UPDATE: Since this how-to was first written things have changed. Sony has released firmware 2.01 which makes this downgrade impossible. A PSP bricker trojan was released because of this antivirus software will classify both the good and bad downgrade files as harmful. You should do more research into the current state of the downgrade before attempting. As far as we know our firmware links are still good, we are not hosting them so we can not vouch for their safety.
C.K. Sample, III, TUAW / WIN Blogger and author of the forthcoming book, PSP Hacks, got his hands on the version 2.0 downgrader and wrote up a thorough how- to complete with pics for us. He even takes the extra steps to upgrade and downgrade yet again, just to make sure such a thing is possible.
As you can see, I have 2.0 running with the browser on my PSP. 
Step 1: Download the downgrader from either here, here or here. Then make sure you get a copy of the original 1.5 firmware upgrader. I found my copy here.
Step 2: Connect your PSP to your computer via USB. On your memory stick, create a folder called UPDATE inside /PSP/GAME/ and place the EBOOT.PBP file from the 1.50 update inside this UPDATE folder.
Step 3: Unzip MPHDowngrader.zip. Drop overflow.tif into your /PSP/PHOTO/ folder. Put both h.bin and index.dat in the root of your Memory Stick.
Step 4: Disconnect your PSP from your computer and plug in the AC adapter.
Step 5: Navigate to Photo then Memory Stick via the PSP’s menu system and start scrolling down through your photos until you reach the overflow.tif picture.
You’ll know you’ve hit it when everything freezes and you get a black screen with a bunch of white text output.
If your PSP freezes without going to this black text screen, then hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the PSP shuts down, then hit the power button again to start it back up. Repeat this step until you get that black screen.
Step 6: Don’t panic. Hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the PSP powers off. Hit the power button again. Your PSP will start up, and if you navigate to your System Information, you’ll discover that your PSP thinks it is running version 1.0 of the firmware. It isn’t and you cannot run homebrew (yet).
Step 7: Navigate to Game–>Memory Stick, hit the X button, and navigate to the 1.5 updater. Make sure you have your PSP plugged in or the upgrade won’t work. Click the X button and update like you normally would. At the end of the upgrade you will receive an error saying that the upgrade failed and to contact Sony. Don’t panic. Ignore this and again force your PSP to power off and reboot.
Step 8: After the PSP reboots you will receive an error screen that is scary and confusing because it is in multiple languages. Don’t panic. Find the language you can understand and read the corresponding line. It notes that your preferences are fragged and that you need only hit the O button to restore some default-ish settings. Hit the O button. 
Step 9: The PSP will start back up and you will go through the initial setup like the day when you first bought your PSP. Do so and then go to the system info pane again, where you will see that you are rocking version 1.5. Run homebrew at will.
I ran through this entire procedure, then I downloaded the 2.0 update and installed that again, and then yet again went through the entire procedure again. It works like a charm. It’s a little time-consuming, but you can have the best of both worlds. Have fun!
hey how do i downgrade version 2.6 ?? plss help me i don have anymore money for games .lol
hey how do i downgrade version 2.6 ?? plss help me i don have anymore money for games .lol
it wont let me put in the overflow tif or see it.
WORKS LIKE A CHAMP. IF IT DOSNT WORK FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD NEVER HAD BOUGHT A PSP
mine is just like his “i have downloaded each mphdowngrader that is supplied at the top of this page but when i go to copy the overflow.tif file my nortons antivirus thingy comes up and says that nortons antivirus has found a virus and deleted it and its from the overflow.tif file and it says its called Trojan.PSPBrick. Does anyone know where i can download a downgrader without this virus”
I KEEP GETTING THE UPDATE NOT APPLICABLE ERROR MY PSP WAS ALREADY PLAYING HOMEBREW BUT THE LASER STOPPED WORKING AND THE GUY IN THE REPAIR SHOP PUT A JAP V.1 BOARD IN IT NOW I CAN UPGRADE TO 2.0 BUT WHEN I TRY TO DOWNGRADE I GET UPDATE NOT APPLICABLE ERROR–PLEASE HELP
Hey, so here’s the deal I have the 1.50 version to downgrade but it says no updates required please I beg for anyone to help me out. This has been driving me crazy for a week please email me w/ answer i’ll take anything ” obelisk005@yahoo.com “
just downgraded to 1.5 from after a bit of messin n arsin put the bin and .dat file in psp shown as removable storage on pc and whalla it works white writing when u go to photo vshell only prob asking for upgrade to play umd,s any answers
can somebody help me downgrading my system, the birus message apear and i dont wanna brick my psp, my email is jamclucas@gmail.com
i just did it and it worked no prob.
