[GUIDE] Using Flash0 themes and CXMB

UPDATED 24/08/08

This is realy made for fw 3.71m33 but it much the same with all cfw 3.71+

it should also work on fat and slim psps

if you need flash0 themes and CTF/PTF themes this is a good site (there are loads more)

The most important thing to make sure is that the theme you are downloading if for your fw if not it will cause a semi brick (unless using ctf or ptf files)

FLASH0 Theme installing

this is a good flash0 theme to start with if you are on 3.71m33

now first thing to do is back up the original flash0 so you can revert back to the origianl one when you want to change it again

first plug in the usb cable

then open the m33 recovery mode menu (hold the power button up till it flashes and then switches off then turn it back on while holding the R trigger)

you should get a screen like this



next go into advanced



and then toggle the flash0

now it will pop up on the computer as a removable device

now there are my files that are hidden and are system files so you will need to make sure they are visable before you start

to do this go to my computer (coputer for vista) then go to tools (organise for vista) then go to folder options (folder and search options for vista) and then go to view.

now you should have a screen like this



now go down to hidden files and folders and click show
and go to hide protected operating system files and click it off (not tick)

now you can go to the usb drive (the flash0) and copy (dont cut) all the folders to any where you want them





right now that has been done you can start adding the custom theme


for example i will be using the organ theme that i have linked at the top

open the zip folder and extract all the files to any where you want

now you should have 3 folders



resource, module and font

now first step is to find where the files go

so anything in the resources folder goes in vsh ----> resources





now open the resources folder in the organ theme and you should find loads of .rco files

open the resources folder in the flash0 and you should also find loads of .rco files named the same as in the organ theme

now what yo need to do is drop and drag the files from the organ resources folder into the resources folder of the flash0

now you should find that a screen will pop up and ask you if you want to copy over the exsisting file



like so^^^

click ok or copy and replace.

do this for each of the rco file in the organ theme. drop and drag it into the flash0 resources folder.

you will also find a .bmp named 01-12 copy it over the same way if you choose but its the same one as the original. (you can change it to back on paint if you choose and then copy it across but mak sure its the same size and is a .bmp file)

saving space below miss out if you dont have this problem


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now a common problem when you are copying across a new theme is the space. if you find out that you do not have enough space to copy the file across heres a couple o things that will help.

1) if you go to the fonts folder in the root of the flash0 (x:/fonts where x is the flash0 drive)

and copy the file ltn0.pgf to your desktop and then rename it jpn0.pgf

then drop it back into the font folder and it will ask you if you want to copy over the jpn0.pgf file click yes.

this will save about 1mb of data as it only stores the japanese font but it is used for some games ( e.g monster hunter) so replacing it with the english font sorts that out.

2) delete the file before coping it over

iv found that sometime there is enough room to copy the file over once the old one has been replaced (e.g. 20kb room left file you want to copy 40kb file you are coping over 50kb 10kb of room free) but it wont let you copy over it

to solve this delete the file before you copy it over so there is enough room for it

those are just two ways that i know that work well

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now you have finished copying over the resources files you can then move onto the module folder

so go back from resources in the flash0 and you will then see the module (should be faded as its a hidden folder)

open it up and inside should be lots of .prx files



now in the organ theme module folder you should see 3 prx files

these are paf.prx, update_plugin.prx, vshmain.prx

do the same as you did with the resources folder and copy the prx files from the module folder in the organ theme and copy them into the module folder in the flash0.


fonts

again do the same as the module and resources folder and copy the files from the fonts folder into the fonts folder of the flash0, its locasted in the root of the flash0 and not the vsh folder (x:/fonts)

in the fonts folder there should be



the jpn0.pgf is over 1mb so you will want to copy over that there is also another font that is 1mb which you can copy over.

most of the time when a theme has a font with it its usely a custom one (which are never good) so you can keep the original ones or remane the ltn0.pgf to jpn0.pgf on the desktop and then replace it and this will save space.

if you have installed the organ theme it should look like this



If you choose to install a new theme revert back to the original sony theme before installing it as you may have some problems with the mix of files

thats about it for the flash0 theme

if you find other files in the folder copy them over to the correct folder.

also note (this is important) that a theme for 3.71 will not work for 3.80 or 3.90 so make sure the theme you have is for the correct cfw.

