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!
im trying to downgrade when i open the photo on my psp it freezes up and shuts itself off i dont get the black screen with white text can someone help me !!!!!!!
i have a problem last week i bought a new PSP from the market and by mistake i update my psp into version 2.50 and NOW i want to downgrsde it to version 1.52 or 1.50 or 2.00 can you tell me how and can you send me 2.50 downgrade files .PLEASE …. OK? THANK YOU .bye
can anyone email me at carl_masta_g@hotmail.com and tell me some websites that you can download free psp games from :), thanks alot, carl
can anyone email me at carl_masta_g@hotmail.com and tell me some websites that you can download free psp games from :), thanks alot, carl
can anyone email me at carl_masta_g@hotmail.com and tell me some websites that you can download free psp games from :), thanks alot, carl
Hi Guys
When I Unpack MPHDowngrader.zip, the file overflow.tif, the antivirus on my PC tells me that it is a Trojen and quarenteens it straight away. When i look into the trojen it is called PSPBrick…Do I continue to use this file or will it brick my PSP
Regards
Matt
just disable ur norton antivirus while u put the file into the psp’s photo folder. i had the same problem, all i did was disable norton antivirus and the file didnt get deleted
alrite every1, im gerrin a psp 4 crimbo n im luck enough 2 av a 2.00 ver, so i wanna downgrad 2 1.5 but im shittin meself.me m8 as done his n 2 of his brothers but i dont want me psp 2 fuk up. i aint got 180 quid 2 spare so help me lads plz
RoBbO
I have just got my PSP and have a couple of question, If anyone can answer any of them I would be grateful. Firstly, there are DVD`s full of games available on the internet, these come as RAR files that require extracting, these seem to be fairly new games. Do i need to downgrade the firmware from 1.52 to 1.5 or 1.0. Also do I have to upgrade to 2.0 before downgrading to 1.0 or 1.5 ?
Hi. I was just wondering if anyone has the lord of the rings tactics game running and if so on what emulator. The first level worked on fastloader but then I installed umd emulator and dev hook and now the game jus doesn’t work. Also I can’t run GTA liberty stories.
Date 12-1-05 yo as ya know 2.50 is out. and i really wanna do this can i still downgrade or is the security settings gonna stop me cuz i got 2.50 >>(like an idiot) and then i found out about this Plz Plz Plz help Plzzzzzzzz!
hey,i have a 2.0 i cant get this to work, i did every thing word for exact word, i went to photo, it went to the black screen with the jumbled text and i waited for 30 or so sec. then i held the power off switch for 10 secs. it shut off then i rebooted it, i went to system info, it said i was running version 1.0. then i went to game then memory stick to update it to 1.5 and it says there are no games. i tried this a few times and it does not work. PLEASE HELP
#250, you need to disable your norton antivirus. Or uninstall that crap. Any program trying to take away a hack is not worth having installed on your PC. I heard Sony paid lots of money to have virus proggies delete the hacks. So therefore, uninstall your Virus Proggy.
Additionally, I like to thank hackaday.com for a well documented piece of work here with screenshots! The downgrade worked like butter. Smooth as a baby’s behind if you will. You down like a vato in a lowrider!
NO ONE HAS GOTTEN BACK TO ME ON THE 2.50 ISSUE (BLOWS ON BATTLE HORN >>>>> GREAT HACKERS OF THE WORLD ASSEMBLE !!!!!)GUYS FOR THE BETTER OF ME FOR THE BETTER OF THE HACKER/GAMING WORLD WE NEED TO FIND A WAY AROUND 2.50 OR STRIGHT FUCKING THRU IT !!!!! WHO’S WITH ME!!?? CAN I GET A HUU-RA !! >>> nuwave001@yahoo.com LETS DO THIS GUYS LETS MAKE HISTORY
hey i bought ma psp from australia and the downgradinging goesnt work…ay ideas?
when i open the tif file from ma psps its not there
and ma psps is 2.0 but its got no web browser
HELPP!!!1
lol too many assholes! whoever removes their battery while update is in progress is a moron!
and whoever says they can keep their browser while doing this is all a bunch og liars.
I’ll tell you something
In case you didn’t notice sony don’t allow you to update when your battery life is below 50%
(to prevent your psp shutting it off during update coz it will cause u problems)
In addition just to make sure sony didn’t allow you to update if you haven’t plugin the AC. So electicity will flow continously while your updating your psp to prevent it from bricking. (Havent you realized this!?)
Like all installer when you have halted the setup in between e.g 51%. Do you think the program will work? you all worthless moron!
another example is, when your playing a game in PSOne or PS2 and you are saving on your memory card, why is there a warning “Do not turn off your system or remove memory card.”
If you think this warning is just a bunch of letters just to scare you, you are all wrong
that’s why there putting punctuation “!”, because it is extremely important
PS
your a bunch of morons!
as for my credibility, I have a degree in Computer Science, I have extensive knowledge in different programming languages.
A word of advice don’t do it if you don’t know what your doing..
Hey guys i updated my psp to version 2.50, i want to downgrade it back to version 1.5 will it work?
please help
appreciated very much
Hi, I am using this article to downgrade my PSP but I have a question. Eachtime I unzip the downgrader, Norton says it found the brick virus. I know what happens when you brick you PSP and I would like to know if I STILL have to download and put that downgrader in my PSP.
