How to Fix PSP Recovery Mode
By Alexander Poirier
Installing custom firmware on your PSP involves considerable risks, including the possibility of rendering your system useless. If you have custom firmware installed on your PSP, there is a chance that your unit may enter into a semi-bricked state in which it is unable to get out of the "Recovery Mode" screen. Luckily, there is a way to get your PSP out of this recovery screen and back to functioning normally in a few steps.
Step 1
Open a Web browser on your computer and navigate to the "PSP Hacks: Recovery Flasher v1.65" page using the link provided in the Resources section of this article. Download the file and extract its contents with a file extraction program such as WinZip, WinRar or Stuffit Expander. Look in the folder where you extracted the file and you'll see a sub-folder named "RECOVERY."
Step 2
Navigate to the "PSP Hacks: PSP 3.71 Firmware Update" page (see Resources) if you are using custom firmware 3.71m33; or navigate to the "PSP Hacks: PSP 4.01 Firmware Update" page if you are using custom firmware 4.01m33. Download the appropriate file and extract its contents. Inside the extraction folder, you should see a file named "EBOOT.PBP." Rename this file to "371.PBP" if you are installing custom firmware 3.71m33, or rename it to "401.PBP" if you are installing custom firmware 4.01m33.
Step 3
Turn on your PSP unit while holding down the "R" button to boot the system in "Recovery Mode." Highlight the "Toggle USB" option and press the "X" button to put the PSP in USB mode. Connect the PSP to your computer using the USB connection cable supplied with your PSP system.
Step 4
Open the PSP's root directory on your computer. The root directory should be located in "Computer" on a Windows-based PC and in "Finder" under "Places" on a Mac. Once inside the root directory, open the "PSP" folder and then open the "GAME" folder. Drag the "RECOVERY" folder extracted in Step 1 into the "GAME" folder and drag the "EBOOT.PBP" file you extracted and renamed in Step 2 into the "RECOVERY" folder.
Step 5
Eject the PSP from the computer and turn off the PSP unit. Turn the PSP back on while holding the "R" button. At the Recovery Mode screen, scroll down to the "Launch eboot from : PSP/GAME/RECOVERY" option and press the "X" button.
Step 6
Scroll down to the "Flash New XXX," where "XXX" is the name of the custom firmware you wish to install. Press the "X" button to begin the installation. Allow several minutes for the installation to finish. Then, restart your PSP. It should boot out of recovery mode and function normally.
Warnings
- There are always risks associated with installing custom firmware on a PSP system, including voiding your warranty and the possibility of bricking your system. Perform the steps listed in this article at your own risk.
- Do not use a custom PSP firmware to play illegally downloaded or pirated games.
Writer Bio
Alexander Poirier began writing professionally in 2005. He worked as the editor-in-chief of the literary magazine "Calliope," garnering the magazine two APEX Awards for excellence in publication. Poirer graduated from the University of the Pacific with a Bachelor of Arts in English.