Audio Visual Junkie

How to fix “The game could not be started” error on modified Sony PSP

I almost had a heart attack yesterday. I got myself a copy of Dissidia: Final Fantasy U.S. version, but it wouldn’t run on my PSP. My modified PSP was only running 4.01 M33-2. Apparently, Dissidia needs 5.00 firmware or higher to run.

Thus, I tasked myself with I upgrading the custom firmware on my Sony PSP, going from Dark Alex’s 4.01 M33-2 to Team33′s 5.00 M33-6. I did everything written in the instructions. I copied the 5.00 M33-6 updater to my /PSP/GAME directory. Since I was upgrading to 5.00 firmware I copied the official Sony PSP 5.00 firmware as well.

The firmware installation went smoothly. At the end of the update it gave me a confirmation message then did a reset. After resetting I went to System Information and it shows that I was able to successfully upgrade to 5.00 M33-6.

Ok, time to play! To my horror, none of my ISO / CSO games would run. Whenever I tried to load a game I would get kicked back to the XMB with the following message:

Sony PSP Dark Alex CFW :The game could not be started

The game could not be started. (80020321)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I almost panicked. Did I send up with a semi-bicked PSP? I thought of re-flashing my firmware or downgrading back to 4.01. I tried doing a search, and although I did not find the exact solution I was looking for, I saw some posts that led me to recall that there is a “UMD Mode” setting in the recovery menu. Here is what I did:

  1. Turn off the the PSP by holding the power button for 3 seconds
  2. Power up the PSP while holding the R trigger to go into recovery mode
  3. Open up the confiugration settings and locate the UMD Mode setting
  4. Change the setting from Normal to m33 driver – no UMD
  5. Exit recovery mode

I fired up my games and they started working again. Even better, Dissidia: Final Fantasy was running like a charm. I am one happy camper.

By the way, in case you are afraid you might mess something up by going to the recovery console, there is an easier way to change the UMD Mode setting through the XMB menu. The steps below will show you how do the alternate method:

  1. From the XMB menu, press the Select button
  2. Scroll down to UMD ISO Mode
  3. Change the setting to m33 driver – no UMD
  4. Press the Select button again to exit the menu

Viola! You can now play ISO and CSO games again.

Let me know if it works for you.


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72 responses to “How to fix “The game could not be started” error on modified Sony PSP”

  1. Wusabizbroker Avatar
    Wusabizbroker

    Thank you so much for this.  Works great.

  2. Starchang_08 Avatar
    Starchang_08

    Thanks dude! 🙂

  3. Cadyood Avatar
    Cadyood

    Thanks a lot!! My heart was beating like boom badoom boom boom badoom boom bass! 8)

  4. Dondrapo Avatar
    Dondrapo

    wow…..thanx bro

  5. Huzaifa95 Avatar
    Huzaifa95

    it didnt work

  6. Aakashkakkar Avatar
    Aakashkakkar

    can nybody tell how to convert a rar file into iso file????????

  7. Aakashkakkar Avatar
    Aakashkakkar

    i m not able to open naruto ultimate ninja heroes 3 ……error 80020321 .i also changed the setting as above mentioned…..plz help me out,…………

     

  8. Gunadrako Avatar
    Gunadrako

    LOL great post dude. now i can play my psp 1000 again hahahha.

  9. THE_LACH! Avatar
    THE_LACH!

    Still can’t open Monster Hunter Portable

  10. Et Avatar
    Et

    works perfectly on 5.00 version for homebrew games!!!
    thank you so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  11. Jigger Avatar
    Jigger

    Hey there, I tried doing the steps. But it didn’t work. The game’s Naruto Shippuden: UNI. Thanks.

  12. Lhouem_khent18 Avatar
    Lhouem_khent18

    hey,,i hve 5.00 m33-6 cfw, tried to download dragonball z shin budokai 2 and put it on my psp,,,and suddenly only black screebn is appearing…can u help me???tnx

  13. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    thank you man your great……

  14. macktruckmaus Avatar
    macktruckmaus

    thanks friend, its been a while since i picked my psp up so ive forgot a lot of the “in’s” and “out’s” of CFW.

  15. Grass_rep Avatar
    Grass_rep

    pls help i cant play nba 2k12 on my psp 2000 running on 5.50 gen-d3,it says “GAME COULD NOT BE STARTED”…pls help me…

  16. Haseo 3d Avatar
    Haseo 3d

    put 6.6 pro b 10

  17. Haseo 3d Avatar
    Haseo 3d

    or or try before to change the umd iso mode
     

  18. george Avatar
    george

    tnx man!!!

  19. THEMAN Avatar
    THEMAN

    i want to make love to your face all i had to do was the second method now soul calibur works thanks so much

  20. John_hanz15 Avatar
    John_hanz15

    i used the second option on fixing the UMD but when i press select my psp hangs….darn

  21. blackpanther Avatar
    blackpanther

    your guide saves my day thanks

  22. Adasd Avatar
    Adasd

    tnx u

  23. Bon_salazar Avatar
    Bon_salazar

    thank you so much. yeah you saved the day man!!! 

  24. Gab Briel Avatar
    Gab Briel

    It didn’t work 🙁 My psp won’t run any games that I put in my psp. I have 5.50 gen d-3. Did I did something wrong on Recovery Menu? All the games worked before when I didn’t discovered the Recovery Menu, but when I discovered the Recovery Menu (Changed some of the settings, but don’t know what settings I changed), all iso and cso games won’t work. Please help me I need help!! I downloading Iso Tool 1.91, and 1,81 and Eboot decrypted these games: Gods Eater Burst, WWE 2011 Smackdown v.s. Raw, and The 3rd Birthday. When I tried to run Gods Eater Burst that I decrypted, the screen turned black and went back to the XMB and this message popped up “The game could not be started 80020148”. I tried to run WWE @3762cb4586c88da7a2df5d4a529e46c3:disqus 011 and the same thing happened but the code is different, its 80000002. I tried to run The 3rd Birthday and the same thing happened as Gods Eater, and etc.. Please need help someone!!!!!!! 🙁

    1. Gab Briel Avatar
      Gab Briel

      I meant WWE 2011 Smackdown Versus Raw srry

  25. Ajani Joseph Avatar
    Ajani Joseph

    well my psp game wont play on my psp and the game working so i tried it and not working what do i do get a new psp but i want to know how to fix it

  26. Connagh Avatar
    Connagh

    Fucking awesome post, much love. Saved me a lot of time and worry.