What is it?
Vita Half-Byte Loader is a homebrew loader for the Playstation Vita. It runs on the PSP emulator embedded on the Vita.
This is the official VHBL download page for people who own a copy of one of the following PSP Games: Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (US/EU), Monster hunter Portable 2ndG (JP), Monster hunter Freedom 2 (EU), and Monster Hunter Portalble 3rd (JP). If you don’t own one of these games, go back to the VHBL page to see if we have a version of VHBL working with a game you own.
This version of VHBL is compatible with firmware 1.80 and below. If you try to run this on Firmwares above 1.80, it will most likely fail.
Check the VHBL page for more details on this tool.
Downloads
Choose the file that matches your game:- VHBL R160 for Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and Monster Hunter Portable 2ndG (US/EU/JP) (Recommended, this is the most extensively tested version)
- VHBL R160 for Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (JP)
- VHBL R160 for Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (EU)
How to Install and Run HBL on Monster hunter Freedom Unite
- It is *strongly* recommended that you turn of all wireless connections on your PS Vita, and that you use OpenCMA on your PC instead of the regular CMA. This is recommended because otherwise your console has a way to force you to upgrade the firmware even before you get a chance to use the exploit.
- Extract the HBL archive matching your version of the game in your CMA PSP Savedata folder. It is a folder on your PC named PSSAVEDATA/[lots of random characters here]. If you don’t know where it is, check your settings in CMA
- Connect your PS Vita to the PC through the CMA, it should give you the possibility to copy the savedata from your PC to the Vita. If not, you probably extracted it in the wrong folder. (Note: You will also want to install some homebrews with a similar technique, read the section below)
- To run HBL, start the game, and the savegame should load automatically. Once you reach the main menu, click on “Download” and select “yes” to whatever question is being asked. At this point, VHBL should start. See the video below for a more “visual” explanation
How to Install and Run Homebrews
Installing homebrews on the PSP was an easy task. On the Vita, until better solutions are provided, it’s quite a pain in the ***.
The CMA will only let you copy savedata, and will not recursively browse folders.
To address this, HBL comes with a tool that can extract archives with a specific structure.
Packaging the homebrew for installation on the Vita:
1) download PSP homebrews from your favorite website
2) extract the homebrew somewhere on your hard drive, and with your favorite utility, zip it again with the store setting (no compression), in a file that you will name “INSTALL.ZIP” (uppercase is important). If your compression tool does not have compression options, I recommend 7zip.
3) take any PSP savedata (but not the one used for HBL!), and add the “INSTALL.ZIP” to that folder, in your PC CMA folder. so your PSP Savedata will look something like this:
in folder PSSAVEDATA/1a2b3c4def5678/UCUS12345000/ (or something like this) you will have the following files:
– ICON0.png
– PIC1.png
– DATA.bin
– PARAMS.SFO
– INSTALL.ZIP
On this page you will find several pre-packaged homebrews that have already been prepared to run with VHBL.
Installing:
1) run OpenCMA on your PC, and CMA on your Vita
2) copy the previously packaged SAVEDATA (see above) with your homebrew in “INSTALL.ZIP” on your Vita
3) run HBL (how to run HBL is explained in the previous section)
4) navigate with the HBL menu to the SAVEDATA folder, then go to the folder you just downloaded (in my example, UCUS12345000), and click cross or circle on it
5) At this point, the HBL menu should ask you if you want to install the homebrew. select yes, and wait until HBL is done extracting your homebrew
6) The homebrew is now installed, and you can run it by going to the GAME folder, if everything went well, a new subfolder with your homebrew has been created here, and you can run the homebrew
Need more help? Check our forums for more downloads and tutos
More
OpenCMA is strongly recommended to install if you want to use VHBL. Open CMA is a tool by Virtuous Flame that allows you to copy files from and to your vita without being connected to the internet. This is useful, especially if you don’t want Sony to forcefully update your firmware.
Looking for homebrews that run on VHBL? Check this thread with dozens of tested and pre-packaged homebrews.
Alternatively, check this list which contains a series of homebrews that have been tested on this specific version of VHBL.
YAYAYAAAYAAYAYAYYAAYAYYYA THANK YOU GUYS!!!!!!!
