How to Install the Custom Firmware 3.90 M33-3 Update
If you checked out Dark-Alex’s website, you’ll find out that he has already released the latest update for the 3.90 M33 custom firmware. There’s still no news if he’s still planning to work on the 3.93 M33 custom firmware update since the 3.93 update has really no major features added. Just a support for a few games. So what was fixed on the 3.90 M33-3 update? Here are the changes.
* March33 NO-UMD driver compatibility has increased to support games like Coded Arms, Patapon, Harvest Moon Innocent Life and probably others affected by same errors.
There are two ways on how to install the update. But like all of my guides, there’s always a requirement to follow before you can do the update.
The Requirements
- A fat or slim PSP installed with custom Firmware 3.52 M33-4 or higher.
- A WiFi connection
- A USB Cable
The Easy and Painless Way
Important: This procedure is only applicable to folks who have their PSPs installed with 3.80 M33 custom firmware or higher.
- Turn on your PSP and on your XMB, scroll to Settings then go to Network Update. Select your Wifi access point. The PSP will search for an update and it will automatically download it.
- After the update has been updated, it will ask you to run it now or execute the update later. If you want to run it now, press the corresponding button. If you have chosen to go back to the XMB, you can access it by scrolling to Game > Memory Stick > 3.90 M33-3 update.
- Run the update. After the update has finished your PSP will restart by itself.
- Congratulations, you now have a 3.90 M33-3 custom firmware. Go grab a soda or something.
The Not-So-Hard Way
This not-so-hard procedure was made for PSPs installed with 3.90 M33 or higher custom firmwares. If you don’t have 3.90 M33 custom firmware yet, follow this guide.
- Download the 3.90 M33-3 update from Exophase forum. Unzip the file anywhere on your computer.
- Connect your PSP to your computer via USB Cable. Copy the UPDATE folder from your computer to your PSP in this directory:/PSP/GAME
- On your XMB, go to Game > Memory Stick and then run the 3.90 M33-3 update. Watch the update do it’s thing.
- Follow the last step from The Easy and Painless Way procedure.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:04 pm
dude, when will stylemo ver. 2 be released?
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:42 am
just checked system info after update and it says fw is 3.33 m33-3, user nickname: march 33 and mac addy is hexed with 6 33’s. is this a spoof?
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:45 am
date is also 3/33 - wtf?
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:21 am
I have the same problem, after upgrading to 3.90 m33-3, the date change to 3/33, system software displays info such as 3.33 m33-3, nickname: March33, mac address: 33:33:33:33:33:33. Try changing the date somehow it correct the problem, after doing it my psp displays the correct firmware which is 3.90 m33-3, same with nickname and mac address, but the program still has some bugs if you try to change back the date of your psp to the date you upgraded to 3.90 m33-3 it always display 3/33, even you change the year as long the month and date matches the day you upgrade to 3.90 m33-3
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:00 am
According to some sites this is a April fool joke.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:11 am
Forgot to tell you guys after changing the date remember to reboot your psp.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
Change your date to april 3. Turn your psp off. Turn it on again. Check your system settings. That will do.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pm
You all freaked out when all the 3s showed up on your system info. It was Dark Alex’s April fools joke and part of it was M33’s anniversary.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
@tejas: there is no exact date yet. I’m very busy at the moment so I can’t say when but keep on checking back. Thanks!
April 5th, 2008 at 10:42 am
still i cant load PATAPON… im using 3.90m33-3…
help any1?
April 5th, 2008 at 11:03 am
any1 experienced this?
April 8th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
@em2x
What UMD driver are you using?
April 8th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
@em2x
Try this.
Go into recovery mode [Hold R shoulder button down while turning on PSP]
Now go to configuration then to UMD MODE and select Sony NP9660 NO UMD.
Then go to ADVANCED then press X
Go to ADVANCED CONFIGURATION and press X. (make sure everything in here’s disabled)
Exit out of recovery
try the iso/cso
April 8th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
You can actually access the VSH Menu on the XMB if you haven’t disabled it on the recovery menu. Changing the UMD Mode will be faster. Just press the Select Button.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:53 am
thanks guys….
April 15th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
hi anyone experience this? > after i install 3.90 m33-3. i noticed when i try to shut down my slim psp, the xmb will stay on for awhile then black out… anyone?
April 20th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Just wondering, is there a way to do it without wifi?
April 21st, 2008 at 8:20 am
@Guy: Read the “Not so hard way” part.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:41 am
I INSTALLED PSP UPDATE 3.95 NW I WANT TO UPDATE 3.90 M33…IT IS POSSIBLE????????
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:21 pm
@ankur Yeahp it’s possible, but you need pandora’s battery before you can do that. Try googling it for more info.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
@ankur
time to use the Pandora my friend… gudluck!
google it!
May 6th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
can you install 3.90 M33-3 on 1.5 firmware?
May 6th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
@eurydice: Yes. But I’m not sure if you can upgrade directly. Browse the blog for answers.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
@eurydice
you can do that step by step or you can use a pandora…
May 24th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
@eurydice: You don’t need a pandora. If you want I can write you a step by step tutorial on how to install custom firmware on a 1.5 PSP.
May 24th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
@stylemo, re: “You don’t need a pandora. If you want I can write you a step by step tutorial on how to install custom firmware on a 1.5 PSP.”
Oh my yes please; I could really use that (and I suspect I’m not alone). I had a friend help me downgrade my PSP to 1.5 (using his Pandora battery) but haven’t found a nice clean tutorial on how to install the custom firmware from there without a Pandoram battery…
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 am
Hey I just bought a PSP and I want to unlock it an install the custom firmware on it but I can’t seem to find a guide to tell me everything I need to do step by step. I was hoping to not have to use a pandora battery for anything is that possible? My friend told me his was unlocked without the use of a pandora battery but all I seem to find on the web is stuff using the battery. I tried searching the site but does anyone know a link I could go to for step by step from the beginning or if anyone could help me themselves it would be much appreciated.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
@dasthegreen: what is the firmware version of your psp?downgrading differs from version to version.nowadays pandora’s battery is used.when i had downgraded my psp that time pandora’s battery wasn’t there so that might be the case with your friend.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Hi.. I tried to install the easy installer for 3.90 m33 but no luck.. my psp is an org. japanese 1.5 (has never been upgraded from back in the day when I bought it from japan.).. is there a way to get the custom firmware running?? I used Devhook 0.52 until now..
August 7th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
@ayatollah: You need to upgrade to 3.52 M33-4 first. Then after that, upgrade to 3.80 M33 and from there you can now use this guide.