# vita hacking guide # getting started ### Compatible devices * PCH-1XXX - "OLED", "PHAT", "3G" * PCH-2XXX - "LCD", "SLIM", "NEW" * VTE-1XXX - "Playstation TV", "VitaTV" ### System firmware * This guide requires your console to be on one of the following firmwares: 3.65, 3.68 or 3.74. * If the Playstation Vita/TV is on a different firmware - [*update it*](https://www.playstation.com/support/hardware/psvita/system-software/)*.* {% hint style="info" %} If you do not have a memory card, and your console is the PCH-1XXX / OLED model, you will first need to create an internal memory card area by following [this guide](/guides/creating-an-internal-memory-card). {% endhint %} #### This guide requires your console to have a stable internet connection # enabling homebrews with this guide you will install the taiHEN framework along with a homebrew toolbox 1. Open the Vita web browser and navigate to **`jailbreak.psp2.dev`** 2. The orange HENlo menu should appear, press "Unlock my vita" and "Unlock" 3. The henlo-bootstrap menu should show up after a short while\ \- If the web browser crashes or errors out, try again. You might need to reboot. 4. Navigate to "Install henkaku" and press X, this will install the homebrew framework 5. Navigate to "Install VitaDeploy" and press X, this will install the homebrew toolbox 6. Navigate to "Exit" and press X, this will enable the homebrew framework 7. Thats it, follow the next steps to install a fully-fledged custom firmware

henlo-bootstrap in action

# installing a custom firmware with this guide you will install the most homebrew-friendly operating system as well as a CFW enabler and some neat homebrew plugins ### Preparations 1. Make sure that you have the VitaDeploy app installed 2. Open the Settings app and navigate to "HENkaku settings" 3. Tick the "Enable Unsafe Homebrew" box, this is required for VitaDeploy to work properly 4. Make sure that your console has a working internet connection ![](/files/Ujpmjv144NkcqNa9DN6S) ### Installing the 3.65 custom firmware 1. Open VitaDeploy and navigate to "Install a different OS" 2. Click on "Quick 3.65 install" 3. \--- the app will download and install a few packages, then it will start the firmware installer, just wait --- 4. Follow carefully the instructions displayed by the "modoru" firmware installer 5. After system software install is complete the console will reboot 6. You should be now on firmware 3.65 with the "enso" permanent hack as well as some useful homebrew plugins, you can verify it by going to the "System Information" tab in the Settings app ![modoru firmware installer](/files/FJ8j6xip0jAigeWMOeLm) # sd2vita adapter setup with this guide you will set up the sd2vita adapter to be used instead of the expensive sony memory card, (skip this if you don't have an sd2vita adapter) ### Formatting the microSD card 1. Insert the SD2Vita adapter into the GameCard slot 2. Open VitaDeploy and go to "Miscellaneous"->"Format a storage device" 3. Press "Format target storage" and wait until it finishes 4. Reboot the console {% hint style="info" %} If format fails, make sure that the adapter pins are not damaged, enable YAMT in Settings->"Devices"->"Storage Devices", reboot the console and try again. If format still fails, disable YAMT in Settings->"Devices"->"Storage Devices" and follow the [*storagemgr guide*](https://vita.hacks.guide/storagemgr) instead. {% endhint %} ### Copying files 1. Open the Settings app, navigate to "Devices"->"Storage Devices" and enable YAMT 2. Reboot the console and open VitaDeploy's file manager, make sure that the "uma0:" partition is visible 3. Go to the "ux0:" partition and select all the folders besides "SceIoTrash" (press SQUARE to select) 4. Press TRIANGLE and select "Copy" 5. Go to the "uma0:" partition, press TRIANGLE and then select "Paste" ### Setting the microSD card as the main storage 1. Go to the Settings app and then navigate to "Devices"->"Storage Devices" 2. Set "ux0:" to *SD2Vita* and "uma0:" to *Memory Card* 3. Reboot the console, in System Settings it should now show the microSD size as the memory card size. # finalizing setup with this guide you will install some core homebrew apps as well as customize your system ### Installing core homebrew apps 1. Make sure that your console has a working internet connection 2. Open VitaDeploy, navigate to "App Downloader" and select the following apps: * VitaShell * VitaDB Downloader * Adrenaline * PKGj * vita-savemgr * Custom Themes Manager 3. Click on "Download the selected apps", VitaDeploy will download the app packages and install them to your system ### Optional steps * Add some internal user storage on Phat (PCH-1XXX) units by going to VitaDeploy->"Miscellaneous"->"Create an internal memory card" (i recommend the 100MB option) * Replace the abandoned "near" app with VitaDeploy by clicking on VitaDeploy->"Miscellaneous"->"Replace 'near' with VitaDeploy" * Remove the annoying AVLS auto-enable by using VitaDeploy->"Miscellaneous"->"Toggle the AutoAVLS feature" * Warning: this will **enable** Auto-AVLS if it's currently disabled ## That's it! ### # creating an internal memory card with this guide you will repartition the vita's internal storage to include a usable internal memory card ### Enabling homebrews {% hint style="info" %} If you already have homebrews enabled and VitaDeploy installed, skip this section. {% endhint %} 1. Open the Vita web browser and navigate to **`jailbreak.psp2.dev`** 2. The orange HENlo menu should appear, press "Unlock my vita" and "Unlock" 3. The henlo-bootstrap menu should show up after a short while\ \- If the web browser crashes or errors out, try again. You might need to reboot. 4. Navigate to "Replace NEAR with VitaDeploy", press CROSS and then SQUARE, this will install the homebrew toolbox and reboot the console.\ \- If the console is stuck on "please wait" after reboot, hold the power button for it to reboot again. 5. Open the Vita web browser again and navigate to **`jailbreak.psp2.dev`** 6. The orange HENlo menu should appear, press "Unlock my vita" and "Unlock" 7. The henlo-bootstrap menu should show up after a short while\ \- If the web browser crashes or errors out, try again. You might need to reboot. 8. Navigate to "Install henkaku" and press X, this will install the homebrew framework 9. Navigate to "Exit" and press X, this will enable the homebrew framework

