A number PSP game releases require owners to update their PSP to the latest version of the firmware, 5.50. If you have custom firmware, that would mean upgrading to 5.50 GEN-A (and 5.50 GEN-B). If reluctant to (or in the case of PSP-3000 owners can’t) upgrade your firmware, here’s a bypass that will let you play games that require the latest firmware version.
If you’re looking for this on the web, people refer to it as the version.txt hack or version.txt for short. People can be lazy with names it seems. 
Important Note: Obviously for this to work you need to have custom firmware installed. Check out my guide on How to install custom firmware and jump back here.
Important Note: If you want a more reliable way of getting your games to work use the Game Decrypter. Note that this is only for PSPs with 5.00 M33, 5.50 MHU, 5.50 GEN-A, 5.50 GEN-B, 5.03 GEN-A and 5.03 MHU.
Requirements:
- A PSP with any any of the following custom firmware versions installed:
- 5.00 M33 (if you have the subsequent patches M33-2 to M33-6, that’s fine too)
- 5.03 Gen-A for PSP-3000 or PSP-2000 w/ TA-088v3 motherboards
- CFWEnabler for PSP-3000 or PSP-2000 w/ TA-088v3 motherboards
How to make your PSP think it has 5.50 firmware:
- Enter the configuration menu and find the set the following:
If you’re on 5.00 M33:- Turn off your PSP and holding the R trigger when turning it on.
- Go to Configuration > XMB USB Device and change it from Memory Stick to flash0
- Go to Use version.txt and select the option to enable it.
- Go to Back > Exit to restart your PSP
If you’re on 5.03 GEN-A or Custom Firmware Enabler:
- Press and hold select on your XMB
- Go to Use version.txt and select the option to enable it.
- Connect your PSP to your PC
- Browse your PSP and go to folders VSH > etc. Inside you should see a version.txt file.
- Right-click the version.txt file and uncheck the Read-Only property.
- Open the version.txt file. You will see:
- Replace it with
[sourcecode language='vb']
release:5.50:
build:3062,0,3,1,0:builder@vsh-build6
system:50781@release_550,0×05050010:
vsh:p6399@release_550,v50953@release_550,20090415:
target:1:WorldWide
[/sourcecode]
and save. - Skip this step if you’re on 5.03 GEN-A or Custom Firmware Enabler: restart your PSP.
- Press and hold select to access the VSH menu. Change back the XMB USB Device
- And you’re done
Important Note: Be careful with this step. You are editing flash0, it’s where the firmware of your PSP resides. If you delete or modify anything aside from version.txt you will BRICK YOUR PSP. Be very careful.
[sourcecode language='vb']
release:5.00:
build:2740,0,3,1,0:builder@vsh-build6
system:46876@release_500,0×05000010:
vsh:p6264@release_500,v46652@release_5…
target:1:WorldWide
[/sourcecode]
Easy right? Risky but yes, it is easy. I’ll update the post with an automated version.
Special thanks to Dark Alex for adding the version.txt feature in his 5.00 M33 release and to Enrick for the heads up
Do note that not ALL games that require the latest firmware will run with this method. There’s rumor that the Japanese version of Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny requires OFW 5.55 and directly bypasses this method. Also, some games have been programmed with anti-cfw measures. Check out this list of games that block custom firmware for updates. I’ve indicated which games can be played by using this method.
Tagged with: 5.50, Custom Firmware, version.txt
Filed Under: Playstation Portable
Anyway, napagana ko na po itong version.txt, pero ayaw pa rin po talaga gmna nung game. Pero nung plinay ng friend ko sa PSP phat niya (5.00M336), gmna. Sabi niya baki dahil naka partial cfw ako?
Hay =_=
Kapag sinabing partial, temporary lang ung custom firmware. Bawal patayin ung PSP kasi mawawala. As for version.txt, 50/50 ung pagana ng games sa kanya. 100% full proof sya nung unang labas pero ngayon.. well. swertihan na lang.
One last question (pasensya na po ang kulit ko =_=). Is it all right to just leave the version.txt edited as it is? Hindi po ba makakasira to in anyway? BTW PSP-200x slim 088-v3 po ito.
Nope. Di nakakabrick ung version.txt kasi ung custom firmware naman nagcreate nyan.
haha noob alert XD
sorry but where do i find the “use version.txt” and enable it? is it the Vshmenu? becuase thats the only thing thats near to version.txt ><;;
I really don’t get it on how to make this work on 3000… Could some1 make another page where it is clearly said what to do with 3000 because in this case I really doņt know what am I doing wrong…
sir pwd ko po ba ibahin ung sa version.txt ng 6.10 para makalaro ng tekken 6?? tHX!
Di gumagana ang version.txt sa tekken 6.
can i trick my psp so that it thinks that i have a verson higher than 5.50?
cuz sum of my games need 5.51+ lol
Just install 5.50 GEN-D3 (if your PSP is hackable) or 5.03 GEN-C (if it isn’t).
hindi ko po ma-gets yung part na to?
“Press and hold select to access the VSH menu. Change back the XMB USB Device”
change back to what? to Memory Stick po?
Yep. Back to memory stick.
ehh hi po. nasa ofw 5.50 npo ako. and i have psp 2000. pwede na ba agad lagyan ng games ito? im wondering if it needs to be on the Cfw mode.
Please check with this guide:
http://www.atmaxplorer.com/2009/03/how-to-check-if-your-psp-can-have-cfw-installed/
rojhel sir ask ko lng kung na solve mo n yung problem kc same as me i hav a psp 1000
ang version ko ay 5.50 may possible bng mging 5.50 gen kc hindi ko malaro yung mga download games ko pls can u help me …pls reply nmn dyn tnxs a million….
If may phat ka, need mo lang ng pandora battery. Pede ka magpunta sa mga PSP shops for a conversion. That’s just about 500 a pop. Recommended ko ang 5.50 GEN-D3 for the best compatibility