Unbricking The Psp.... AND some links to REALLY KEWL PSP HACKS
THE WAY I WENT ABOUT TRYING TO DISASSEMBLE MY PSP IN THIS TOP POST IS ALL WRONG, READ BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE...
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING AT YOUR OWN RISK> I ASSUME NO LIABILITY IF YOU TRY THIS AND BREAK YOU PSP! (AS A MATTER OF A FACT, I DON"T RECOMMEND TRYING THIS AT ALL, AS YOU WILL AT A MINIUMUM, VOID YOUR WARRANTY LIKE I HAVE JUST DONE)
So anyone with some basic electronics knowledge would understand that the bios for the Sony PSP has to have an EEProm to store it's data in.
So one would assume that if a diligent individual were to open their PSP (Thereby VOIDING THE WARRANTY!)
and find this chip in the PSP, they could then do a little research on the internet to find the pin-out and data specs on the chip. Then a data cable that would clip to the chip could be built, allowing the reading and writing of data to the chip. A backup copy of the original (WORKING) PSP BIOS could then be obtained, and if the PSP was ever "bricked", that data could then be written back to the BIOS, thereby rendering the PSP functional again. I have just tried to open my psp up, and got as far as getting the front case off, and most of the screws removed. I removed the lower button data cable, and popped off one of the two side input switchboards. Here was where I ran into a problem. The back cover is held in place by some screws which are under the UMD disk drive door. I managed to get one of the two plastic hinge tabs popped out, but the other one is in there nasty-tight, and I was afraid of breaking the door hinge, so I put 'er back together and called it a night. (It did still work, by the way).
Another Note: There appears to be 2 separate boards inside the PSP, both are squeezed in under the display, which would have to be removed to find the bios chip.
ALSO: Once the front cover is off the PSP you risk damaging the LCD screen! It can be scratched or rendered uselessif you were to touch it with a tool. I got fingerprints all over it, and had to very carefully clean it off with a very soft cotton cloth, and some steam from my breath.
If anyone DOES try this and manages to get the door off without breaking the hinge, I'd be interested in knowing how. Please post info here, and upload a pic if you have a camera, of the hinge mechanisms.
If you have BRICKED your PSP (which would mean that your warranty is possibly voided anyways) Or even dropped or damaged it beyond repair and SONY said that they would NOT cover it under the warranty, that would be the perfect opportunity to go into the unit a little deeper. Once we know the numbers off chipsets inside the PSP, we can start looking for more info on how to backup the BIOS. I am going to search google and see i anyone has internal pictures of the unit.
If I can figure out which chip it is, and get some specs on it, I will build a data cable, and write the code for an eeprom read/write routine, and open my PSP and make a backup. What would really be nice is if SONY had made some kind of port on the PSP that allowed BIOS/VIDEO connectivity. Then these viruses would not have been such a major problem, and plus someone could have build a Video-OUT adapter so you could hook it up to a TV to watch movies and play games with.
HELLO SONY? MAYBE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FOR THE PSP II.....
Good Luck all........ TTIGER
