XP won't recognize PSP

[MinisterofDOOM]

I bought Echochrome for my PSP from the Playstation store since Sony are bastards and don't offer it on UMD in North America.

Well, I can't farking PLAY it, because you HAVE to use Sony's Bullpucky downloader to copy it to your PSP, and the downloader uses the PSP USB connection which won't work for me.

When I activate USB mode on my PSP, the PC sees a USB device but doesn't recognize it. That's as far as I get. PSP sticks at "Please wait..." and the PC tells me the device is unrecognized.

How the hell do I fix this? I've tried updating my USB device drivers and they're all up to date. Still doesn't work.I've also tried every single USB port on the PC, with and without PSP external power, different cords. All no luck.

Or, better yet, is there a way around Sony's ******* bullcrap utter POS pointless garbage **** crap damned stupid downloader uselesness? Can I just install Playstation Store downloads to my Memstick manually?

I've googled the CRAP out of this and can't find ANY answers. People just keep saying "did you turn on USB mode on the PSP" as though everyone is stupid. This is obviously a VERY VERY common issue. Someone somewhere has to have a freaking solution!!!!!!!

I HATE SONY!!!!!

[OldmanPurdy]

I would first try the psp on someone else's computer to determine if its your psp or computer, if its the psp then I have heard of some cases where the mem stick needs reformatting before it will connect. If you have alot of game saves you might want to get a memstick duo (cursed sony formats) reader and copy the files to the pc first and then format the card through the psp itself HOME > SETTINGS > SYSTEM SETTINGS > FORMAT MEMSTICK etc.....

[proj3ktvr6]

Possibly your USB Cable? My sister's had problems with her PSP cause of a faulty cable.

I would try using it on someone else's computer first like OldmanPurdy says.

Try a manual install to just the Memory stick, it wouldn't hurt.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Okay, thanks for the suggestions, guys. Unfortunately, I had already tried them both with no luck.

BUT, after almost 2 hours of screwing around, I've solved the problem. I'm still not entirely sure HOW, but that's not important. What IS important is that I can play Echochrome now.

This whole ordeal reinforces my hatred for Sony. It's all because of their fanatical piracy phobia. They go so far to prevent piracy that they ruin their PAYING customers experiences with their products.

Anyway, here's the rundown:Tried my PSP in several other computers. Only one worked, and that was my ancient laptop with USB1.0 ports. That didn't work, though, as you have to have an active internet connection to install to PSP with the downloader (downloaded files are timestamped, even though NOWHERE on the store website does it let you know this SIMPLE fact that would have eased everything up).

So, I decided to at least try my friend's PSP. Problem here is you have to validate PSPs to use installed software, and that can ONLY be done via USB (which doesn't work with my PSP). Again, BACK OFF SONY. Calm down and let us USE the system we paid hundreds of dollars for!!!!!!!!

Still no luck there. THAT is when I discovered the timestamp. Sony's fix is to set your PSP clock via internet connection and to clear your IE cache. The clock fix tipped me off to the timestamps, so I tried redownloading the install files and BAM, installed. I had my memstick in my friend's PSP so I swapped it to mine and NOPE! Must be activated to play the game.

So, last-ditch desparate effort (and about THIIIIIS close to chucking my PSP into a wall) I connected my PSP back up to my PC and WHAT?! It WORKED?! But for some reason it was treating it like a USB 1.1 connection. VERY odd all around. No matter, I downloaded the activator file, used it on the PSP, and hoo-farking-rah I can now play Echochrome on my PSP.I have no idea what made my PC suddenly realize it was a PSP being connected. I can only imagine my friend's PSP somehow un-confused XP.

Wouldn't it be easier to just publish it on UMD in North America like everywhere else in the world?

[OldmanPurdy]

I have no idea what made my PC suddenly realize it was a PSP being connected. I can only imagine my friend's PSP somehow un-confused XP.

This is probally what fixed it. Now I need to try Echochrome because if playing it was worth what you put up with it must be good.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Honestly, I'm pretty disappointed. I mean, that's not saying it sucks, because I had HIGH hopes. But it had a lot of potential that went untapped. Combine that with inconsistent behavior (hard to explain without going into details) and it's not nearly as much fun as I'd hoped.

Basically, I was expecting an A+ game, and it turned out to be more of a B-.It was definitely worth the $10 price tag, just not worth hours of frustration.

[sr20fan]

i liked pixeljunk monsters alot more. that could very well be my favorite psn game. course its just on ps3 not psp (except for remote play ) which also rocks balls. ive spent more time than i would like to admit on that game. at least 40 hrs single player and probably 25 or 30 on coop with my roommate.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah, some of the PSN games look like a lot of fun.

I'm EXTREMELY disappointed that a PS3 is required to play PSN PSone ports on your PSP. I'd buy a few of them if I could just download them straight to my PSP. Sony's so stupid it's ridiculous. They're so busy fighting homebrew and piracy with a gun in it's face they haven't take a breath and stepped back to think about their strategy. Piracy is often a convenience thing. If Sony made the PSone titles easily available to PSP owners, there'd be a lot less incentive to run pirated ROMs on hacked PSP firmware. But there's no way on earth people are going to pay $400+ for a console just to have portable versions of old titles when they can do it illegally for free. Not that I'm supporting that at all. But it's the truth, whether Sony wants it to be or not.

