WAB Version Changer for PSP - side effects?

[Zed]

I've only set WAB once (to 2.0) and never had any problems with my yank-launch PSP. Do you set it back and forth from 1.50 to 2.0? or leave it set?

The sound glitching/being lost in Wipeout Pure i tracked down to a particular song, which must have been damaged or not transfered properly from the UMD -> ISO, and its all been fine other than that.

All i can really ask if it was something else environmental; Particularly hot? too long a gaming session? circuit board having a wee fit? button jammed/locked by electronic glitch? as having it go away the next day is odd. Maybe its just like a PC and needs rebooting every once in a while...

[eretsua]

@Nu-Eclipse: I've read more about the kind of glitching you described. It does seem that it is related to WAB's FW Changer. But at the same time it seems an incredibly rare event. Don't know how many thousands of FWChanger users are out there but there are only a handful* of these reports. And as far as I know from the people who continued using the FWChanger after such an event it never happened again. So it could very well be unrelated to the FWChanger and be a total coincidence in all those cases. The funny thing is that in all the cases I read about the "glitched psp" worked fine again the following day.

as for wipeout: the crashing seems most common with the GammaPacks (downloadable content) installed. It was either the first or second GammaPack that had been re-released by Sony because the initial release "caused issues" (such as hanging). Also, if you are using FW v1.0...that just hangs from time to time.

And the playing the ISO of WipeOut from your Memory Stick will occasionally quit a few songs. Don't know why it is but it's not limited to one song and songs are not always affected by the "looping issue and then falling silent".


* that I know of and I know very little.

[tiddles]

eretsua, do you have any links to information about problems after using WAB version changer?

I used WAB 2.0 with my original US version 1.5 PSP, in order to play Virtua Tennis at PAL launch. Since then, it seems to have problems accessing the memory stick - after about half an hour's play, any access to the memory stick will freeze the game. Sometimes other problems will occur, such as freezing when accessing firmware text entry screens. When the PSP has frozen, the home menu works, but sometimes after returning to the main menu none of the options can be selected. I've tried every combination of upgrading/downgrading, different memory cards, hard resets and everything else.

I'm now using a PAL unit instead, but I'd still like to fix the US one if I can, as it works perfectly apart from the issues mentioned above.

Any help much appreciated!

[Nu-Eclipse]

I used WAB 2.0 with my original US version 1.5 PSP, in order to play Virtua Tennis at PAL launch. Since then, it seems to have problems accessing the memory stick - after about half an hour's play, any access to the memory stick will freeze the game. Sometimes other problems will occur, such as freezing when accessing firmware text entry screens. When the PSP has frozen, the home menu works, but sometimes after returning to the main menu none of the options can be selected. I've tried every combination of upgrading/downgrading, different memory cards, hard resets and everything else.

Im feeling you pain tiddles.

My JPN v1.50 PSP seems glitched now - the text-entry screen won't let me type anything, and some of the buttons function (SCREEN on/off, HOME) seem to only work sporadically now. Upgrading and Downgrading doesn't seem to cure the problem, unfortunately.

eretsua, please post up links of where you found your information from.

[Ratso]

I think the only sure-fire way to avoid Sony forcing you to do what they want you to do is to buy two PSPs.

Now THAT's irony!

[Nu-Eclipse]

I'm gutted.

The glitches in my PSP from using WAB version changer still remain. It seems permanent. To add insult to injury, I accidently erased all my MS data and failed to back it up in a vain attempt to rectify the problem.

Until I can find a way to repair my PSP/buy a cheap replacement, I've packed it back into its box and put it away. I really can't bear to use it anymore after everything that has gone on.

It's about as depressing as it gets, really.

[tiddles]

I don't know if there's anyone else out there who had problems with their PSPs after using version 2.0 of WAB, but I'm thinking of contacting http://www.gtelectronics.co.uk/psp.htm, since they claim to be able to carry most repairs on PSPs, and have a good rep.

I've been using a different UK unit ever since, but it seems sad to have the old piece of kit sitting around - would be nice to get it patched up if it's possible.

