Release Notes
User application and kernel plugin that allow to produce game card dumps and run them.
Introduction
This application is designed for two main tasks:
Produce 1 to 1 dumps of game cards.
Introduce functionality that allows to run these dumps.
Application consists of user application that manages the driver settings and kernel plugin that is used to emulate game card.
Requirements
henkaku
taihen
Legal Disclaimer
The removal and distribution of DRM content and/or circumventing copy protection mechanisms for any other purpose than archiving/preserving games you own licenses for is illegal.
This software is meant to be strictly reserved for your own PERSONAL USE.
The author does not take any responsibility for your actions using this software.
Compatibility with sd2vita adapter
This plugin is not compatible with sd2vita adapter and corresponding gamesd.skprx plugin.
This plugin is not compatible with any other kernel plugin that is derived from gamesd.skprx.
If you are going to use this plugin - disable gamesd.skprx
Ideally it is recommended to remove sd2vita adapter. However when inserted - it should be ignored by this plugin.
Integration with sd2vita is planned for next release.
Installation
Install kernel plugin
Copy psvgamesd.skprx to the location where you have kernel plugins.
Add the path to config.txt.
Reboot your vita.
Install user app
Install psvgc.vpk.
Virtual GC bubble will appear.
User Interface / Controls description
Upon launching user app you will be presented with console UI.
Press "Left" or "Right" on d-pad to switch between different modes of the driver.
Current mode is indicated on line "driver mode:"
Physical MMC mode - Producing Game Card Dumps
Press "Up" or "Down" to navigate through dump files
Press "Cross" to start dumping the came card. This option is only available if real game card is inserted. Insertion status is shown on line "content id:". Dump progress is shown on line "dump progress:". Dump file is stored at ux0:iso folder.
Press "Square" to stop dumping the came card. This options is only available when dump process is started.
Press "Triangle" to exit application.
Virtual MMC mode / Virtual SD mode - Running Game Card Dump
Press "Up" or "Down" to navigate through dump files
Press "Circle" to select game of interest. Selection status is shown on line "selected iso:".
Press "Start" to insert game card. Insertion status is shown on line "insertion state:".
Press "Select" to remove game card. Insertion status is shown on line "insertion state:".
Press "Triangle" to exit application.
Physical SD mode - Running Game Card Dump
Press "Up" or "Down" to navigate through dump files
Press "Triangle" to exit application.
Use cases
Typical Emulation use case
Use physical mmc mode to produce 1:1 dump of the game card.
Use virtual mmc or virtual sd mode to run the game.
Typical Physical Storage use case
Use physical mmc mode to produce 1:1 dump of the game card.
Use your favorite tool or hex editor to burn this dump to SD card.
Use physical sd mode to run the game.
Reporting issues
Feel free to report bugs/issues here: https://github.com/motoharu-gosuto/psvgamesd/issues
Legacy ways to dump the came card
Custom board
Use custom board. You can check how it can be built here: https://github.com/motoharu-gosuto/psvcd
There are two modes that can be used there.
Use PS Vita as black box (cmd56 handshake is done by PS Vita)
Use PS Vita F00D as black box (cmd56 handshake is done by board)
For second approach you will need kirk plugins that are located here https://github.com/motoharu-gosuto/psvkirk
Code for second approach is not finished. It only does cmd56 handshake. However you can use the code from first approach to dump the card. Only little changes are required.
PSVEMMC client
https://github.com/motoharu-gosuto/psvemmc
Unfortunately dumping client is not finished. It is only capable of doing a dump per partition. It does not dump SCEI MBR and does not combine partition dumps into single binary file. However only little changes are required to make it dump SCEI MBR. You can then combine dumps with your favorite hex editor.
CMD56 handshake
Data from the handshake is required to pass signature checks and obtain klicensee. It is integrated into dump file. When game card is inserted in physical mmc mode signature and keys are intercepted and saved to dump file later.
Special thanks
Thanks to Team molecule for HENkaku and thanks to Yifan Lu for taiHEN.
Thanks to Proxima for explaining klicensee theory.
Thanks to SonyUSA for helping with initial testing.
Vita Dumper Comparisons
Key points:STOP using Vitamin/MaiDumpTool. Those tools were hacked together before taiHEN was ready and therefore depends on hacks around the fact that there was no kernel access. Game executable metadata was not preserved and creates lots of compatibility issues including corrupting saves while in suspend mode.
psvgamesd creates .psv files which will be the standard archival format for Vita games (like .iso or .nds but for Vita). These files are not trimmed or compressed and therefore will take a lot of storage to save. Until trimming/compression features are implemented, a way to use the best of both psvgamesd and NoNpDrm is to save your raw dumps on your computer (for backup) and when needed (like if you lose access to your cart), you can use psvgamesd to mount the image once, then use NoNpDrm to "install" it as a bubble (saving space) and finally delete the original .psv from your Vita.
psvgamesd allows you to backup your 3.61+ games for use if/once later firmware are hacked.
psvgamesd currently does not support backing up digital games but the .psv format will eventually be used to archive digital games as well. More information on the format is here.
When a .psv is mounted with psvgamesd, you can run any other tool (including NoNpDrm and Vitamin) on it, so until existing workflow (such as game translation) is upgraded to not depend on legacy dumps, it is always possible to go from .psv to any other format but not the other way around! You must dump the original cart to create a .psv!
Legal Disclaimer: I helped author the .psv format to help standardize the format for backup and archival but I do not endorse any method to circumvent DRM. This guide is provided for informative purposes only and does not serve to aid any party in circumventing DRM. I have not worked directly or indirectly on any DRM circumvention features.