Running PS1 Games on a PSP — Building an EBOOT.PBP
A PSP running custom firmware can play PS1 games. What it needs is a file called EBOOT.PBP. You cannot simply drop a disc image onto the memory stick — it has to be repackaged into a container the PSP knows how to read.
This article explains how to do that conversion with the BIN/ISO → PSP tool.
What an EBOOT.PBP is
PBP is a container that bundles several pieces into one file. Inside you will find:
| Piece | Role |
|---|---|
| PARAM.SFO | Game title, disc ID, parental level and similar metadata |
| ICON0.PNG | The thumbnail shown in the menu |
| ICON1.PMF | Animation played when the entry is highlighted (optional) |
| PIC0.PNG · PIC1.PNG | Info-panel overlay and full-screen background (optional) |
| PSAR | The compressed game data itself |
The PSAR uses the PSISOIMG0000 layout: the disc image is cut into 0x9300-byte (37,632-byte) chunks, each compressed separately, with an index table recording where each chunk lives. Because of that, when the game reads from an arbitrary point on the disc only that one chunk needs decompressing, so compression costs surprisingly little loading time.
What you need
- A PS1 disc image (
.bin+.cue, or.img) - A PSP with custom firmware installed
For games with multiple tracks — those whose music is CD audio — the .cue is the only place the track layout is recorded, so it is worth including.
Conversion steps
- Open the BIN/ISO → PSP tool.
- Drop the
.binand.cuein together. - Check the game title and disc ID. The disc ID is detected from inside the image automatically, and shows up next to the field when found.
- Adjust the compression level and artwork if you want to.
- Press
Build EBOOT.PBPand wait.
Place the resulting file on the PSP memory stick at:
/PSP/GAME/GameName/EBOOT.PBPThe folder name is up to you, but sticking to letters and digits is safer than non-ASCII characters.
Choosing a compression level
The default is 5, adjustable from 0 to 9.
| Level | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| 0 | No compression. Fastest conversion, size close to the original |
| 5 | Default. A balance of size and speed |
| 9 | Smallest output, at a steep cost in conversion time |
As you raise the level, the time it takes grows far faster than the size shrinks. Unless your memory stick is genuinely tight on space, the default is the sensible choice.
Concurrent workers is how many workers do the compressing. The default is 2 and the maximum is 8, but setting it well above your CPU core count buys you nothing.
Multi-disc games
Games spread across several discs — Final Fantasy and its kind — can be bundled into a single EBOOT.PBP, up to five discs at a time. Drop them all in and they stack up in order; if the order came out wrong, rearrange them in the list.
Built this way, you no longer have to back out to the PSP menu and swap files when the game asks for the next disc.
Artwork
You can supply the images the PSP menu shows. Click a slot to pick a file. The specifications are:
| Slot | Size | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| ICON0 | 144×80 | The thumbnail in the menu list |
| ICON1 | PMF or PNG | Animation played when highlighted |
| PIC0 | 310×180 | Overlay on the info panel |
| PIC1 | 480×272 | Full-screen background |
If you leave them empty, default images are generated for you. Turning on Fetch artwork by disc ID looks images up by the disc ID and fills the slots in.
Advanced settings
Parental level — if it is higher than the level configured on the PSP itself, the game will not launch. The default of 3 (suitable for all ages) is fine in nearly every case.
Region — choose between NTSC-U (Americas), NTSC-J (Japan) and PAL (Europe/Australia). As a rule, match the region of the original disc.
Checking your work
Before copying anything to the PSP, drop the EBOOT.PBP into the file inspector to see how it turned out. It reports the header, the values in PARAM.SFO, and the disc information inside the PSAR — which narrows things down considerably when a game refuses to launch.
Common problems
The game does not appear in the PSP menu Check that the path is exactly /PSP/GAME/FolderName/EBOOT.PBP. An extra nested folder or a different filename and the PSP will not see it.
It launches to a black screen and stops The disc ID may have been detected incorrectly. Check the disc ID in PARAM.SFO with the inspector, and if it differs from the original disc's actual ID, type it in manually and rebuild.
The browser looks like it has frozen mid-conversion Large files take time. Compression runs in background workers so the page does not actually lock up, but the progress bar can crawl. Lowering the compression level speeds things up.
Summary
- An EBOOT.PBP is a PSP container holding a disc image split into compressed chunks with an index
- The default compression level of 5 is plenty; level 9 buys little for the time it costs
- Up to five discs can be bundled into one file
- If it will not run, look inside with the file inspector before guessing
If you plan to apply a translation patch first, read How to Apply a Translation Patch. The order matters: patch first, then convert to EBOOT.