Hacking [GUIDE] The Ultimate Noob PS Vita/PSTV Hacking Guide OP OUTDATED

[Tom Bombadildo]

I’m sorry to ask this only because it’s so much info and I’m an idiot when it comes to things like this.

But literally all I want to do is download 3 games and play them over the course of the year. I have a pstv 3.60 and a fat32 16gb usb. What is the steps I need to do in order to accomplish that in simple idiots guide please.

https://vita.cfw.guide/

Follow this guide. Extremely easy to follow, goes over pretty much everything you want to know beyond perhaps where to get the games, you'll have to figure that out yourself.

 

[Rith12]

Follow this guide. Extremely easy to follow, goes over pretty much everything you want to know beyond perhaps where to get the games, you'll have to figure that out yourself.

Thanks got it working

 

[Bonovox40]

Ok, so I followed the guide regarding setting up a sd2vita adapter. (Vita 1000 model)
Everything went fine, but I must have a small config error: if I leave the Sony memory card in there and power on, the Vita thinks the old memory card is the only thing there. If I turn it off, take out the Sony card and reboot, the Vita sees the sd2vita as intended.

My plan was to use the Sony card for hosting adrenaline psp games and emulator stuff. What do I need to do to get the Vita to boot up sd2vita as the primary, and still allow the Sony memory card as usable secondary storage? Thanks!

 

[Rith12]

What’s the current way to whitelist on 3.60?

 

[SeongGino]

My plan was to use the Sony card for hosting adrenaline psp games and emulator stuff. What do I need to do to get the Vita to boot up sd2vita as the primary, and still allow the Sony memory card as usable secondary storage? Thanks!

You really can't use the GameCard as primary if you wish to use Adrenaline. Because Adrenaline relies on the hard-coded path to the emulated PSP's storage (at ux0spemu), you'll have to pick and choose.
Assuming you're using something like StorageMgr as your card management plugin, if the SD card is larger than the MCD, I'd recommend mounting it as ux0 (primary) and storing PSP and Vita stuff (or whatever else you want to access from the LiveArea) on it, and use the MCD as uxa0 (or equivalent secondary partition) for miscellaneous files.
If the MCD is larger than the SD card, then mount that as ux0 (primary), and the GCD as your secondary.

Or whatever else you had in mind, I suppose. But you get the idea.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

You really can't use the GameCard as primary if you wish to use Adrenaline. Because Adrenaline relies on the hard-coded path to the emulated PSP's storage (at ux0spemu), you'll have to pick and choose.
Assuming you're using something like StorageMgr as your card management plugin, if the SD card is larger than the MCD, I'd recommend mounting it as ux0 (primary) and storing PSP and Vita stuff (or whatever else you want to access from the LiveArea) on it, and use the MCD as uxa0 (or equivalent secondary partition) for miscellaneous files.
If the MCD is larger than the SD card, then mount that as ux0 (primary), and the GCD as your secondary.

Or whatever else you had in mind, I suppose. But you get the idea.

You're wrong. Adrenaline was updated to support moving the memory card to uma0 nearly a year ago.

@Bonovox40, you're likely using the wrong gamecard plugin. There are multiple versions, one of them has the SD2vita mounted as ux0 and the MC mounted as uma0, you'll need to swap to that plugin then reboot.

 

[Bonovox40]

You're wrong. Adrenaline was updated to support moving the memory card to uma0 nearly a year ago.

@Bonovox40, you're likely using the wrong gamecard plugin. There are multiple versions, one of them has the SD2vita mounted as ux0 and the MC mounted as uma0, you'll need to swap to that plugin then reboot.

Thanks, I just realized that last night about the game card plugin having options. But I REALLY almost messed up everything. I had both cards in and went to Henkaku settings.
Some new nopdrm/nopaystation games weren't showing up after moving their folder to the data folder, so i selected that "reload tai config" option near the bottom and rebooted....
When it came up, all my bubbles we're gone and system setting showed 3.65 NON Enzo version...wtf?!?! I took out the sd2vita and rebooted w just the memory card and Enzo 3.65 is back..kinda? Boots up w Enzo logo and i can play my nopaystation/Mai based games, but System Settings shows "3.65" and not the Asian Henkaku characters after it?? .... what happened and how do I fix the sd2vita mem card now?

Edit: ok, so it's still 3.65 Enzo w the correct Japanese characters on the system info page. The "spoof firmware" was unchecked. So now just need to fix the Sony memory card.