Where do i put VSHELL PHOTO MENU thingy that it says in the read me???
hI I AM TRYING THE DOWNGRADER BUT MY PSP FREEZES AND THE TURNS OFF.aM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG?i CHECKED THE SYSTEM VERSION AND ITS STILL 2.0.>>>>>>>>>HELP
ive read all 250 posts. i think most ppl should before posting as well. i just bought a psp a few days ago ver 2.0 and i want to play homebrews but i can admit to being scared shitless of trying it but dont have to worry about it just yet as my cradle and link cable i got free with my psp is on backorder for a few more days. anyway i know this is long winded but after reading all the posts ive noticed only those who tried pulling their battery and ac cable out had bricks. i know it works for some ppl but id be interested in hearing from ppl who didnt try and take out the power and bricked it if anyway.
cheers.
ive read all 250 posts. i think most ppl should before posting as well. i just bought a psp a few days ago ver 2.0 and i want to play homebrews but i can admit to being scared shitless of trying it but dont have to worry about it just yet as my cradle and link cable i got free with my psp is on backorder for a few more days. anyway i know this is long winded but after reading all the posts ive noticed only those who tried pulling their battery and ac cable out had bricks. i know it works for some ppl but id be interested in hearing from ppl who didnt try and take out the power and bricked it if anyway.
cheers.
After going from 2.0 – 1.5 is it Ok to format the disk to clear the memory of the card???
hi i have a psp 1.51 how do i upgrade to 2.0 and back to 1.5 someone please help
i got 2.50 is there enyway in dowmgradeing it to 1.00 or 1.05
Shit I accidentaly just upgraded to version 2.60 how the hell do I downgrade from that? lol..
PLEASE PLEASE! i do everything right but when i click on the overflow.tif, it just says corrupted data! PLEASE HELP ME!!!
PLEASE PLEASE!I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT BUT WHEN I CLICK ON overflow.tif IT JUST SAYS CORRUPTED DATA! PLEASE HELP!
I just downloaded 2.60 version and then found out that was a bad idea but is there any way to down grade from 2.60 version.
hey i tried dis but everytime i tried clicking the thingy that i put in the photo file it didnt do n e thing, it jus said that the file was corrupt and even the eboot.pbp file said it was corrupt…..is there n e thing u guyz can to me to do that will allow me to b able to have the downgrader work??
hey i rely need help!!!! i followed all of the steps but it doesnt work…i put all the filies in da rite folders i think…..which folder is the Memory Stick Root? da only folder i have with the word Root is MP_Root soo pleeze help…mai aim is an1trickster3 pleeze help me!!!!
I’m currently running firmware version 2.0 Similar to a few posting above, after transfering overflow.tif, i can’t seem to access it. I tried to create another folder inside PHOTO and putting another pictures, it cant work either. Pls help me by dropping me a mail @ sadnesss82@yahoo.com.sg
I am sure that I have version 2.0, I put everything where it is got to be. But when I go to my photos it freezes and it shuts down, I don’t know why. Then I got a new EBOOT and tried that, I can now see the downgrader in the games but it still doesn’t work. Please help me.
i have v1.52 do i have to upgrade first?then downgrade to v1.5? as im only a beginer at this can someone help me its doing my head im
Mate its not a Virus. If you read at the top it tells you its defined by norton (symantec) because its a hack (and there is malware out there) The hardest thing about downgrading i found was symatec antivirus pricking me about. I had to uninstall symantec in the end. Then it worked fine…. but don’t forget for the tif to overflow your PSP you’ll need some other pictures in the photos directory. otherwise you just reboot.
ive done all the steps but it wont let me get past the data corrupted screen in the game – memory stick. What do i do now??
i need help!!! wen am meant to select the 1.5 version via the memory stick its says corrupted data hav i gone wrong sum where?? plz help
for all you guys out thier that said it couldn’t be done… well i had np downgrading v2 to v1.5. so yes it does work. if anyone does have a problem just leave a message and i’ll be glad to help ya out. pz
kinda late hopping on this thread, but…
if i downloaded the psp 2.5, is it impossible for me to downgrade? please say no b/c for $250, this pos psp should be able to play friggin super mario 3!!
The MPH does not have a virus in it. If you’d been reading up on this more you’d find that Norton and McAfee both regeistered the overflow code for psp 2.0 as a virus (trojan.pspbrick) Basically your virus scanner is detecting the overflow code and is treating the file as virus. Disable your VS before working with the file.
There are in existence programs that people have made that intentionally brick PSPs. They use the oeverflow code as well, at least the one’s that are designed for 2.0. So the point is, don’t screw arround with files from unrealiable sources and don’t do anything to your psp you don’t feel confident about. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I have just got a new psp and it has 2.01 will this version ever be hacked?
I have just got a new psp with 2.01 will it ever be hacked?
I have just got a new psp with 2.01 will it ever be hacked?
thanks a million. I upgraded to version 2 from the Pro Evo 5 UMD so i could play it. My brother then shouted at me a lot cos he knows how to do all that clever stuff u lot do. Thankfully, i reverted to 1.5 using this method, and all is well within my family again. THANKS!!!
ave just got a psp version 2.01 does anyone no how to downgrade it yet?
I have a Taiwan SPS-007, why won’t the downgrade work on it? Do you think this will be possible in future
Is there any chance that i can downgrade from 2.6, i was an IDIOT who upgraded,since i
Does anybody knows if you can downgrade fw 2.6 to 1.5?
yeah idk if anyone is still reading this stuff, but yeah im having the same problem as one of u guys, i got to photos and it frezzes right away and just shuts my power off, can someone help me
it worked for me. thanks