Posted by 
October 18, 2008 •
Custom Firmware 5.00 M33 has just been released. Dark Alex completely skipped 4.02 and released 5.00 M33. Interested in the changes? Read the PSP 5.00 OFW changes. The most welcome change to 5.00 is the full QUERTY keyboard. No more cellphone like input for us ^_^.
Note: If you’ve already install 5.00 M33, you can skip to it’s patches on the next page. The latest patch is 5.00 M33-6.
Important UPDATE: If you are having trouble playing the latest PSP Games, you may want to install the Prometheus-4 module or use the ISO Tool Patching guide. OR you may want to update to 5.50 GEN-D3 
Requirements:
- PSP Phat or PSP Slim with 3.52 M33 or higher. If you don’t have custom firmware yet, READ: Convert your PSP to custom firmware.
- PSP battery that’s at least 78% full
- Download: 5.00 M33 | 5.00 M33
- Download: 500.PBP | 500.PBP
- Disable ALL plugins.
- Back up your save files (so that if they get corrupted, you still have backups)
How to install 5.00 M33 CFW on your PSP:
- Extract the 5.00 M33 installer files to your computer.
- Copy the Update folder to X:/PSP/GAME/ on your PSP’s memory stick.
- Download the official 500.PBP. Rename the EBOOT.PBP to 500.PBP before proceeding.
- Copy the 500.PBP to the directory; X:/PSP/GAME/UPDATE on your PSP’s memory stick.
- Disconnect your PSP
- Run 5.00 UPDATE from under Game on your PSP’s XMB
- Press X if asked to correct idstorage keys
- Continue to install the official 5.00 SONY when prompted
- After all process is complete, press X. Your PSP will reboot.
- Congratulations, you’ve just installed 5.00 M33
STOP!!!
If you haven’t successfully installed the 5.00 M33 firmware then you can’t proceed here since these are just subsequent patches. Read the guide on How to install 5.00 M33 on your PSP above or if you have official firmware, post a comment and let’s see if I can help you out.
If you want to upgrade your 5.00 M33-6 then turn to the next page.
i done every thing that is said there re named the eboot to 5.00pbp and it say corrupted data and dont work
it’s 500.pbp not 5.00pbp
hi… i have psp 5.03 . i downloaded the custom firmware of 5.00 m33 and followed the instructions…and when i went to start the file frm the psp .. its say ” THE GAME CANNOT START , THE DATA IS CORRUPTED” .
what should i do know.. please help….
You can’t run 5.00 M33 because it’s a lower firmware version. The error you’re getting is because you don’t have custom firmware on your PSP.
Strart reading from How to install custom firmware.
hi… i need one more help..can downgrade my psp 5.03 to 5.00.. or else is there a customfirmware for psp 5.03.. thank for the previous reply .. it was very greatful of you
I could guide you but it would be faster if you simply read the guide I linked you to. It’ll answer your questions and more.
oh no.. I tried to go from 3.52 m33-4 to 5.00 m33 directly.. Now the PSP just shows a screen that says,
unpacking. Done.
Please Wait…
Can you PLEASE tell me how to get out of this? or is my PSP screwed..
looks like the process hanged. What state is your PSP in? Can you turn it on and enter XMB? or just the recovery menu (turn your PSP off then turn it on holding the R button)
hi… i got psp 4.01 ofw .. if i follow the instructions to install 5.00 m33 will it crack the psp, without any problem.. it wont brick psp right
If you’ve read the instructions you’ll find that you need to have custom firmware installed before installing 5.00 M33.
If you’ve read the instructions you’ll also note that it points you where you need to go to install custom firmware.
how do u disable all plugins?
dude.. thanks works fine for me ^_^
why can’t i run the patches? it says “this game cannot be started. the data is corrupted”
i have followed your instructions step by step.
i’ve already installed successfully the 5.00 cfw.
but why can’t i install the m33-6 patch? pls help
note: i’ve tried it in every patches listed above. i’ve downloaded them all, and tried them all for several times specially m33-6, but still i can’t install it.
NEED HELP
thnx in advance
Have you placed the installer in the right place?
