Unbricking a PSP

[S Freud]

So I ran out of power while updating my PSP. There is a thread in hot deals talking about Pandora batteries. I am a little confused how they work and thought I would have more luck getting a response here then there. Below is my response in the thread and a link to the thread itself.

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: NiNe
A pandora battery (and a jigstick-configured memory stick pro duo) will boot a PSP into service mode, even if it's "bricked." Most bricked PSPs can thus be restored. However, a PSP unbricked in this fashion will be missing some custom IPL info or something so it won't play UMDs anymore and a few other issues like adhoc networking.

As pointed out above, the most common use of putting the PSP into service mode is to load custom firmware, allowing the use of unsigned code on the memory stick. People play homebrew and/or play ISOs copied off UMDs (or downloaded).

Note: the newest PSP slims cannot be put into service mode with a pandora battery. I think anything built after July is likely to be immune to the pandora trick. Anyone who loads custom firmware onto a Madden09 PSP, for instance, is very fortunate.

So I won't be able to play UMD's anymore? I ran out of battery power during an update and according to everything I have read my PSP is now irreversibly bricked. I thought if I used one of these it would restore it to normal working order. Am I wrong?

Pandora battery thread in hot deals forum

 

[gorcorps]

What's the question? It already said in that quote that you won't be able to play UMDs anymore. You can still play games off of the memory stick, load custom firmwares, and watch movies.

 

[S Freud]

Originally posted by: gorcorps
What's the question? It already said in that quote that you won't be able to play UMDs anymore. You can still play games off of the memory stick, load custom firmwares, and watch movies.

I was looking for confirmation if this is true. To me it doesn't make much sense to unbrick the PSP if I can't play UMD's. I would have to load custom firmware and then buy a bigger memory stick in order to store the games on it to play them, correct? I don't know if its worth all the trouble.

Is there anyway to return it to its normal operational state?

 

[nsafreak]

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: gorcorps
What's the question? It already said in that quote that you won't be able to play UMDs anymore. You can still play games off of the memory stick, load custom firmwares, and watch movies.

I was looking for confirmation if this is true. To me it doesn't make much sense to unbrick the PSP if I can't play UMD's. I would have to load custom firmware and then buy a bigger memory stick in order to store the games on it to play them, correct? I don't know if its worth all the trouble.

Is there anyway to return it to its normal operational state?

From the PSP boards that are oriented towards hacking the units from what I have read the more recent hacks still allow you to play UMDs. The bonus that they mainly give is the ability to play ISO images of UMDs and unsigned code, a lot like XBox hacks. In order to take the PSP out of service mode all you have to do is switch the battery that you mention from Pandora mode to regular mode.

 

[S Freud]

I may have been misunderstanding the reading. When I say UMD's I am talking about the game discs not just movies. A poster in the hot deals thread linked in the OP says that you can still play UMD's with the pandora battery. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[EQTitan]

I mod/hack the psp locally and here are some answers for you...

When modding (upgrading or downgrading Official firmware to custom firmware) you can still play UMD (All discs types, movies, games, etc.).

All Pandora battery does it put the PSP into service mode (so you can repair software failures or upgrade/downgrade/restore firmware)

Most people modify their PSP (in my experience at least) to play backup games they can store on their memory cards, and to use 3rd party applications such as popsloader, PSPtube, remotejoy, emulators etc...

I modify, repair, and sell the Pandora batteries, and the memory sticks used to flash the EPROM flash0 location with custom firmware.