 

[Deleted-351540]

Thanks, I just realized that last night about the game card plugin having options. But I REALLY almost messed up everything. I had both cards in and went to Henkaku settings.
Some new nopdrm/nopaystation games weren't showing up after moving their folder to the data folder, so i selected that "reload tai config" option near the bottom and rebooted....
When it came up, all my bubbles we're gone and system setting showed 3.65 NON Enzo version...wtf?!?! I took out the sd2vita and rebooted w just the memory card and Enzo 3.65 is back..kinda? Boots up w Enzo logo and i can play my nopaystation/Mai based games, but System Settings shows "3.65" and not the Asian Henkaku characters after it?? .... what happened and how do I fix the sd2vita mem card now?

Edit: ok, so it's still 3.65 Enzo w the correct Japanese characters on the system info page. The "spoof firmware" was unchecked. So now just need to fix the Sony memory card.

I'm having the same problem as you. My SD2Vita mounts as ux0 and my Vita memory card mounts as uma0. If I have the memory card in, my SD2Vita will not mount but if I remove the memory card it mounts. I also wanted to use it for PSX/PSP games.

If I have to remove it I will. It's only 8Gb and my SD2Vita is 128Gb.

Edit: going to look into CelesteBlue's storagemgr over gamesd. Will report back!

 

[Bonovox40]

I'm having the same problem as you. My SD2Vita mounts as ux0 and my Vita memory card mounts as uma0. If I have the memory card in, my SD2Vita will not mount but if I remove the memory card it mounts. I also wanted to use it for PSX/PSP games.

If I have to remove it I will. It's only 8Gb and my SD2Vita is 128Gb.

Edit: going to look into CelesteBlue's storagemgr over gamesd. Will report back!

There is a gamesd file that allows sd2vita as primary, and sony mem cards as storage for psp and such. I just need to find the site again, and figure out why the sd2vita card became all wonky because it's messed up now. (the sony mem card had to be put back in, in order for bubbles to show up)

 

[Bonovox40]

Well dang it. Idk what's up now. If I put the sd2vita in alone without the Sony memory card, it boots up but all bubbles are gone except default Vita ones like system/email/content manager, etc.

If I boot up just the Sony mem card, it's fine but that's not what I want.
If I boot up BOTH cards together, the Enzo logo loops endlessly, until I pull out the sd2vita card and hold L in....wth am I doing wrong?

 

[Deleted-351540]

Well dang it. Idk what's up now. If I put the sd2vita in alone without the Sony memory card, it boots up but all bubbles are gone except default Vita ones like system/email/content manager, etc.

If I boot up just the Sony mem card, it's fine but that's not what I want.
If I boot up BOTH cards together, the Enzo logo loops endlessly, until I pull out the sd2vita card and hold L in....wth am I doing wrong?

I'd try formatting your SD2Vita, blanking it with the zzzimage file, formatting it again, and reinstalling the plugin for it.

On a separate note, I did get storagemgr working fine. Both my SD2V and Vita memory card are working fine now.

 

[Bonovox40]

I'd try formatting your SD2Vita, blanking it with the zzzimage file, formatting it again, and reinstalling the plugin for it.

On a separate note, I did get storagemgr working fine. Both my SD2V and Vita memory card are working fine now.

What does storagemgr do for you? Is your config.txt on both the sd2vita and Sony card? What folders did you put it in?

 

[Deleted-351540]

What does storagemgr do for you? Is your config.txt on both the sd2vita and Sony card? What folders did you put it in?

Storagemgr is simply a storage manager plugin. It allowed me to setup mount points for each add-on card for the Vita. Put the storagemgr.skprx file in ur0:tai/ and then add the following to the config.txt:

ur0:tai/storagemgr.skprx

Open the storagemgr config file and change SD2Vita to ux0, change your Vita memory card to uma0. Save and exit.

Reboot. Enjoy using both cards at the same time!

 

[Bonovox40]

Storagemgr is simply a storage manager plugin. It allowed me to setup mount points for each add-on card for the Vita. Put the storagemgr.skprx file in ur0:tai/ and then add the following to the config.txt:

ur0:tai/storagemgr.skprx

Open the storagemgr config file and change SD2Vita to ux0, change your Vita memory card to uma0. Save and exit.

Reboot. Enjoy using both cards at the same time!

Bob, So I went and formatted the microsd card again, used imagewriter to flash the image again, and reformatted per the sd2vita guide.

At this point, walk me through what you did like i'm a newb...:-P (also not sure if my adapter is good. At one point the other day, I was able to see it in vitashell. Now either it's broken, or just the current configs are preventing it from being visable in vitashell....)

