How to Install PSP Custom Firmware 5.00 M33 on your PSP
This may be a little late but like I always say, it’s better late than never. Before we install this latest custom firmware, I’d like to give out a few notes on what joy you’ll be getting from this.
- PlayStation Network
- Sleep Timer
- USB Auto-Connect
- New theme
- Full-Screen keyboard has been added
- Full screen and interlaced TV-out option for PSX games on the PSP Slim and PSP 3000
Read the guide after the jump.
Now here’s what you’ve been waiting for, the simplest easy to follow guide that you’ll find on the web. Here’s how to install custom firmware 5.0 M33 on your fat and slim PSPs – no hack for the PSP 3000 yet.

Homebrew for everybody
Remember kids, do this at your own risk. I won’t be held responsible for anything that would happen to your PSP. If you don’t understand the guide or not sure of anything, ask by using the comment form below.
The Requirements
- PSP with previous custom firmware installed, at least 4.01 M33-2
- At least 75% battery, connect your PSP to an outlet via the Adapter.
- USB Cable
The Guide
- Download the installer pack I compiled here.
- Extract the file you have downloaded anywhere on your computer.
- Connect your PSP to your computer and copy the UPDATE folder you extracted to ms0:/PSP/GAME/
- On your PSP, go to the XMB menu and scroll to GAME > Memory Stick and run the 5.00 M33 update. Follow the onscreen instructions.
- After the installation, you’ll be taken back to the XMB menu.
- Grab a soda or something.
Don’t thank me for the guide, thank Dark Alex because without his hacking abilities, this wouldn’t even be here. And don’t forget to thank Sony for bringing us a cool handheld device.
Just come to one stop shop of cheap web hosting on efficient dedicated server with a plus of wireless internet.
UPDATE: For PSP-1000 a.k.a Fat PSP owners out there, 1.50 kernel add-on is already out. Read the installation guide here.
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- Custom Firmwares
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Made by Symmetric Web
Distributed by Smashing Magazine
126 Responses
I’ve read somewhere (though I can’t remember where) that there are people who got into a bit of a fix/problem while installing this custom firmware. Anyways, Is there any work around so that I can use popsloader without flashing? Also, will cwcheat and other plugins not work at the moment?
cwcheat will still work… i’m on 5.00 m33 in a phat psp… works fine with me. i’m not sure about popsloader. don’t ask me for that.
@TeeJayB: You can make the popsloader work by modifying some of the files from flash. Not for the noobz though.
5.00 m33 is faster than ever… how do you activate the full screen keyboard? i dont wanna flash files on my psp
hey
ive dne wt u said up there but when i get onto my psp and click x on the 5.00 M33 it says the game could not bee started, the data is corrupted
is there any way of fixing this?
@marty: Did you meet the requirements? First of all, you need to have a PSP with previous custom firmware installed, at least 4.01 M33-2. Next time, please read the instructions very, very, very, very carefully before doing anything.
I have a FAT PSP with the official 4.05 firmware. Is there any way to install this custom firmware on it? Is it necessary to downgrade? How do I do it?
@rafa: You must downgrade to 4.01 M33-2 first using Despertar Cementerio. Try searching Google.
Hi, I hope you help me with my questions!
If I have a PSP slim with 3.80 M33-5 and want to update to the latest 5.0 M33, do I have to update it first to 3.90, then to 4 and then to 5? And do I use the network updater for this? Thanks!
@LiCHe: I think you can directly update from 3.80 M33-5 but I updated mine from a 4.01 M33-2 firmware so I’m really not sure if that will work safely. You can try updating to 4.01 M33-2 first before going to 5.00 M33. I really haven’t tested updating from lower than 4.01 M33-2 so I can say, updating from 4.01 M33-2 is the method that works. Well, at least for me.
i have upgraded to 5.00 but all my games doesn’t worked anymore,How to resolve this problem please help me,thanks a lot
Thank you very much! This website rocks!
I don’t know what I’d do without it.
@Ryan: You’re welcome. Now go out and spread the word to your PSP buddies out there!
everything’s working smoothly on my psp. thanks stylemo! =D
@TeeJayB: anytime man!
for you, who’s the best among M33, GEN, etc.?
