Is it safe to Factory/Hard Reset a PSVita (PCH-1003) with HenKaku?

Zaiakursed · Jun 25, 2022

a Relative gave me his PSVita, which is already hacked with HenKaku (appears to be Enso).

Some Homebrew Contents currently included below:

◉ VitaShell
◉ molecularShell
◉ Adrenaline EasyInstaller
◉ MaiDump Tool
◉ enso
◉ Adrenaline
◉ Save Manager?

I desire to learn the process of hacking a PSVita (PCH-1003 on Firmware 3.60 ??-10) so I can customize the device to my liking (from Offline Activation to fully hacked again, by me).
I'd like to know if I can proceed to Hard Reset the device and if not, maybe anybody can redirect me on some details of what I can do.

I am currently reading some FAQs and Posts because I haven't done a PSVita Hack, I only have Experience with PS3 (Rebug Days), and PS4 (4.05 HEN)
If there is nothing to backup and I can proceed to hard reset right away (which I hope is very possible by now),

Hard Reset Goals

➊ Do a Factory Hard Reset

◉ Is there anything I must backup?
◉ an Account seems to be currently logged-in (though it is never connected to internet for over 2 years now), is it fine to ignore this and proceed to hard reset?
◉ Speaking of Account, I'm concerned about activation, I plan to play just offline, so I don't want to use an account, after hard reset, Can I activate Offline?
◉ there is an SD Card adapter inserted (I think this is called sd2Vita), Can I also wipe it's contents?

➋ after all is "Factory Hard Reset"ed, sd2vita wiped cleaned, I'd like to start from scratch to fully jailbreak the Vita.

◉ I think this this is very possible by now, and I hope I don't need any backup from above concerns..

Thanks for all incoming help!

nahucirujano · Jul 4, 2022

I'm surprised nobody answered already.
For future reference, I advice you to get help on VitaPiracy and VitaHacks subreddits.

Some time ago I factory hard resetted my 3.65 Enso install for X reason, and just recently again but 3.60 Enso.
I don't know how it currently works the multiple accounts issue. I think there is an app which lets you manage and change between several accounts. You don't need to worry about online, you can safely connect to PSN, you won't get banned.

By the way, you should check if the SD2Vita is currently functioning as the consoles memory card (ux0), and the true memory card as external (uma0). I don't know if this would affect in any way to the factory reset process.

Either way, this is what I did:

*I used to have 3.60 Enso, and due to some corrupted data usb transfer I had a couple of errors and (since this already happened to me before and it screwed my console) I kinda wanted to have a fresh install again.

*I would advice you to create your own PSN account, and if you can, activate the double check verification on your PSN account settings since it will probably spare you a problem or two later on. Sony changed something related to log in with the lastest firmware, which does not work in lower firmware.

*First, I uninstalled Enso (if I'm not mistaken this is a really important step). Then I removed Henkaku, which requires updating the system to lastest firmware, 3.74. I did the process based on this really well explained tutorial:

*Once I had 3.74, I factory resetted the system and formatted the memory card.

*The console initiated and I did the initial settings, and logged in my PSN account (this is mandatory). Then I hacked the device with Final h-encore using VitaDeploy (which by default installs VitaShell), following this tutorial from the same user:

*Once hacked, I downgraded. You can do a quick 3.65 Enso downgrade from VitaDeploy, or downgrade to another firmware like 3.60, which I like more. All from VitaDeploy.
Even so, I chose to downgrade to 3.60 using Modoru (a tool I've already used before).

*Since I wanted a true fresh 3.60 stock install, I factory resetted yet again. You don't need to do this though.
But if you do, I warn you: when doing the initial settings you won't be able to log in your PSN account from there. Just skip and keep going with the rest of initial settings. After this, you can log in from Settings app, and if you did the double check verification thing, you will be able to log in using the code provided as your password, instead of your original password.

*Now with a 3.60 fresh install, I simply turned on wifi and went to henkaku.xyz to install Henkaku. Then I installed Enso, Adrenaline, plugins and everything I originally have.

PS: if you ever need to, you can set up your SD2Vita directly from VitaDeploy.

Zaiakursed · Jul 8, 2022

nahucirujano said:
I'm surprised nobody answered already.
For future reference, I advice you to get help on VitaPiracy and VitaHacks subreddits.

Some time ago I factory hard resetted my 3.65 Enso install for X reason, and just recently again but 3.60 Enso.
I don't know how it currently works the multiple accounts issue. I think there is an app which lets you manage and change between several accounts. You don't need to worry about online, you can safely connect to PSN, you won't get banned...

