Modoru, a PSVita / PSTV FW downgrading utility, by TheFlow released! – You can take your FW 3.67/8 Vita and downgrade it to FW 3.60 for HENkaku Enso and more!
A week ago, TheFlow teased a homebrew utility called modoru that many people in the PSVita thought to be a firmware downgrading utility. Thankfully, this assumption was correct and now, TheFlow has released it thus letting you downgrade your PSVita / PSTV to any firmware it can run!
What is modoru?
As its name (which is in Japanese) suggests, modoru is a utility to downgrade your PSVita’s firmware version as modoru means “to go back” in Japanese. This utility was developed by TheFlow with help from Yifan Lu (research on downgrading), Team Molecule (SCE decryption utilities), SKGleba (beta testing), Freakler (LiveArea screen) and liblor (for the cool name).
With this utility, you can downgrade to any firmware version that your PSVita’s motherboard supports which means that you can install FW 3.60/5 on almost every PSVita/PSTV console, except for the latest PSVita 2000 models (i.e those that come with FW 3.67/8 out of the box), in order to get HENkaku Enso which allows you to run homebrew/plugins at boot-time without having to load up h-encore first!
My PSVita 1K can downgrade to FW 1.06 meaning I can install almost every public PSVita FW ever released, what about yours? 🙂
TheFlow assures us that modoru is pretty safe and bricking your console is very unlikely to happen but before using modoru, there are some important things you should keep in mind:
- Your PSVita’s battery needs to be at 50% to use the utility
- Don’t even think about hex-editing the binary to bypass this limit as having your Vita shutdown during the downgrading process might lead to a hard brick
- I personally recommend you charge your PSVita to 100% before downgrading it to be on the safe side especially if your battery isn’t very good
- You must disable all plugins before using modoru which means that you can’t use this with SD2Vita!
- You must have an official Sony memory card if using this with the PSVita 1K.
- If you have a PSVita 2K (Slim) or a PSTV, you can use the 1GB of internal storage instead.
- Disabling plugins can be easily done by renaming your ux0:/tai and ur0:/tai folders to something else.
- SKGleba’s IMCUnlock should be uninstalled prior to downgrading with modoru
- As of right now, modoru only works on firmware versions that are PUBLICLY hacked (FW 3.60, 3.65, 3.67 and 3.68).
- When a hack for FW 3.69/3.70 is released, modoru will be compatible out of the box as per the README linked below.
- While you can downgrade to firmwares below FW 3.60, such as FW 3.18 and 1.60, I personally do not recommend doing so since they do not have HENKaku/taiHEN (native hacks) with the exception of limited support through MemeKaku on FW 3.55/7.
How do I use it?
Downgrading with modoru is pretty straightforward and can be done with a few simple steps:
- Install the modoru VPK file by downloading it through the GitHub link below
- You may install it via VHBB since it’s available on VitaDB
If you open modoru without disabling plugins, it’ll let refuse to work so you won’t mess your Vita if you open modoru without checking out its README!
- You may install it via VHBB since it’s available on VitaDB
- Download the firmware of your choice (usually FW 3.60/3.65) and copy the “PSP2UPDAT.PUP” file to ux0:app/MODORU000
- This must be done after installing the modoru application else it’ll be deleted
- You have to use the “full” firmware PUP file not the “systemdata” or “pre” ones
- Darthsternie has an excellent firmware archive where you can get PUP files from!
- Disable your plugins, read the points above and also check out the official README which is linked below
- Restart your device and run HENkaku/H-Encore
- You’ll have to do this even if you have HENkaku Enso on your PSVita as renaming ux0:/tai and ur0:/tai will not let you run homebrew. FW 3.60 users can use the good ol’ WebKit exploit from here while FW 3.65-8 users have to install h-encore.
- You also have to enable unsafe homebrew from Settings
- Open modoru and follow the on-screen instructions (i.e press X to downgrade)
- Enjoy your freshly installed firmware!
Without a doubt, almost everyone with some technological know-how can do this process but always read the instructions twice and check out the FAQ linked below.
