Sony forcing updates on new games is here

Histo · Post by **Histo** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:10 pm

Source IGN:

New PSP titles forcibly sew up security holes in the PSP.
by Nix

May 12, 2005 - Don't say you didn't expect this news. After hackers found a security flaw in the original Japanese release of the PSP, Sony has taken measures to fix that hole with a required BIOS update for older models of the PlayStation Portable.

This new update requirement (which does not affect any model of the PSP released in America -- all North American PSPs were released with 1.5 system software, whereas the security hole was only in PSP v1.0) affects older PSPs when gamers try to play newly-released games. A message pops up on the screen stating, "This game could not be started. To start, you must update the system software." A simple BIOS update (which can be done either with the online Network Update feature or with a BIOS updater written on new game UMDs to bring the system up to the more recent PSP version (an even more recent 1.51 has also been released, with yet another security patch, although unless 1.50 has an extremely compromising security hole, Sony may settle for 1.5/1.51 updates with game releases until it has a better and more necessary BIOS update to offer.)

More is availible here: http://psp.ign.com/articles/613/613267p1.html[/quote]

Thanhda · Post by **Thanhda** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:18 pm

thats interesting, but i'm sure that most people that are homebrew developers that have 1.0 isnt going to update there psp just to play another game title. i myself would rather buy another psp to play new releases and keep my (if i had one) psp 1.0 as its current firmware.

MelGibson · Post by **MelGibson** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:32 pm

Thanhda wrote:I myself would rather buy another psp to play new releases and keep my (if i had one) psp 1.0 as its current firmware.

Same here.. but i heard that the first game with that procedure is a Space Invaders compilation...... not something i think its worth upgrading for *haha*

Famicom DS · Post by **Famicom DS** » Fri May 13, 2005 5:07 pm

I don't think this will work as people with psp's running v1.00 know they have a gem that sony would like to take away from them=]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:04 pm

Smart and expected move by Sony.

Having a flashable firmware makes it easy for Sony to not only plug holes, but to force it to happen in circumstances they can control.

But honestly, I see this as a good thing, initially, for PSPDEV. It allows Sony to take action to protect themselves while leaving only a small percentage of potentially troublesome PSP's out there that can be ignored as a threat.

It also puts some breaks on the rate of PSP development. I personally think this is a good thing. Too much rapid advancement in homebrew hacking is a direct threat to the PSP platform, and that is good for no one. By slowing things down abit, everyone can take a breather and assess the situation.

Especially, homebrewers can use the time to think about not just technical aspects of homebrewing, but the implications and ramifications of what they are doing, or might yet do.

Meanwhile, I will look for a way to permanently disable the WIFI switch ;)

Thanhda · Post by **Thanhda** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:20 pm

why would you want to get lock off WiFi?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:49 pm

Thanhda wrote:why would you want to get lock off WiFi?

I want to prevent any chance accidental firmware update. Especially if someone else handles the PSP without my direct supervision.

qyqgpower · Post by **qyqgpower** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:28 pm

gorim wrote:
Thanhda wrote:why would you want to get lock off WiFi?
I want to prevent any chance accidental firmware update. Especially if someone else handles the PSP without my direct supervision.

The forced update by those games is directly updating your system with the file in the UMD(of course you must select the update icon in the game menu), no any wifi transfer is needed

the update from umd is explained officially in this page

http://www.playstation.jp/psp/update/ud_04.html

Hazuki · Post by **Hazuki** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:42 pm

im guessing the same battery level/power supply check will be in these games. also if sony just use an update checker as the first boot, and then play the game from a second .pbp then an app could be used to launch directly from the second .pbp (bit like the xbox has). assuming there are no in game checks.

oh, just realised im probably stating the obvious.....

Thanhda · Post by **Thanhda** » Sat May 14, 2005 4:43 am

i guess the best way is to now buy any games for the psp. also to disable the wiFi? well you can always open it up, and remove the WiFi chip. or dont even set up a Connection setting. or remove all connection settings

Pseudo ANIMALISTIC · Post by **Pseudo ANIMALISTIC** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:34 am

...
Or, you know, you guys COULD buy American games from now on and not buy Japanese releases? :) (Since Sony won't be aiming for 1.0 upgrades on American PSPs anyway :P)

Sculay · Post by **Sculay** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:48 am

if Sony put the new GTA with a required firmware update then il throw a fit

Erant · Post by **Erant** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:49 am

Pseudo ANIMALISTIC wrote:...
Or, you know, you guys COULD buy American games from now on and not buy Japanese releases? :) (Since Sony won't be aiming for 1.0 upgrades on American PSPs anyway :P)

It'd be highly unlikely for them to not force the update on US PSP games, seeing as the space on the UMD discs is enough for the update, and it's very little trouble for them to incorporate it into the program.

numchuckskills · Post by **numchuckskills** » Mon May 16, 2005 10:51 pm

Smite me if necessary, but I didn't think there was a difference between US and Japanese games? (no region encoding)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 16, 2005 11:33 pm

numchuckskills wrote:Smite me if necessary, but I didn't think there was a difference between US and Japanese games? (no region encoding)

Ok. *smite*

There may not be region coding, but there are still language differences. Most Japanese games are Japanese-only, even when there is an equivalent US game.

numchuckskills · Post by **numchuckskills** » Tue May 17, 2005 12:35 am

Sorry my name is now Capt. Can't-seem-to-see-the-obvious...

*sighs and walks off into the distance to that sad piano song from the incredible hulk*

sq377 · Post by **sq377** » Tue May 17, 2005 1:59 am

What we need to do now is figure out how to make a bootloader. Install multiple instances of the firmware that way. Ive been told the firmware is 8 mb? And the place to store it 32 as of what i know.

th0mas · Post by **th0mas** » Tue May 17, 2005 2:54 am

I have a purely conjecture idea, probably wouldn't work at all but hell I'll post it anyways cuz I haven't seen it here yet.

in general, the way that the potential firmware update takes place could be considered:

1 - system checks firmware version
2 - if version is lower than 1.5, we have to update...
3 - update installed :/

The question how is step 1 calculated is what I'm pondering. Somewhere in the flash it is identified as a v1.0 flash.

since we can access at least a part of the flash as a fat12 filesystem, what are the chances that we could break step 1? (ie, trick the update to think we ARE running v1.5).