Hey guys!
I usually don’t comment on posts (I guess im a leecher my heart lol), but in this case I really wanted to thank you guys. Obviously Wololo and Neuron but also all the others that helped with thsi release. Thank you so much!
I donated 20 bucks to the red cross as has been suggested in the release-post. I think you guys are doing an awesome job, keep it up.
$20 is nothing, they are getting another pint on the 25th.
Way to put down the 1% that is actually donating….
I can’t use the first link. It keeps redirecting me to the Wagic page.
Try with a different browser, we have some anti-leech stuff in place, and your browser might be a bit too strict with security, otherwise, wait until somebody posts a mirror
Yup. Safari has no love but IE10 (nasty, just nasty) works fine. As does Chrome & Firefox.
Throwing out a bad Apple.
Thanks! Started up IE for the first time in years and got it downloaded through that!
Thank you, Wololo and Neur0n.
THANKYOU!!!!
brb just gonna play pokemon for 900hours…..
is it the Monster hunter Freedom 2 essentals (full game) for eu?
yes it is 🙂
thanks 😀
CAN I HAVE PRE PACKED homebrews ?
That actually would be convenient as all heck.
Thank you, Wololo and Neur0n.
work perfect…now i just need to install some homebrew 🙂
much appreciated, thank you
Im gonna take a wild guess… put the roms in a folder named roms then include in INSTALL.ZIP
just one question…how i can add roms in emulators? =/ cause i cant explore folders in psvita
Comment te dire Wololo … Merci ^^
can’t download first link 🙁 mirror please?
Use a different browser and try again
i tryed to unzip the file install.zip put roms in it and zip it again but when i try to install it get stucked =/
Dont compress the zip. Use the store compression level. If your compression tool does not have that type of option, use a different tool.
Tried the prepacked SNES9X ,.. I don’t know what I am doing wrong,..
Unpacked/replaced the thing into a save (of some other PSP game,.. With INSTALL.ZIP, sfo and all the files,.. Can coppy with OCMA, but it didn’t say nothing to install homebrew, the .ZIP file wasn’t even showing in the VHBL,..
(Since I’ve noticed that zip had another folder inside ive tried to rezip (store) it so the INSTALL.ZIP contained directly the files of emu ,.. that does not work either,..
Please someone help ,..
Sounds like you are trying too hard, everythings been done for you, just unpack, copy with cma, then install from the savedata folder in vhbl. If you need more help ask on the forum.
Funny you should mention that. I found many people who had this problem, I am also son of those people. Some people just up and said “I’m not gonna tell you”. Its not like they said what we did wrong or give advice on how to fix it, they just up and said no. Others who are having peoples are giving sugesstions but we’re stumped. Im gonna keep trying. (I think i named it wrong or it needs to be in another Sub folder or something… idk)
Ok i’ve install VHBL on monster hunter 2. Only a question. TO install homebrew, if i don’t have another folder in pssavedata to insert the install.zip, how can i do to make one?
export a ps save data from your vita. Open up Content Manager in your Vita and select Vita System to PC > Applications > Saved Data – PSP/Other then choose a pep save file to copy over.
it’s impossibile to download 🙁
when I click monster hunter freedom unite, the site go to wagic page download 🙁
Try with a different browser.
kick *** wololo! doing this as soon as i come from school…have a mac and cant seem to run open cma for now so ill just put everything i possibly can to my vita in terms of vhbl content….you know….till 1.80 gets a higher firmware…thanks again to you and your team, you guys truly are the greatest!
So guys,.. If anyone has a tutorial how to install homebrews for stupid, I would really appreciate it,.. I really don’t know what I am doing wrong as I’ve posted above.
Ok figured it out,.. used the Wololo version that is on that confirmed list and uses (artic edge?) save,..
Amazing thanx guys !
Excuse me, in psavedata i have only one folder, where can i put the file for install homebrew? i need another folder?
