New, updated, improved and modern CFW for PSP and Vita's ePSP. Simple to use and full of unique features, ARK CFW aims at keeping the PSP experience fresh.
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Core system for unsigned code execution on every PSP device based on 6.60 kernel.
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Inferno driver Version 2 compatible with ISO, CSO, ZSO, JSO, CSOv2 and DAX formats.
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Popcorn controller for custom PS1 games. Compatible with PopsLoader V3 and V4i.
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Stargate No-DRM engine.
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Plugin support for PSP games, PSX games and VSH (XMB), including the ability to enable and disable plugins per-game.
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Compatible with all PSP models on firmwares 6.60 and 6.61.
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Compatible with all PS Vita models on firmware 2.10 and up.
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Minimalistic: only 6 files installed on PSP flash, CFW extensions are installed on memory stick.
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Custom game launcher with built-in game categories file browser, FTP server and client, modernized look and more.
- Download the precompiled binaries from: https://github.com/PSP-Archive/ARK-4/releases/
- Release:
./build.sh
- Debug:
./build.sh --debug
- Install
ARK_01234
folder into/PSP/SAVEDATA/
folder. - Install
ARK_Live
folder into/PSP/GAME/
folder. - Launch ARK Live Loader. It will install ARK modules on PSP Flash and boot the CFW.
- If using Infinity place the
EBOOT.PBP
from theInfinity
folder found in the ARK download into
/PSP/GAME/UPDATE
. Run the initial infinity installation from OFW and re-run the installer again from ARK to configure autoboot.
This will allow you to use ARK permanently and triple boot with PRO and ME.
- For 3.60 Henkaku users:
- Install an ARK-4 bubble for 3.60 using FastARK: https://github.com/theheroGAC/ArkFast/releases/
- Replace ARK savedata with latest release.
- Copy H.BIN from Vitabubble folder into ARK savedata folder.
- Considering the savedata exploit loads H.BIN from the savedata path.
- Copy the following files from ARK_01234 savedata folder into game exploit folder:
- H.BIN, ARK.BIN, ARK4.BIN FLASH0.ARK, MENU.PBP, RECOVERY.PBP, DATA.PKG and other extras.
- Don't copy K.BIN if running on an ancient firmware.
You can install plugins by creating a file called PLUGINS.TXT in the /SEPLUGINS/ folder and/or ARK's savedata folder.
To install plugins use the comma-separated format (CSV). Where the header is: runlevel, path, switch. A few samples:
- game, ms0:/seplugins/cwcheat/cwcheat.prx, enabled
- pops, ms0:/seplugins/cdda_enabler.prx, 1
- vsh, ms0:/seplugins/cxmb.prx, true
- ULUS10041, ms0:/seplugins/lcscheatdevice.prx, on
You can use the following keywords to enable a plugin:
- 1
- on
- true
- enabled
- Anything else disables the plugin
You can use the following keywords to tell ARK when the plugin loads:
- all/always: if either of these keywords are used, the plugin will always load.
- umd: plugin should only load on retail games (UMD/ISO/PSN).
- homebrew: plugin should only load on homebrews.
- game: plugin can load on both retail games and homebrews.
- pops: plugin only loads in PSX games.
- vsh: plugin only loads in the XMB.
- game ID: if you specify a game ID (i.e. SLUS000000), then the plugin will only load on that game.
You can also disable a plugin on certain games where they might be problematic. To do so, just add a disable line for the specific game ID after the enable line. For example, enable cwcheat on all retail games except for GTA LCS and VCS.
- umd, ms0:/seplugins/cwcheat/cwcheat.prx, on
- ULUS10041, ms0:/seplugins/cwcheat/cwcheat.prx, off
- ULES00502, ms0:/seplugins/cwcheat/cwcheat.prx, off
You can create a SETTINGS.TXT file using the same format as PLUGINS.TXT to enable/disable some CFW functionality on different parts of the system. For example, you can overclock to highest CPU speed like this:
- always, overclock, on
Another example, overclock only on games, use powersaving on VSH:
- game, overclock, on
- vsh, powersave, on
You can use the same runlevels as used in plugins to tell ARK when the settings take effect (all/always, umd, homebrew, game, pops, vsh). Configuration settings for ARK:
- overclock: use this for better performance at the expense of battery time. Sets CPU/BUS speed to 333/166.
- powersave: use this for better battery life at the expense of performance. Sets CPU/BUS speed to 133/66.
- usbcharge: enables USB charging whereever you want.
- launcher: replaces the XMB with a custom menu launcher.
- disablepause: disables the pause game feature on PSP Go.
- highmem: enables high memory on models above 1K. You should only use this on homebrew runlevel as retail games were not meant to use the extra memory, and this can cause issues with cheat devices or other plugins that expect games to have their data at specific memory addresses.
- NOTE: You should use the recovery menu to handle settings easier.
ARK comes prepacked with a very powerful launcher with a built-in file browser and highly customizable. You can however change it to whatever you please. You can change the theme used by both the custom launcher and recovery menu by replacing DATA.PKG with your own.
Aside from the default launcher provided, there have been many other custom launchers created by scene members, some better looking, some with more features, some more simpler, but all of them with personality, dedication and love from the community. Here is a list of all popular menus for ARK:
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ONEMenu by gdljjrod: https://github.com/ONElua/ONEmenu/releases
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vMenu by neur0n: http://www.mediafire.com/file/7acb5mhawx4gr9t/vMenu_ARK.7z/file
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yMenu by wth/yosh: https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B0kWUCdtGmJwLUhRUlNJSWhMWVE
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gMenu by gbot: http://www.mediafire.com/file/oou5490qc99vr7d/gmenuARK.rar/file
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138Menu by gbot: https://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=33511
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pyMenu by Acid_Snake: https://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=21942
Note: some of these menus have not been updated or supported by their developers in a while, they may not work well with modern ARK or real PSP hardware.
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The original Team PRO members: Coldbird, Liquid Snake and Neur0n.
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Total_Noob/TheFl0w for his advancements and research in CFW development and overall contributions to the scene.
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qwikrazor87 for being such a genius and all his hard work with kernel exploits and ARK-2.
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Codestation for his incredible work improving CSO speeds and creating the ZSO format.
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Zer01ne, noname120, astart and other devs that have blessed me with their knowledge and wisdom.
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balika for his research in porting M33 to modern firmware that has helped improve compatiblity in ARK.
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Every other giant shoulder I am standing on.