How to install ARK (ePSP Custom Firmware) on PS Vita 3.63
Since the release of psvimgtools it is possible to install some hacks on your 3.61 or 3.63 PS Vita. We posted recently about the possibility to switch accounts on PS Vita 3.63 without formatting your memory card, and for some reason I totally missed the train on the possibility to install ARK.
What is ARK?
ARK is a Custom firmware for the PSP emulator within the PS Vita. In summary, it lets you run PSP homebrew, plugins, and backups, directly from your PS Vita.
Unlike HENkaku, ARK is not a native Vita hack in itself, it is a PSP Custom Firmware that happens to run on the PS Vita. The technique to install it on Vita 3.63, however, leverages some vulnerabilities in the PS Vita system.
How to install ARK on PS Vita 3.63
Note that this tutorial not only works for ARK, but for any PSP Homebrew or tool you might want to install (e.g. VHBL). ARK is probably the best idea as it will let you install and run pretty much everything directly.
Credit for the tutorial below goes to Cinnaminn on Reddit:
Needed files:
- psvimgtools – https://github.com/yifanlu/psvimgtools/releases
- ARK pboot bubble for Vita 3.60 – http://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=47678
- QCMA: http://wololo.net/downloads/index.php/download/8241
Installing ARK Custom Firmware on PS Vita 3.63
- Get your PSN AID. This is the 16-hex code found in your CMA backup folder path. To quote Yifan:”For example, if I wish to decrypt PS Vita/PGAME/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/NPJH00053/game/game.psvimg then my AID is xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx”
- You can now use this site: http://cma.henkaku.xyz/ to get your KEY. Thanks Davee!
- Download and extract the psvimgtools for your OS. We will need to use the command line/terminal for these next steps.
- Backup a PSP game from your Vita to your computer using QCMA.
- Find the PSP game backup in the folder: PS Vita/PGAME/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/[GAMEID]/game/game.psvimg. Copy this file to your psvimgtools folder.
- Run “psvimg-extract -K YOUR-KEY game.psvimg game”. You will get a folder named ux0_pspemu_temp_game_PSP_GAME_GAMEID.
- Extract the ARK pboot bubble archive and find the PBOOT.PBP. Use this PBOOT.PBP to overwrite the one in your output_folder which you just generated using psvimg-extract.
- Run “psvimg-create -n game -K YOUR-KEY game game”. You will get “game.psvimg” and “game.psvmd” in your game folder. Use these to overwrite the ones in your CMA backup folder.
- Restore the backup from your PC to your Vita using Qcma.
- Copy ARK_01234 from the ARK pboot bubble archive to PS Vita/PSAVEGAME/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
- Restore the ARK-2 PSP SAVEDATA from your PC to your Vita using Qcma.
- Say thanks to yifan.lu, xyz, Proxima, qwikrazor87 and Davee for this neat trick.
There is also a detailed version of this tutorial with pictures from Darthsternie over at hackinformer.
How to: use ARK to install and run PSP backups and Homebrew on PS Vita 3.63
Lots of people are having trouble using ARK once it’s installed. These steps let you install OneMenu which is a friendlier menu for ARK. The following guide is from user tuxdude 143 on reddit.
Required files:
This guide assumes that you have already installed the ARK bubble and it is working. [note from wololo: see section above]
Firstly download OneMenu.
Once you have OneMenu you need to navigate to where your PSP Savegames are stored on your PC (or you can open the backup manager in QCMA, select psp save games from the drop down and click the open directory button for the ARK save data)
Once you are in the ARK save data directory you need to DELETE THE EBOOT.PBP IN THE ARK SAVE DATA DIRECTORY. After doing this extract the contents of the OneMenu archive you downloaded earlier to the ARK Save Data directory.
Next download VitaFTP and place the VitaFTP eboot into a .zip file entitled INSTALL.ZIP. Make sure this zip file is zipped in STORE mode, this stops anything from getting accidentally compressed. Place INSTALL.ZIP into the ARK save data directory and refresh QCMA’s database.