Thx wololo & neur0n, emm I say one thing, if I install a emulator or homebrew game, and doesn’t work, I delete it with Instalet ADhoc file transfer. It’s nice 🙂
Why is there a “12 remaining files" then crash and the sound continues?
great works on monster hunter 2
Well i get the VHBL runnin and trying to install but get the same error every time and yes i did store the install with winrar in zip format (C1-2858-3) and if someone could help me that would be awesome 🙂
You have to click the 3 dots first to go up a level on the folders then go to SAVEDATA. you kept clicking the thing inside the folder called GAME right? I did too lol.
yeah to a start but nothing will install the screen turns black and then it sends me back to the psp/game again.
I wanna know how to run vhbl on monster hunter 3rd..
Thanks for the great job XDXDXD Only a question. TO install homebrew, if i don’t have another folder in pssavedata to insert the install.zip, how can i do to make one?
I can’t seem to figure out how to add files to the INSTALL.zip without compression in 7zip. Every time I drag a file into the INSTALL.zip it only asks me if I want to add it, yes or no. Then it adds it and automatically compresses the file.
Nevermind. I just used winrar instead and chose “store” from the compression option.
use RAR,there will be such options while creation an archive.only rar,only hardcore)
Playing Mother 3 on my Vita!! 🙂 Oh what a happy day. Thank you wololo and all the other hackers that made this happen. You guys are great!
)))maybe u can answer me how to create another folder in pssavedata to insert the install.zip?i’ve got just 3 and all are used by vhbl(
You need to create a new folder on your OS in the same directory that CMA stores all your PSP save games. It doesn’t matter what it’s called. You can even name it the name of your homebrew and CMA will recognize it. Just put the INSTALL.zip in that folder along with psp save files. Not the ones you are going to use with Monster Hunter. The prepackaged downloads provided on this website work great. All you have to do is put the folder in the zip directly into that save folder and load it up. They’ve done all the hard work for you. If it’s an emulator then you need to open the INSTALL.zip and add your roms and such. Just make sure you use winrar and change compression from normal to store first.
mmm,i’m lousy newbie,but where should i take psp save files?
Just find the prepackaged homebrew page on here and download the homebrew you need. They have all the ones that work. They are ready to go. Just open the rar file and drag the folder over to where CMA stores your PSP save files. By default it’s located in “C:/Users//Documents/PS Vita/PSAVEDATA//”
That’s where you put the folder.
Weird, my reply messed up. Where there are 2 // in my instructions that should be your user name folder and a folder consisting of a crapload of random numbers and letters.
thx a lot,looks like i’ve got it))
ok i have the vhbl file but when i put in the pssave folder and use cma on my ps vita it does not see the file help?:[
can you put more than one file in the install.zip ??
like gpSP and jelly car in the same install folder ?
Yes. You can put as many homebrews as you want in the folder before zipping it. HOWEVER, I recommend putting PS File Explorer in it too, that way if something doesn’t work right, you can delete the installed homebrew from MS0:/PSP/install. Thats what I did to get rid of an already installed, noncompatible SNES emulator. *NOTE* It doesn’t show that you deleted something until you leave the file browser. Also, the only way to exit it, is through pressing the home button and leaving MHFU. Then when you go back into VHBL, you’ll see that it’s been effectively deleted.
what is Error in load/start homehook module?
What about Mac?
nm i got it
Why is the SNES9xtyl save not copying to my vita?
Help! everytime I go to download VHBL 1.8 I keep getting re routed to the wagic page
it kid of hard to instal it for noobys who can explain me it so simple as possible?
who can explain it here on the forum??
the easyst way plz?!?
i have the game and files but i cannot figer out how it works
good bye and thanks for the files wololo team !!!
I’m getting the ERROR: (E-80182014) on the CMA :/
I tried removing the original version and installing the Open CMA, but it still show me an error.
PS.: I aways install as Administrator on Windows 7.
My install.zip file didn’t need to be in all caps. I didn’t remember to make sure it was uppercase and I transferred it and installed the homebrew. It wasn’t until I went to replace the install.zip with another that I realized it was lowercase. That being said, the process wasn’t any different for me to install VHBL. It worked the same as last time…
what did you install?
yeah i tried to put the homebrew but it saying every homebrew is conrrupt. i need help with this pls if possiable
i can’t find the homebrew folder in the “savedata”，what’s wrong with me？