[Mr Fujisawa]

format reinstall

[tiddles]

Bringing up an old thread...

A friend mentioned that there are now homebrew programs which allow you to completely reflash your bios, hopefully curing whatever has gone wrong (is this what the last poster was referring to, perhaps?).

I never did anything about sending off the fuxxored PSP to be fixed, so anyone have any pointers as to what programs might be useful?

[NekoFever]

Well if it's a firmware problem the solution would be to upgrade to 2.0 and then use the MPH downgrader to do a fresh install back to 1.5. That should wipe out anything funny in the firmware since the Sony updaters format the flash before they install.

I only used WAB a couple of times but it never gave me a problem. In fact my PSP has really run the gamut of various firmware hacks without any weirdness.

2.0 -> 1.5 (MPH downgrade) -> 1.52 (WAB) -> 2.0 -> 2.5 -> 2.6 -> 2.7 -> 2.71 -> 1.5 (downdater) -> 2.0 -> 1.5 (MPH downgrade) -> 1.5/2.71 (harleyg custom firmware) -> 2.71 SE-A (custom firmware) -> 1.5/2.71 (harleyg custom firmware)

I'm probably asking for it at some point...

[Nu-Eclipse]

Well if it's a firmware problem the solution would be to upgrade to 2.0 and then use the MPH downgrader to do a fresh install back to 1.5. That should wipe out anything funny in the firmware since the Sony updaters format the flash before they install.

I only used WAB a couple of times but it never gave me a problem. In fact my PSP has really run the gamut of various firmware hacks without any weirdness.

2.0 -> 1.5 (MPH downgrade) -> 1.52 (WAB) -> 2.0 -> 2.5 -> 2.6 -> 2.7 -> 2.71 -> 1.5 (downdater) -> 2.0 -> 1.5 (MPH downgrade) -> 1.5/2.71 (harleyg custom firmware) -> 2.71 SE-A (custom firmware) -> 1.5/2.71 (harleyg custom firmware)

I'm probably asking for it at some point...

I'm pretty sure that I've tried a 1.5-to-2.0-back to-1.5 procedure before on my f****d PSP - and it wasn't successful.

Upgrading to 2.70 and then downgrading back to 1.0 might be a different story, but I honestly doubt it.

[tiddles]

My understanding has always been that official updates work as patches, not full reflashes - hence updating / downgrading won't necessarily overwrite what's gone wrong (if indeed it's something wrong with the firmware).

The problem seemed to be with WAB version 2.0, which was quickly superceded by version 2.5, which most people seem to have used without incident. Unfortunately both Nu-Eclipse and myself used the earlier version, and have problems with operating the PSP ever since.

[NekoFever]

The official updaters work for any installed version (you can go from 1.0-2.81 or 2.8-2.81 with the same one, for example) so they must include the whole update in there in some form. It's more likely that they format the flash first though, because things can go wrong when you overwrite instead of delete and replace.

In any case yesterday I was playing with the new 2.71 SE-A custom firmware and if you use the built-in recovery mode with that to flash it back to 1.5 it definitely formats the flash before installing it. That might be worth a try.

[tiddles]

Interesting... I may well give that a go.

EDIT: Nope, that didn't work. Does the firmware reside anywhere apart from flash0 (which is formatted by the latest generic downgraders/custom firmware installers)? I used the generic downgrader to reformat and reinstall firmware 2.71, and it seemed to be more or less working for about a day, then froze on saving again... If the firmware memory has indeed been completely formatted, it must be a problem with something else.

[tiddles]

Lo and behold - my US PSP appears to be fixed! (famous last words and all that...)

I mentioned the problems I'd had to a friend recently, and he suggested reflashing both Flash0 and Flash1 - normally downgraders and the like only touch Flash0. So we did the procedure today - complicated by the fact that the machine had decided to stop reading programs on the memory card altogether - and (touch wood) since then it's been fine.

If anyone is still suffering from weird firmware problems from a homebrew program from two years ago, perhaps this will help