@TeeJayB: Of course M33 is the best.
hey any way to put custom firmware onto my psp if i have never done it before… like my psp right now is on firmware 5.00 howcan i get custom firmware???
what if my psp 2000 doesnt have a “m33″? my psp bought in japan and its version is 5.0 but i can’t play any games,. how can i put m33 on my psp? i downloaded the cfw for 5.0 but it says “error, the game cannot be started.. please help me,.. thanks a lot..
..i forgot to tell that my psp doesnt have cfw. its 1st version is 4.01 only,doesn’t have a previos CFW. then i upgrade it to 4.5 and still i can’t put cfw..and now i update it again into 5.0 and still i can’t install the CFW unto my psp. what can i do now..pls help=(
[...] Your PSP installed with 5.00 M33-2 or 5.00 M33. Follow the 5.00 M33 here. [...]
hey…I’m considering downloading this, but I’m unsure whether it requires the hacked vs of 4.01 at least. I’ve just got my psp and it has the 3.75 firmware (official)…. how would I go about upgrading to this?
i just finished updating my psp slim to 4.01 m33-2. is there a risk if i upgrade my psp slim into the CFW 5.00 m33? is my psp compatiable for it?
How come that when I’m playing a game then the power shuts off, I can’t resume my game as if it was in sleep mode?
@TeeJayB: Maybe you have a loose battery.
@jun: There’s always a risk and you must do it on your own.
can you help me how to downgrade the original firmware 5.01 to custom firmware 5.00?
@boojay: Google.
so like diz worked but it says tha data is corrupted so wat do i do?
Nothing to worry now. Everything’s fine now except for popsloader.
What is grab or soda something ?
@Saran320: LOL. Grab a milkshake and drink it.
@TeeJayB: Nice to hear about that!
@jason: I’m guessing you don’t have a custom firmware installed.
The data is corrupted when i get it …
i downloaded the file and i grabbed the update folder and pasted it onto the games folder. When i got mo my memory stick on my psp i see the update with the black image and stuff but when i go press “x”, it says the data is corrupted… WHY??
@Jack: You sure you have a previous custom firmware installed? If you are, then I guess you have to redownload the file.
Does this really work?Orare you just trying to destroy our psps cause you aint got one???
Well it worked for me, and for my friend. We’re running v5.00 M33 ~~
Just make sure your PSP’s homebrew first though. It won’t hurt to read and understand what was saying. Kudos to Dark Alex ~~
@Sufyan: Before I write any of my guides, I make sure it works by testing it on my PSP. I’m not trying to destroy your PSP or anyone’s PSP.
The problem with people like you is that you don’t even read before you perform the instructions. Haven’t you read the requirements? Only when the requirements are met that these guides work.
And you follow these guides at your own risk. So don’t come whining and crying to me if something happens to your device. I won’t be held responsible.
HELLO URGENT!!! erh ask you must i have 4.01 m33 before i can update to 5.00 m33. mine now is 3.52 m33-2
Hi there. Thanks for the great guide. Anyway, I would just like to ask if its safe for me to upgrade to this firmware. I previously had 3.90M33 cfm and then upgraded to 4.05 ofm. Just making sure before going on with the steps you stated above.
Can’t play iso’s with 4.05 thus the upgrade.
Thanks a ton!
ilovelinux
hello, i got a 4.01 m33-2, im used to update my psp, i have followed yor instruction but when i updated my psp, it says invalid 500 pbp file
hello, i got a 4.01 m33-2, im used to update my psp, i have followed yor instruction but when i updated my psp, it says incorrect 500 pbp file
Wtf is an XMB menu? I’m an ameteur psp hacker. sorry.
I wanna thank you AND Dark Alex, you guys are both amazing. Your tutorial was very helpful!
I changed to 5.00m33 so my vocals would work on DJ Max Clazziquai Edition(they wouldn’t on 3.70m33) and now it works flawlessly. Thanks again!
can i upgrade my psp to 5.00m33 when i have a 3.90 version
I updated it and I tried opening the recovery menu, but it won’t open. What to do?