Now connect your vita to your computer and copy over the ark save data. In the content manager on the vitas end you should see a banner with OneMenu written on it next to the ARK save data. Copy that save data to your vita and if it asks if you want to overwrite then select yes.
Disconnect your vita from your PC and start up the ARK bubble. This time OneMenu should load and you’ll be greeted with a main menu screen. From here press the Select button to go to the file browser and browse to your ARK save data folder, you should also notice a new folder has been made called ISO.
In your ARK save data folder you should see the INSTALL.ZIP that we created earlier. Move your cursor over it and press the triangle button then from the menu that pops up select extract, then navigate to the folder called ISO, press triangle again and select the option “extract to”. OneMenu will prompt you with the option “Use Pass?”. Select no.
Now open the FTP folder and press X on the PBP file inside the folder. VitaFTP should start!
From here open up your favorite FTP client and connect to your vita by punching in the ip address vitaftp gives you. If the address it gives you is 0.0.0.0 then double check that your vita is connected to the internet and restart ARK.
Once you have connected to your vita through FTP simply transfer your homebrew, isos/csos etc over to your vita and place them in the ISO folder.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO COPY FILES TO YOUR VITA BY PLACING THEM IN THAT ISO FOLDER. ANY OTHER FOLDER WILL NOT WORK DUE TO THE HIGHER RESTRICTIONS ON FOLDERS THAT SONY PUT IN PLACE.
From there OneMenu should see all your homebrew and games when you next start up ARK! Have fun!
NOTE: By default OneMenu looks for homebrew in the VHBL folder which we do not have write access to. This means you have to place your homebrew in ISO. As a result the homebrew WILL NOT SHOW UP IN ONEMENUS HOMEBREW SECTION. However you can still start and use said homebrew in the ISO folder by pressing select, navigating to the ISO folder and starting the EBOOT/PBOOT of the homebrew you want to use (I recommend labeling folders and placing each homebrew application into their corresponding named folder to make things easier)
Sources: Reddit (1) (2), via hackinformer




Not working on terminal (MAC). The commands show as not valid. Please help 🙁
Follow this tutorial for Mac users: https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/comments/60hu7q/can_someone_gimme_a_hand_installing_ark_on_363/ , It owrked for me in an apple mac air running OSX Yosemit. Just be sure to type exactly what the line says in the tutorial and it will work.
Ok, i have installed EVERYTHING but i can go past the ‘backup’ stage. Because qcma wont bring up an interface. I click it and all that happens is a notification that says “Added 8 items to the data base” or something along those lines. I have installed qcma, and reinstalled it, and i cant get it to work. I am running windows ten with nothing super special on it, please help.
And i can no longer access my vita through my computer. I click on ‘This Pc’ and it doesent show up even though it says that the vita was connected.
Ok, ignore all my previous question. I fixed it. But where is the download for OneMenu? The link takes me to a 404 page.
ONE menu link in dropbox has no content. 404 is there any other available link?
https://mega.nz/#!1ZR3HBQI!2fV5qh2f6zRYJVuJO053jLALslNiJtDlA85AjG6f-mc Here
Glad to be one of the visitants on this awing web site :
D.
still no working link for either piece of software mentioned above..
there’s no one menu download on drop box. pls halp me
https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/comments/60ys9t/psa_link_to_download_onemenu_vfinal/
do i need to have a psp game in my vita before installing ARK onto my psvita?
Wait…Wait..Wait. So I can do this on my 6.63 vita?
Yes, it’s possible on (unhackable) PS VITA 3.63 FW.
After successfully installing OneMenu i installed a game in ISO folder, and after installing i couldn’t make OneMenu work anymore, so i realized that the ISO file was corrupted or not compatible but even if i know that i cannot remove it because every time it tries to scan the ISO folder when opening up and it give me the error (C1-2858-3) and doesn’t let me host a file transfer from my PC (FileZilla). Is there a solution ti that, my firmware is 3.63.
I was able to fix it, but i have no clue how i did it, i think i installed the eboot of the ark in 138menu in the intall zip file or… i really have no clue but all i know is that i fixed it.
Won’t let me copy the altered content back onto my Vita.