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heres a run down of what the files do in the resources ,module, font folder

so you can mix and match some file with different themes e.g click sound, waves, gameboot e.t.c

some files i would not mix e.g top_menu_plugin.rco and dont mix the prx files there important to the way the theme is set up

Found at flash0: \vsh\resource:

1. topmenu_icon.rco - Main XMB Menu Icons
2. topmenu_plugin.rco- XMB Text Data
2. impose_plugin.rco - Volume Bar
3. system_plugin_fg.rco - Battery icon
4. photo_plugin.rco - Photo loading icon & folders
5. savedata_plugin.rco - Save data loading icon
6. system_plugin_bg.rco - Background waves
7. opening_plugin.rco - Word/Bootwave (When you turn your PSP on)
8. system_plugin.rco - Click sounds when you scroll
9. sysconf_plugin.rco - System config icons/USB slide bar, Theme Preview
10. game_plugin.rco - Game loading icon/corrupt icon
11. visualizer_plugin.rco - Images used in Visualizer
12. 01-12.bmp - Month theme colors
13. gameboot.pmf - Short video clip when you start a game or homebrew app
14. msvideo_main_plugin.rco - Video column icons
15. htmlviewer.res – Custom click sounds in web browser (To match XMB)




Found at flash0: \vsh\module:

1. vshmain.prx - Icon position/XMB Font color
2. paf.prx - XMB Icon transitions, Icon spacing, Submenu font & line color, scrolling speed.
3. update_plugin.prx - Network Update (Can be replaced with custom reboot prx)
4. opening_plugin.prx - Bootsound



Found at flash0: font:

1. ltn0.pgf - This is the font that displays in the XMB and Web browser

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CXMB


if you dont what to risk a semi-brick then you can use the CXMB plugin

it works in the same way as the sonys ptf themes but chnages more than just the icons

CXMB v3.2 works with 3.71m33, 3.80m33, 3.90m33 and 4.01m33

(to open the tar.gz file you need winrar)


CXMB v3.2

make a folder called cxmb in the root of the memory stick

and copy the cxmb.prx from CXMB_LITE ---> cxmb to the cxmb folder you have made

next make a folder called support in the cxmb folder in your memory stick and then you will need to copy 3 files from the flash0

these are
paf.prx
common_gui.prx
vshmain.prx

which can be found in vsh ----> module (follow the guide flash0 guide to get to the but copy them do not cut them out)

one you have go those 3 files copy them to the desktop connect the memory card and then copy them to the support folder you made

now go to the root of the memory stick and then make a folder called seplugins.

open the folder up and make a new txt file in there, open it up with notepad and add in ms0:/cxmb/cxmb.prx into it and then save it

now get your downloaded ctf file and put it in the folder

psp/theme/theme.ctf


so you should have all these folders and files in the correct places

ms0:/
|-cxmb/
| |-support
| | |-paf.prx
| | |-common_gui.prx
| | |-vshmain.prx
| |-cxmb.prx
|-seplugins/
| |-vsh.txt
|-PSP/
| |-THEME/mytheme.ctf

now go to the recovery mode and go to plugins and enable the cxmb.prx

now got to the theme bit on your psp (like with ptf files) and locate your ctf theme







hope that all helps with people that are not used to using custom themes

mods - if you have a problem with the size of the pics please tell me

 

woah... big guide. Great for the noobz.

 

Killer guide man...How long did this take to make?

 

thanx

yer did take me a long time lol but too may noobs where try custom theme without knowing what they where doing and theres not realy a guide on here for this stuff so there is now lol.

 

whats wrong it only appears the wallpapers of the ctf themes but icons never change? i follow the methods cxmb>>cxmb.prx support seplugins>>vsh.txt ive got the vsh txt on the full version there are no vshtxt on the lite?

