General Help (newb)

So, I had 1.5 for the some time, and I have ran my Nes, snes, and genesis emus/roms very nicely. Then I heard of dark alex's custom firmware, and how it can run ps1 games and so I then fixed my psp to run 3.02 OE-A. I am wondering if you can jump from 3.02 to 3.03 with no complications. Is the jump worth it for me...? What is the difference between 3.02 oe and 3.03? I can still run ps1 games from 3.02, (although Ive had trouble finding decent iso's) so what would be the significance? Also, is there a way to convert UMDs or PS1 games to ISO form with ease and/or for newbs? I haven't gotten my ps1 emulator to work (or perhaps the iso's I have are bugged) I also have not played any UMD iso's from my psp. I hear it cuts the load times down. I have searched the depths of the internet for a decent Castlevania SOTN iso and none has been found. I have the PS1 game. If one of you wise gentlemen would be so kind to assist a man who has a lack of time (try going to school, then work 40 hours a week, then take care of a child, and then trying to learn the proper forum etiquette of posting and knowledge inadequacies) to fix his psp up so it works beautifully; he would greatly appreciate it. Seems like every forum I post at, I get ripped for not doing something right, and no help is granted. So I come to you, Pspbrew.com, to please help me figure out what I should do to rig up my psp. I want to play ps1 games, umd iso's, and all of the 1.5 emulators//roms. If this is too much to ask please let me know and I will not further pester. Thank you for your time.

~Curtis

i my self am using 3.03oe-c it is a full install and can be used to update from your 3.02oe. now the 3.03oe-C gives a little bit of a easier custom ability to the psp and the nice little folder creation when the memory stick is formated and things run a little better in general if you want ill give you the easy install for it just let me know

Thanks for the info...I'll definitely update. I dont think i'll have a problem doing it, theres so many instructions everywhere on how to do it, but thanks for the help anyway. Still, I am wondering if there is an easy program to convert umds or ps1 games to Iso format...The fastest d/ls ive gotten on bittorrent are like 10kb's a second. Its terrible. My router's firewall sucks. I have a harder time finding games to download than to buy, rent, or borrow. If you know of a program that'd be cool if you'd share the info. Thanks.

yeah this will dump umds umd dumper you can also use psp filer. to convert a ps1 .iso you can use my tutorial here
here is something that may help to:
http://www.pspbrew.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6989

I read somewhere you can use pspfiler as well to dump the umd to your memory stick as an image

Alright, I updated to 3.03 OE-C, works great, and actually, the Castlevania ISO that I had works nice...I used popstation gui to convert to an eboot a while back, but on my 3.02 it didnt work. On 3.03 it works very nice. Is there a way to compress the file so that it takes less space on my memory stick? The file is 400 mbs. I appreciate all the help. Thanks again.

just read my tutorial and it will help you out

Thanks...I appreciate your help. I converted a ps1 game to test. It worked. So I downloaded a few umd games and they came in some funny formats...I downloaded ultimate ghosts n goblins, and it was about 15 files with a .sfv at the end of one of them. none could be unzipped...Then I downloaded ratchet and clank and I unzipped one file it turned into an .iso. So I dropped it into my psp - didnt work. So I tried using UMDGen to make a .cso and it gives me the message "Game cannot be started"...I tried both 1.5 and 3.03 kernels...I tried putting a umd disc in...and it freezes. Any suggestions?

Maybe check your recovery to make sure you have no-umd disabled.

What folder are you puting your iso's and cso's in by the way?

I put them in the ISO folder on the psp root. The R&C I downloaded came with about 10 files that could be unzipped, and about another 10 that couldn't. The UG&G I d/l'd came with about 15 files - none of which could be unzipped. I'm using winrar. I am going to try to make a iso from a umd dump. The R&C, once I unzip it, it turns into an ISO, and from umdgen, i can look at what it contains: SYSDIR and USRDIR folders...with a bunch of other stuff inside. Still gives me the message: Game cannot be started...

[DarkPacMan77]

I use UMDGEN 4.0 but even so, I have errors with this type of thing as well. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

-DarkPacMan77-

I am going to try to just umd dump it and try to work with it like that. If it works itll be ok because I have a subscription to gamefly haha. At least the ps1 games work, I already tried the chrono trigger disc I have. Works well. I wish I could rent ps1 games. I think im going to switch to gamesnflix.com instead of gamefly...you can rent ps1 games

[DarkPacMan77]

Not a bad idea. I already have the most of the ps1 games that I'd like to have, but renting is definitely a good option.

-DarkPacMan77-

So I dumped a umd - Xmenlegends2...it created an iso when it was finished. I took the iso with umdgen and made a cso...I dropped it in the Iso folder and gave it a shot. Still doesnt work. I tried adjusting some of the advanced commands that had to do with the isos, I tried all sorts of things. Still didnt work. Any suggestions?

[DarkPacMan77]

The only thing I can think about is that the iso you ripped/ compressed needed to be compressed at a different compression rate than the one you chose. There is also such a thing as just a bad umd dump - happens quite often.

-DarkPacMan77-