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Where can I get a PSP downgrade?

Question: Where can I get a PSP version 2.60 to 2.50 downgrader?

I’ll be honest – I know nothing about the Playstation Portable, aka PSP. I tend towards PC-based games, myself.

So, I turned to my friend and colleague Dave Taylor, who runs the appropriately named Ask Dave Taylor tech support site. Here’s his answer:

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“Do Not Run Sony PSP Firmware Downgraders!”

First the bad news: no, as far as I am aware, there’s no legitimate method of backing up a firmware version, whether you’re going from 1.3 to 1.5 or 1.5 to 2.0. I’m sure that’s deliberate on Sony’s part with the PSP, but in general, no you can’t do that.

Now the really bad news: there are some sites that are claiming that they have firmware 1.5 downgrades you can run on your Sony PSP and have it magically go back from firmware 2.0 to firmware 1.5.

Do Not Run Sony PSP Firmware Downgraders!

In fact, they’re cleverly disguised trojan horses, programs that are actually written to destroy your PSP unit. If you run one of these downgrade applications, it’ll actually remove some key files from your PSP and render it inoperable, which would definitely ruin your day.

As far as I have read, there’s also no way to send your PSP to Sony or otherwise have someone clone their OS onto your system as a recovery mechanism (though theoretically you should be able to accomplish this task with some simple programming). If you run this trojan, known in antivirus circles as Trojan.PSPBrick, you’ll have a dead, throw it away, nothing you can do to fix it Sony PSP unit.

Quoting from a ZDnet article on this subject: “Basically the (PSP) is completely inoperable, and you’ve lost your device,” said Eric Chien, the principal software engineer at Symantec Security Response. “It’s called ‘bricking.'”

If you’ve upgraded to the 2.0 firmware release, I am afraid that you’re stuck with it. Just don’t get stung by this trojan while trying to fix your unit.

Update: To be fair, I have heard from a number of PSP owners that they have successfully downgraded their PSP firmware, from 2.6 back to 1.5, 2.5 back to 1.5, and so on. I imagine you could flip a coin and hope that a given PSP firmware site has a legit and trustworthy downgrader that you can run on your Sony PSP with good results, but to me this is still a pretty risky move because while the odds of success might be pretty good, the cost of failure is pretty darn high too.

As with anything to do with computing, you need to decide for yourself. If you can find a credible, trustworthy site and believe the postings from other folk that they’ve had success with the downgrade, go ahead and try it. Whether you succeed or fail, please do pop back here and let us know too, but, again, how will we know your posting is legit, not a trick intended to get others to download a “brick” application?

Round and round. You can see the basic dilemma here.

Good luck, whatever you choose to do.

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60 comments on “Where can I get a PSP downgrade?”

  1. Hmmm…seems scary, but with the upgrade you can surf the internet easier, but without you can use programs on it…aka…emulator… Nintendo on the Playstation. How interesting.

    Reply
  2. ur an idiot. i have downgraded my and 3 or four other peoples psp from 2.00 to 1.50 with no glitches screw ups or bumps along the way

    DOWNGRADER’S WORK FINE !!!!!!

    Reply
  3. DOWNGRADER’S WORK FINE !!!!!!
    Posted by: downgrader at January 10, 2006 06:27 AM

    Some do, but not all. There are folks that get their jollies by uploading a trojan and claiming that it’s a downgrader. Those will, in fact, kill your PSP.

    So if you don’t know exactly what your doing and you plan on going to some shady site for a downgrader, don’t do it.

    Reply
  4. MPH Downgrader 2.00 to 1.50 works fine. I have tried it on at least a dozen PSPs and no bricks. Only works for 2.00 systems. Currently there is another exploit in the making for 2.50; however, it is not completed yet.
    Leo,
    Please do more thorough research before making an article such as this one.

    Reply
  5. With version 1.0 or 1.5 you can run all so called “homebrews” (which are simply add-on programs) without any hack (just a simple folder copy and renaming for version 1.5). And on version 2.0 you don’t even need to downgrade, you can simply use an eBoot loader such as (the best one for the moment) Fanjita’s eBoot Loader (at this date version 0.9) that you can easely download on its official page: http://fanjita.org. Then you simply uncompress the zip file in your memery stick, all instruction are available on the website. With this method you don’t downgrade, hence you don’t change system file which make this method 100% brick-safe!!!

    Qwertzguy, the PROgrammor

    Reply
  6. Please keep it real, not eveybody have enough money to buy a game every month or week…sony must be happy that they can buy a PSP..and believe the poeple with enough money they wont use a downgrader or other stuff..please sony shut your mouth and help us to make a downgrader for a 2.60 version or make a legal emulator..because there is a emulator on a gamboy,pc,ngage and other phones…and I dont believe its illegal…this life is expensive enough…thats one of a attitude that create WAR all about money, power possitions..poeple only care if they can receive money if not they just say…u know what I mean

    Reply
  7. If you want a downgrade from v2.60, you’re out of luck. I’ve been searching through sites every day and still can’t find a downgrader. If you want to down grade from v2.00 to v1.50 go to hackaday.com. P.S. THE ROOT OF YOUR MEMORY STICK is once you click on My Computer, go to the removeable disc and double click it. Once you see the PSP folder, that is your Memory Stick’s ROOT. Don’t click on the PSP folder, but place the item that has to be in the root by the PSP folder, not inside it.