Help Needed! I tried to install a xmb theme and now my sons psp slim freezes at the sony screen. I can still access the M33 recovery screen. Like a noob i did not back up the files it overwrote. How do i fix it?
Hi Todd, simply remove the memory stick and boot up the PSP. It’ll reset to the original XMB theme. After that just pop in the memory stick again and delete the XMB theme file
The directions told me to go to the recovery menu, go to advance, go to flash0, the open the VSH folder, open the resorce folder, drag and drop files to folder and yes to overwrite. I should have backed up the files but i thought the directions where very simple. the files it added where : background, gameboot, system plug in.rco, system plugin fg.rco, coldboot.vag, topmenu plugin.rco and itno.pgf Can i copy these files from somewhere and reinstall? They are not on the memory card they are on the psp i belive.
You don’t mess with anything in flash0. I’m sorry to say that you have a semi-brick (You can enter flash0 but not the XMB) If you have a pandora battery, you can flash your PSP back to cfw.
I tried removing the memory stck and restarting just in case, still freezes at the startup screen. I put the memory stick back in, i can still get into the Recovery screen but when i go to flash0 it opes the memory card instead of the Vsh / resource folder…… poop sticks
i have a psp 2006 with 5.03 m33-6 firmware…
but when i turn it off or reset, it’s turn to the official firmware. what firmware should i use so that the firmware not gone when i’m turn it off or reset it.
There currently is no way for you to permanently add custom firmware to your PSP. Your PSP model doesn’t support it.
Hi
i followed the steps
but it keeps on saying the 500.pbp file is incorrect.
it says its verifying 500.pbp then it sayd the file is incorrect.
what am i doing wrong?
What is your current firmware version? You’re likely to experience this if you’re still on the official firmware.
plz help me.
i have 5.00m33 installed
but if i hold power button longer it turns to5.00
there is a guy nearby who charges money but he does something and changes thecfw
and iso work again
i cant pay anymore money
help me ouy
You have custom firmware installed via chickhen. Likely you have a PSP-3000 or a PSP-2000 with TA-088v3 motherboard.
If you want to find out what the technician is doing and save yourself some cash by doing it yourself, you can read up the Chickhen installation guide.
Currently, there is no way to make your custom firmware permanent due to your PSP’s hardware.
I think I have the same in my psp too.. So far we have to get used to it. What I do to keep the custom firmware in my psp is to keep the battery charged and I don’t push my power button too long just the short one. We need to wait a little more to get this fixed I guess.
sometimes i cant avoid my psp to turn off.
when i playing certain games it suddenly jammed and i need to take my battery out and turn it on again…it so annoying to install the firmware again and again all over the times…i dont know either it caused by my psp or my memory stick have problem to play the games
It’s your PSP model and the firmware you have installed on it. Currently there is no work around for this.
please help…
I did everything as it was written on the guide, and installation was sucessful. I got 5.00 M33, but then a screen appeared saying in various languages that the settings were corrupted. It didn’t seem anything serious because after that I inputed the settings again and everything seemed fine. I didn’t checked if the games were working at the time.
Then I installed the 5.00 M33-6 patch.
I deleted everything in the UPDATE folder after the major update, and only then pasted the patch eboot along with the 500.pbp, thinking it would be necessary. It installed fine again. I deleted the entire Update folder after this.
Then I checked the games. Everything seemed fine again. I chose one and started. Then the problems start: I can’t start any game! It returns me to the XMB with the error 80020321. Only the emulators work!
How can I solve this? i’m kind of scared it won’t work again. I’m positive it worked, in System Settings it says 5.00 M33-6
Thanks in advance!!!
PS: I disabled the plugins too.
Sorry for double post.
- I had 4.01 M33-2 before this.
- The sound that some games present when your are choosing a game in XMB don’t play.
Press select on the XMB and check what option for UMD ISO Mode you have selected:
Also, are you sure you’re putting the games in the right folder? The ISO/CSO files should be placed on an ISO folder inside the memory card.
what button i press to open M33 vsh menu?
well actually I realized that even yesterday! the recovery menu option was set to UMD required!
But thank you anyway for answering and for the guide, too.
You seem a really cool guy, replying to all the questions. I wish there were more like you!
Just one more question: Is this m33 version still the newest?