Please help! I have a fat-PSP, running OFW 4.05, and I want to run the 5.00-M33. Is that possible? Help!
i updated to 5.0 ofw on psp 2001 is there any way to downgrade and install cfw of any kind after this or am i screwed i do have a pnadora does that help anyone please thank you with any help
hello guys i was wondering could i update my sony psp v4.5 to a 5.00m33. or do i have to downgrade
hey people, i saw people wanna know of they can turn 4.05 and 5.00 into the custom firmware version 4.01 m33 or 5.00 m33. well if u have a firmware higher than 1.50 then your only way to get custom firmware is… Pandoras Battery! (JigKick and a Magic Memory Stick) send an email to lee.hanbury@gmail.com if u need any help.
hello my psp system software is 5.02 and i want to start using custom firmware but i dont know the first step to take.can u help?if u can id be thankfull.
Please help me out on downgrading my psp v501 to 401m33 or 500m33. I would greatly appreciate your kindness and bless you with best karma. My e-mail is bluezer_29@yahoo.com Thanks in advance for your time.
Please help me..i cant install the 5.00 M33 update..it shows “the game could not be started 80020148″..i have place like u post in this blog..but still cant..i have prev sony 4.01 official update n using psp-1000..i also cant install 4.01 M33 update by dark alex… T-T
the only thing both of you can do is either pay 50 bucks to a pro to downgrade and upgrade for you, or you can do it yourself by having a magic stick and pandora battery, thats all. i forgot the website that teaches you how to hack your PSP cause both of you are using official PSP firmware.
i was at that situation before.. hehe
if i buy a psp with the following software loaded 5.0 M33-3 Firmware
- will I be able to download games off of psp mania and psp hacks etc? puleze help me out? – peace my fellow gamers!
@KeMa: You can’t install custom firmware on your official 4.01 firmware. You must downgrade to 1.50 first or the easiest is use a Pandora battery. Ask your PSP friends if they own one.
Hey erm, i did a bad thing. I dun actually noe what to do coz when u download and open the file using winzip(the folder is from pspupdates.qj.net) then there were three files and a ‘readme’. I skipped v4.01 m33 and installed v4.01 m33-2. I put ‘update’ into ‘game’. THen i click on my psp to install. My psp was a 3.71 m33. Now i tink all my saved files are corrupted coz i already been to 3 games and they said the files were corrupted. So if i download this, will the games which i havent been to be ok?
hey dude it says The Game Cannot B Started Data Corrupted………i m havin firmware 5.01……what shlud i do?
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-downgrade-your-psp-and-upgrade-to-a-custom-firmware-part-one/
I used this the day after I bought my PSP [2.80 official update] and everything worked awesome now, I’ve downloaded a few ISO’s and played them and tried out a few emulators. Use this tutorial and you should be good to go.
\m/ Peace
[...] Fat or Slim PSP installed with 5.00 M33-3 or lower. If you don’t have a 5.00 M33 yet, here’s a 5.00 M33 installation guide. [...]
i upgrade my psp slim to 5.00 m33-4. and now all my games are not working. what should i do? pls help me.
What guide did you follow? I can’t help you since I don’t know the exact details.
and by the way what is xmb menu?
i downloaded evrything nut when i run it its saying file is corrupt i have version 5.00 firmware and it cant read iso’s cso’s cud u help me wit this
i downloaded the firmware 5.00 from another site.. from pspfanby.com
when i run the m33 update its saying “This game cannot be started. The dats is corrupted.
DID YOU GET THE CUSTOM FIRMWARE TO WORK?? I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OFFICAL 5.02 AND WANT TO ADD CUSTOM FIRMWARE CAN ANYBODY ADVISE!!
Did any of you guys read the REQUIREMENTS for the installation to be successful? I clearly stated that you must have previous installation of custom firmware installed. So if you have official 5.02 firmware, it won’t work.
WOOOOOOOO!!!!! THIS IS SO GREAT!!! I just started to upgrade my PSP 3.71 and now here!! EVERYTHING SINCE TYHEN IS ACTUALY WORKING WELL!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! COOLLLL!!!!!!!!
did anyone followed the directions and had installed the firmware 5m33 successful and working?? tnx,,,
tol maraming maraming salamat … gumagana aha,, ^_^ wowowowoww
dude when i upgrade my version 4.01 m33-2 to 5.00 m33 or higher, it installs normaly but when i restart in the end it doesn’t start at all.. it’s some kind of brick i dont know. i can fix it with the pandora battery but i would like to have that upgrade done. can tell me what to do?
i took the cfw from another site and 1st updated to 5.00 and on starting the 5.000 m33 it says “data is corrupt”.now is there any way to get 4.01 cfw without pandora battery
i have the official firmware of 5.00, how do i change from tthat to the custom firmware of 5.00 m33 ?