    Reply
  8. Once you upgraded your PSP, you think you have made a mistake. Wrong, v1.50 is great because you get to watch movies and play any game from NES to the original Playstation. But the fact is that you can’t play all of the games do to the lack of buttons on the PSP, so you get crappy games like chess and checkers that are not even multiplayer(wireless). But what about movies? You probably can’t even fit one 2 hour movie do to the lack of memory on the 32mb Memory Stick. Even if you have a 128mb Memory stick you could only fit short movies. What about a 1gb Memory Stick,($$$). So my advice is to update your PSP to v2.60, because of the features like WMA Playback(Music that doesn’t have to be converted to MP3 to be played), RSS Channel, the new and improved Internet Browser, and much more! P.S. Go to Google and type: PSP Update to v2.60 for free)then pick the site that best fites you. If you really like v1.50 then don’t listen to me, but when you have to buy an MP3 converter to play your music($$$) don’t be wondering why the music doesn’t play and just takes up an average 3.5mb per non MP3 song.

    Reply
  9. OK, i have 2.60 but can’t downgrade, 2.60 is great but please don’t try to downgrade for homebrew, sony will eventually realize that homebrew games will sell more psp units and if it won’t play your wma’s on 2.60 go to system settings and click wma playback enable.

    Also, 3.0 will have aim, mpg, and possibly homebrew so just wait!

    Reply
  10. just go to 2.60 for the browser alone i’m writing this from my PSP’s browser! also I added Leos podcast through the RSS in 2.60

    Reply
  11. i wana downgrade to 1.00 or 1.50 but i dont want my psp to brick so im outa luck till the next update i hope its a good one cause this guy named (fanjita) (www.fanjita.org) has created a tetris game (homebrew ofcourse) for 2.60 BUT! its currently on a GTA game save so only people hu have GTA can play this homebrew there is only one out so far. but its only tetris not very good but how he got it onto a GAME SAVE!??!??!?!? thats amazing

    Reply
  12. my psp is nothing but a worthless piece of object thats looks like a psp. this is because of the downgrader. i have studied computers and especially sony products but couldnt stop myself downgrading ( thought i knew it all) but unfortunately like others i paid the price, well 200 quid.
    so please jus enjoy all the stuff psp offers it well more than enuf. for a little bit of extra excitment dont take the risk of losing it all.

    all the websites are offering the same type of downgrader with renaming the files. And the people who say “mine worked” are the one doing this!

    Reply
  13. can anybody tell me where ta get some NES or SEGA games ta download on my psp i got version 2.60 but do i need ta downgrade ta play any of these things and to—-heavens hand will reach to those in need— you must work for the sony corp huh haha i think ill take my chances

    Reply
  14. Youre just talkin bulls**t, noob. don’t talk
    about downgradin if you dont know anything
    about it, there is a working downgrade by
    mph for fw 2.0 to 1.5, and its no trojan.
    Only if you are dumb enough to download it
    from your little p2p progz and other stupid
    sources, your psp will be bricked…………
    check out fanjitas website and start learnin…

    Reply
  15. What are you talkin about??? Upgrading is
    stupid!!!!!!!!!!! DO NOT UPGRADE YOUR PSP
    UNLESS YOU WANT NO HOMEBREW (Hombrew = Iso ( wich
    should not mean you should play pirated games))

    I think youre just another guy from $ony
    and want to make nuubs unhappy

    Reply
  16. Yes Yes do not downgrade do not be allowed to programm your own hardware!Pay your cash for crap games (not all) and be a good boy!
    Are you stupid or do you own Sony?

    Reply
  17. your all stupid one simple question has been asked here can you get 2.60 to 1.50 or 2.00 now just answer the bloody question and give us noobs a link

    Reply
  18. yo guys just wait for a fricken downgrade from fanjita i was playin nfs underground rivals off a umd emulator but i upgraded to 2.6 so i am a little upset but just wait i promise it will come out eventually no probs ok? its not that bad u guys are all noobs to psp

    Reply
  19. How the hell can i downgrade 2.6 to 1.5 on the psp i am tired of it please help me to find out how to do it please help me.

    Reply
  20. This is easy. Just look on google for “psp firmware update” and you are going to get several sites that has different versions for that. Don’t do the upgrade from sony website. It will bring the latest one and it will not allow you to make any downgrade.
    Also, it is not true that downgrade will damage your unit if you do that according to the instructions.
    Untill today, you can have 2.00 downgraded to early versions.

    Reply
  21. Look.

    Fanjita would NOT release a downgrade because of the pirates.

    If people agreed to stop pirating software maybe sony would open up the firmware to developers. People who use ISOS for more than 24 hours are asking for trouble.

