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PlayStation Vita owners have been waiting with bated breath for Vita scene hacker TheFloW to release his latest exploit: h-encore. This marks the second ever major exploit for the Vita, following the 3.60 Henkaku hack. For the first time, OFW 3.65, 3.67, and 3.68 can be modified to run backups, run homebrew, and more. Adrenaline, which lets users exploit the PSP side of the Vita, has also been updated as of two days ago, to support the latest firmwares.

To use h-encore, you're going to need a PS Vita on firmware 3.65 or above, be linked (though not activated) to a PSN account, and if you're using a OLED Vita, you'll also need a memory card.

Enso can also be installed, but only for those who are on 3.65--there's no current support for Enso on higher firmware. TheFloW's instructions note that this installation is far more complex than previous Henkaku releases, and will require more work to ensure that it works correctly.

Note that the following guide is for advanced users and a bit more complicated than the previous hack that only required you to visit a website. If you don't understand the guide below or how to use these tools, you should neither file an issue here nor annoy me on twitter, but rather seek help on /r/vitahacks (check for duplicated questions first!) or wait for an easy installer.

1. Download and install qcma, psvimgtools and pkg2zip (check the releases section).
   
   
2. Download the vulnerable DRM-free demo of bitter smile (yes, that's the user entry point).
   
   
3. Download h-encore and extract it on your computer.
   
   
4. Extract the demo using:
   
   pkg2zip -x PATH_OF_PKG
   
   This will output the files to app/PCSG90096.
   
   
5. Copy the contents of the output app/PCSG90096 to the folder h-encore/app/ux0_temp_game_PCSG90096_app_PCSG90096(such that the files eboot.bin and VITA_PATH.TXT are within the same folder).
   
   
6. Copy the license file app/PCSG90096/sce_sys/package/temp.bin to the folder
   h-encore/license/ux0_temp_game_PCSG90096_license_app_PCSG90096 and rename the just pasted file temp.bin to 6488b73b912a753a492e2714e9b38bc7.rif. Again, this file should be in the same folder as VITA_PATH.TXT.
   
   
7. Start qcma and within the qcma settings set the option Use this version for updates to FW 0.00 (Always up-to-date).
   
   
8. Launch Content Manager on your PS Vita and connect it to your computer, where you then need to select PC -> PS Vita System, and after that you select Applications. If you see an error message about System Software, you should simply reboot your device to solve it. This should create a folder at PS Vita/APP/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on your computer (see qcma settings where this folder is), where the folder xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx represents the AID (account ID) that you need to insert here. If the AID is valid, it will yield a key that you can now use to encrypt the demo.
   
   
9. Change directory to the h-encore folder in terminal and use the key to encrypt all folders that are listed below using:
   
   psvimg-create -n X -K YOUR_KEY X PCSG90096/X
   
   Where X is (yes, repeat it 4 times or write a script for that):
   • app
   • appmeta
   • license
   • savedata
   The folder h-encore/PCSG90096 should then contain sce_sys and all 4 folders from above, and within these folders you should find files called X.psvimg and X.psvmd, where X has the same name as the folder. Backup this folder, since if everything has been done correctly, you don't need to redo all the steps to install it onto another device with the same PSN account.
   
   
10. Copy the folder h-encore/PCSG90096 to PS Vita/APP/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/PCSG90096 and refresh the database under qcma settings.
    
    
11. The h-encore bubble with a size of around 243 MB should now appear in the Content Manager and that's what you finally need to transfer to your PS Vita.
    
    
12. Launch h-encore to exploit your device (if a message about trophies appears, simply click yes). The screen should first flash white, then purple, and finally open a menu called h-encore bootstrap menu where you can download VitaShell and install HENkaku.
    
    
13. Enjoy. Note that you have to relaunch the exploit everytime you reboot or shutdown your device. Of course if you only put your device into standby mode, you don't need to relaunch.

GitHub
TheFloW's Twitter
For those on 3.60

 

[Sheimi]

I could update my 3.67 PSTV then. Yay

 

[Purple_Heart]

what tf is this....first it shows as hencore but is the original game....now it says cannot launch you need to redownload it from psstore

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

can i get any help?

 

[AkikoKumagara]

what tf is this....first it shows as hencore but is the original game....now it says cannot launch you need to redownload it from psstore

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

can i get any help?

Something's wrong with your save file.

• "When I launch h-encore, it launches the bitter smile demo instead." - Your savedata is either corrupted or not installed correctly, please follow the installation guide above to reinstall it.

 

[Purple_Heart]

i followed it a few times know it says i need to redownload it from the store

 

[Lunalik]

I have refollowed the guide 4 times, no success

 

[reymas101]

My Vita isn't connecting to my computer what do I do?? I have the drivers and when i go into content manager and connect through USB it says it could not connect. I've shut it off multiple times??

 

[Purple_Heart]

finally worked

 

[hamodii_87]

so i finish everything but one last question

my vita is enso 3.65 should i update my vita with ofw 3.68 first then run the application ??

 

[kumikochan]

Any benefits for Slim Vita and PS Vita TV users who are already on Enso 3.65 by going throuh this rather compley (update) process ???

Not really any since the only games above 3.65 are Japanese titles and a couple indie titles. Just keep enso since it is coldboot and the 3.67,3.68 isn't

 

[SuperDan]

co-11136-2 h encore error code you must download again from ps store ?