 

yer you need to make a txt file in the seplugin folder and name it vsh.txt and the put inside it ms0:/cxmb/cxmb.prx

other wise it wont work

its in the guide read it through

 

thnx!! Like this? cxmb/cxmb.prx support vsh.txt seplugins/vsh.txt am i right? im running 3.71 m33-4

 

Excuse me Dr1ver, can you give me some info about if i wish to flash multi themes rco files that i extracted from ctfs

eg: i wan the topmenu_plugin.rco from iNaFlow,
topmenu_icon.rco from Organ,
opening_plugin.rco from AppleCore,
.....

Can you tell me if which files dont match with which files will brick the psp?

 

@eldarjane like this make a txt file with this inside ms0:/cxmb/cxmb.prx here it is if you want it

@lanette you can add a opening_plugin.rco from one theme into another as it only stores the wave boot (the wave movment when the psp is reset and turned back on)

the topmenu_icon.rco i would not mix and match as it holds the icons for each thing on the psp xmb and if the

vshmain.prx
paf.prx

are specialy made for that theme it wont look right the organ theme is funny ill see if i can get a image of it on the guide

 

ic, do you have more example?

And one more question, how to add a function or icon in xmb such as reboot or shut down psp in most of the ctfs

 

well theres a link at the top for flash0 and ctf themes if you want to download different ones (not many in the way of 3.71m33 themes ill have to find a good link to them)

i think you would have to rebuild the ctf theme. when i say this (might work) you extract all the prx and rco files from the ctf theme and then get a update_plugin.prx that is set to reboot and then change it for the exsisting one in the ctf theme and then compile it al back into a .ctf file and then use it (should work)

 

nothing happens on my cxmb plugins i follow the method. cxm/cxmb.prx support/paf.prx vishmain etc. seplugins/vsh w/ ms0:/cxmb/cxmb.prx there are no ctf themes when i select on my themes? ive got a lot of ctf themes.

 

have you enabled the plug in through the recovery menu?

 

I downloaded the organ3 from ur thread,
i flashed all in my psp and semi-bricked, is only for 3.70m33? because im at 3.90m33-3.

Are you mean that if i want to flash anything, u will check wether it is compatible for my psp?

 

yes the organ theme is for 3.71m33 only if you try it on any other fw you will end up with a semi brick

basicly you will need to replace all the organ files with the backed up offical ones (thats why it is important to back it up)



yes you do have to make sure all the theme works with your fw other wise (as i said) it will case a semi brick


this site (linked at the top) has lots of themes for 3.90m33 http://customizepsp.co.uk/ they should say what cfw there for

 

great guide. i was able to do everything. btw i'm following the cxmb guide not the flash0 because i dont know how to unbrick yet. i was able to get to the themes the only problem is when i apply the ctf theme the psp reboots w/c is normal but it reboots to the original xmb still. any suggestion/solution? thanx. btw i have a slim/lite 3.71 m33-2.

 

Dr1ver, this guide is getting old. Need to update to CXMB 3.2 for firmware 4.01 M33.

 

whats up mr gooey and you are right because im a little behind the power curve with the whole ctf themes and its way easier than that now , whats up Dr1ver! I got like 20 diffrent themes on my slim 4.01m33 (they were already made I have yet to create my own theme yet) but most of them change the icons, sounds, cold boot and game boot of the xmb,and to change them all i have to do is go to themes in the xmb and press apply and Bam it goes from a xbox theme to a devil may cry theme, im still not satified though , its like everywhere i look wether its family guy or the boondocks i see gameboots and themes that i want to create myself, heres a couple of questions though ,

has anyone made there own custom themes ? i mean like from scratch?
thats what i want to do, my buddy gave me a ctf manager program and another program to make ctf themes .

one more thing, I have nightmares about bricking my psp or other peoples psp , lol so i flash the zero as little or not at all only when custom firmwaring (by the way im up to about 8 successful conversions 6 phats and 2 slims, one being the new candy coated blue one lol ) yes thank you thank you lol) but yeah anyway .....what are the advantages of making a flash0 theme or ctf file theme? other than the obvious possible bricking answer. holla back!

 

will update it tomorow mrgooey thanx for putting it as i though this thread was kinda dead ill try to finish the emulators as well been away for a bit so i havnt had too much time for this stuff

krometek flash0 should have a 0% chance of becoming a full brick as the files that you mess with are the theme and not what makes the psp turn on if you get my drift

 

gr8 guide dude good job