henlo-bootstrap menu

### Preparations 1. Make sure that you have the VitaDeploy app installed\ \- If you replaced NEAR, look for a grey toolbox "vdep" bubble. 2. Open the Settings app and navigate to "HENkaku settings" 3. Tick the "Enable Unsafe Homebrew" box, this is required for VitaDeploy to work properly

unsafe hb enabled

### Partitioning the storage using VitaDeploy 1. Open VitaDeploy and navigate to "Miscellaneous" -> "Create an internal memory card", this will open the imcunlock disclaimer\ \- If you replaced NEAR, after pressing the "Create.." button VitaDeploy may crash, simply launch VitaDeploy again - it should open the disclaimer. 2. Accept the disclaimer with X. 3. Navigate to "Default 2XXX storage configuration" and press X, this will repartition vita's internal storage in the style of PCH-2XXX / SLIM units and reboot. 4. Open the Settings app and navigate to "Format"->"Format the memory card" 5. Make sure that only the internal memory card of size 1GB is selected and press "continue"->"format" and accept all the prompts, the console will format and reboot 6. Thats it! You can now confirm that you have a 1GB internal memory card by opening the Settings app and navigating to "System"->"System information"

imcunlock menu

{% hint style="success" %} You can now [go back](/start) and follow the guide to hacking the console with a memory card {% endhint %} # GC-SD adapter setup SD2Vita-as-ux0 setup guide for Playstation Vita/TV running taihenkaku and enso. ## Preparing the microSD card 1. Download and install [*storageFormat*](https://github.com/SKGleba/VitaTools/raw/main/storageFormat/build/storageFormat.vpk) 2. Insert the SD2Vita adapter into the GameCard slot 3. Launch storageFormat and choose "Format target storage" 4. Select "Reboot the device", your console will reboot {% hint style="info" %} If format fails, make sure that the adapter pins are not damaged, reboot the console and try again. If format still fails follow the [*storagemgr guide*](https://vita.hacks.guide/storagemgr)*.* {% endhint %} ## Installing the storage driver 1. Remove the SD2Vita if you have it inserted. 2. Download and install [*YAMT*](https://github.com/SKGleba/yamt-vita/releases/latest) 3. Launch YAMT and choose "Install the lite version" 4. Open the Settings app and go to *Devices->Storage Devices* 5. Tick "Use YAMT" and reboot the console ## Using SD2Vita as the main user storage 1. Insert the SD2Vita adapter into the GameCard slot 2. Open the Settings app and go to *Devices->Storage Devices* 3. Set "ux0" to *Default,* "uma0" to *SD2Vita* and reboot the console 4. Launch VitaShell and copy all contents of "ux0:" to "uma0:" 5. Open the Settings app and go to *Devices->Storage Devices* 6. Set "ux0" to *SD2Vita,* "uma0" to *Memory Card* and reboot the console {% hint style="info" %} VitaShell may throw an error while copying system files and folders such as "SceIoTrash", you must either skip or use a PC to copy them from the memory card onto the microSD card. {% endhint %}