Fwiw I’m trying this with a PSX game as its basically the same structure. Does it HAVE to be a PSP game?
Got one quick question, regarding the “Backup a PSP game from your Vita to your computer using QCMA” step.
Currently i have no PSP game on my vita (i never sent anything to my vita other than Mp3 files)
But i have many ISOs file on my PC hardisk,
Then how do we do this actually? Should i just send the ISOs file to the PSVITA and then back it up again to the PC?
Or is it simply impossible to do so?
use the dns bypass to go into the pstore (before is too late) and download a psp/mini demo (or purchase a game) and back up that game using qmca to send files to your pc or vice versa. from content manager on vita with qmca opened on your pc.send the game your pc. then use silicas frontend to do make it easier for you. then refresh database on your pc on qmca and send ark_1234 to your vita. a bubble should appear. to add more iso games. where the ark folder is located make a new folder with the game name. inside that folder drop [copy /cut paste] your iso. rename the iso with all capitals letters- no numbers. for example folder >Final Fantasy Type-0>iso = FFTZRO.ISO no more than 8. make sure the file extension is also caplocked btw.
it’s very important that you have a psp or mini demo (or full game) to enable the psp emulator on your vita. the ecfw will make it fully supported (psx games have no sound yet for 3.63 users). DO NOT update your vita! make sure your settings don’t have it to download automatically & make sure you use the dns bypass to enter the store without updating your vita so you can get the demo or full game to enable ark for more games. good luck!
can you give me a link for dns bypass tutorial please
thanks
how to dns bypass , can you give me a tutorial link please
what about the new update (3,65)
Breaks ARK
Can anyone please explain step 6 of installing the firmware?
I don’t get it at all.
If anyone is still looking for a link to the PBP for ARK, and one for OneMenu I found them on the Internet. They came from HackInformer.
https://hackinformer.com/2017/01/07/ark-bubble-fw3-60-even-works-fw3-63/
This page has a link to the ARK PBP. It is called “Ark FW3.60”, on the page
https://hackinformer.com/2015/11/02/onemenu-vfinal-released-for-the-psvitapsp/
This page has the OneMenu download. It is called “ONEMENU Vfinal”, on the page.
As of my writing this, both links download successfully, but I haven’t been able to test the files to see if they work, because when I try to connect to the PC using QCMA, my Vita tells me to update the firmware, so I can’t even get the PBP onto it. I haven’t done anything CFW-wise in a while, so my Vita is running 3.63 OFW. If there’s any way to get QCMA to let me connect as-is, please share. I really wanted to get CWCheat working again, since I found Dissidia 012 on sale a short while ago.
Sorry I didnt see your post before posting mine..
What you are looking for is the VITA UPDATE BLOCKER located here: http://wololo.net/downloads/index.php/download/8304
It temporarily tells your VITA it is updated already.
i dont have a psp game on my vita. do I actually need one? if so, how can I get one without updating my vita? also, i do have a ps1 game on my vita (ff9)
You need any PSP game including a demo, its going to be quite tricky to get one from PSN now though as you need to update to get PS Store access.
same problem here…..discover this article toooo late……………….
Use the vita update blocker, go on PSN, and download a PSP demo (Petz Saddle Club is the one I used).
I am at a loss with this.
After several hours of work, I managed to get the ARK bubble with an old copy of “Prince of Persia” for the PSP i downloaded a while ago.
Now the ARK bubble seems to work just fine. When I change the files as per the instructions for ONEMENU… NOTHING CHANGES. NOTHING. The ARK bubble opens same as always and the INSTALL.ZIP file is not there at all. I would expect changing the EBOOT file would cause an error or SOMETHING but, nope, nothing.
For the record:
1. I followed all the instructions.. to.. the.. letter. The only hitch was not finding a PBOOT file to replace, but apparently just placing it in the folder was enough.
2. I downloaded 2 different copies of ONEMENU to try this with, as advised elsewhere on the interwebs. The official link is down so no luck there. I found a MASTER version in another forum and used that.. as well as a V2 version. Neither had any effect.. what.. so.. ever. And really.. I’d expect an error or something.
