(PS Vita) How to: Download, install and use PSP Homebrews with VHBL on HENkaku
If you just landed on the PS Vita scene recently, or came back after a hiatus, things might be a bit confusing for you. There’s a lot going on, and using VHBL (the PSP Homebrew loader for PS Vita) is not always super intuitive. Heck, I wrote the dang tool and it took me a while to remember how things were done, because it’d been a long time since I had used my PS Vita. So here’s a quick tutorial and a bunch of tips.
What’s VHBL and why do you need it on your PS Vita?
Homebrews and emulators on the PS Vita can be roughly split into two categories right now: PS Vita “Native” homebrews (that run using the “full” power of the PS Vita), and PSP homebrews (that run through the integrated PSP emulator on the PS Vita).
Native PS Vita homebrews are expected to be more powerful, run at a higher resolution, etc… than PSP homebrews. But because the PS vita scene barely started, there’s not many of them (although there’s a quickly growing number of emulators for PS Vita). There are, on the other hand, many PSP homebrews, including but not limited to emulators. So while we wait for the PS vita homebrew library to grow, it might be interesting to play some old-but-good PSP homebrews.
PSP Homebrews don’t run out of the box on the PS Vita (at the time of writing this article), they need to go through VHBL, a PSP Homebrew Loader designed to run on the PS Vita. (For those interested in historical anecdotes, I released the first version of VHBL in 2012)
How to install VHBL on your PS Vita
- You need a PS Vita (or PS TV) running firmware 3.60
- Install HENkaku: long story short, go to henkaku.xyz in your PS Vita’s browser and click on the “Install” button. That site has more details if needed
- Install VHBL, following this tutorial:Installing VHBL Custom Bubble via HENkaku
How and where to Download homebrews for VHBL
Long story short (but you should really read what’s below): Here’s the most complete database of PSP Homebrews.
There’s a lot of confusion here because installing homebrews with VHBL has evolved with versions: as Sony increased their security measures, it became harder and harder to install PSP Homebrews with VHBL, so you will find conflicting information on this depending on what sites you are looking at.
VHBL has an embedded way to install PSP homebrews from within VHBL itself, but it is convoluted, it requires special packaging of PSP homebrews in carefully crafted zip files. With HENkaku you don’t need to do any of that. With HENkaku, you only need to download the PSP homebrew of your choice on any PSP site (e.g. our database here) and copy it in the right folder of the PS Vita via FTP.
Important things to know when you download your PSP homebrews:
- Not all PSP homebrews run on VHBL: in particular homebrews that require kernel access do not work on VHBL. Sometimes the kernel access requirement is explained in the readme of the homebrew, but more generally it’s “tribal knowledge” of the scene.
- Sometimes, even homebrews that do not require Kernel access refuse to work on VHBL for various reasons. It helps to try other versions of the homebrew
- If you have a choice between a “signed” version of the PSP homebrew and an “unsigned” (or “HBL version”) one, you need to download the “unsigned” one. (A good example here is Wagic which offers an “alternate unsigned version for HBL users” on its download page, which is the one you want to pick)
- In general, do not download the “VHBL packaged version” of a homebrew to use with VHBL on HENkaku. (I know, this is totally counter-intuitive). These versions are packaged in some convoluted zip format that is not required anymore. If you do download these versions, they will work on VHBL but you will have to unzip the file and potentially rename a few things in there to get it to work. Not worth the hassle in general but it’s up to you
- If your homebrew looks like some savedata with an INSTALL.ZIP file in it, it is probably a VHBL packaged file. You can extract that somewhere and you’ll get your homebrew
- In that case it is also possible that you’ll have a file named WMENU.BIN in here that should probably be renamed to EBOOT.PBP (Although I believe VHBL will also accept to run it if it’s named wmenu.bin)
How to install PSP Homebrews in VHBL with HENkaku
By this point I assume that:
- you know your way around HENkaku, in particular how to run molecularShell’s FTP server, and how to connect to it with your FTP client on Filezilla
- You have installed VHBL in your PS Vita, and it’s giving you an error message telling you you do not have any homebrews installed in ms0:/PSP/VHBL/
- You have downloaded a PSP Homebrew following the rules in the section above and you want to install it in VHBL
So here goes:
- run the FTP server on your PS Vita in molecularShell
- connect to your PS Vita via FTP on your computer
- in the FTP client, go to ux0:/pspemu/PSP/ . You should see folders named SAVEDATA, GAME, etc… create a “VHBL” folder in here, so that you’ll have ux0:/pspemu/PSP/VHBL
- Navigate to ux0:/pspemu/PSP/VHBL in your FTP client
- This is where you’ll want to copy your homebrew, in a subfolder of the VHBL folder. For example, I’ll put Wagic in ux0:/pspemu/PSP/VHBL/WTH/
- All homebrews contain an EBOOT.PBP file. That file needs to be directly in the folder that you just created. For example in my case Wagic’s EBOOT.PBP ends up in ux0:/pspemu/PSP/VHBL/WTH/EBOOT.PBP when I copy the files. This is how you can know, when you download a homebrew, where to copy files once you extract them from the archive. If your homebrew is zipped with a bunch of folders, etc, just ensure that you extract it in a way that the EBOOT.PBP ends up in ux0:/pspemu/PSP/VHBL/[Your folder name here]/EBOOT.PBP
- Exit molecularShell, and run VHBL. You should now be able to navigate the folders and launch your homebrew (by selecting its folder and pressing either X or O).
