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!
have done anything it says in the above downgrader, but no photo shows up in the photo file and then it freezes and switches itself off and when i restart it, its still on version 2.0.
little help people am using (UK) psp
Same problem as ben comment 244
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?
have just tried serveral different options.
tried it with the ac plug, without the ac plug.
with a UMD in and without a UMD.
extracting.
EVERYTIME I DO IT, I GO TO PHOTO SELECT MEMORY STICK IT FREEZES FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS SWITCH OFF AND THAT IT….AAAAHHHHHH been doin this for 5 hours solid. anyone help me
Same problem as ben comment 244
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?
Hi Kanes you could try http://www.freewebs.com/pspcrack/ They have a deluxe pack which has been used by a lot of people to downgrade. If you register you will recieve plenty of advice and help.
darren
Hi Kanes you could try http://www.freewebs.com/pspcrack/ They have a deluxe pack which has been used by a lot of people to downgrade. If you register you will recieve plenty of advice and help.
darren
my psp is jst shutting off evry time i go into the photo bit. so i’m basically getting a black screen with no text. what am i doing wrong?????
HEY THIS DOWN GRADE WORKS GREAT. IF YOUR HAVING TROUBLE WITH GETTING TO THE PICTURE DOUBLE CHECK THAT U DIDN’T PUT THE INDEX AND H BIN DOCUMENTS IN A FOLDER YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THIER INDEVIDUAL ICONS IN THE SAME PLACE AS THE MP ROOT AND THE PSP FOLDERS. I FORGOT TO AND IT WOULD FREEZE AS SOON AS I WOULD GO TO OPEN THE PICTURE. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE WALK THROUGH
can any1 help me with the overflow.tif, it keeps disappearing on my desktop when i try to save it
my AV is disabled but i still cant see the overflow.tif when i unzip MPHdowngrader.zip, i can only see “overflow.tif” it when i browse thru the zipped file.
and if i put the picture on PSP it says “the system cannot find the file specified”
any1 noes why?
ok, so its possible to keep the browser. but what about the other 2.0 features? do those stay as well?
worked great for me!!! thanks so much for the write up and download links!!
I used the downgrader a week ago, and it work perfectly on my two PSPs (Aussie PSP, Jap White PSP). I had already updated the Aussie PSP fro v1.52 to v2.0 weeks ago, so all I did was follow the instructions (not this site, but they said basically the same thing) and voila! I have a White PSP running v1.5!
YEA DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO DOWNGRADE FROM 2.0 BACK TO 1.5
Norton is crap. It’s not a virus.
Norton is crap. It’s not a virus.
Um, will this work with UK PSPs – It’s not going to mess up the regions or anything?
i upgraded my psp to 2.50 and i really want to know if there is any way that i can downgrade it to 2.00 then 1.50 cause i want to get the free games. if anyone has aim then im me at acesgod1012
Hello. I tried the Downgrader before the PSP Bricker came out and it worked perfectly. I didn’t remove the battery or any of that Shit, just folowed the instructions. It was well worth it. Bottem line: DONT REMOVE THE BATTERY!!! Thank you
how can i downgrade 2.5 to 1.5
ok so i live in newzealand and im gonna buy a psp tomorrow but what firmware version do new psps come with and will the newzealand psp have anything i should know about? Thanks for your help and sorry if my questions are stupid
So what can I do if I just bought a PSP with 1.52 on it and i want to play images i D/L from newsgroups? Do I have to downgrade or will it work with 1.52? TIA!
So what can I do if I just bought a PSP with 1.52 on it and i want to play images i D/L from newsgroups? Do I have to downgrade or will it work with 1.52? TIA!
If I downgrade my PSP firmware to play cracked games, will it still be possible to play other people wirelessly and ad hoc?
So I have made it to the part where I upgrade from 1.0 to 1.50, yet it keeps telling me to charge my battery. Why do I have to do this when it’s plugged into the AC adapter in the first place? Is this a flaw or am I being stupid?
plz guys i need to know for sure before i do this.Is there a trojan in any of the files up there i dont want to waste 250$ help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
plz guys i need to know for sure before i do this.Is there a trojan in any of the files up there i dont want to waste 250$ help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
how to upgrade my PSP version 1.00 to a newer version 1.50?pls help me!
Mine wouldn’t work. So i added a few photos to my once empty photo folder :) worked perfect. except, i didn’t get the same screen with white text. i only had two lines about 8 numbers long. Weird but it was always the same. My friend got the same screen as above. So i freaked out. I ran the update anyway and it works fine :) Woot!
Yup i have downgraded 2 psp’s now
when you open the picture and whight tex appers wait about 30seconds reboot start update and reboot 2 more times all dun
put all the files in the right place you should not have eny probs downgrading i just instaled 4 emulators so i can play nes snes ses smd games all work fine overclock the cpu to 333 to
What can I do If I have 1.52 Firmware, but now Sony only allows me to download 2.5 which I don’t want to. Do I need to be able to download 2.0 to be able to downgrade, if so, is it possible for someone to email me the 2.0 firmware upgrade.
What can I do If I have 1.52 Firmware, but now Sony only allows me to download 2.5 which I don’t want to. Do I need to be able to download 2.0 to be able to downgrade, if so, is it possible for someone to email me the 2.0 firmware upgrade.
