Here are some of the most common questions that are submitted to Ask Dave Taylor about the Sony PSP, in no particular order:
• Can I download games if my PSP is running firmware version 2.5?
• Can I back up to an earlier version of the PSP firmware?
• How do I download games like Pac-Man onto my PSP?
• Where can I find free games / music / videos / movies for my PSP?
• I downloaded MP3 files onto my PSP, but now I can’t find them?
• How do I convert normal music to MP3 format for my PSP?
• How can I have my Sony PSP talk with my Windows 98 PC?
That’s a lot of questions, so let’s field them one-by-one, and at the end I’ll also offer links to specific articles I’ve previous written on Ask Dave Taylor that are helpful for Sony PSP owners:
Can I download games if my PSP is running firmware version 2.5?
One of the greatest differences behind the scenes with the PSP firmware upgrade from 1.5 to 2.0 was that Sony added various checks in the code that apparently prohibit the unit from playing hacked or downloaded games. So as far as I can ascertain, no, you cannot run games you download onto your PSP if you’re running any version of the firmware greater than 1.5.
Can I back up to an earlier version of the PSP firmware?
This is a logical follow-on question and the answer is “maybe”. Sony doesn’t offer any sort of official place where you can download earlier versions of the firmware or utilities that let you roll back to earlier firmware versions. On the other hand, various fan sites like psp-hacks.com have firmware download utilities like one that lets you back up from 2.0 to 1.5, but be careful: that won’t work if you’re running firmware 2.01 or 2.5. Further, there’s a big risk in running software that modifies your PSP operating system but isn’t from Sony: how do you know what it’s really doing? What would you do if it broke your system? Or, what if it were a virus in disguise?
How do I download games like Pac-Man onto my PSP?
There are Web sites that offer illegal, hacked games that you can ostensibly download onto your PSP instead of paying for them, but, um, they’re illegal and, as with unauthorized firmware downgrades, you really don’t know what you’re getting. Further, if you’re running firmware 2.0 or higher, you probably won’t be able to play the games anyway.
Having said that, if Sony were a really cool company, they’d encourage programmers to write new and interesting games that would run on the PSP, but not be part of the Sony approval and distribution system. There are lots of smaller, simpler games or ports of Open Source games, etc,. that would be cool to have on the PSP, but that’ll never happen if every single game has to be formally tested and approved by Sony Corporate. Probably a pipe dream, alas.
Where can I find free games / music / videos / movies for my PSP?
My one word answer: Google.
Seriously, I’m not going to point you directly to these illegal download sites, but if you do want to try and find some of this material that you can drop onto your PSP, then I suggest you spend some time digging around on your favorite search engine. Good luck to you!
I downloaded MP3 files onto my PSP, but now I can’t find them?
This is potentially the single most common question I see here at Ask Dave Taylor in the Sony PSP help category, and the answer is that the songs are probably sitting on your PSP, ready to play, but they don’t show up in the MUSIC folder! They’re in a subfolder: you need to find the entry in your MUSIC folder called “Memory Stick”, then move into it by pressing the “X” button. Then all your songs magically appear.
This also holds true with photos you download too, by the way. They don’t show up in your PHOTOS folder, they show up in the subfolder “Memory Stick”.
How do I convert normal music to MP3 format for my PSP?
There’s no simple way, but there are a number of different music format conversion utilities available from archive sites like Download.com. I suggest that you search for “Audio Converter” or “MP3 converter” and you’ll see there are quite a few choices. One I’ll just highlight here is Smart Audio Converter, but there are quite a few.
The Sony PSP can only play MP3 or AAC format audio files, so if your music or audio is in any other format, you’ll need to convert it before the PSP will be able to play them.
How can I have my Sony PSP talk with my Windows 98 PC?
It’s amazing to me that people are still running Win98, but this is another common question I see, and the sad answer is that there’s no built-in support for removable devices like the Sony PSP in Windows 98. Fortunately, there is a shareware alternative that a chap in Poland has written and makes available off his Web site: PSP Win98 Driver.
Caveat: I haven’t tested this driver out, so I’m not sure that it works properly. Proceed with caution, and if someone does get it to work for them (or not!) please do let us know about it!