ANYWAY... Here's what I did so far:

Step#1. I booted the vita with just the sony memory card in here. Went to vitashell, connected usb to pc and brought over the storagemgr and storage_config.txt files to ur0:tai/ folder. REMEMBER that I ONLY have the sony mem card in here at this point. (are these steps correct so far?

#2. I opened the storage_config.txt and see this??:

MCD=uma0
INT=imc0
UMA=ux0
GCD=grw0

Confused now. So... what do I need to make it look like exactly so the sd2vita card is the boot up device, and the sony card is secondary? (or whatever matters using storagemgr)
ALSO....what do I do with the config.txt file on the SONY memory card?? i'm afraid to make changes to it, because if it gets botched up, it may not boot up into a usable livescreen area and worried the vitashell bubble would be gone or something.....

If I go into vitashell on the Sony mem card and hit start and change "USB device" to "sd2vita", it just keeps asking to insert a microsd card. It doesn't see or want to mount the sd2vita. (not sure if it's because of config errors or the adapter stopped working, idk)

Thanks again for the help.

 

[SirNapkin1334]

Well, vita.hacks.guide is coming soon, so soon we can use that.

 

[Deleted-351540]

@Bonovox40

Give me a few hours so I can get a couple doctor visits knocked out and get back to my Vita. I will give you a quick tutorial for moving from gamesd.skprx (SD2Vita original plugin) to storagemgr (multiple storage mount manager by CelesteBlue).

It isn't that hard though. I'd first confirm that your SD2Vita adapter works by removing the Vita memory card and reinserting the SD2Vita and viewing it in VitaShell.

I'm also going to make you reset the taiconfig in HENkaku settings. This will remove all additions to the config file that you have made and reset it back

A quick tutorial:

1. Follow tutorial for setting up SD2Vita
2. Reset taiconfig in settings
3. Do not add the plugin gamesd.skprx
4. Do not add the line for gamesd.skprx into config.txt
5. Follow the "Usage" section here: https://github.com/CelesteBlue-dev/PSVita-StorageMgr/blob/master/README.md
6. Reboot
7. Enjoy

Tips: GCD = GameCardDevice (SD2Vita), MCD = Vita Memory Card, don't mess with anything else.

My example storagemgr config file:

MCD=uma0
INT=imc0
UMA=grw0
GCD=ux0

 

[Bonovox40]

@Bonovox40

It isn't that hard though. I'd first confirm that your SD2Vita adapter works by removing the Vita memory card and reinserting the SD2Vita and viewing it in VitaShell.

I'm also going to make you reset the taiconfig in HENkaku settings. This will remove all additions to the config file that you have made and reset it back

A quick tutorial:

2. Reset taiconfig in settings

Regarding the above: If i pop out the memory card, the vita reboots with a warning not to remove the memory card while the system is active. If I boot up the vita with ONLY the SD2vita card, it doesn't "see" the card and boots up just the default system bubbles (no vitashell or enzo, game bubbles since they are on the sony mem card)

#2. Reset taiconfig - doing that yesterday is what seemed to break whatever it was that actually let me see the sd2vita card in vitashell, and ever since that happened, I have been unable to "see" it mounted in vitashell, and get the endless Enzo boot loop if the sd2card is in it. (worried to do this again and possibly break the ability to bootup into enzo on the sony memory card)

Are saying with the above steps 1-7 the sony memory card should be in or out of the vita? Just be completely specific with physical steps also to avoid errors when I do this. Thanks for trying to help me out! (also never got the gamesd plugin working, and it's all commented out, so disregard trying to mess with that for me) :-P

 

[Deleted-351540]

Regarding the above: If i pop out the memory card, the vita reboots with a warning not to remove the memory card while the system is active. If I boot up the vita with ONLY the SD2vita card, it doesn't "see" the card and boots up just the default system bubbles (no vitashell or enzo, game bubbles since they are on the sony mem card)

#2. Reset taiconfig - doing that yesterday is what seemed to break whatever it was that actually let me see the sd2vita card in vitashell, and ever since that happened, I have been unable to "see" it mounted in vitashell, and get the endless Enzo boot loop if the sd2card is in it. (worried to do this again and possibly break the ability to bootup into enzo on the sony memory card)

Are saying with the above steps 1-7 the sony memory card should be in or out of the vita? Just be completely specific with physical steps also to avoid errors when I do this. Thanks for trying to help me out! (also never got the gamesd plugin working, and it's all commented out, so disregard trying to mess with that for me) :-P

If I were you, I would format and start all the way over. I assume you are on 3.65, but the procedure should be the same on 3.60.

