Magic Memory Stick

A Magic Memory Stick refers to any Memory Stick that has been converted to work as a boot device in service mode when used with a jigkick.

They are very versatile, and depending on software used, can re-install multiple versions of Official Firmware and Custom Firmware, boot a firmware directly from files on the Memory Stick, or run special menus and homebrew tools to manipulate the NAND and IDStorage.

Creating a Magic Memory Stick

Any Memory Stick with enough space for the files used can be turned into a Magic Memory Stick, even a microSD in an adapter will work. Depending on the Memory Stick, it may need to be formatted with a tool to have enough space before the first partition for the IPL.

Setting up a Magic Memory Stick involves placing files in specific folders on the Memory Stick as well as writing an IPL to the space in front of the first partition. Much of the older Magic Memory Stick software is installed from a homebrew app that extracts files from Official Firmware, placing them in the correct positions along with custom files and writing the IPL. Newer software distributes ready-made files to be copied to your Memory Stick manually and requires a separate method or an app like PSP Tool to write the compatible IPL.

1.50 Pandora

1.50 Pandora requires a PSP that can run 1.50 homebrew. In addition, this method will only work on FAT PSPs. This process requires a Memory Stick that is properly reformatted and repartitioned, where the first ~250kb sector is for Pandora. Also, this requires a decrypted IPL, that will be able to launch the service menu, instead of booting to the XMB with a Pandora Battery inserted. Reformatting/repartitioning, and writing the IPL all takes command prompt, or equivalent. Due to Windows Vista unable to boot cmd scripts, the repartitioning, and reformatting steps will not work properly. However, writing the IPL will work fine if it is launched under an 'administrator' prompt. Also, this process is known to work on Linux distributions.

Hellcat's Pandora Installer

Due to the original 1.50 Pandora apps not working on Slims, or (at the time) the released 3.71 M33 firmware, Hellcat developed an installer that does every step needed for a full 1.50 FW installation. The installer will only perform certain steps if the firmware eboot is present on the root of the Memory Stick, named as 'UPDATE.PBP'. In addition, the installer is known to convert both Phat and Slim batteries to Pandora, and back without much problems.

Despertar Del Cementerio

Note: Section needs expansion

A Despertar Del Cementerio-ready Magic Memory Stick can be prepared for use, just as the 1.50 Pandora. However, the install process involves the 1.50, 3.40, and 3.71/3.80 update EBOOT.PBP (depending on version used).

UPMS Installer

The most popular has been the use of the Ultimate Pandora Memory Stick Installer (UPMS), which the latest version (v3) installs a Magic Memory Stick that can not only boot between Service Mode, and the XMB via coldboot, but also has the options to run Pandora to 1.50, or Despertar Cementerio v3/v4. Also, it has a tools menu where it can launch jas0nuk's ELF menu. All of this is controlled through Ghost's Ultimate Loader menu.

Overfiendx's Ultimate Pandora Memory Stick Installer installs the 1.50 Pandora, Despertar Cementerio v3/v4, Hellcat's and J0ker's Pandora Menus, as well as a Tools Menu which has access to Jas0nuk's ELF Menu. All of this is controlled via Gh0st's Ultimate Loader. Currently, the latest version of UPMS comes in .cso format which will require a PSP that is setup to load ISO images. Install takes up about 150MB. The newest version is UPMS Sapphire.

PSP Tool

To be written

Other Methods of Writing an IPL

Note: Incomplete section

The Magic Memory Stick IPL file can be installed by using msinst in team C+D's Pandora Battery Package or in linux by using:

dd if=msipl.bin of=/dev/sde bs=512 seek=16
sync 

Instructions on formatting a Memory Stick in Linux using fdisk and mkfs. vfat can be found on the internet as well, so not only Windows, but Mac and Linux users can also make these Magic Memory Sticks.

Deletion

If for some reason, a user feels that they need to revert their Magic Memory Stick to a normal Memory Stick, it is possible. The easiest way to do this is via formatting. However, if the user is using the Magic Memory Stick with other storage data, a backup needs to be performed in case data is lost. However, if it is just a regular Magic Memory Stick, it can be formatted.

Usage

Regardless of the method used to create the Magic Memory Stick, all requires the use of a JigKick Battery. Once obtained, the Service Menu will boot once the battery and Magic Memory Stick have been inserted into the PSP within the required time limit (can range from 20 seconds to never-ending). Once booted, different various actions can be performed depending on the method that was used to make the Magic Memory Stick.

A Magic Memory Stick can be used as an ordinary Memory Stick once the formatting, and repartitioning step has been performed. A Magic Memory Stick can have its IPL rewritten with Booster's Multi-IPL loader in which, a user can boot to the XMB with a Pandora Battery, and still have the option to boot to Service Mode as long as the Pandora Battery is inserted, and booted by holding L during a coldboot. A Magic Memory Stick can be used as a normal Memory Stick with a regular battery inserted.

Installation limitations

Windows command prompt issues

Due to the command prompt interface that the original creation method of a Magic Memory Stick used, mostly Windows XP users could benefit through this process. All of the Windows Vista systems lacked support for command prompt scripts and therefore failed to operate. In both cases of reformatting, and writing the IPL via command prompt, Windows Vista refused to reformat the Memory Stick so it can hold the IPL. Due to this, the regular IPL could not fit onto the boot sector of the Memory Stick since it requires 32 sectors while the Memory Stick under a regular partition has 31. However, users have found that the 'msinst' application of command prompt works fine under administrator mode. But, due to the small space, and if a user lacked access to a Windows XP computer, whether physically, or through emulation, a smaller IPL had to be used. One IPL that worked was Booster's Multi-IPL.

Linux

At first, the Magic Memory Stick could not be completely created on a Linux machine. However with the use of a terminal to reformat the Memory Stick to use the VFAT file system, and use the terminal to write the IPL (see code below). In this case, the boot sector space for the IPL would be big enough to hold the standard IPL. Therefore, seeking another IPL was not needed.

MacOS

Mspformat or msinst cannot be run on a Mac. However, if the Mac can be booted natively into Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Linux via Bootcamp, the user can thus use the appropriate methods to create the Magic Memory Stick.