PSP Dump Firmware files list study

Discuss the development of new homebrew software, tools and libraries.

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laichung
Posts: 123
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PSP Dump Firmware files list study

Post by laichung »

After take a fast look on the file list in the firmware , I have a question.
If those library files already existed in the firmware , why game developer include thost files (such as libhttp.prx) again on the umd disk??

What a stupid way , especially when we know true that , reading the umd disk is much slower than reading the firmware.

or flash0/flash1 isnt the real firmware , may be that's just a store area for the game loading??
netwerx
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Re: PSP Dump Firmware files list study

Post by netwerx »

laichung wrote:After take a fast look on the file list in the firmware , I have a question.
If those library files already existed in the firmware , why game developer include thost files (such as libhttp.prx) again on the umd disk??

What a stupid way , especially when we know true that , reading the umd disk is much slower than reading the firmware.

or flash0/flash1 isnt the real firmware , may be that's just a store area for the game loading??
i would guess to make sure the game works, no matter what.

No depending on Sony, just incase a future update, screws up a function or module.

Just my two cents.
laichung
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Re: PSP Dump Firmware files list study

Post by laichung »

netwerx wrote:
laichung wrote:After take a fast look on the file list in the firmware , I have a question.
If those library files already existed in the firmware , why game developer include thost files (such as libhttp.prx) again on the umd disk??

What a stupid way , especially when we know true that , reading the umd disk is much slower than reading the firmware.

or flash0/flash1 isnt the real firmware , may be that's just a store area for the game loading??
i would guess to make sure the game works, no matter what.

No depending on Sony, just incase a future update, screws up a function or module.

Just my two cents.
So I said that's a stupid way ~~
It just like , you buy a PC game , and the game disk include some file that's already existed in window , in order to make sure the game is independent with the window version.

if that's the way sony do, now I know why most game always need loading during game. because they cant use the flash memory way to speed up the loading time.

and may be in future , when you insert you umd game , it will automatic update your firmware without warning you. beware of that. haha~~
konfig
Posts: 68
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:01 am

Re: PSP Dump Firmware files list study

Post by konfig »

laichung wrote:
netwerx wrote:
laichung wrote:After take a fast look on the file list in the firmware , I have a question.
If those library files already existed in the firmware , why game developer include thost files (such as libhttp.prx) again on the umd disk??

What a stupid way , especially when we know true that , reading the umd disk is much slower than reading the firmware.

or flash0/flash1 isnt the real firmware , may be that's just a store area for the game loading??
i would guess to make sure the game works, no matter what.

No depending on Sony, just incase a future update, screws up a function or module.

Just my two cents.
So I said that's a stupid way ~~
It just like , you buy a PC game , and the game disk include some file that's already existed in window , in order to make sure the game is independent with the window version.

if that's the way sony do, now I know why most game always need loading during game. because they cant use the flash memory way to speed up the loading time.

and may be in future , when you insert you umd game , it will automatic update your firmware without warning you. beware of that. haha~~
It is not stupid. It is common for console platforms.

PC OS will and must remain unchanged for PC games. It is a rule, if not, PC OS is useless.

PSP needs not and should not follow this rule. If does, games can not bring out PSP's full power, and thus be less wonderful.
cheriff
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Post by cheriff »

How do you use flash memory to speed up loading time?
Either way an app has to load from the disk, why should loading to flash be any faster than regular ram? i'd say its slower, but possibly the speed of the umd is slower still, so theres no advantage one way or the other..
Dunno about modern flash, but do they still have a fixed number of writes? I hate to have by psp edge a bit closer to death every time it booted if it has to write to flash...
Or would you rather the game force you to upgrade firmware instead of loading newer versions off the umd... seems some people will complain whatever happens.
It just like , you buy a PC game , and the game disk include some file that's already existed in window , in order to make sure the game is independent with the window version.
You mean like how most modern games come with the latest directx on the CD, or sometimes you need to go get the latest msvcrt.dll?
Damn, I need a decent signature!
laichung
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Post by laichung »

the point is , if I loading the library in the flash memory , It dont need to copy it back to ram , or just flash -> ram transfer. The reading speed must be much faster than you copy a file from umd to the main ram. Even memory stick is faster than the umd , since the lens need time when it access to other area of the disk , but ms doesnt.

