU!!!!!

Jay

Now I'm getting a new error (80020148) "The game could not be started".

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Thank you for this work around btw!

Cletus

hey! I followed the instructions, and can verify the update to the txt file, but my game hangs when clicked on, leaving the screen blank until the system turns off. I have a 2000 series, with 5.00-6 M33 running. Thoughts? I did enable use version.tx, too, but it is not reflected under system information.

Cletus

Go Cletus GO!

->Fixed this by diabling all plugins. Up and running now!

Thanks!

ChizelMonkee

THis seems to have worked great for me so far. One question, in #11 you wrote " 11. i would also reboot your PSP and go back into the recovery menu and change the XMB Usb Device back to Memory Stick afterwards."

Do we also disable the version.txt file or leave it like we set up in #4?

Thanks!

seamonkey420

nope, just the memory stick part since that way when you connect your usb to pc it will access the memory card and not the flash0 memory area. :)

you will need to have the Version.txt option enabled to play FFVII or any 5.50 required games.

:)

no need to know

im getting the error the game could not start what should i do

BigE

Hey. I did all the steps but now it says "game could not be started (CA000006)". Im running 5.00 m33-6 on a psp slim. Dont kno what the problem is tried even moving the game to the game150 folder, obviously didnt work and gave me "game could not be started (80020148)" lol. So any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

seamonkey420

did you get copy if from your ps3 or download it via the PSN store?

also, try to disable any of your other plugins in the recovery menu, Cletus from above did that to get his working. :)

BigE

I copied it from my ps3. I only have 1 plugin and it was already disabled. Does it make a difference whether i got it from ps3 or psn store?

BigE

Ha Ha i got it working thanks for the help. Your the man!

roger

i have no plugins. so what now?

chaotictails

Thanks a lot! I wanted to take Final Fantasy VII on the go but I was experiencing this problem. Now it is working 100%!

chaotictails

Also, one more thing you might want to point out. You need to disable all USB-related plugins in order to access the flash0 (RemoteJoyLite, usbhostfs, etc). And, you could also use the VSHmenu (Press Select in the XMB) to change to flash0 and Memory Stick.

James

ok the problem is solved. for those who were having the same problem as me (game could not start error message) its because you copied the game from your ps3. Delete it on your psp, download it from PSN straight to your psp and it works.

hope this works for everyone like it did for me

Wolf

I have the 5.00 m33-6 and I followed the instructions complete and after the warning lable, it came up "The game could not be stared. (CA000005)" (unlike the CA000006 error that everyone is getting) I don't have any plugings in Recovering mode, so what could be the problem?

Amish Gramish

My PSP-1000/Phat doesn't have the Use version.txt option.
I tried updating my PSP via the Network and the update .exe program (http://pspcustomfirmware.com/psp-custom-firmwar...), but it said I still had the current firmware and it still doesn't have the Use version.txt option anywhere.
Is there something special I'm supposed to do?

gametaipan

no version.txt listed anywhere in the psp, i am using the slim 2000 model and CFW 5.05 m33

Amish Gramish

Apparently, everything after 5.00 m33-2 should have the version.txt override built into it, but it still won't load up the PlayStation Store or Final Fantasy VII on mine.

Unk

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jake

THANKS! IT WORKS NOW! YOU ARE THE MAN, TYVM FOR THE POST! :D :D :D :D :D

Ken

Ive got CFW 5.00 M33-6 on my psp 2000, did everything mentioned but when i check my system informationt still says 5.0 m33-6. is this normal or am i not doing something wrong. i have the version text turned on, the plugins turned off (i guess you mean popsloader and cwcheat etc)

hector

activated use version.txt but in usb mode i cant find vsh folder?

seamonkey420

also be sure in Windows XP/vista/7 to have your folder options > view > Hide Protected operating system files UNCHECKED.

then you should see that folder :)

sid

Hi Ya can any of you guys help,i followed the instructions even done the thing with the plugins but still when i try one of my game downloads from psn it looks like its about to start then the screen goes blank then the psp turns off. I am usuing s psp phat with m33-6 cfw. i havnt tried this on FF but have tried with the MONSTER HUNTER FREEDOM demo that i downloaded from psn.
any ideas welcome!!!!

Amish Gramish

It looks like there is something wrong with 5.00 m33-6, as the guy named Ken a couple spaces above and I can't get it working either, and both of us have m33-6.
It works for DJ Max Portable Fever UMD, as that is supposed to have 5.02 to play it, but it looks like anything that has to have 5.50 is messed up.
And I just tried Monster Hunter Freedom, and it works on my PSP Phat, so I'm guessing you could reinstall it, or downgrade it, if you can.

I'm going to see if I can either downgrade it or reinstall it to see if that works.

Amish Gramish

Follow these instructions:
http://www.consolespot.net/forums/psp-help-tuto...
Reinstall 5.00 M33-3, and then follow the instructions on this page.
Make sure you re-download FFVII from the PlayStation Store, as you reformatted the PSP's information, so it doesn't fit in with the information the games have on it.
You have to redownload every PSP game you have on your memory stick, as they won't work now, due to the aforementioned information problem.

