Thanks to Davee and Team typhoon, custom firmware can now run on PSP-3000 or PSP-2000 with TA-088v3 via the chickHen hack. Using chickHen, you can run custom firmware to play ISO/CSO games and run homebrew applications.
So what is chickHen?
ChickHEN is an loader for all Sony PSP models (1000, 2000 and 3000) to run homebrew apps on official Sony 5.03 firmware. Everything runs on the onboard memory of the PSP so there’s no risk of damage (unless you stray away from the instructions). The current version of chickHen is chickHen-R2.
Important: If you have official firmware 5.50 installed, stop now. You can’t install the chickHen hack which means you can’t install any of the custom firmware for your PSP (5.03 GEN-A or Custom Firmware Enabler). As of 5.50 OFW, the TIFF exploit that the chickHen hack runs on is already patched.
Requirements:
- A PSP-3000 or PSP-2000 with TA-088v3 motherboard.
- A firmware version of 5.03 or lower. If you have anything higher, you can’t install chickHen.
- Download: 503.pbp | 503.pbp
- Download: ChickHEN R2 | ChickHEN R2 | ChickHEN R2
Update your PSP to OFW 5.03
Skip this step if you already have official firmware 5.03 installed.
- Connect your PSP to the computer in USB Mode
- Copy the 503.pbp to folder PSP/GAME/UPDATE
- Disconnect the PSP from USB
- Run the Update via XMB
- When the update finishes proceed to installing chickHen R2.
How to Install chickHEN R2
- On the Settings menu of your PSP’s XMB, do the following
- Restore to Default Settings’ of PSP
- Turn off UMD Auto-Start and UMD Cache
- Character set to us
- Revert theme for classic
- Connect your PSP to the computer in USB Mode
- Unzip ChickHEN R2.zip on your computer
- Copy h.bin to your memory stick root, this is where the VIDEO, PICTURE and PSP folders are.
- Copy the chickHEN folder (use the contents PHAT folder for PSP-1000s, SLIM folder for PSP-2000s and PSP-3000s) inside the PHOTO folder of your PSP (X:/PSP/PHOTO is the root of the memory stick, manually create this if you don’t see one)
- Disconnect the PSP from USB.
- Turn OFF (not standby) your PSP and turn it on again.
- Go to XMB >> Photo >> Memory Stick and wait (YES YOU NEED TO WAIT) an Options menu appear (Right Bottom)
- Hit X to open ChickHEN folder
- If you’re successful ChickHEN-R2 load up, you’ll see flashing colors, and your PSP will reboot automatically into ChickHEN. Check your Firmware version and you should see :
5.03 ChickHEN R2
Easy installer for ChickHen R2
For you lazy bums out there, you can use these programs to install chickHen R2 will just one click.
- Download the installer for your PSP Model:
- Extract the zip file to your computer
- Run the included program (it’s an exe, but don’t worry, it’s virus free)
- Connect your PSP to your PC.
- Hit the install button.
- If you’re successful ChickHEN-R2 load up, you’ll see flashing colors, and your PSP will reboot automatically into ChickHEN. Check your Firmware version and you should see :
5.03 ChickHEN R2
installer by ADePSP
Running custom firmware on ChickHen
After successfully loading chickHen, you can now proceed to run custom firmware on your PSP. You can choose:
Troubleshooting
If you’re experiencing trouble (and yes, a lot of people are having trouble running ChickHen) try these:
- Go to system settings, and choose Restore Default Settings option. Don’t change your PSP’s name from default.
- Turn off the Umd Auto load
- If you have PSP-2000 or PSP-3000 turn off UMD cache.
- Change the character set code to the US (437) or Multilingual latin 1 (850), this code are used for system access of some file types.
- Adding 1 to 2 extra gif images, copy and paste with name e.g. ChickHENe.gif, ChickHENf.gif. Its most happen on High Speed memory stick pro duo. Fake MS or Not
- Don’t use the chickHen folder other than for pictures used for chickHen.
- Try to use a different memory stick or reformatting your memory stick (after backing up it’s contents).