And if sony overwrite the whole firmware , of course it need some time(just like when you run the 1.5 update firmware file) , but if they just rewrite some part of library , for example , updating the key , it just need a few second , you may not notice the booting process time is different.



cheriff wrote:How do you use flash memory to speed up loading time?
Either way an app has to load from the disk, why should loading to flash be any faster than regular ram? i'd say its slower, but possibly the speed of the umd is slower still, so theres no advantage one way or the other..
Dunno about modern flash, but do they still have a fixed number of writes? I hate to have by psp edge a bit closer to death every time it booted if it has to write to flash...
Or would you rather the game force you to upgrade firmware instead of loading newer versions off the umd... seems some people will complain whatever happens.
It just like , you buy a PC game , and the game disk include some file that's already existed in window , in order to make sure the game is independent with the window version.
You mean like how most modern games come with the latest directx on the CD, or sometimes you need to go get the latest msvcrt.dll?
pixel
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Post by pixel »

PS2 is acting the same way. The bios has lots of irxes inside, but each game comes with its own set of irxes and even rom images. The irxes in the rom0: and rom1: are used by sony embedded applications such as the dvd player and stuff.
pixel: A mischievous magical spirit associated with screen displays. The computer industry has frequently borrowed from mythology. Witness the sprites in computer graphics, the demons in artificial intelligence and the trolls in the marketing department.
blackdroid
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Post by blackdroid »

wich is sane since dev companies doesnt want to support x amount of irx versions for a game. most of this discussion is just pointless. move along.
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Pikoro
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Post by Pikoro »

The reason that the files are on the UMD as well is because the game itself is linked against those particular versions of the prx files that are on the UMD.

If sony goes and updates the firmware, the prx files in flash are likley to change. If that happens, and you're linking to the onboard libraries, then you risk breaking a game.

I think that they're probablly there 1. for the OS itself to access. 2. For memory card games since they'll probablly not be as complex.
blackdroid
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Post by blackdroid »

pikoro, ehm yes and pixel already stated that. echo -n
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RATiX
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Post by RATiX »

Perhaps there is a bit of code on the UMD that says when the game requires those specific modules it searches the firmware first; then the UMD if the firmware is lacking the neccessary components.

Also - GT4 is rumored to 'unlock' the PSP's CPU to the full 333MHz. If the game doesn't/can't do this with some key/code due to the firmware locking the clockspeed, then Sony may do one of three things: Have a new 333MHz- enabling firmware on the GT4 disc that will autoinstall; have new firmware on a separate disc; require that is be downloaded via WiFi or transferred from PC to MS duo and executed.
laichung
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Post by laichung »

May be or may be not , and if game developer can include their own library , I think sony dont need to have those file in firmware.

As I said in other post , now I think those file existed because it is use for the XMB. and XMB is just a apps , not a OS of PSP. PSP game can load without XMB in PSP. So that's why game developer need to include their library files on UMD.

Thanks for your opinion.
RATiX wrote:Perhaps there is a bit of code on the UMD that says when the game requires those specific modules it searches the firmware first; then the UMD if the firmware is lacking the neccessary components.

Also - GT4 is rumored to 'unlock' the PSP's CPU to the full 333MHz. If the game doesn't/can't do this with some key/code due to the firmware locking the clockspeed, then Sony may do one of three things: Have a new 333MHz- enabling firmware on the GT4 disc that will autoinstall; have new firmware on a separate disc; require that is be downloaded via WiFi or transferred from PC to MS duo and executed.
Skye
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Post by Skye »

The 222 mhz cap isnt set in the firmware.
Its in the game code. If a developer tried to publish a game that went over 222, then sony wont let them release the game.
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