Additional Useful Sony PSP Articles:
- Why doesn’t my Sony PSP see my wireless network?
- How do I copy a DVD movie onto my PSP?
- Can I roll back my PSP firmware?
- What folders do I need on my PSP Memory Stick?
- How do I format my PSP Memory Stick?
- How do I download photos and music to my PSP?
Still have questions about the Sony Playstation Portable? Then please feel free to Ask Dave Taylor and I’ll see what I can figure out for you!
My PSP Slim 2000 is not charging/read battery.
tried a few batteries, same problem.
it works fine w/0 battery, just with the AC Charger.
However, it shut down randomly when the battery is in the console. (even with AC Charger)
Playing with just the battery is impossible!!
how do i solve my dns error on my psp
PLEASE HELP ME ANYONE!!!!!
my Hacked psp froze and then turned off and the games are not there in the psp but when i connect to the computer etc the games are there(in the folder calles iso)!but it is not there in the psp !!!!!!this has happened twice and it is not my fault!! plz tell me there is a way to fix it becuz i cant see any forum like this anywere else and no peoblem like this please help me and reply ASAP plzzzz!!!
hi dave i want to ask u i have psp 6.35 pro and a back up drive 6.35 pro b updater i want to update my psp if i am updating with firmware 6.38 if i am updating will the back up drive go
I play socom portable in my psp I click it and it’s go dark and back to menu and it’s have code 80020148 how to fix it?
my psp is pspM33-2 and it’s firmware is 3.71
Hello,
I have recently downloaded a PSP game and it has files like in the image below. Please tell me how to get it to work.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0KefMfhGmXc/T5PJ2nzKmmI/AAAAAAAAABk/XJu3GY7JWtI/s512/1335085527751.png
i am not able to acess ress channel on psp
help me to use my psp wireless internet and also to play game there is no game on it
how do i take my psp of game shearing as i cant play the psp at all pleeese help asap
my psp meomory stick of sony magicgate stuck in my pc an i cant get it out help.
i have bricked my psp 3004 with 6.20!!!i just took it to a sony’s shop, they told me that it could be repaired but they will replace it latest version…so my question is- IS THERE ANY SYSTEM SOFTWARE THAT CANNOT BE HACKED!!!
can i play a psp online (battlefield 3 ? ) and can i play that game with my friend that has a ps3 ????? please answer ASAP!
hi dave
ever since i bought socom fireteam bravo us navy seals i heard people talking online with mic’s.so i went out and bought a mic and now when i use it online people say they cant hear me
please help
sincerely,mr.SWAGG
I have a usb modem and I want to take internet on my psp slim and lite using the modem.Can I do it?
hi, please help i redeemed my code for the 10 free psp go games but only downloaded 1 how do i get bk to the games to get the rest please help driving me mad
I was recently playing psp i just changed my version 4.01 to 6.01 and went to a file somewhat named prothemus loader and suddenly my psp power turned off and never displays anything although psp is on please help me out i really love psp i want it to be repaired please
recently, when i was playing games on my psp using memory stick,the screen of my psp[including the game]froze. when i pressed the home button to quit,it was continuously displaying ” PLEASE WAIT”.then suddenly my psp switched off by itself.when i opened it,i found that my software which was 6.35 pro had become only 6.35.and all my games on memory stick had been deleted.also the space which was 658 mb[with games] remained the same.there was no additional space. pls help as soon as possible.
i downloaded the 2 games,killzone liberation and another game for my psp off playstation network for the welcome back thing.i went to find them and i cant please help me
WHY CAN’T I PLAY FACEBOOK GAMES ON THE INTERNET WHILE USING MY PSP?
i got a demo game and now my psp go won’t let me play the games i bought
hey when i put my psp on mu computer a folder open containig some coded files .I had used the usb cable more than 10 times but no problem had occured.please help me. if you know the answer plese email it to akssap@gmail.com
my psp’s charging port is not working.i had 2 batteries and i charged it through pc.now one battery can’t be charged because it isn’t even 1% charge.can i do anything to repair the port? or any other method of charging except pc?
plz reply on my mail
Hi Dave, i recently just downloaded a psp version 6.35 and put it in my psp. When i want to play my games, the games cannot be found. Only the musics and pictures in the psp are still there. When i tried transferring the game into my psp by my laptop, i on my psp and tried opening the game and it says ‘corrupted data’. Please help me!
hey , dave i live in india and gotta a gran turism editition psp from us v5.55 .. i wanted 2 noe dat can indian umds work in my us psp? otherside i wanted to ask you that can my psp be hacked?
