Magic Memory Stick
From PSPWiki
A "Magic Memory Stick" is a Memory Stick that has been converted to boot and work with a JigKick Battery. Depending on the method of creation, a Magic Memory Stick can either downgrade PSPs to 1.50 OFW (Fat PSPs only), or downgrade any PSP to 3.71 M33+, or 3.71 OFW+ (Fat & Slim PSPs); so that the PSP will be capable of running Homebrew, and Game Backups. Also it can be used to repair bricked PSPs when used with a JigKick Battery.
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Creation
The real legit method of creation requires a PSP that is homebrew-enabled. Also, it will require an application that can write the IPL file to the Memory Stick. Furthermore, it will require a Memory Stick that is a PRO DUO between 256MB and 4GB and it must be real (However, today we can even convert fake Memory Sticks into workable Magic Memory Sticks although sometimes they may have issues).
Also, the methods of preparing a memory stick has dramatically increased since the 1.50 Pandora where the use of Magic Sticks have originated.
Methods
There are various methods in which a Magic Stick can be converted successfully. The easiest methods are obviously computer programs which easy install it for the user. But there are surprisingly many other methods, which all orginate from the original Pandora program.
1.50 Pandora
1.50 Pandora requires a PSP that can run 1.50 homebrew. In Addition, this method will only work on Phat PSPs. This process requires a memory stick that is properly reformatted and repartitioned, where the first ~250kb sector is for Pandora. Also, this requires a decrypted ipl, that will be able to launch the service menu, instead of booting to the XMB with a Pandora Battery inserted. Reformatting/repartitioning, and writing the ipl all takes command prompt, or equivalent. Due to Windows Vista unable to boot cmd scripts, the repartitioning, and reformatting steps will not work properly. However, writing the ipl will work fine if it is launched under an 'administrator' prompt. Also, this process is known to work on Linux distros.
Despertar del Cementerio
A Despertar del Cementerio Magic Magic Stick can be prepared for use, in the same way as the 1.50 Pandora. It was made by Dark_AleX as PSP Slims could not be downgraded to 1.50. Instead DDC, downgrades both PSP Fat and Slims to a CFW. The latest version downgrades PSPs to 5.00 M33-4.
Easy Installers
As most people don't have a Homebrew capable PSP, they can not run the Pandora programs; so many people built Easy Installers! They used the Pandora files, and made a computer program, which had all the files needed in the program. This made it much easier. The latest Easy Installer uses Despertar del Cementerio v8, so it installs 5.00 M33-4, here it is: Rain's UltraLite MMS Maker for 5.00 M33-4 v1.2
Hellcat's Pandora Installer
Due to the original 1.50 Pandora apps not working on Slims, or (at the time) the released 3.71 M33 firmware, Hellcat developed an installer that will do every step needed for a full 1.50 install. The installer will only perform certain steps if the firmware eboot is present on the root of the memory stick, named as 'UPDATE.PBP'. In Addition, the installer is known to convert both Phat and Slim batteries to Pandora, and back without much problems.
UPMS Installer
Overfiendx's Ultimate Pandora Memory Stick Installer installs the 1.50 Pandora, Despertar Cementerio v3/v4, Hellcat's and J0ker's Pandora Menus, as well as a Tools Menu which has access to Jas0nuk's ELF Menu. All of this is controlled via Gh0st's Ultimate Loader. Currently, the latest version of UPMS comes in .cso format which will require a PSP that is setup to load ISO images. Install takes up about 150MB. The newest version is UPMS Sapphire
PSP Pandora Deluxe v3.2, Created by DJB
Release Notes: Here you have it, an all-in-one solution for your Pandora Needs.
This program is designed to prepare your PSP Memory Stick to be used with the Pandora Battery. Unfortunately this program can not change your Battery to Pandora, however it will copy programs to the Memory Stick in order for you to do this yourself.
I hope you enjoy this new release...
WARNING: THIS PROGRAM WILL FORMAT AND INSTALL THE IPL LOADER TO THE DRIVE LETTER YOU SELECT AS YOUR PSP DRIVE, SO MAKE SURE IT IS THE CORRECT DRIVE BEFORE PROCEEDING. I DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR FORMATTED USB HARD DRIVES ETC...
Usage
Regardless of the method used to create the Magic Stick, all requires the use of a Pandora Battery. Once obtained, the Service Menu will boot once the battery, and Magic Stick has been inserted into the PSP within the required time limit. (Can range from 20 seconds to never-ending) Once booted, different various actions can be performed depending on the method that was used to make the Magic Stick.
A Magic Stick can be used as an ordinary memory stick once the formatting, and repartitioning step has been performed. In Addition, a Magic Stick can have its ipl rewritten with Booster's Multi-IPL loader in which, a user can boot to the XMB with a Pandora Battery, and still have the option to boot to Service Mode as long as the Pandora Battery is inserted, and booted by holding L during a coldboot. In Addition, a Magic Stick can boot normally with a regular battery inserted.
Deletion
If for some reason, a user feels that they need to revert their Magic Stick to a normal memory stick, it is possible. The easiest way to do this is via formatting. However, if the user is using the Magic Stick with other storage data, a backup needs to be performed in case data is lost. However, if it is just a regular Magic Stick, it can be formatted.
Limitations
Command Prompt Issues
Due to the command prompt interface that the original creation method of a Magic Memory Stick used, mostly Windows XP users could benefit through this process. All of the Vista OS systems lacked support for command prompt scripts and therefore failed to operate. In both cases of reformatting, and writing the ipl via command prompt, Vista refused to reformat the memory stick so it can hold the ipl. Due to this, the regular ipl could not fit onto the boot sector of the memory stick since it requires 32 sectors while the memory stick under a regular partition has 31. However, users have found that the 'msinst' application of command prompt works fine under administrator mode. But, due to the small space, and if a user lacked access to a Windows XP computer, whether physically, or through emulation, a smaller ipl had to be used. One ipl that worked was Booster's Multi-IPL.
Linux
At first, the Magic Stick could not be completely created on a Linux machine. However with the use of a terminal to reformat the memory stick to use the VFAT file system, and use the terminal to write the ipl. (See code below) In this case, the boot sector space for the ipl would be big enough to hold the standard ipl. Therefore, seeking another ipl was not needed.
Mac
Mspformat or msinst cannot be ran on a Mac. However, if the Mac can be booted naively into a Windows XP, Vista, or Linux system via Bootcamp, the user can thus use the appropriate methods to create the Magic Stick.
Given that OS X is a un*x based system, the method used on Linux systems should also work on Mac if the user has the proper software installed. (dd, fdisk, and mkfs.vfat)
Technological Details
When a psp's battery serial number is changed to 0xFFFFFFFF the PSP boots the ipl from sector 16 on the physical drive(the memory stick). This file can be installed by using msinst in team c + d's Pandora Battery Package or in linux by using:
dd if=msipl.bin of=/dev/sde bs=512 seek=16 sync
Note that you should change the "of=/dev/sde" to the proper device file, which may or may not be sde on your system.
Instructions on formatting a memory stick in Linux using fdisk and mkfs.vfat can be found on the internet as well, so not only Windows, but Mac and Linux users can also make these Magic Memory Sticks. This method sould also work on other un*x based systems.