Thank you so much mate @nahucirujano

your response is very well explained and easy to understand for a newbie in PSVita scene, I thought that upgrading to latest firmware will impede anyone to downgrade back to a golden firmware (atleast, this is the case I know from PS4, I've been away from updates on the hacking scene so, I have no idea of the changes from then)

but still Thank you so much, this is very helpful.

godreborn · Jul 12, 2022

Yes, it won't harm the system, but iirc Tai config.txt is reset, so the sd2vita will not work until you reinstall vita shell, so be careful if you have a 1k system.

Zaiakursed · Aug 18, 2022

nahucirujano said:
By the way, you should check if the SD2Vita is currently functioning as the consoles memory card (ux0), and the true memory card as external (uma0). I don't know if this would affect in any way to the factory reset process.

hi mate, I'm sorry for the very late response, I haven't done anything to the PSVita I have because I think I need to read more which I haven't done recently. How do I checked this Memory Card as (UX0).

nahucirujano said:
*Once I had 3.74, I factory resetted the system and formatted the memory card.

The Memory Card can be formatted through the Vita System Settings right?

Now I am confused about SD2Vita and Memory Card.
The PSVita I currently have is a Fat Model (PCH-1003), which has a Vita Memory Card Adapter inserted with a 128GB SanDisk MicroSD (is this SD2Vita?),

Also the 2nd Video about Reinstalling the Jailbreak requires a Vita Memory card, not a SD2Vita, so Am I correct that the Memory Card Adaptor is SD2Vita and the Vita Memory Card that the Video Tut emphasized is the original PSVita Memory Card?

And about the Jailbreak Process, If I understand correctly, i need to jailbreak the Fat Model using an original Vita Memory Card, which means I have to remove the Memory Card Adapter I have.

How will I be able to use the adapter again?

nahucirujano · Aug 19, 2022

Zaiakursed said:
hi mate, I'm sorry for the very late response, I haven't done anything to the PSVita I have because I think I need to read more which I haven't done recently. How do I checked this Memory Card as (UX0).

Open VitaShell and check out your partitions size. If uma0 is a 128gb drive, then your original Sony Memory Card would probably be ux0. On the contrary, if ux0 shows with 128gb size, then your SD2Vita is set as memory card.
Thing is, most people uses SD2Vita as ux0.

Zaiakursed said:
The Memory Card can be formatted through the Vita System Settings right?

Yes, in Settings > Format > Format Memory Card. But again, first check out your partitions.
By the way, you can easily switch partitions with an app called YAMT. After installing this you will find a new option: Settings > Devices > Storage Devices. From here, you can switch and change your partitions.
After checking your partitions are fine, you can do the whole uninstall Enso, update, format process I wrote.

Zaiakursed said:
Now I am confused about SD2Vita and Memory Card.
The PSVita I currently have is a Fat Model (PCH-1003), which has a Vita Memory Card Adapter inserted with a 128GB SanDisk MicroSD (is this SD2Vita?),

Yes.

Zaiakursed said:
Also the 2nd Video about Reinstalling the Jailbreak requires a Vita Memory card, not a SD2Vita, so Am I correct that the Memory Card Adaptor is SD2Vita and the Vita Memory Card that the Video Tut emphasized is the original PSVita Memory Card?

Yes.

Zaiakursed said:
And about the Jailbreak Process, If I understand correctly, i need to jailbreak the Fat Model using an original Vita Memory Card, which means I have to remove the Memory Card Adapter I have.

How will I be able to use the adapter again?

After you do the whole process and having the Vita fully ready, you can use the VitaDeploy app I mentioned before. It really makes things easier, just follow this video:

godreborn · Aug 19, 2022

Zaiakursed said:
hi mate, I'm sorry for the very late response, I haven't done anything to the PSVita I have because I think I need to read more which I haven't done recently. How do I checked this Memory Card as (UX0).

The Memory Card can be formatted through the Vita System Settings right?

Now I am confused about SD2Vita and Memory Card.
The PSVita I currently have is a Fat Model (PCH-1003), which has a Vita Memory Card Adapter inserted with a 128GB SanDisk MicroSD (is this SD2Vita?),

Also the 2nd Video about Reinstalling the Jailbreak requires a Vita Memory card, not a SD2Vita, so Am I correct that the Memory Card Adaptor is SD2Vita and the Vita Memory Card that the Video Tut emphasized is the original PSVita Memory Card?

And about the Jailbreak Process, If I understand correctly, i need to jailbreak the Fat Model using an original Vita Memory Card, which means I have to remove the Memory Card Adapter I have.