Notes: Historically PSP homebrews used to be in the PSP/GAME folder. Sony have added security measures to that specific folder on the Vita which is why we are using “VHBL” instead of “GAME” here. That’s technically the only change compared to running homebrews on the classic PSP. In theory you could use any folder name instead of “VHBL”, VHBL doesn’t care. Homebrews, however, might: some homebrews are hardcoded to use the PSP/GAME folder, and might not like to run in PSP/VHBL or other folders. You can try to copy those in ux0:/pspemu/PSP/GAME and see how they behave (might be able to run but not to save anything, for example). Other homebrews such as gPSP have a configuration file that let you tweak the folders it can use. Look into that before dismissing a homebrew as dysfunctional.
I hope this helps.
I am here sorry for the trouble
and make it double
I want to play psp games on vita not its homebrews 🙁
You can. There’s a hack for it. Click on the store icon, when it opens search for whatever PSP game your interested in. Once you’re at the game you’re interested in. Theres a hidden icon somewhere on the main page that says “Buy Now”. Click on that, after you pay for it and it downloads, it’ll just magically run.
Useless and boring input Yama, you should never go to parties, better for everyone.
BUYING?! HAHAHAH! Who said anything about BUYING a PSP game?
Who said anything about not doing so?
Those who have already paid for the original PSP UMDs and resent having to pay twice for the same content just a few years apart. I think in cases like that owning a digital copy is totally fine, personally.
Does this mean we can use vhbl to play psp game isos and if not why not?what would make psp game not work as opposed to homebrews?
kernel is needed for playing psp isos
But wasn’t confirmed that we got kernel according to the code that was explained? 😛
We have Kernel in the Vita Os, not in the PSP OS.
But its just a matter of time. Maybe in few days maybe in few weeks.
I can wait
u cant runt psp isos games yet
u cant runt psp isos games yet, we need kernel exploit to play psp and psx games, and we dont have yet
Not true. With henkaku (vitshell), you can directly dump your homebrews In PSP/GAME. but it is true. I think, to make it work, you first don’t have to open vhbl, or else the PSP/GAME will be locked. You won’t be able to access it
As I explain, the problem with doing this is that once inside vhbl, you can’t write in the game folder, which prevents some homebrews from doing their task (save, etc…). Read the article again, I tried to be clear on that point.
I tried Gpsp kai but it doesn’t work
Try other versions of it. I downloaded three separate versions of it, one of them is bound to work.
its not a big deal guys, watch some the zett videos, i have gpsp, cps2 cps1 neo geo and a bunch of things running on my vhbl, u just need a psp game, could be a demo, then use the vhbl things on the save data and in the game directory,, just follow this guide or watch some videos, if i could run vhbl and some vita homebrews, u can doit
So when is Wagic getting ported to Vita? 😀
I wish I had the time 🙁
hmmm someone should post a video, a step by step BUT!!!!! NOT a video using a PS Vita that already has VHBL already installed…
start fresh and no one will get lost, have any questions and can do it like nothing…
and how bout the roms/iso in the psp?
I think this article could lead to confusion since psp(hack) games aren’t playable at this time… or I am wrong…
I thought we weren’t using the .xyz site anymore. I thought we now use http://henkaku.me/ now.
