Post: #1

I don't think this has been posted here (at least in this much detail) so here it is.


This guide will teach you how to use emulators on a PSP with official firmware 5.50 (maybe even 1.51) and higher. I am testing this tutorial on a PSP-1001 so if you could please test it with an unhackable PSP and post your results it would be much appreciated. Please include a download link to the emulator you used in your test. Also, do not post links to copyrighted material, it is heavily frowned upon.

Me and blake1211 have created an easy installer for the HBL. It comes packaged with rev85, the patapon 2 demo, and a handful of emulators. Simply run the batch file and follow the on-screen instructions. Make sure you enter the PSP drive letter correctly. If the PSP is I:\ the batch file just wants I.

hbl.zip 104.623 MB


Things to download:
Patapon 2 demo - download link
The specially crafted game save used to trigger the HBL - download here
Latest version of HBL (rev95) - download link (optional: if rev95 doesn't work well then get rev85 link -here. You only need one or the other, can't use both at the same time.)
You can get the debug versions from wololo's site but they don't seem to work as well for me as the distrib versions so I'm not going to link them. You might see me mention rev75 or 85 in the tutorial, these are just older versions and I only update the links above, not the entire thread.

Emulators: (These are all reported as working on various official firmwares)
(GBA) mh gpspkai - download link -
(SNES) uo_Snes9x_002y32 - download link -
(Atari 2600) psp2600 - download link -
(Sega) Picodrive 1.51 - Download link -
(NES) NesterJ - download link -
(NES) FCEU-PSP v0.3 - download link -
If you want a different emulator that isn't listed here then check my tutorial at PSP-Hacks. I keep it updated more than this one.

Setting up the Half Byte Loader

Loading these emulators on the PSPGo is a little different, skip down to the end of this section for details on how to make it work on the Go.

Format your PSP's memory stick from the PSP before you do any of this. Formatting your memory stick will erase all of your data so make sure you have important stuff backed up. Don't put anything on the memory stick until I say so. Connect your PSP to your computer via USB or by using a card reader. Open the hbl-r79-wololo.zip file on your computer extract the contents of it to the root of your memory stick.


Open the game save archive (UCUS98732_DATA02.zip) on your computer and extract the contents of it to your memory stick. The UCUS98732_DATA02 needs to go in \PSP\SAVEDATA\. Don't use the h.bin from that zip file, I'm not sure what it's for. You get a h.bin file from the hbl-r79-wololo.zip archive which is the one I'm using.

Then you need to open the Patapon2 archive on your computer. You should see a folder named UCUS98734. Copy that folder to ms0:\PSP\GAME\.

Put the emulators in the ms0:\PSP\GAME\ folder. For the GBA emulator you need to search Google for a file called gba_bios.bin. This goes in the folder with the GBA emulator's EBOOT file.


All files must be put in the system storage for PSPGo in order for this to work. It will not work from any memory stick on the PSPGo unless you edit the config file.

Launching the Emulators

Disconnect the PSP from your computer. Start the Patapon2 demo on your PSP.



Answer "No" to the first question and "Yes" to the second question (when it asks you about not finding any save files).



You will then get to the Patapon's main menu, click Continue, and load Wolo's save data.




Then you will be presented with a load screen that says HATAPON'S MARCH. When it's done loading it tells you to press any button. I press R but I believe it doesn't matter what you press here.



Once you get to the next screen press R and the Half Byte Loader will start.



You'll be presented with a menu listing all of the homebrew you have in the \PSP\GAME\ folder. Select your emulator and start playing your favorite games!




Specific emulator tutorials. These are a bit more in depth.
Amiga - here
GBA - here
SNES - here

Videos

Thank you Wololo, m0skit0, ab5000, Davee, and everyone else working on the HBL. This is truly one of the greatest things in recent PSP history.
Thank you PCM6502 for testing a lot of emulators and providing links.
Thanks cccodyyyy, for providing a video of the HBL in action on a PSP-3000; OFW 6.20.
Thank you intexhub for providing a few mini tutorials.

Enjoy!

 Post: #2

Great tutorial, I'm sticking this. I have to unstick a few threads in this section since they're getting old.

Thanks a lot!

 Post: #3

LOL! Thanks! My first sticky and this was only my second post

 Post: #4

(05-24-2010 05:31 AM)Organized_Chaos Wrote:  LOL! Thanks! My first sticky and this was only my second post

Ahah it's a great post

 Post: #5

Nice tut, thanks for posting.

ExBu Wrote:I killed bigfoot lol

 Post: #6

Really good post and a excellent format at that!

 Post: #7

(05-25-2010 03:49 AM)dBOMB90 Wrote:  and a excellent format at that!

Thanks! I see so many people try to write tutorials (on other sites) and yet they can barely speak English or make it readable. I just try my best

 Post: #8

cool tut

 Post: #9

wow nice guide i like how u added pics keep up he good work

 Post: #10

Me and blake1211 have created an easy installer for the HBL. It comes packaged with rev85, the patapon 2 demo, and a handful of emulators. Simply run the batch file and follow the on-screen instructions. Make sure you enter the PSP drive letter correctly. If the PSP is I:\ the batch file just wants I.

hbl.zip 104.623 MB

Also, how do I add YouTube videos to my tutorial here?