If you need a video:
If you still have a question, post it in the comments.
Tagged with: ChickHEN, Custom Firmware
Filed Under: Playstation Portable
ummm….I have psp slim model 2006 with a tav motherboard..Just wanted to know, during this chiKhen procees if we made a mistake will it brick my psp forever?.. Cant I restore it anyway? Pls I really need help on this!!!!!!!
I have PSP 3000 with pre loaded system software version 5.03 but installation of CFWenabler is impossible because an error message appears “This game cannot be started. The data is corrupted.”
I followed the instruction completely and carefully but it doesnt work…..please help me…
Hey! sylv3rblade, thanks for all you’ve been doing, I’ve managed to hack my kid brother’s PSP Slim 2000 (TA – 088v3) following your instructions and everything was smooth. Thank you very much and keep up the food work.
Little Problem:
I’ve just bought a PSP 3000 (OFW 6.10), can this be hacked? I’ve spent a goodly amount of time searching for instructions. I’ll appreciate it if you can point in me in the right direction.
At the moment there’s nothing we can do for PSP-3000s with firmware greater than 5.03
There’s simply no known way to downgrade them.
•Download: 503.pbp | 503.pbp | 503.pbp
the first link http://uploading.com/files/Z59RIEYE/503.PBP.html
that File is no longer there
I’ve replaced the file. Just follow the link on the post
Hi, I just bought a PSP3000 and managed to update from 5.00 to 5.03 through UMD game. I tried both instructions on installing ChickHen R2 but it seems doesn’t work. Can you please me. Thanks!
Can you specify the details of the problem you’re experiencing during installation.
when i go photo then memory stick hit “x” it will show chickhen folder then freezes. Tried to put the content of chickhen folder into photo folder only, same thing, remove couple of .gif files and same thing happens, it freezes then shuts down. I’ve reformatted the memory stick and restore default and change the UMD setting to off on both the used the chickhen installer program, when I click on “install it started to install and says “installed succesfuly” but still nothing happened on my PSP, no flash no anything. where did i go wrong? thanks.
The issue is probably your memory stick, try switching (from a friend or if you have a spare) and see how it works.
Can I Play any backup games just after doing the chickHEN hack ?(without installing CFWE or 5.03 GEN-A?)
pwd mag tagalog db?
hmmm pano po to…. dati nka 5.03 gen b na ako and i was enjoying disgaea 2 and assasins creed… tapos dinownload ko ung tekken 6 ayaw gumana nasstuck sa loading…. so nabad3p ako, nag sound3p nlng ako…. unfortunately nka 2log ako at aun naubos ang battery gg ung chickhen ko…. so ngaun nireformat ko ung stick (nkabackup ang games ko at saves) tapos gngamit ko ung ez installer just like before pero d ko mainstall ung chickhen ngaun… kumpleto na files i tried the auto way and the manual way but still i failed… nagawa ko xah dati naiinis ako bkt d ko magawa ngaun…. pls help? pati ung sa tekken ano po dpat ko gawin dun… nag sstuck sa loading screen ung 4372 lng nkikita ko… T_T
kua sylverblade, nagtry ako n irun ung chiken r2 s psp phat ng erpats q, kelangan q ung hellcat dba? pro kelangan q muna irun ung chiken r2, kso ndi q nmn po maparun, anu po dpat q gwin? kpg nagrestore default settings b aq mwwla ung cfw ko? hackable ung psp phat ko
Hi! I,ve made everything that you wrote here and the chickhen software is already ok. But we can’t see a game under the game icon. Understand? The chickhen is go, but i can’t see the games which I put in the games folder. WHY??? Please help
You can’t run games with just ChickHen. You need to install any of the GEN CFW for your PSP (5.03 GEN-A, 5.03 GEN-B, 5.03 GEN-C)
Thank you very much! I hope it will be run because my boyfriend goes to my nervs.