Thanks again.
geez I post a lot but I have another problem…
After all this I tried to play Rock Band but the save is corrupted!!
I backed them up before updating. I tried to play once but the load failed. Then I replaced the saves in the memory stick by the ones that were backed up just before the update, but it says they are also corrupted!
What’s happening?
Thanks in advance!!
Hmm… I think it’s because Rock Band was released AFTER the official 5.00 firmware was released. Although I’m not sure why your saves are still corrupted even if you copied the saves from before the update. I’ll look into it.
Well I do what I can to help out.
I try to answer everyone but I end up getting tired of people asking the very same question by the guy before them >_>.
Anyway, to answer your question. 5.00 M33-6 is the latest release by dark alex. The latest custom firmware version (the one with the highest official firmware equivalent) is 5.50 GEN-B…
do you think that it’s worth upgrading to
5.50 GEN-B?
how hard it is to upgrade, relatively to upgrading 5.00 M33?
Thanks!!
Well, the only feasible reason for me to install GEN-B is if I want to access the PSN. Personally though, I’d stick to 5.00 M33 since it’s more stable.
Upgrading to 5.50 GEN-A then GEN-B is simple as pie
.
ok thanks.
Stability over all!
Thanks again for posting this guide.
Help When i click update , it say “this progam require 3.52 or higher”but my psp already 3.52
help me
It says 3.52 M33. I think you’re still on the official Sony firmware.
Alright I have a PSP-1007 and I’ve gotten the chickHEN 5.03 R2 firmware running just fine, it’s the steps after that I’m having trouble with. I’ve tried doing the chickHEN > CFWE 3.50 (nothing happens, PSP just restarts and the firmware is still chickHEN), chickHEN > 5.03 GEN-A (same as previous), and chickHEN > 5.00 M33 (screen just hangs at the ‘Please wait’ step).
What am I doing wrong?
That’s because your installing the cfw for PSP-3000s. Read this guide instead
Thanks for replying. I actually discovered my mistake soon after I posted and used Hellcat’s recovery but ended up bricking my PSP (lol), so I just created a Pandora battery and MMS and I got 5.00 M33-6 working fine. The only downside is a I need a new battery now =\, lol.
ouch, well at least you’ve got 5.00 M33 running.
I’ve used your guide, and well, I must be a retard or something (in spite of having successfully installed 4.01…), because following it to a tee always seems to result in a semi-brick. I just can’t seem to get my PSP much further than 4.01. Oh well, no worries.
I just downgrade from 5.03 to 5.00 m33-4…I’m using phat psp it was successfully…but I having problem that the games that save to ISO folder can’t open (the games could not be started (80020321)…please help
Thanks Sylv3rblade I have succeed follow your step M33 Vhs menu
when i want to start ( this game cannot be started the data is corrupted ) what can i do plz help me
Are you already on custom firmware? Please reply with the version of your firmware as you see it on your PSP.
I have a PSP 2004 with 3.90 m33-3. Can I directly install 5.00 m33 or do I need to install the intermediate firmwares??
If I have to install the intermediate ones can you please provide me the links to it.
One last question: Where do I download the “the official 500.PBP” (as you have stated in the guide)?? Is it the link you have provided??
Yep, you can install 5.00 M33 directly. The OFW link for 5.00? It’s listed under the requirements (look for 500.pbp)
how do i Disable ALL plugins
If you still have no idea how to disable plugins then you’re good to go (this is because your PSP is likely to be clear of plugins).
Hi! Im running on 3.9 m33 and decided to upgrade it to 4.01 but i think i got the wrong 401.pbp because it turn out to be a sony official firmware. Can i turn it back to CFW m33. Thanks. Im noob….
Proceed to follow this guide to installing custom firmware without pandora
My problem is i dont know what is my motherboard… A cellphone/psp technician installed a CFW m33 before and of course i have to pay for it, i didnt see if he uses a pandora battery or not… I want to hack myself if its safe… Thanks…
You can proceed to follow this guide to installing custom firmware without pandora.
by the way i have psps-2004…
i have the 5.03 m33-6 and i most likely have the tav 088 motherboard. and im using cfwenabler 3.60 but i cant seem to enable plugins like cwcheat, anyone can help me out?
hi,
my PSP is version 5.00.when i download 5.00m33 and put it to my PSP and press install ,then it shows 5.00m33 was corrupted ….. what could i do now?