FFVII is now working for me!
5.00 M33-3 works while M33-6 doesn't!

Kaizer_911

Try using this version.txt instead...this is dumped from a 5.50 official firmware running psp before it was downgraded using Pandora Battery.

release:5.50:
build:3062,0,3,1,0:builder@vsh-build6
system:50781@release_550,0x05050010:
vsh:p6399@release_550,v50953@release_550,20090415:
target:1:WorldWide

I have tested this and it works under 5.00 M33-6.

Follow the above instructions, as well as make sure you have no game plugins running AND recopy the game (ie FF7) back over to your psp and you should have no problems.

return 0;

Grilo

My PSP Slim with 5.00 M33-6 looks like it's gonna run FFVII fine, but then it gives me the message "The game could not be started. (CA000007)"

Any ideas? ):

Kaizer_911

Make sure you don't have a keys.bin file in the folder that FF7 goes into...

basicly, do the steps at the very top of this page, use my version.txt along with NO game plugins running, make sure FF7 is deleted from your psp, no save file, no folder, NOTHING.

Cold boot the psp, recopy over the FF7 to it, and run it.

Grilo

Still doesn't work, but now gives the error (CA000005). Should I downgrade to an older M33 version?

seamonkey420

i would try installing dark alex's popsloader plugin if you don't have it (popsloader = psone emulation ) to see if that works or solves the problems.

a side note:
i have the following mods to my cfw 5.00 m33-6
-readded the locationfree player files back from 5.00
-1.50 kernel
-popsloader plugin/prx
-vshmenu plugin

Grilo

Ok, I got it... Mine was transferred from my friend's PS3... And I PSN store isn't available in Brazil, so how can I get a working version?

rau

just copy and past kaizer tex into file mine works now thanks kaizer

Brian

I am not sure if this thread is still active. But here is my question: I used the trick above to get FFVII running on my 5.00 M33-6 psp, however I recently bough the PSN version of Metal Gear Solid assuming the trick would work on this title also. But it would seem not. While the game does load and play, the audio is incredibly laggy it skips and jumps all over the place during cut scenes and codec conversations. I have heard the GEN-A/B CFW solves this but I would like to stick with M33. Is there any fixes for the audio issues? Thanks in advance

seamonkey420

hmm, i have not really seen what changes the newer 5.50 added over the 5.00x M33 cfw. have you tried bumping up your cpu to run at 333mhz to see if that helps with lag? also, are you running other plugins/prx? you may want to try w/most disabled.

hope that helps :)

xnpio

i need help it comes up as the game could not be started (CA000005)

zander420

This does not work! I have tried over and over, I wanted to buy some Rock Band Unplugged Tracks but SONY has fucked us CFW users! Nice one SONY! PISS OFF!

alballam

I'm using CFW 5.50 MHU
Dwnloading the game now, hope it will work ;P
-----
Update: 07:02 AM Kuwait time, sorry for the late feedback i was playing so it's working 100% with 5.50 MHU CFW :D

Ben

Thanks! This helped my Patapon 2 get back in full working order :) And any demos i want. This official worked on PSP 2000 daxter pack motherboard (085v2 i think)

ishke

okay i did it to my psp 3000 and now, f*ck! the ChickHen doesn't load anymore!

Yoonus

I have got PSP Slim 2000. with Custom Firmware 5.00 M33-6.

I got both (CA000005) & (CA000006) error codes at first. That is when I had copied the file from PS3 to PC to PSP.

Copy either directly from PS3 to PSP or download directly to PSP from PSN.

Maybe the reason other methods do not work is because when you copy from PS3, it signs into the PSN Store and activates your download for the PSP. (that is what I think happens)

It should work after copying directly from PS3 to PSP. Make sure to ENABLE "Use Version.txt"

Hope that helps. Cheers :)

whip

I followed everything posted here but the VSH floder / mem stick isn't showing up

rockyjr

hello.. anybody able to help me? im on psp2000 slim 5.03 M33
have edited the version.txt from release:5.03 to release:5.50 and it still can't work
i've also enabled the version.txt after i have edited the txt.
It still prompts me to update to 5.50 and showed me that my version is still 5.03..

some dude

LOL i actually tried this on my 5.03GEN-A CFW and it WORKED!!! now currently pwnin in Dissidia ^_^

orcworks

thanx, it worked correctly! after editing the version.txt i had those error messages, but then i downloaded the game from ps3 via usb cable and it started working!

angelwill

My system keeps saying data is corrupted i dont know what to do!!!

altaid

will this work on psp 2001PB with CFW 5.03 m33-6 with chickHen thingy.

altaid

and i dont have a recovery mode

bob12353

would this work if you downloaded a game from the computer onto the psp? or does it have to be from a ps3?

also when i check system information it still says 5.00m33-6 when it worked for you guys did it change to 5.50?

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