A technical question. The CFW-E guide says that “Yes, you have to repeat it, but after the first time, you don’t need flash anything.” So this seems that the CFW-E DOES something permanently to the flash that even when you restart the PSP it still remains. What does it actually do to the flash? If it does why isn’t it permanant? So if I am right, there may be a complete hack available in the near future, don’t you think?
It isn’t permanent because unlike older PSP models, the custom firmware is loaded onto the memory, and installed on flash0.
Sorry if I’m asking a noob question. But if CFW-E is installed into the flash0 why cant it be there when I restart the PSP? Why do I have to repeat the procedure again? Does it neesds to be installed to flash1 or flash2 to be permanent?
You are WRONG!! I found that chickHEN doesn’t do anything to flash0 it resides in the RAM its not INSTALLED to flash0 Did you even read the readme of the chickHEN? it says
“Instead of flashing to flash0, it resides entirely in RAM to prevent any damage to the system.” Quoted from the chickHEN r2 official release. Please reply
Whoops. Typo on my part. I was supposed to say that the custom firmware is loaded onto the memory, and NOT installed on flash0. (see that I’m missing the all so important NOT?)
This is why you have to reinstall Chickhen everytime you turn your PSP off. Clear?
I meant no offence.
Hay sylv3rblade I bought my psp 2006 already partial modded with 5.03 GEN-C (full).But I dont know the motherboard type. Can I run PSP Ident now? I mean is it ok to run PSP Ident with GEN enabled? Coz all the forums say to run it just after you do the chickHEN hack. Please help me.
None taken… I’m sorry for the typo
As for PSP Ident, you really need to run ChickHen before running PSP ident since it’s a homebrew application and it won’t run on a PSP with just the official firmware.
What I meant was that my PSP is already chickHEN+5.03GEN-C enabled and can I run PSP Ident now? (FW version now reads as 5.03 GEN-C (full).
Sorry for asking repeatedly but I love my PSP and dont wanna brick it. If I brick it my parents arent gonna buy me another
I bought it from the shop already partial moded so I dont know the mobo type. I just want find if its hackable ! Thank you very much for your help. Really appreciate it.
Ah…. then yes, you can run it. I’m too slow on the pick up today >_>
hi sylv3rblade I used psp ident and my psp mobo is ta088v3 BAD LUCK!! When do you think a complete hack be available ?
Whick do you personally prefer CFW-E (aka MHU) or GEN CFW?
GEN. As of the moment, it’s the best choice since they’re still releasing updates.
my motherboard is ta-088 v2.
i installed the chickhen r2, but when i checked system software is said, “5.03 chickHEN” why not r2?
but, will i still be able to instal CFW enabler?
Is yours PSP 2006?
nope its a psp 2000
Make sure it’s the latest version of ChickHEN. Or just try MHUSpeed3. It’s said to be fast and more stable.
But you surely can complete mod your PSP with Pandora and why not do it. I desperately want a complete mod for mine. But have to hang with ChickHEN due to ta-088 v3. I didnt know partial and complete mods when I bought mine. I shoud have bought the PSP 2004. BAd luck for me. No homebrew or CXMB!! Hope there’ll be complete mod SOON. Good luck bainie.
Everyone’s still waiting for ChickHen R3 to get released but the development team hasn’t updated anything yet.
On the plus side, there’s still the GEN team with their chickHen-running 5.03 GEN firmwares.
i have psp phat (1000). successfully installed 5.50 Gen (full) thats what it says on the system info. I can view the game but it will give me error:
“The game could not be started. (80020321)
please please please help….. thanks
On your PSP’s XMB, press select, change to option for UMD Mode to M33 Driver.
yay!! thank u soooo much!
it worked perfectly.. ur an angel =)
wait .. then could i use hellcat’s recovery flasher to get CFW? Im not sure if i can without the latest ChickHEN.
And yeah, my PSP was completely mod.
If it wasnt for me who didnt know anything about that then, then i wouldnt have made a network update which loss the CFW.
i would use pandora but i cant make/buy one.
Yes you can but you still need to load Chicken to run Hellcats. You can read the post here:
http://www.atmaxplorer.com/2009/07/convert-your-psp-to-custom-firmware-without-pandora-battery/
I have a psp-1000 years ago put on CFW 3.03 OE-B can I upgrade straight to 5.50 following the guide above or do I need to go through some of the other upgrades firest?