How will I be able to use the adapter again?

Easiest way to determine the sd card is being read is system settings. Also, you only need the vita memory card when first hacking, and the sd2vita adapter goes in the cartridge slot anyway.

Zaiakursed · Aug 19, 2022

@nahucirujano Thanks mate for the response, I am actually reading some guides right now from vita.hacks.guide to make things more clearly for me, I forgot to ask about the External Memory Card last time, is that a game memory card, like for example a memory card of Gravity Rush or really an Memory Card for extending internal memory?

godreborn · Aug 19, 2022

Zaiakursed said:
@nahucirujano Thanks mate for the response, I am actually reading some guides right now from vita.hacks.guide to make things more clearly for me, I forgot to ask about the External Memory Card last time, is that a game memory card, like for example a memory card of Gravity Rush or really an Memory Card for extending internal memory?

If you mean sd2vita, the game card has been reverse engineered. However, it just serves as a memory card run by a driver like yamt.

Zaiakursed · Aug 19, 2022

godreborn said:
If you mean sd2vita, the game card has been reverse engineered. However, it just serves as a memory card run by a driver like yamt.

I meant the Memory Card that came with The VIta, as for my Reading, Jailbreaking a 1000 series, requires the Memory card that came in with the Vita.
I can't seem to find any Memory card on my stuff but only the game cards.

godreborn · Aug 19, 2022

Zaiakursed said:
I meant the Memory Card that came with The VIta, as for my Reading, Jailbreaking a 1000 series, requires the Memory card that came in with the Vita.
I can't seem to find any Memory card on my stuff but only the game cards.

Yeah, you need an official memory card for the 1k systems. Install imc unlock, then you'll never need a memory card again. It should still work with no hacks. Imc unlock is by the same dev as yamt.

Zaiakursed · Dec 11, 2022

Hi guys, it's been months, and I never found that Sony Memory Card that is required to Hack the Fat Model.

So, I think I should just push through the first process of removing Enso then Updating to latest Firmware.

well here's my current state:

The handheld have sd2vita with 128GBin it
- Upon checking VitaShell
  - ux0 has 119 GB
  - uma0 has 7.45 GB
  - using YAMT in Device storage, I'll switch them back then Reboot. (I found it odd that this Device Storage system settings is not there while having the sd2vita set as ux0 though, I wonder how it was switched before)
  - I think I call pull the sd2vita card at this point already, right?
Then, I'll re-enable updates (Disable version Spoofing from Henkaku settings too)
Then, I'll remove Enso
Then, I'll remove Homebrews
Once I have that taken care of, I think I should pull the sd2vita this time before updating. leaving the console also with no external Sony Memory Card. (I wish I can format that 128 GB drive before reinserting in the jailbreak process)
then onward to updating, then resetting the system, logging in with my prepared account, and then wait for a new Sony Memory Card that I will buy later on.

Questions:

Do I also need the Sony Memory Card for Updating?
Do I also need the Sony Memory Card for 1st Setup?
Anyway I'm wrong in the steps I wrote above?

Most of all, Thanks guys.

Zaiakursed · Jan 23, 2023

@godreborn

Hi guys, thanks for your responses, I am now able to freely do a fresh setup from Official 3.74 > 3.60 Enso.

during my 1st trial, I even made a mess with Device Storages as implied by @nahucirujano , when I need to restore ux0 as device's Extenal Memory Card (for PSV1K) and umd0 as SD2Vita. There was no YAMT Installer, and Device Storage Setting for that is not present, so I went ahead to install YAMT and somehow after reboot, all Homebrews are gone and I do not know what should I do, I saw another Video TUT by Sthethix on YT, and apparently all I need to do is to disable FWSpoofing on Henkaku, then after reboot, I was able to update to 3.74, then restore system, format MC, then proceed to downgrading to 3.60 again.

so i think, I don't need to check whether SD2Vita is set as ux0; but just to make sure, I still agree to check it up.

I am now redoing everything, using another new method, Henlo - Everything Done without PC, which I have already done this morning, my goal this time is to prepare everything using the main Sony MC, before using SD2Vita, because I dont like to do any further Setups once I transfer everything to SD2Vita.

I had no Idea how the PSVita MC looked like and all the time that I was looking for it, It was right inside the Vita, I didn't notice that little slot under the right side of the console. :teach:

Thanks Guys

Is it safe to Factory/Hard Reset a PSVita (PCH-1003) with HenKaku?

is it Okay to hard/factory reset?

Sure

No

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