thanx alot :)
i just did it and it worked no prob.
thanx alot :)
First, slap your stupid self for using NORTON. Then uninstall that crap bloatware because Norton is WRONG. There is no virus, Norton is just plain stupid too. I guess birds of a feather really do flock together…
i installed everthing but when i go to the picture tif overflow my psp turns off and that is it wwhat do i do please help email 82eldo@sbcglobal.net
hey, im running 2.6, will this still work, cuz im alittle worried! because i dont perticualy understand the instructions!
Oh. . . WHY can;t they just read through the whole bloody thing! I fthey’d read the first page, there wouldn’t BEW a second page, because all thge dumbass questions would not need to have nbeen asked.
I don;t even HAVE a PSP and I read the whole thing. . C’mon! Stop being laxy! XD
i got it downgraded but when i try to play homebrew games it says
The game could not be started.
(80020001)
wth??? whats homebrew, how is it better if i downgrade pls, someone fill me in!
Why do i want 1.00??? and whats homebrew?
When i go to to look at the overflow pic it shows a corrupted file file pic and does nothing after that, do u know anything i could do, i tried re-dragging the file many times
Umm..hi on my laptop,i have norton anti virus and it goes crazy when i try and drop the block image thing onto PSP_Photos. COuld you please help?!
hey,
so i downgraded my 2.00 psp to 1.50 and it worked.. but how do i upgrade my psp back to 2.00? can you plese make another how-to?
thanks!
You have to turn off norton’s autoscan function, cause you need the virus to downgrade the psp. That’s what I did, and it turned out great. I don’t think the virus is a hazard for your computer anyway…
This works brilliantly instructions easy to follow but i would also like to be able to play normal umd games Can’t seem to be able to do this though
if you have any p2p networks such as limewire download the espalpsp v.07 fastloader by humma kavula and friends, this will create a neat iso loader in which all copied umds will play
Great site, tried for 2 days to downgrade my psp before I found this site got done it in 5min after reading the problems other people were having, I put the root files in the wrong folder.
Thanks
i can’t find the file PSP/GAME/……i have looked everywhere but can’t find…could someone plz e-mail me some help…. at joshrose54@gmail.com
Hey I followed every step right except for #2 and #7. For the 1.50 upgrade urs didnt work so wat i did is got a umd and upgraded it on the disk(i used midnight club 3). It worked fine.But when i got to step #8 it was differnt. I accidenly left the disk still in so it started the game instead of the screen with all the difernt languages. So i shut it off fast cuz the game was starting and when i took out the game cartrige and started it up. It was fine. i didnt loose any of my initial setup and i looked at my system and i was running 1.50. ( i didnt have the web browser) So i thought it was fine so i go to start a home brew (doom for 1.50) and it brings up this…. the game could not be started (80020001) I tryed downloading other ones but it brings up the samething. Did i really get 1.50??? PLEASE ANSWER BACK
Hey I followed every step right except for #2 and #7. For the 1.50 upgrade urs didnt work so wat i did is got a umd and upgraded it on the disk(i used midnight club 3). It worked fine.But when i got to step #8 it was differnt. I accidenly left the disk still in so it started the game instead of the screen with all the difernt languages. So i shut it off fast cuz the game was starting and when i took out the game cartrige and started it up. It was fine. i didnt loose any of my initial setup and i looked at my system and i was running 1.50. ( i didnt have the web browser) So i thought it was fine so i go to start a home brew (doom for 1.50) and it brings up this…. the game could not be started (80020001) I tryed downloading other ones but it brings up the samething. Did i really get 1.50??? PLEASE ANSWER BACK
……..