It’s not recommended since the installation is bound to hang somewhere. Upgrade incrementally (3.51 -> 3.71 -> 4.01 -> 5.00 -> 5.50 GEN-D3.
I have a psp-3000runing OF 5.03 and i never hacked before so when i ran the chickHEn R2 it doesnt work. i tryed to run it on both of my memory sticks like 20 times but it doesnt work my psp justs freezes and shuts off
HELP ME!!!!!
yes it does takes ALOT of tries
but you can give this method a try (Which worked for me in the first 5 tries):
***read through first before u do this***
1. go to photo on XMB and scroll down to memory stick,
2. When the ‘options’ icon appears on bottom right-hand corner,press and hold X
3. While still holdin X, wait for the “options” to appear again for the chickhen folder and when it does, let go of X and quickly press and hold it again. Then quickly scroll to the bottom of chickhen folder (to the tiff image)
you could give it a try, i tried all methods and this one worked for me
Im sorry if this is a stupid question but I have read conflicting information so I just wanted to make sure. I have a PSP Phat 1000 and it has firmware OFW 5.51. One one guide I read it said that the firmware did not matter towards the install of CFW but this guide says not to use 5.51. So which is it? Is there any way I can downgrade my FW so that I can install CFW on this PSP? Thanks a lot for your response.
It doesn’t matter which firmware you’re on when you want to install custom firmware on a hackable PSP (you have phat and it’s hackable, don’t worry) and if you have a pandora battery. If your PSP’s firmware is below or upto 5.03, you can still install custom firmware without a Pandora battery. Above that, 5.50 upto 6.00 and 6.10 and onwards, you need a pandora battery to downgrade your PSP and install custom firmware, I hope that clears things up.
I have a question. Between these two memory sticks which one is more likely to run ChicHEN R2, a 4gb or a 1gb?
It worked!!!! Thank you
I have psp-100 just upgraded to 5.03 can’t seem to get ChicHenR2 to install, even used the easy installer.
I go to photo, scroll down to memory card wait for menu press x, eggsploit tiff comes up I press x again is this right?
Hi I have a PSP 3000 (Japanese model) I’m not sure of the motherboard as I can’t check because I can install Chickhen R2. I updated to 5.03 and have tried two different memory cards, reformatted numerous times, and reset all the default settings. I read the above comment about holding down X when option appears, but this also doesn’t work (Also for some reason on my PSP the confirm button is O not X) I have tried many many many times. Any help / advice on how to get this running would be greatly appreciated!
pwd mag tagalog db?
hmmm pano po to…. dati nka 5.03 gen b na ako and i was enjoying disgaea 2 and assasins creed… tapos dinownload ko ung tekken 6 ayaw gumana nasstuck sa loading…. so nabad3p ako, nag sound3p nlng ako…. unfortunately nka 2log ako at aun naubos ang battery gg ung chickhen ko…. so ngaun nireformat ko ung stick (nkabackup ang games ko at saves) tapos gngamit ko ung ez installer just like before pero d ko mainstall ung chickhen ngaun… kumpleto na files i tried the auto way and the manual way but still i failed… nagawa ko xah dati naiinis ako bkt d ko magawa ngaun…. pls help? pati ung sa tekken ano po dpat ko gawin dun… nag sstuck sa loading screen ung 4372 lng nkikita ko… T_T
d nio nmn po sinagot
thanky u boz it’s working
pls do help me i got a psp bought it in japan well i got only 5 images in my ChickHEN folder am i missing something? T_T what should i do >< pls do help
Download chickhen again
you must enable chichen first
I have a psp lite 3004 piano black with ofw v 5.02 .ive tried d0wnloading ofw 5.03 frm s0ny psp site,and also to your site.but still error game cann0t be started (80020xxx).i place the file eboot.pbp to the folder PSP_GAME_UPDATE.what seemz to be the problem?pls help me..