I thought so too, but henkaku.me seems to redirect back to henkaku.xyz
I have 2 ps vitas ones on the 3.36 ape escape with all the bells and whistles and the other I just installed the henkaku hack. I also have a ps tv I’ve been waiting for over a year to turn into an emulation station. I did manage to get the white list to work on my ps tv. With all the new things coming out for this 3.60 henkaku hopefully I can finally complete my goal of making the ps tv worth the $ I spent on it. Unlike the android tv I’ve been trying get rite. Thank u hacker scene
Please i need vhbl.vpk
Hey Obin,
Installing the VHBL bubble really isn’t hard. Just follow the guide(It’s simple, and includes a video), and you should have VHBL in no time. Last I checked its impossible to install VHBL with a VPK. Sorry. If you need any help just ask.
Vita update 3.61 out ! Just one day since Hentaku got ported to PS4 and Sony *** its pants.
Firmware 3.61 just came out!!!
Stop trolling please
He is not. 3.61 is out.
Check yourself https://twitter.com/yifanlu
I apologize, sony hasn’t updated their vita update site yet. Thank you!
it is out….. i tried to go to the ps store and it didnt let me wiht out updating to 3.61
It was my mistake, thank you for spreading the word
How do you get QCMA working? Latest version only supports up to 3.30?
Once again, I’m an idiot. Turn off wi-fi and reboot, use USB. Damn you, 3.61!
Oh, man! Thank U for wasting time, many thanks for all people who make it possible. Some staff to VHBL instal: i use demo psp game from psn. it was intstalled of 3.55 ofw, by the way 🙂 from molecular shell copy VBHL PBOOT to some_spes_number and copy VBHL00124 (? i think) to save folder then copy trick from vita to pc app data and save data, and copy it again from pc to vita twice. VHBL worked, BUT no any warning massage only white screen at start 😀
So…why at this point has no one tried to port EPSXe to vita for ps1 game emulation and/or ppsspp for psp emulation ? that wouldn’t require kernal exploits of any kind and would offer a solution for backups on 3.60…im sure it takes time and effort like nothing else but still seems like something to put effort into, rather than the same emulators we have seen since ps1 hacking days
wololo pls write something bout the new firmware 3.61 vita.
My list of packages which run with VHBL without problems include:-
psp2600, fuse, bookr, pspbeeb, pspdragon v1.0.3, pspti 99, vice, pspwrite,
sdlbasic, hexen, frontier-1337, heretic, rott_shareware, dosbox_0.71
I had a lockup with Dangerous Dungeons. Refering to YouTube, I opened the Vita (6 screws – watch out for
the shoulder buttons and associated plastic bits). Face down, top edge towards you, carefully lift the top part of
the case – only up to an angle of about 45 degrees. Any further and the rear touch pad connecter will lift off.
With luck your Vita will power down. Wait 10 secs and reassembled. Reboot and reinstall HenKaku.
Lastly remove tha offending app. Remember to remove memory card before opening case! If you lack the
confidence to open the case, just wait. The Vita will eventually switch off .
Wait, so I can’t play PSP games on the Vita yet, alongside Vita games?
You can now run iso and cso in ps vita?
VHBL is nice and all, but please port HENkaku for the 3.18 masterrace. Please!
https://www.change.org/p/sony-save-our-playstation-tv-and-vita-petition-for-100-vita-compatibility-on-pstv/u/17511002?tk=4JV0xCurlOZq3Fh0T8W8aoWTxi_uhE0RMi7hb64eqQg&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email so do not update
HOLY SHIIIIIIIIZ
Please confirm this wololo.
thanks major tom
OT:
Sony prenented new firmware (dont update!) https://twitter.com/PSVFWBot
Is it possible to update to 3.60 via pc (i have the 3.60 pup file)
Can confirm, this is actually legitemate.
Wow. So HENkaku is kinda over before it really took off? Depends on how many people stay on 3.60 and lose PSN/Store stuff really eh. Shame. It’s like Sony are determined to kill it off however possible, more committed to patching security holes than they ever were to making it a top-selling, triple A title toting handheld powerhouse.
Thank you, that was actually incredibly helpful and simplified everything
so vhtml emulator advertisement …
my question is simple
is there gonna be a
-gameserver
-game-emulator in two parts pspemu and psvitaemu
and more tools for qcma on a pc ?
cheers
Hi, can someone say me please how to Play Multiplayer snes on PS TV???? I connect my controllers in PS TV and when I start every snes game, only one controller work.. please help me..
how to install VHBL on Ps Vita 3.61? pls help
hello i cant open VHBL its said this applocation has expired and cannot be started (NP-9969-3) il tryed to find an answer on the web but nothing if someone can help me whit that every other step worked fine ty in advance !!!!