My sister recently bought a psp slim with a firmware version of 4.01 now unlike mine (3.71) which i easily unbricked using a pandora bat and upgraded to 5.00 m33-4 (thanks to your blog). how do i unbrick 4.01 so that I could play iso with it (i tried using a pandora battery but it doesn’t work)?
Every time I click on a link to install custom firmware, it says I need to have the previous version of the CFW. Is there really no way to install this without having to install a different CFW 12 times ? I really only want to do this so I can use remotejoy anyway … nothing else really …
Once again, thanks to you and DAX
ok my psp version is 3.71 m33 and i want to updated to the news one. how can i do that, cuz u told my that ur psp version have to be at least 4.01 m33-2. so i am coufusid HELP ME HOW DO TO IT.
Thanks
Just upgraded my PSP thanks to your awesome and very useful blog! Now i have a deadly game machine in my hands!eheh
Thanks DAX
Worked flawlessly! I was able to easily upgrade from 4.01 M33-2 to 5.00 M33. I’m still dumbfounded of how easy it was, thanks for this awesome guide!
I install the official Sony firmware 5.00 nd now I want to change to the CFW 5.00 M33 firmware and the PSP keeps on saying you cannot update the system…what shud I do?
Dude……YOU ROOOOCK, thx man!!
Is this works with 3.71M33-2
or si any pandora battery needed to upgrade cfw3.71 M33-2 to 5.0M33?
Yo all,
I just install 5.00 m33 in my PSP and it works nicely. I’m going to install for 5.00 m33-3 or 4. Is there any problems e.g. affcet the game? Where the game could not be started?
Again, thankx DA for all this.
U rockx.
uhmmm, helo, i have just discovered a problem with my psp recently when i played nba live 08 with my friends using my psp and his psp in ad hoc it lags but when he plays with my other friend the game doesnt lag so the problem is probably on my psp, and oh i also tried comparing my psp from my friend’s and i noticed that my psp doesnt run as smooth as theirs. were all using psp slim, i’m using cfw 4.01-m33.
can someone help me solve my problem? i’m wondrin, will my psp run better if i upgrade my cfw? pls help me. i dont know much about trouble shooting psp.
uhmmm, helo, i have just discovered a problem with my psp recently when i played nba live 08 with my friends using my psp and his psp in ad hoc it lags but when he plays with my other friend the game doesnt lag so the problem is probably on my psp, and oh i also tried comparing my psp from my friend’s and i noticed that my psp doesnt run as smooth as theirs. were all using psp slim, i’m using cfw 4.01 m33-2.
can someone help me solve my problem? i’m wondrin, will my psp run better if i upgrade my cfw? pls help me. i dont know much about trouble shooting psp.
is it possible to change a 5.02
firmware into a 5.00 M33-4?
It’s very possible and easy to do. All you need is a Pandora battery and an original memory stick pro duo installed with Despertar del Cementerio v8.
Thank you so much!!! (^3^)/
You are welcome.
Hey i have a psp slim 2000 series and i updated it to firmware 4.5 haw cand i downgrade to costom firmware 3.75 or at least install any costom firmware, so tht i can play memory card games. and plus can i install costom firmware on a psp 3000 series or make it play memory card games?
Hey i have a psp slim 2000 series and i updated it to firmware 4.5 by mistake how cand i downgrade to costom firmware 3.75 or at least install any costom firmware or homebrew, so tht i can play memory card games. and plus can i install costom firmware on a psp 3000 series or make it play memory card games?
after my psp have unpacked the file during onscreen, it say that i have an incomplete file. what do i do?
Thanks for compiling the update pack. I had downloaded the 5.00 Sony firmware and it wasn’t working properly. Your pack installed first try.