3. The VITA i am using is updated to 3.63
any advice? And if ONEMENU just doesn’t work.. how do I get the homebrew on with just the ARK Bubble?
Do you have video do it?
can this be run on 3.61 ?!
I have the ark bubble but when I click on it it gives me an error code (c1-2858-3)
Any help is appreciated. I’ll probably repeat the process sometime soon to see if that fixes it.
I re-did everything and got it working. I think the problem was with the savedata or somethimg. Maybe it didn’t copy completely? Oh well, it’s working now. Already have some psp games and nintendo, GBC, GBA emulators. Now I just need a bigger memory card…..
I managed to follow the complete tutorial. ARK working fine on a Vita 3.60 that I used to connect via USB to my PC and transfer all files.
Then I put the card on a PSTV 3.63, tried to launch ARK and getting:
“Cannot start this application. You must download the application again from [Download List] in [PS Store] (C0-9249-4)”
Any idea what has gone wrong and how I can fix it so that I can launch ARK on my PSTV 3.63?
Subscribing to the post…
I’m no expert, but my guess is that maybe the ark bubble only works on the device you used to make it? Because of the whole ID/Key thing making it specific to the device.
Or not?
What are your speeds transferring files to your VITA by FTP? I’m getting 900-1000KB/s only… I’ve tried using Active connection and limit to only 1 connection. I do not know what else to try.
I usually get 400-600KB/s… I usually end up transfering two things at once so the net transfer is around 700-800KB/s.
I’m using a PSTV 3.63 but this is really slow!!!, just 320KiB/s… taking forever to copy stuff
I’m stuck at step 4 because when I try to connect my PS Vita (by USB or Wifi) to my laptop, it asks me to update the Vita, which I supposed I shouldn’t do for this to work properly.
Am I missing something?
Yeah, look up vita update blocker. That’s what I used, it lets you connect to the computer and even to the internet to play online if you want. If you have trouble using it just ask.
I actually have trouble using, the last three attempts to download a PSP Mini demo failed because everytime I try to enter the store it prompts me to update the device. I followed and revised the instructions several times as well and I honestly don’t know how to get ARK on my 3.61 Vita. Any help will be much, much appreciated
Did you use the blocker correctly? Start the app (your computer needs to have an internet connection up), go enter the proxy info in advamce settings, go to the store front page, go back to wifi sertings and disable proxy, then you should be all set.
Hey Harrison, Thanks for your reply. I only got a chance to continue this endeavor today. So I downloaded the update blocker and followed the steps all the way up to open PStore app and then back to settings to disable proxy. So I continued from where I left before, which was content manager to plug my vita back to laptop (tried both usb and wifi) and it still asks to be updated. I maybe be missing something again, I miss the chickHEN hack from the old psp days, its was soooo much simpler. Is there anything that simp[le for Vita or is ARK the only option?
So I’m fairly new to hacking for use of retro gaming and only recently found out about psp cfw Although I have found that many of my old guilty pleasures don’t run properly such as final fantasy viii so I have 2 questions is it possible to run these psx games properly on vita and is there such software like cwcheat for the emulator sorry for the noob questions but I really have no idea and want to play these games portably without the glitches
Thanks in advance for any help
If you are using ARK then any ps1 games won’t have sound (if you can even get them working). I’d reccomend getting an older psp3000 and putting cfw on it. It plays a bunch of ps1 games perfectly fine and you can also run the other emulators. Also, psp’ can use micro sd cards so you can put a bunch of ps1 games instead of ps vita memory cards that cost $$$$$.
There’s a tutorial somewhere o this website, just make sure to get a psp micro sd pro duo adapter and a micro sd. I personally have a double slot adapter with two 64gb cards. Got it off amazon. All of the crash games and my psp library fit nicely with 93gb free space (24 ps1 games, 12 psp games, 4 emulators and over 100 songs.)
P.s. I ordered the “Ebest White Dual Slot PSP Memory Stick Pro Duo Adapter” and two sandisk 64gb cards.
You meant one could use a ‘psp pro duo adapter’ to somehow put that on a Vita/PSTV with ARK?