I have a silver PSP slim 2000 CFW 5.50 GEN-D3! about a month ago i was playing my UMD movies and games with no problems! but then about a week from now my PSP tells me this error every time i put in a UMD cartridge (the disc could not be read) with all of my UMD’s both old and BRAND NEW! my laser lens is working fine(shines a red lite through the lens) and the motor that spins the disc is still functioning well and from info of experts stating that the laser guide might be in the wrong location on the rail that moves the lens back and forth while reading the UMD disc, telling you where it should be properly positioned! i am still getting the same error!! so i am hoping that the experts here will provide options that will help me with my problem. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!
Hi Dave,
I have the PSP 3000 and play MLB10 The Show. I am up to the draft in the season (early June) and it won’t let me get past that point. It asks if I want to continue with the draft or simulate, and picking either just shuts the PSP off. I put it in my sons, and it gets past that point. I want to download the data so I can play on another on…how do I do that??? memory stick???
hi dave
all i want to know is can u go online with over people on ur psp
THANKS
i got my psp go from the pawn shop do i still get my 3 free games?
Hey Dave! your website as helped me alot lately! i do however have a question though as i am comfused!
1. I have a 1gb memory card for my psp! however wen i put music into my psp from my itunes, the psp regularly crashes aswell as the games i play on it! i know there is memory left on my card as it tells me!
can yo help ?
thanks
two questions first i have movies on my mac in mpeg format but am wanting to convert to mp4 how do i do this? secondly,when is sony bringing out a portable usb broadband stick:-)
Anyone know when will the day come that we can use the psp mic for the games n online chats? or how bout when the psp camera is goin to be available in stores?
i opened a cso file and i got medal of honor 2 in the cso file
and a file calles umd_data. i got no custom firmware
how can i play it
call the moh 2 map some code just like demos
Dave help me i cant find movies on my psp i converted the files
but…….it can find but not reading
Can i play iso/cso without pandora and magic memory stick i
tried everitihng. used firmware. it saiys that it cant be opended
please give me the good firmware
i’ve got a psp slim and lite. i’ve bought a psp store £20 card and i want to buy a game called grand theft auto but when i click BUY it says put in a parental pin but i don’t know mine is there anyway of getting a new one?
DAVE please i have this problem which i hope you can get to as soon as possible. well my psp is hacked 5.50 GEN-D3 and i have been playing games on it but once i wanted to play prince of persiaa forgotten sands on it which required me installing a plagin i did so and now when i try to play another game it does not work iv tired every thing i know i evern removed the plugin in detail when i start a game the psp screen shows then my psp just goes off please i realy need your help as soon as you possibly can please. thank you
hi dave,
i recently copied some games into my psp but when i tried to run i was given an error message “The game could not be started (80020148), now i sure that the games work because my friend copied the same files/games and it worked on his, but how come it didn’t work on mine. please help
thanks
hi dave my psp games wont load or play got any advice
Ashley, no disrespect taken: as far as I know, there are no sites that offer legal downloads of PSP games other than perhaps the downloads you can buy, one game at a time, from Sony for your PSPGO. Otherwise there’s no free lunch, there’s no way that you can find a site that offers free downloads of games that would otherwise cost money to own.
Dave no disrespect but all this advice that you are giving to us are useless. If i’m wrong name one website that let us download free games,music,videos etc for an psp.If you cant do that then no one should visit this website anymore.
I update my psp firmware into 5.50 gen-d (full) im worried because my friend said if their is a (full) i cannot update it anymore is that truE?
I’ve accidentally deleted all data/internal files of my psp 3000,now my psp when I turn it on it only has a green light… what should I do? pls help
You might need to call Sony for help on this one. Good luck!
I update my psp to 5.50gen-d and there is a full what will happen if there is a (full)?
im worried because my friend said if there is a (full) you cannot update any more is that true?