    I admit to using them ages ago but i stopped because it hurts developers so much.

    I only pirate mIcrosoft products because i hold a never ending grudge against them.

    My answer to your problem is. IF you want it badly enough. Do it yourself.

    Reply
  22. I find you’re article extremly incorrect and miss leading, I don’t know what kind of legal action you are fearing from sony from telling the truth.

    I have to date downgraded many PSP 2.0 units to 1.5 I would not recomend just anyone doing this, because if done wrong it can wreck you’re psp and you will need to buy a new Motherboard for it or have someone very skilled replace the onboard flash rom.

    1st off, get the 1.5 Official Firmware file from a trusted source only.
    Then scan the file with a program avalible to verifiy that this is infact the Official Firmware and has not been tamperd with.
    You can also dump another systems 1.5 firmware to your computer then use that, its much safer.

    Once you have the firmware file and have scaned it (if downloading from the net) connect you’re psp to your computer and transfer the file to a new folder called “UPDATE” under “ms0://PSP/GAMES/”
    so it should look like this “ms0://PSP/GAMES/UPDATE/firmware_name.bin”
    Note: ms0 is the root of your psp memory stick.

    Now load a 2.0 Downgrader like MPH and follow the included readme.txt file.

    Basicly you need to copy a image.tiff file to your photo folder and then go to view the photo that will launch the Loader wich can then flash the firmware or load the firmware flasher.

    Many sites are availbe to help you, just google it. Sorry for leaving out so much it’s just like I said use google and you will be fine. =)

    Reply
  23. hey i’ve got a psp v2.5..so i dont have any games now..where do i download games or i wanna degrade my psp 2 v1.5..izzit available..please tell me..i dont really knoe about psp..

    Reply
  24. So I take it there is definately no way to download from v2.60 to version “anything”??? What I mean by this is are there people out there that say they have a program to downgrade their PSPs? I can usually recognize viruses and as an extra precausion (spelling, lol) I’d use one of my friend’s PSPs, lol…

    Reply
  25. To all,
    There is no way to downgrade 2.6
    As of yet (February 15) So dont try.
    There are a few, that claim.
    “Forever Geek 2.6 Downgrader”
    But it dosen’t work trust me. Its soo dodgy and relies soley on doing all the requirements.
    It makes you agree to a waver as well.
    Anyway. Dont try to downgrade yet. It will come dont worry about that, it will. But…. not probably until september ’06. SO… wait a while i guess. Well earliest July. DO NOT TRY TO DOWNGRADE BEFORE JULY 21st. IT IS ALL A SCAM! Just think when 1.5 came out they all said it was impossible!!! Think again! Anyway, Good news for all of you 2.6ers 2.6 downgrade will be out before 2.5 and below. Because they tried to Downgrade 2.52 and fail. (Motherwolf protection) 2.6 does not have it. Well dont downgrade now. Email me @
    x09vernp@cbcfremantle.wa.edu.au

    Reply
  26. Well, i tested the forever geek one this morning.
    AND…. i bet you cant guess what happened. My psp got bricked ohhh yay!!! Anyway, i cloned the OS back on, it works again. BUt only with UMD’s. No music/piccys/videos. Ahh well thats the 4th wrecked one in two months. I still got a couple more. I buy the bricked ones off ebay and stuff and re-clone the OS. Its really cheap. I have about 8, psp’s for $800 their slightly dodgy tho. But still good. Seriously guys dont try it YET.

    Reply
  27. there is a way of downgrading 2.1 firware +, this has only been revielled a few days ago, but you can get all the info you need if u google it, just google for psp mph, or look through many of the psp fan sites as it is on quite a few homepages of these sites, btw i have downgraded my psp hundreds of times and the only problem i have had it once when all the writing dissapeard, all i done was guess the correct buttons then upgraded back and reset factory settings and it works like new, mike

    Reply
  28. to evry one ……… leo
    that guy chris says he have the downgrader
    for v 2.60 let him proove it by sending it or the web site to my email

    Reply
  29. re.

    I HAVE THE 2.60 DOWNGRADER AND IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Posted by: chris at February 25, 2006 04:47 PM

    If u have it where did u get it from???

    Reply
  30. Chris alot of people have asked for you to tell everone where you got the 2.6 downgrader, now are you just full of * or are you telling the truth…….. so if your are now full of * then tell use where you got the 2.6 downgrader……

    And steven can you e-mail me or something telling me or just post on how you downgraded from 2.6?????

    Reply
  31. I’m closing comments on this one. It’s just turned into “yes you can / no you can’t / I’ve done / tell me how / *silence* “.

    In other words the comments are no longer adding value.

    Reply
  32. how about the downgrader for SONY PSP version 5.03 to 5.00 and below kindly update me please if what will i do…because games are not being displayed even if it was saved pls pls pls…because its useless…thanks

    Reply
  33. Do u know any good sites to degrade i have V6.30 and i heard they have a flash for psp in earlier versions but mine dont have it how can i downgrade or where do i get flash.

    Reply

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