[sr20fan]

you just have to wait for the deals on the ps3. i bought an 80gb metal gear solid bundle at walmart and they were giving $100 gift cards with purchase of any blu ray player. i dont like metal gear, so i sold it to my friend for $60. all in all i spent about $350 on it. so now me and my roommate have a 'gameroom' with our ps3'2 and all that stuff. it rocks the socks

[MinisterofDOOM]

$350, $400, whatever. I'd never use it aside from transferring titles to my PSP. Still no PS3 titles that interest me nearly enough to buy the console. The issue isn't that I want a PS3 but can't afford one. It's that I DON'T want a PS3 but need one to use my PSP to it's fullest.

[sr20fan]

i understand that. i would try to talk you into buying one but that would be a waste of our time. that, and im not a complete fanboy that wants to start a flamewar in a perfectley nice thread.

i have two friends that have psp's, but i dont really need one. i would only use it to play god of war, and remote play for pixeljunk monsters.

[MinisterofDOOM]

God of War for the PSP is a GREAT game. I haven't played the PS2 GOWs (don't have a PS2 anymore... ) but I definitely want to now.

My only complaint with Chains of Olympus is that it's pretty short. Still, there's enough unlockable content to make it worth playing through 2 or 3 times.

[sr20fan]

oh wow, you like that one and you havent even played the other ones. youre missing out. excellent games.

god of war 3 is rumored to come out in march or so of '09. that seems a little like wishful thinking to me, but it would totally rack *** if it did. you might just need to get a ps3 by that time after all you will definitely have to play the other ones

[s13jus10]

^^true, Sony rep came in the other day and told me it was scheduled for a March '09 release.. they actually started working on GOW3 immediately after the release of GOW2, so they've been able to keep it completely under wraps since then. so a March '09 release isn't completely impossible

[sr20fan]

damn, im gonna have to buy diapers. cause when i get that game im gonna sh*t. i cant wait for that damn game

[R240sx]

Sony has plans to release a playstation store for psp. and i've never had that issue with my laptop, sounds like a uncommon error.

[MinisterofDOOM]

sounds like a uncommon error.

No, it's not. Google it. It's all over the place, and no one ever seems to get a decent answer. I read DOZENS of threads, questions, posts, ect. before finally finding one with a useful answer that wasn't just "are you sure you're smart enough to use a USB cable correctly?" A LOT of PCs have this problem. It has something to do with Windows' USB Mass Storage device drivers.

[R240sx]

Hmm not sure why it would do that, if you go through sony's website they have a program for psp pc connectivity, try using that.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I do appreciate the input, but you should probably re-read this thread. I think you're misunderstanding the issue.

A) I've resolved the problem after some tinkering.

B) Telling me to use Sony's connectivity software to fix my USB problems is like telling someone to try a new gas cap to fix their fuel pump issues. The connectivity software is irrelevant until Windows recognizes the PSP as a PSP via USB. It DEPENDS on the issue that was having being resolved, it doesn't resolve it.

C) The issue was twofold:1: Windows USB drivers suck and were not doing their most basic duty. I also feel that some of it has to be Sony's fault for the issue to be as widespread as it is among PSPs specifically. Obviously there's something about the PSP's onboard USB port or the software USB "mode" that doesn't work the way it is supposed to.2: Sony's fanatical anti-piracy campaigns are so overkill that they not only alienate customers, but prevent customers from using things they LEGALLY PURCHASED. The USB issue would have been a NON-issue if you could just download the software you PAID FOR without having to have a PSP connected to AND RECOGNIZED by your PC. But Sony's store won't even let you DOWNLOAD the software you bought unless it sees a PSP connected to the PC AT THE TIME OF THE DOWNLOAD. Utterly ridiculous. You can't even download it and then just use a separate memory card reader to transfer it on to your memory stick. All of this IN ADDITION to having to "activate" your PSP by a separate program that ALSO must be used while the PSP is connected and recognized via USB AND the PC is connected to the internet. Utterly ridiculous.

[redtop91]

They don't call it plug and pray for no reason. Even though the issue was resolved did you happen to check your device manager at the time?

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah. No luck there, either.

I had several instances of the "Unknown Device" in the device manager (one for every time I tried connecting the PSP). Tried troubleshooting through the device details window but all that did was shoot me through to the USELESS Windows Help and Support Center. Attempting to update drivers through device manager was a dead end, too (not that I expected anything different, since Windows didn't know what the device was to find drivers).

[R240sx]

What version of XP do you run? in the device manager did you try to uninstall the driver and reinstall?

[redtop91]

Uninstalling and reinstalling doesn't work for plug and play drivers built into Windows. And the device not recognized issue he mentioned will cause the driver error to not show up in the device manager.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yes and exactly.