Now I just need to figure out all this new stuff. I jumped from 3.71 to 5.00!
umm…wats an XMB Menu…and where is it ?
im kinda new to this, so dont laugh
XMB menu is what sony calls that thing u see when u go home (like hit home and tell it yes) if u are looking at the background on ur psp then ur lookin at the xmb menu, shoot i hope that helped, i know thats a realy crappy explanation.
Nice ! thanks.. Really big help.. now im able to play DW:strikeforce! thanks again!
hey…im currently using 3.90 m33 should i upgrade to 4.0 first before upgrading to 5.0?
Where is the ms0:/PSP/GAME/ at
@jm
you can already update your psp from 3.90 m33 to 5.00 m33. no need to update to 4.0 then 5.0
@cameron
if you connect ur psp to the pc, you’ll find a folder there named PSP
inside you’ll find GAME folder.
it says the data is corrupt when I try to rune the install
hi i recently downgraded my psp from 5.0 OFW to 1.5ofw now i would like somebodies help to get custom firmware at least the latest i have a Pandora battery and a MMS
thnkyou
hi,i have updated to version 5.00 (without m33). could u tell me what else do i have to do to make it 5.00 m33-6 pls? thx u very much
why i don’t upload games in my psp memory carg
Hey, your 500.PBP file doesn’t exist. Where do i get that file online?
Hi!
I have an original 5.03 version on my PSP and i have tried to install a CFW to be able to play iso game. But unfortunately, when I try to install these cfw, the system says that I don’t need any update because I have the latest installed. Can you help me on how to resolve this.
Thanks a mil
The Undate worked perfect thanks man for the write up.. I was trying to use this other site and it didnt want to work correctly but now im up and going good as ever thanks again..
I have accidentally converted my 3.71m33 version into a 5.00 version. Can you please tell me how do I change from 5.00 to 5.00m33-6?
please help how can i put back my old version 3.90 m33-3, my new sytem version now is 5.51
I have 3.10 OE-A. Can i downgrade to some original version or something? Please help.
[...] Your PSP installed with 5.00 M33-2 or 5.00 M33. Follow the 5.00 M33 here. [...]
[...] For a complete guide on how to complete the PSP custom firmware hack, follow this How-To on Stylemo.com. [...]
Can I ask??
Can I update my japanese model psp 2000 using US official update???????
hey i cant get the links for the update cam anyone help me…pls
how can i update the firmware on the XMB menu… i already downloaded it and put the UPDATE folder on my psp… pls… and thank you…
I have a psp2002 slim which I managed to update from 3.95 firmware to 5.03, I installed chikHEN eventually..but even after copying the RECOVERY folder into /GAME and running it. I get errors with the recovery not installing any 5.00 m33 cfw..the readme file in the flash recovery zip folder asks me to download the eboot for the official 5.00 update first..yet no other tutes like this say that. What am I doing wrong??
I had upgraded to 4.01 m33-2 All of my iso games were working fine
Should have left well enough alone
Upgraded to 5.0 m33 -6 Now none of ios games work, just get the dreaded “Game could not be started #######”
Tried back to 4.01xxx The downgrade worked but still none of my ios games work
any help would certainly save my sanity
i upgraded my psp to version 6.20 but want to downgrade it!!! How can i plz HELP
hi….. i have 3.52 M33-2 firmware. To get the 5.00 M33-3 firmware shud i get the 4.01 M33-2 firmware into my psp and then go on for 5.00 one….. please help me out……
my fat psp have 4.33 M-33 cusdtom firmware, can i upgrade to CFW 5.00 M-33???
thank’s
hi, the link is dead, can you email me the new link for the compile s\installer pack? thanks.
montblanc_ph@yahoo.com
Hello can someone help me?
I Have a PSP 1001 (a fat not slim) and recently i was able to use custom firmware but when I had a game error 80020148 on one of my games i tried to download a 1.50 to get it to work. But in the end i downloaded version 6.20 on my psp, now i can’t play any iso games. I tried to downgrade it back but it keeps popping up the same message saying (the data is corrupted).
Can someone please tell me what i should do because i am totally at a lost.
Hello, the link is dead. can you fix it or something? Thanks
Every time i try it, the screen turns black and says
unpacking… done.
please wait…
it does this forever everytime i try to update it
any sugestions?
guyz its not workin in my psp 6.20 ver how do i downgrade it
Custom Firmware allows the running of unsigned code such as homebrew applications