 

[Raiden8816]

Since everyone is having a hard time doing command prompt stuff on Windows 10 let me help everyone out since I just finished this on my Vita. I am using a 64 bit OS for my tutorial.

Phase 1: Create a workspace directory for h-encore
1) Create a folder in a easy location to work with, you will be saving all the stuff from fl0w here. In my example I will be using the Desktop and will call the folder workspace.
2) Download h-encore zip, pkg2zip_64bit zip, and psvimgtools-0.1-win64 zip and Copy those three zip folders from your Downloads folder into your workspace directory on the desktop.
3) Extract all three folders and delete the zip folders.
4) Download the exploit demo pkg and Copy that pkg file to the workspace folder.

Phase 2: Getting Command Prompt into desired directory
1) Go to Start and type CMD then right click and select Open File Location (this should open a new folder with the path Start Menu > Programs > Windows System)
2) Right click on Command Prompt and select Copy
3) Paste Command Prompt in the workspace folder on the desktop.

** At this point you should have h-encore folder, pkg2zip_64bit folder, psvimgtoolds-0.1-win64 folder, exploit demo pkg, and command prompt in the root directory.

Phase 3: Extracting the exploit demo via Command Prompt
1) Copy the file pkg2zip.exe from the pkg2zip_64bit folder and put it into the workspace folder directory.
2) Right click on command prompt shortcut and under the shortcut tab, delete anything that's filled in the Start In field, should be blank.
3) Select apply and ok,
4) Startup Command Prompt and it should look like this C:\Users\YOURNAME\Desktop\Workspace>
5) Copy/Paste the command pkg2zip -x into the command prompt field, press space once after -x then copy the exploit demo pkg filename. Prompt should look like the following; C:\Users\YOURNAME\Desktop\Workspace>pkg2zip -x xGMrXOkORxWRyqzLMihZPqsXAbAXLzvAdJFqtPJLAZTgOcqJobxQAhLNbgiFydVlcmVOrpZKklOYxizQCRpiLfjeROuWivGXfwgkq.pkg
6. Execute the command and there should be an output folder in your workspace folder directory called app.

Phase 4: Encrypting the demo via Command Prompt
1) Go into psvimgtools-0.1-win64 and copy all the contents (every .dll and .exe) inside the folder.
2) Paste the contents into the h-encore folder.
3) Go into h-encore folder it should like the following; h-encore>6 .dll files, 4 .exe files, h-encore folder (2nd one) > encore contents.

Copy all the encore contents from the 2nd h-encore folder (app, appmeta, license, PCSGxxxxx, savedata) and paste it under h-encore main directory. That way the file structure will appear like the following; h-encore>app, appmeta, h-encore, license, PCSGxxxxxx, savedata, 6 .dll files, 4 .exe files.

3) Delete the 2nd h-encore folder that we removed all the encore contents from. That way the h-encore directory is just the contents we need and no unnecessary extra folder.
4) Start Command Prompt C:\Users\YOURNAME\Desktop\Workspace type cd h-encore.
5) Command prompt should now appear like; C:\Users\YOURNAME\Desktop\Workspace\h-encore>

If you have followed these steps you should now have no problem running the following prompts;

psvimg-create -n app -K YOUR_KEY app PCSG90096/app

psvimg-create -n appmeta -K YOUR_KEY appmeta PCSG90096/appmeta

psvimg-create -n license -K YOUR_KEY license PCSG90096/license

psvimg-create -n savedata -K YOUR_KEY savedata PCSG90096/savedata

 

[AkikoKumagara]

so i finish everything but one last question

my vita is enso 3.65 should i update my vita with ofw 3.68 first then run the application ??

Do not update to 3.68. If you're on 3.65 stay there.

 

[Lunalik]

What happens if you attempt to install enso on the incorrect version? (sorry for the weird question)

 

[hamodii_87]

Do not update to 3.68. If you're on 3.65 stay there.

so what the use of all of this ?? can i play games with ofw 3.67??

 

[AkikoKumagara]

so what the use of all of this ?? can i play games with ofw 3.67??

3.65 can install enso and automatically run exploit at boot. 3.67-3.68 need to run the exploit manually after booting (enso won't work on them). This is why 3.65 is ideal if you're on it.

 

[BhenBen_85]

Hi Guys so I have the H-Encore bubble IDK if I got it correctly on the Step that I follow on The Flow GitHub , when I open up The H-Encore and click on Install Henkaku it say Success!! right away but when I exit my vita is still on 3.65 Enso, I restart my vita still says 3.65 Ensl, is this Installer for people on OFW? or can we Install it from 3.65 Enso?

 

[hamodii_87]

3.65 can install enso and automatically run exploit at boot. 3.67-3.68 need to run the exploit manually after booting (enso won't work on them). This is why 3.65 is ideal if you're on it.

but i really want to play games like persona 5 dancing that require 3.67

 

[AkikoKumagara]

but i really want to play games like persona 5 dancing that require 3.67

I have read something about being able to use MaiDump copies of games to play them on 3.65 even if they require higher firmware. If you really don't care about losing enso, though, it doesn't matter if you want to update.

 

[Robika]

So if I just create a new account and install this I won't be able to use ps4 remote play. Did anyone get banned for this?

Enviado desde mi Moto G (5) mediante Tapatalk

 

[hamodii_87]

I have read something about being able to use MaiDump copies of games to play them on 3.65 even if they require higher firmware. If you really don't care about losing enso, though, it doesn't matter if you want to update.

thanks for your help

looks like i will wait for enso update