Conclusion
TheFlow is currently giving instant Twitter blocks to anybody asking him something that’s already in the FAQ so make sure you read through it carefully before asking TheFlow a stupid question on Twitter 🙂 If you wish to donate to TheFlow, you may do so by supporting him on Patreon or through his PayPal account/BitCoin address which can be found in the README link below.
Modoru’s README (please read this before using this software + includes download link): https://github.com/TheOfficialFloW/modoru/blob/master/README.md
TheFlow’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheOfficialFloW
I’m speechless!!!!!!! Just a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig thank you!!!!!!!!!!
just downgraded mine to 3.65 and installed enso and an sd2vita!! its great being able to downgrade to a firmware version capable of using enso!
This is awesome. i just downgraded my vita to 3.65 and installed enso and an sd2vita for an awesome hacked vita
1st comment 😀
The end of the PSVita officially begins.
3.69/70 just f*** yourselves
Which is the recommended firmware to downgrade and why? 3.60? 3.65?…
3.60, it’s easier to hack with https://henkaku.xyz than h-encore
Since Modoru already requires the H-encore bubble, might as well go to 3.65 and install 3.65 Enso.
It doesn’t matter, h-encore and VitaShell are still the… I just launched h-encore again and then opened VitaShell to install enso. Done.
IMCUnlock actually works perfectly with this, I downgraded from 3.68 to 3.60 and it works perfectly, I even have enso now.
It does weird things if you downgrade to a firmware before the Slim was released (like 1 or 2), that’s why it says that.
I wonder if this would also be possible on PS4, a lot of things that can be done on a vita when it comes to this kind of stuff, a lot of it can also be easily ported to PS4. I assume like with the vita a exploited PS4 will be required to downgrade, which right off the bat reduces the reason for a PS4 port. However some people may prefer older exploited firmwares for greater stability or maybe some Homebrew was only made to work on a specific firmware, whatever the reason, a PS4 downgrade ability even if it requires the console to be exploited, some people may appreciate it released.
Ahh… My second Vita is on 3.69… I guess more waiting…
Ha! I’ve been on 3.60 since Enso was initially released on a 2012 release model Japanese imported Vita. I’m running it wit ref00d very happily, so this downgrader isn’t really for me, but it’s pretty damn cool that it’s possible!
What about building the image for writing to EMMC for bricked PSV? -_-
320kaku for fw3.20 !!!!
Please help me. I had done all the instructions above but whenever I open the modoru app It always give Error 0x80010002 opening ux0:app/MODORU/psp2updat.pup
Please guys any help
Try to re-download your psp2updat.pup from another site
Did not expect this to be released so soon after it was hinted at. Very happy to have it now, though. Downgraded to 3.60 Enso last night on my 2nd Vita. Going to buy another SD2Vita card today and pump that system from a meager 32 Gig to 256 Gig storage. Do I need that much? Why no, but I need more than 32G and microSD are super affordable now.
Thanks TheFlow.
Now running succesfully 3.65 ENSO from 3.68.
Is modoru support PHC2006?
I tried it but at the firmware install screen a message pops up „this firmware cannot be installed on this system“ I am on 3.65enso. I installed Modoru and disabled plug ins. But I can’t start enso before modoru like in the tutorial because my revision is to Old and the WebKit don’t works on 3.65. can someone help?
Is modoru supports PS Vita Slim PCH2006?
the PS VITA Downgrade is avaible for only FW 3.60, 3.65, 3.67 and 3.68 or its from 3.60 to 3.68?
Because i have PS VITA 3.61
It’s works for all frimwares.
Thanks ^^
Really stupid question, but I cannot figure out how to run the .vpk for vitashell. Which program do y’all recommend for this? I have a modded PSP but am looking to mod my PS Vita once I can downgrade from 3.69. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
To install a .vpk you already need a modded console. H-encore installs VitaShell during it’s installation and you need VitaShell to install other .vpk’s. You’ll have to be patient for a little longer since 3.69 and 3.70 can’t currently be hacked, but there are 2 unreleased exploits on the horizon.
Thank you much for the information, much appreciated!
I used the wrong file (factory was 3.65, but the target was 3.60) and now my Vita is stuck in a bootloop. Is my Vita permanently bricked? I’ve tried resetting and trying everything on safe mode but it doesn’t do anything.