…….. ive read about all of the stuff about the tif program and did it and failed somone help me
shadowban1111@aol.com
how long will this take ive been trying forver and its still not working its the stupid photo crap it keeps freezing i deleted everthing tried alot and still nothing works somone help.
sigh i think my psp hates me……
I HAVE A SONY PSP 2.01 AND I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY OLDER GAMES ON IT. I CANT FIND A DOWNGRADER FOR IT. I DONT KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT HOW TO PUT OLDER GAMES ON IT I WOULD LIKE IT IF YOU COULD HELP ME. PS.. I ONLY HAVE A 32M MEMORY CARD. THANK YOU ……
I’ve got the downgarde to work… thanks for the help, homebrew runs fine! How do I get my backed up games to run??? I drag and drop them into the game folder on my memory stick (datel 4gb hard drive) and it keeps saying data corrupt! Am I doing something wrong? All help much appreciated!
I’ve got the downgarde to work… thanks for the help, homebrew runs fine! How do I get my backed up games to run??? I drag and drop them into the game folder on my memory stick (datel 4gb hard drive) and it keeps saying data corrupt! Am I doing something wrong? All help much appreciated!
if you downgrade does that change the region code
I DID Every thing listed aboved and still cant get it to work post here or email me
I’ve got the downgarde to work… thanks for the help,
homebrew runs fine! How do I get my backed up games to run??? I drag
and drop them into the game folder on my memory stick (datel 4gb hard
drive) and it keeps saying data corrupt! Am I doing something wrong? All
help much appreciated!
hey well the downgrades work great. my psp thinks that is a version 1.00 but i cant get the update to work. every time i go to it it just tells me corruped data. i would realy like some help. you can email me at Gamecrazy401@aol.com
Like many here I am new to modding…I just got an american psp for x-mas and have software version 2.60. Is downgrading totally out of the question? I would love to be able to play snes roms but dont wanna end up with a paperweight.
Thanx!!!
Thank you very much!
It works like a charm.
Hey people, remember … memory stick root is the 1st folder, it contains PSP ( i just say this because someone may be confused to put files on PSP folder and think it is memory stick root)
Thank you again & enjoy PSP with free game together!
Cheers!
Thank you very much!
It works like a charm.
Hey people, remember … memory stick root is the 1st folder, it contains PSP ( i just say this because someone may be confused to put files on PSP folder and think it is memory stick root)
Thank you again & enjoy PSP with free game together!
Cheers!
i was upgrading my PSP to 2.0 and it got to 3% and the PSP turned off and it wont turn back on now
can someone please help
i was upgrading my PSP to 2.0 and it got to 3% and the PSP turned off and it wont turn back on now
can someone please help
WHat if u just renamed the firmware? to like 2.01.1? but really installed 1.5?
hi everyone i have noticed alot of ppl have got the same problem as me followed everything but when i go to open the photo flder it just freezes on me with no white text format and then it closes itself down i have tried it at least 10 times can some please help us we have 2 psp a japan one and a uk one both running on version 2 please help me
hi the screen freezes but not on the black one help!!!
can someone help me i have followed all the steps but it wont let me get to the photo as it just keeps freezing please help me i have noticed alot of ppl have asked but noone seems to give any answer help
worked like a charm..am up and running no problemo…i said &^$& the brower..went from 1.52 to 2.0 back to 1.5… my next mission runnin the iso rips..thx fella
i have successfully downgraded but have put an iso file in just about every folder but cant play the games can anyone please tell me what to do? thanks
I heard this can work on version 2.01 if you put some file (overflow) into the music folder instead of the image……..is this true cause ive been waiting forever to downgrade my psp. Im getting really twitchy wanting to play FF 3 for snes on it. After i left the site and went to download everything needed i cant find it again. So let me know ppl!!!!!(twitch)(twitch)
Ive read most of the comments in this forum and cannot really figure the advantage of downgrade. I can play my games just fine and surf the net fine as well. I have dial up but thanks to psp I can use other peoples broadband from within my house on my psp. So what is your purpose with all this homebrewwhaha and downgrading. P.S. all you people with “bricked” psp’s, I bet your wishin you bought it at costco where you can return it NO ?s asked HAH