I couldn’t find that article… could you please try to find a link for us? Or upload a pic with your setup to see how that adapter would fit in the Vita and see if we could do the same?
Many thanks
No that is not what I meant. If your overall motive to hack is to play ps1 games (like FF VIII), then you should get a PSP (Sony psp 3000, the device before the ps vita) because it will play games with sound and you can store more games cheaper then with a proprietary ps vita card.
If however you would like to hack the vita for gigs, then you will end up being able to play some psp games, and some ps1 games (the ps1 games won’t have sound!)
Since ARK is just psp firware running on the vita, both the psp and vita can run emulators.
For those who can’t copy to the clipboard, you can just copy psvimg-extract -K YOUR-KEY game.psvimg game to notepad, then save it as a .bat file and run it in the psvimgtools folder.
Can i use a psx game instead of the psp backup for step 4 and 5 the store doesnt work anymore and i dont have any psp games downloaded
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I’m stuck on 3.61 right now and want to install ARK. Unfortunately I don’t have a PSP game installed and there is no way to get in the PSN, since the update blocker doesn’t work anymore, or you can youse a PS3 for the transfer, which I don’t.
What I do have is an installed PSX Game, that i bought in the store a while ago. Can I use this instead of a PSP Game? Why does it have to be a PSP game anyway?
Appreciate every answer
sry for my english
Thank you for this post and the few replies I got after my first issue. I’M on version 3.63
I’ve tried this a few times but now I’m afraid I’m losing hope…. I still cannot get past Step 4 because the PSN keeps asking me to update to 3.65 (even installing the update blocker doesn’t work!).
I only wanted to play some Nintendo Emulators on my vita, because I was told that could only be done on 3.60 or 3.63.
Can someone help me with step by step details or should I just go for the update and give up on this??
never go for the update! be patient!
The update blocker doesn’t work anymore. If you have a PS3 you can use it to transfer a psp game to your vita.
I don’t know about any other method to get a psp game on your system.
Is it work for fw 3.65
And it can install and play iso game?
Such as fifa 17
Alright so I installed all this and ARK is working but I can’t get the vast majority of psp homebrew to work. The nesterj NES emulator works great as do psp games but everything else I’ve tried either crashes instantly or just doesn’t even run when I try to run the .pbp from ARK file explorer (trying gba,snes, sega emulators). I’m installing all the homebrew the same way I did the NES emulator (in the ISO folder) but I’m not having any luck. I’m on 3.63 btw. Does anyone have any ideas?
I’m not sure if I remember how I did it but I think it was along the lines of create a folder on destop called PSP. Then inside it name a folder SAVEGAME. Drop your emulator inside there and zip the whole thing using the store compression level. Transfer it using ftp and then when you reach the file, install it. That’s what worked for me (I may be wrong on an earlier step after aboyt where the emulator goes.) Anyway, I watched a youtube video about it.
I ended up getting a 3.60 vita on ebay because I wanted more access to homebrew and such.
Anyone knows another place to download the ARK pboot bubble for Vita 3.60? At least one secure link because I find some garbage out there.
If you are on 3.60 install vita homebrew browser, there’s an Ark installer there. Make sure you have a psp demo first.
Although, you might as well just go for adrenaline on 3.60 so you can play ps1 games too.
Hi,
thanks for the tut.
I did all the stuff and can launch Ark – but I cant lunch any ISO (homebrew work fine).
If I load the iso Ark simply close and doesnt load anything.
My iso is written SONIC.ISO (for example) my PSP-GO loads the ISO – the file is not corrupt.
Is there a way to verfy that I have installed ark-2 and not arc?
I am on FW 3.63 btw.
thanks for all help 🙂
WILL THIS WORK ON 3.65 FIRMWARE?
Okay, so I’ve gotten everything working in terms of FTPVita and such on the Vita side of things. But when I try to connect using FileZilla, even after reinstalling it, any connection attempts fail as though the server isn’t even working. Could it be because I’m on an unsecured network? Because last time I tried connecting it worked just fine.
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does this work for 3.61 as well?