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 Dad has the very first PSP and I would like to buy him a newer one. He has loads of movies for the PSP, am I correct in reading he cannot us these on the new PSP GO? If he can’t which PSP do you think I should go for as he still would like to use his old movies, but would now like the download facility of the newer models. Many thanks.
hey there, why cant i see my recovery or my vsh menu on my psp? and my psp version is 5.55.
im worried i cant copy any umd games on my memory stick 🙁
I was attempting to download the upgrades from my PS3 ACII to the PSP AC Bloodlines.
How do I know the upgrades have been uploaded? It seems to taking a long time if it’s working.
can you help me i downloaded a phantasy star portable game in my psp but in the middle of the game it stops and my psp turns off and when i open it it goes back to the psp menu. sooo hard plsssease help. whats the problem?
hey,my psp wont play the whole song.. why?
🙂
My PSP doesen’t show the games, videos, music internet history, etc. Can you help? My psp is PSP-2001 Slim, Version 5.50 GEN-D3.
When I go to the games it says “There are no games.”
what is UMDtm Cache and how do you get it
shirly you have to go to system settings and put UMDtm Cache to on
don’t have but my psp will not go to system restore
what do i do if you brake the little plastic bar in the UMD slot that lets the psp know a game is in it
hi i just baught a new cd game on my psp
(chinatown wars) i was asked to update my version which i did so i went to my installed games which i had and then i did not find any and the memory does contain games then i took them out and downloaded new ones but nothing . how do i download them ? does it need hacking ?
My grandson’s PSP shows the memory stick with free space of 945 MB, but when I use the disk provided with the player it shows no memory stick, it’s a brand new stick.
what do i do if my psp will not play any games not even spin or make any noise
Hi guys im new 2 psp, justs gog my 1st one,
my only games sofar, God of war and Call of duty,
my Question: where can i download free full games for my psp….!!!!!
please dave help me to browse onmy psp without wireless connection
Ahmed, I am not sure about how Sony is implementing any sort of regional controls on the downloaded games/software/content on the PSP Go, but I surmise (though won’t guarantee!) that you’ll be fine and that there’s a setting that specifies what language you want the system to operate with.
Aristote, I don’t offer assistance with the cracked firmware versions and I’m pretty sure that “5.50gen-d3” is just that.
Callred, with the PSP systems I’ve tried, they require a power connection and can’t charge via USB cord. Frustrating if indeed it is so, because I hate carrying more and more cords and can’t wait for micro-USB to be an all-out standard.
will my psp charge through a usb cord.
hi can i upgrade my psp (phat) from 3.73 to 5.50gen-d3 pls answer i really wanna know?
Hi,
I am living in Japan and I like to buy PSP Go. And next march I will back to my country ( Jordan)
where is all games is english. Can I download games and use the machine to play games( english softward), please?
Thankfuly,
Ahmad
can sony put Spyro 3 year of the dragons onto PSN its a great game
Hi dave,
my psp is of s/w ver 2.71. can i update the same to 6.2 at one shot. if i do so am gtiing a message saying[“game cannot be started(DADADADA)”]
please help me out!!
Regards
Rojer
my old psp i had i downloaded 3 games on to the memory stick 2GB but something happend to the psp so i got a new one i pit back in the old memory stick 2GB but when i try to go on the games it keeps on saying to use this content, you must activate the system. (8010850F) i got the games off playstion Network these,s are the games i got if u wanna no resident evil, resident evil 2, resident evil 3, please help soon as u can i cant play any other games cuz dont like them but plezz help me out if you can thanks ??
I recently purchased a portable psp at a pawn shop and it requires a security code to get into the system. I have no idea wht the code i. I was wondering if I can bypass this code or if there is a way to create my own code without knowing the old code. Any help would be appreciated.
hey friends i bought psp go and i purchased games from amazon my psp dont hav net connection i want to download to my pc and then intall but i dont know how to download but i purchased game and they send me code to download that game could any one tell me process to download?????/
why cant I download any psp games on my psp? error: transcode failed, video stream not found. it dosent matter if its a game or movie????????????????????
Hi Dave
I know my question is a bit odd but I am wondering if you could give me a clue how to download psp games for free of charge
how do i convert downloaded psp games to a umd
one day i open my psp and it shows boot screen like in pc saying about data recovery. i exited it doing nothing. then i was about to play games it became slow. i put eboot.pbp file first but without that file also it was fast. in that data recovery also it was talking about the same file. how does that screen come in psp and i tried that file again in my psp but it was slow.how can i make it fast guys please help me.
also my firmware right now is 6.00
i have a blue madden football 09 psp can i still get custom firmware on it? if yes than where?
Hai,dave i use psp3004.the problem is after i update to version 6.10.i cannot play the game.plss help me how to soft the problem.thanks
hey i lost my usb cord 🙁 and i was wondering if you can use like any random cord that fits with the PSP or do i have to use the one the sony gave us with PSP?
i format my PSP GO due to virus infection. after format i lost all the normal folders inside the internal drive (16GB), still the virus is coming up and when i upload my games back from my pc to psp go, it is getting an error after several percent transfered.
please help and i little bit of details.
thank you so much in advance.
does a psp has a analog stick? is there a cd for psp only and a cd for playstation only?
how can i get internet on my psp becouse i can never find an access point
hi dave how can i connect my psp to my ps2
i have a project on the PSP and i dont know anything about it so i have a question. can you get onto google through the psp or just go to a game to verse somebody in China. Pls answer asoon as possible
COLLIES
CYA
Hey dave,
Look, my brother did delete everythin in his psp. Including the games ( grand shift auto and a lot more ) , the videos and more.
is there any way to get it back ?
my psp keeps wanting to shut down. how do I chk for a virus or do a virus scan on mys psp. It wont even connect to the internet
peterv
I own a psp. I also have a contract with verizon for their 5g network through their UM175 USB Modem – which is basically a wireless card – usb plug in style. Am I able to use my wireless card on a psp to get internet? Also there is a device called magic jack which uses the internet to get phone. Would I be able to use this system as well to get a phone service>?
I wanted to buy a new battery for my psp. It has a 1200 amh. Can I use a 3600 amh and if so what does that mean?
how do I download games to my psp
What does the version do for a psp or what does it upgrade.
Hey dave i was wondering what legal website i could go to,to download free games to put on my psp and without having to be a member of the web-site.thanks!
Dave, is a PSP-2001 LCS screen compatible with a PSP-2000 LCS screen?
How can i put and install games on the memory stik of my PSP.
why my game does not work its something wrong with the system that wont let me play my game it not because it is dirty
my son’s psp won’t play his movies it’s saying cannot be played (80108732) what could we be doing wrong?
Mitchell wolf you do not download the internet on(i didnt anyway)you should have wireless internet is recommended and on the PSP menu next to games icon there is a Globe like thing go onto it then go down to the WWW sign then click on it
Then once done that you will go through the setup and just answer it hope it helped!! 🙂
Ok, when I try to download PSP’s Media Manager version 2.5 it fails. It comes to an error when the “status” indicator tells me its publishing something, its at the very end of the loading bar. I don’t know how to make it finish my download without it stopping prematurly. PLEEEEEASE help! I’m pulling my hair out! Just send me your reply to my email: zorgoth1@hotmail.com