Dam!!! do I need some help now????? I knocked my Brand New White (2 hours old) PSP off my desk wile upgrading and now it won’t turn on? S**T Any1 know what I can do? (No warrantee!!)
i have just biught a white psp of ebay and i was wondering if this downgrader would work and my norton also says that but i just uninstalled it so it wouldnt delete it as at the top if you read it it says its a virus just have a look
thanks for this people
i have just biught a white psp of ebay and i was wondering if this downgrader would work and my norton also says that but i just uninstalled it so it wouldnt delete it as at the top if you read it it says its a virus just have a look
thanks for this people
for ppl who do not know the root not the MP_root like eneter the usb file folder and put hbin and index dat in that not in the folders just where it has the 2 foldred
YO, IVE FOLLOWED ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS.. HOWEVER WHEN I ENTER PHOTO ON THE PSP MENU IT AUTOMATICALY FREEZES I CANT EVEN SCROLL DOWN TO EVEN FLOWW IT JUST SHUTS OFF.. SOMEBODY PLEASE HEEELLLLLPPP MEEEE!! ..(i’ll suck yo dick maaaan)
ive follwed the directions but everytime i click on photo on the menu screen it automatically freezes i dont even get to scroll down to evenflow.. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!!!!! (i’ll suk yo dik maaan)
i have 2.5 update running how do u downgrade to 1.5 or 1.0……ill appreciate it
I have version 2.01 downloaded it not knowing you only need 2.00 can it be down graded
helppppp
Firmware 2.01 sux0r :(, I connected, and didn`t do enough research in advance, just got my psp…. Of course I downloaded the shit. And now I can`t f***** downgrade. Sony could make alot more money by allowing these modifications to be made in PSP. People would go crazy for the console. Hope hackers beat em` to it soon.
-Unhappy PSP-owner-
I think I have version 1.52 of the firmware for my PSP, and I can’t get any emulator to work. I tried to downgrade but it didn’t see the picture file or anything. Can someone please help me out?
It worked!!!
-at first all i was getting in step #3 was a frozen screen.
-when i did it correctly i got the black screen with white letters in a blink of an eye.
1. make sure you fully extract the:
MPHDowngrader
and the EBOOT_1.50
2.delete the “PHOTO” file in your psp and just copy and paste the one in the MPHDowngrader. (with this you should have the overflow.tif)
3.copy and paste “h.bin” & “index.dat” to both the psp root and the place before you get to your psp root.just to elimintae the confusion. (were you see the files “MP_ROOT” AND “PSP”)
4.Go to your “GAME” folder, make folder called “UPDATE” next get your EBOOT.pbp and put it in that new folder.
5. diconect your USB cable
6.plug in your AC adapter
7.go to your PHOTO click X
8.psp freezes you should get a black screen with white letters.
9. do the next steps
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, i hate de sony sites, i thought i downloaded verson 2.00 (i had 1.52), there was a picture of update 2.00, but when i downloaded it and set it on my psp it was 2.50!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thnx allot sony, for screwing with my dream, i hope they hack 2.50 SOOOOOOOOOOONNNN
Does anyone know if you can downgrade 2.5 to 1.5 using these steps above? or does it have to be 2.0? becuase i currently have 2.5 and wondering if it works first before i actually do these steps.
Well, it works absolutely fine, thanks a lot. And I’m going to add some stuff so that ppl are not so lost.
I upgraded mine from v1.51 to v2.0 before using this advise to downgrade to v1.50.
Note the following:
1) You are not going to get a black screen if yours is 1.51 or 1.52, it will only turn black once its upgraded to v2.00.
2) You need v2.00. That’s the toughest thing for me, Sony updates now upgrades your system to v2.50 so DO NOT use the sony original website. Like what the others side, go to http://files.pspupdates.qj.net Top of the screen you will see Home : Files : Gallery : Forums etc. Click Files and Search 2.0EBOOT.PBP or 2.0_NA_EBOOT.PBP (for North American version). Save this file into /PSP/Game/Update and rename to EBOOT.PBP
3) You need to plug into your AC adaptor for the v2.0 upgrade and search under Memory Stick. It will then prompt you to upgrade to v2.0… just follow the instructions thereafter!
4) Sony made sure that the files in mphdowngrader are recognised as viruses or trojan horses so make sure your antivirus software is shut…. its not a virus!!!!
Now that the freaking 6 mths wait is over and done with… time for some homebrews!!!! yippee!!
Thanks a million!
can someone help me?
I have downloaded all of the crap and when i go to open the overflow photo it just opens it and says “there are no images”
could someone help me and could someone please reasure me that turning of Symantec will make it work.
can someone help me?
I have downloaded all of the crap and when i go to open the overflow photo it just opens it and says “there are no images”
could someone help me and could someone please reasure me that turning of Symantec will make it work.
worked perfectly for me first time, nothing went wrong. thanks!
It Works Gr8! It takes 5 minutes. I went from 1.52 to 2.00, then down to 1.50. I have emulated and played ISO’s no problem! Lovely!
Advice to Everyone. Read the downgrade article at the top carefully and then ALL the comments first! There are many valuable tips and experiences mentioned!
Thanks Guys!