You need your PSP converted to custom firmware before installing 5.00 M33. Read this guide: Install CFW w/o Pandora.
what is need to play ISO & CSO file in PSP?
I cant see to run the update. it seem to be a corrupted file aft i put it in the game folder.
I cant seem to run the update. it appeared to be a corrupted file aft i put it in e game folder
eh. i managed to update to 5.00 le. but now it become official firmware. is dere any solution?
Please iterate the steps you’ve done. The instructions are pretty clear though so I’m wondering what went wrong.
hi
i install the ofw 5.0. And follow the steps to install chikenR2…but when (in the PSP) i press the Chiken folder ..the PSP was autometicly turn off….and do not start…..
Other problem-when I want to install any PBP file in my PSP …there is a letter box ( this game cannot be started the data is corrupted ) what could i do now?
IS THERE ANY WAY TO PLAY ISO,CSO GAME WIHT OUT INSTALL ANY CFW?
psEAESE help…….
Nope. You need CFW to play them in ISO/CSO format
just updated from 3.71 M33 to 5.00M33-6 without any issues. Thank you for your guide sylv3rblade!
I KEEP ON GETTING A MESSAGE SAYING DATE IS CORRUPT. I HAVE FOLLOWED ALL DIRECTIONS AS ABOVE. I AM CURRENTLY USING VERSION 6. How can I fix this problem.
version 6? As in 6.00?
YES….The latest one.
You didn’t read this part of the requirements:
You NEED to have CFW before installing 5.00 M33. How to do it? Read the How to install Custom firmware guide
My model is a psp-1002. So Put that software on my PSP then.
Cheers…
hey bro I know this may sound farmiliar right. I’m having 4.01 m33-2 & I did exactly everything you said,it says corrupted data.What next ?
Can anyone find OFW5.55 anywhere?
Just upgraded the CFW from 3.90 m33-2 to 5.00 m33-6. Things went smoothly until I noticed that my saved data games that was created in 3.90 m33-2 (Dissidia and MHFU) can’t be loaded!! It says, “Load failed. The data is corrupted”. Any idea? Help will be appreciated…Great tutorial by the way, thanks!
i DID IT!
but i did not rename my EBOOT.PBP, i left it and put in the official 500.PBP.
it works and i did not get any corrupted data as my old CFW was 3.71 M-33!
Thnx Heapss
any1 have questions comment me.
“Rename the EBOOT.PBP to 500.PBP before proceeding.”
I put this there because I couldn’t remember if the file included was EBOOT.PBP or in 500.PBP.
3.71 m33-2 is my current version, i tried your steps but
“verifying 500pbp… incorect file” appeared
help pls ..
Sir, my current firmware version is 3.90 m33-4. Is it alright if I skipped updating to 4.01 m33 and just jump to 5.00 m33? Some people said I still have to upgrade first to 4.01 m33 before install 5.00 m33. And if yes, can I also skip the older patches and just update to 5.00 m33-6 immediately?
pare…. pag nirename ko ung eboot.pbp sa 500.pbp…. naooverwrite sya nung 500.pbp na 25mb. Ganun ba talaga un?
need mo talaga irename sya as 500.pbp kasi hinde sya mababasa ng PSP.
ive just successfully installed 5.00 m33-6 cfw but i didnt test the m33 which is supposed to enable the homebrew or something is there soming i can do or what and i think i buggered my memory sticks up cause i transfered the data from one to another and now its not booting up when the pandora batt is in what can i dooo
pre 3.71 M33-2 version q .. pero pag nirun q n un program e2 pnapakita
“verifying 500.pbp… incorect file”
anu b mali q? tnx ng mrmi.
will i update 5.00 SONY OFFICIAL not the m33?
ok now i got it why when its verifying 500.PBP it say incorrect file
Does this work on a big fat old PSP 1002 with a 3.71 M33-2?
cos apparently it says corrupt data
OH NO>>>>its the bloddy Sony one….not M33….wat did u do??????!!!!!