Unlink your Vita memory card in the HENkaku settings. Then format the console in system settings. You won't lose Enso on either firmware. At least, I never did from a format. You will lose access to MolecularShell, VitaShell, the Enso app, and any other homebrew you have installed, so back them up with (Q)CMA on your computer and then restore them after the format. Alternatively after the format, you can re-run the HENkaku exploit holding "R" to get MolecularShell back.

If that doesn't fix it, it's beyond my ability to fix. Also, just a "cover my own ass" statement: any help I give is purely at your own risk. If you do something I say and (god forbid) lose Enso, while I apologise because it wasn't intended, I take no responsibility. You alone chose to follow advice of a random internet stranger.

(In case you haven't noticed, I don't generally like giving out advice over the internet on a console that could potentially lose the ability to be exploited. You may be better off waiting for someone more knowledgeable than I to give you help.)

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Alternatively after the format, you can re-run the HENkaku exploit holding "R" to get MolecularShell back.

This DOES NOT work on 3.65. You can't re-run the Henkaku exploit at all, as it was coded for 3.60, not 3.65.

https://github.com/SilicaAndPina/psvimgtools-frontend/releases < If you lose Vitashell, you can use this to restore it back to your Vita.

@Bonovox40 You shouldn't need to delete your tai config.

Try this:

1) First, take your SD2Vita out of your Vita and use your memory card.
2) Download VitaStorageMgr, both the skprx and the config.txt: https://github.com/CelesteBlue-dev/PSVita-StorageMgr/releases
3) Make sure your tai config is in ur0:tai/, and not ux0.
4) Transfer the downloaded files above, putting storage_config.txt in ur0:tai/ and storagemgr.skprx in ur0:tai/.
5) Then, open the config.txt in ur0:\tai. Delete any line that uses "gamesd.skprx"
6) While in config.txt, put "ur0:tai/storagemgr.skprx" then save and close
7) Open the storage_config.txt, and make sure it has the following:

MCD=uma0
UMA=ux0
INT=imc0
GCD=grw0

8) Turn your Vita off, plug in the SD2Vita card, and reboot.

If you followed all these steps, your Vita should boot with the SD2Vita mounted as ux0, and the Memory card as uma0.

If this still fails, then you're skipping or missing or messed up a step.

 

[Bonovox40]

This DOES NOT work on 3.65. You can't re-run the Henkaku exploit at all, as it was coded for 3.60, not 3.65.

https://github.com/SilicaAndPina/psvimgtools-frontend/releases < If you lose Vitashell, you can use this to restore it back to your Vita.

@Bonovox40 You shouldn't need to delete your tai config.

Try this:

1) First, take your SD2Vita out of your Vita and use your memory card.
2) Download VitaStorageMgr, both the skprx and the config.txt: https://github.com/CelesteBlue-dev/PSVita-StorageMgr/releases
3) Make sure your tai config is in ur0:tai/, and not ux0.
4) Transfer the downloaded files above, putting storage_config.txt in ur0:tai/ and storagemgr.skprx in ur0:tai/.
5) Then, open the config.txt in ur0:\tai. Delete any line that uses "gamesd.skprx"
6) While in config.txt, put "ur0:tai/storagemgr.skprx" then save and close
7) Open the storage_config.txt, and make sure it has the following:

MCD=uma0
UMA=ux0
INT=imc0
GCD=grw0

8) Turn your Vita off, plug in the SD2Vita card, and reboot.

If you followed all these steps, your Vita should boot with the SD2Vita mounted as ux0, and the Memory card as uma0.

If this still fails, then you're skipping or missing or messed up a step.

Thanks Tom and Bob. Still something isn't quite right. I'm thinking the adapter died, even after it did show up once the other day in vitashell. It never shows up after I change the ur0 storage_config and config.txt settings as explained.

I configured using the steps 1-8 exactly as you described: I see the Sony memory card under ux0 (16gb card), and for some reason i'm seeing a 2gb area in ur0. (where is 2gb coming from on a vita 1000 with no internal storage space??) The 128gb sd2vita doesn't show up anywhere. I ordered a new adapter but is it possible some config.txt settting on the sony memory card is screwing it up? Should the microsd in the sd2vita adapter be an exact 1-1 copy of the sony card along with the exact same config.txt and storage_config.txt files/pathing??

BTW, any reason why on my normal working sony memory card, I can't get any new nopaystation titles/bubbles to show up after putting their folder in the data folder?? Was working just fine last week.