my psp screwed up now … i cant play anything downloaded … stupid sony copyrigth crap!!!!
help me…………
You need to install custom firmware on it again.. don’t worry, it’s not that hard:
http://www.atmaxplorer.com/2009/07/convert-your-psp-to-custom-firmware-without-pandora-battery/
Hi, My PSP is running 3.53 M33. I put the eboot and 500 files in as per instructions. Ran the update from the game menu, and it said ‘unpacking data….’ The screen then went black after 3 mins or so and it hasn’t done anything since. Is it supposed to do this ? How long is it meant to take – its been about 10 mins like this now – PLS HELP !!!
if I have a PSP 5.51 OFW, what can I do other than using pandora on it to get my custom firmware back? :O
if i used m33-6 does it mean i also have the changes from m33-2 to m33-5?
Yep. You don’t have to install the incremental backups. This is indicated in the 2nd page of the post
ah thanks, i have a question, why cant i run the new game ive downloaded, its obscure the aftermath and half-minute hero in my psp. actually its the reason why i’ve upgraded my psp from 3.71 m33-2 to 5.00. i thought it’ll solve my problem, when i try to play the game it says, the game could not be started (80020148). what’s the problem here?
hey, I have cf 401 m33-2 i did all the steps exactly as you said, and the data is corrupt
Lmao I got it working but my battery aint 78 percent aha.
Just upgraded the CFW from 3.90 m33-2 to 5.00 m33-6. Then I noticed that my saved data games that was created in 3.90 m33-2 (NFS shift ) can’t be loaded!! It says, “Load failed. The data is corrupted”. How can i retrieve back the data..Can anyone help… Dun want to waste my effort playing again Thanks
Thanks. I have a PSP running 3.71 M33. I did everything as described, but when I ran the updater it showed the PSP screen, played the sound, and then the PSP turned off. The battery is 100%. Any ideas?
Thanks
pare tulong ng madami, panu bumalik sa 3.71 m33??? nka 5.00 m33-6 nako, dati 3.71 ako pero kelangan ku magdowngrade ulet, tulong please…
My psp model is 3004 and it is ofw 5.03…how can i install cfw in my psp? Please help…:-)
do I really need to patch it???
You can either patch or update to 5.50 gen-d
hey guys can anyone help me, i had cfw 3.71 m33-2 and a couple of games worked then i would get the “the game couldnt not be started” error. so i thought would update the cfw to 5.00 m33-6?
now the games that use to work dont work.
i have no idea wat to do anymore -.- ive tried so much and i have no clue.
could anyone give me any pointers on what to do? please
any help is appreciated. thanks.
Have you tried changing your ISO mode? Press and hold select on your XMB and change it to the M33 driver or the Sony one.
yes i tried that, i also tried to go into recovery mode and changing the settings through there.
i dont know how this happened but i just went to turn my psp on and it wont turn on…i think its bricked.
light is constantly on and nothing happens
what do u recomend? im so over this lol ive been screwing around with it for the lasst couple of days. and now this -.- so annoyed. thanks for the reply btw
Well the only way to recover that is with the help of a pandora battery.
i dont know if this could help me in any way
but
when i take the battery out and plug the charger in
the psp starts.
is there any way i can fix it or do i stillneed a new battery?
Sounds like a faulty battery to me.
hmm ok well thank u for ur help =]
Hey, i follow all of your instructions but when i go to my psp xmb and the game section on my memory stick i get corrupted data, what should i do?
Does your PSP have custom firmware installed already?
try installing the 1.50 kernel for 5.00m33
yes, i already have custom firmware on my psp and games on my memory stick..
i don’t got the fat psp, i got the slim and lite version
What’s your current firmware version?
when u download custom firmware is it like modifying ur psp? if so then i’ll just give it to my friend to mod it. but if not my OFFICIAL FIRMWARE is version 6.10 and i want the custom firmware
Technically yes, you’re replacing the official firmware that’s on the flash memory of the PSP to a custom one. Before you hand it over to your friend, what is your PSP model?
my psp says:
current firmware: 4.01 m33-2
my psp says:
current firmware: 4.01 m33-2.
Then yes, you can install this update