UPDATE: pendor has also made a Vita Homebrew that automate the process described in this guide. You can check it out here.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE (8th August, 2016): Vita system software v3.61 has been released. Do NOT update, you will LOSE access to HENkaku.

Installing HENkaku should allow you to get pass the update prompts. Download any games you have yet to download onto your Vita, you might not be able to later. If you have not activated your PSN account on your Vita: Go into the PS Store and attempt to download one of your games, it will activate itself.
Alternately, try Vita Update Blocker (only works a while after a new System Update) / refer to the methods listed here. You can also use Vita Activator if you just want to activate your Vita on your PSN accounts.

Do NOT DEACTIVATE YOUR PSN ACCOUNT from your Vita if you want to play your digital games!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ever wanted to swap between different PSN accounts (e.g. when you want to use a memory card that linked to another account), but don't want to go through the tedious process of formatting your Vita? Well, if you are on the firmware version v3.60 (latest version is v3.61 as of right now, though manual update to v3.60 is possible), then this guide is for you! We will utilize a PS Vita exploit called Henkaku, so beware you might lose your warranty in the process, if you care for such thing.
I have included some precaution steps you can do to hide all traces of HENkaku on your Vita if you feel anxious about the whole process, though they don't seem to be absolutely necessary at the moment; seeing as nobody have been banned from using homebrew on PS Vita yet.

You will need:
- Your PS Vita/PS TV (System Software v 3.6), along with your multiple PS Vita memory cards
- An FTP client installed onto your PC (I personally use Filezilla Client)
- Both your Vita & PC connected to the same Internet connection


1. Insert a memory card that is linked to the current PSN on the PS Vita. Do one of the following procedures (1st one recommended):

- Turn on the Vita & launch Vita's internet browser, type the URL below into the web address bar:
https://henkaku.me/
Go ahead and click the "Install" button. (This might take a few try. Error C2-12828-1 will occur from time to time. If this happens, click "OK" and it will automatically try again. If the error occur 3 times in a row, try turning off your Vita & launching your Internet Browser again.)

- If the the website above is down, then head to this website on your PC. Download the package and read Usage.odt to set up self-hosting instead.


On the Vita, if you get a black screen and then some text show up, you have succeeded. The Vita will automatically exit the Internet Browser and now VitaShell has been installed (it is named molecularShell in the bubble). VitaShell is a Vita File Manager, but we will only use it to launch a FTP server from the Vita so we can copy & paste files between the Vita & your PC.


2. Navigate your PS Vita menu, locate the VitaShell bubble and launch the app. (If you get Error C1-6775-5, you have forgotten to do step 1 again.)


3. When VitaShell is launched, press "Select" on your Vita. Go to your PC, launch your FTP client, and connect to the Ip Address/Host & Port combination, as provide by the Vita's dialog box:
" FTP server is not running at

ftp:// *ip address/host* :*port*
...
"


4. If this is your first time launching VitaShell from this specific PSN account, use your FTP Client and copy these 3 files from the Vita to a safe folder on your PC, and make sure you can identity which PSN account they belong to (name the folder after your PSN account etc.):
- system.dreg , access by typing " /vd0:/registry " into the PS Vita's section of your FTP Client.
- system.ireg , access by typing " /vd0:/registry " into the PS Vita's section of your FTP Client.
- act.dat , access by typing " /tm0:/npdrm " into the PS Vita's section of your FTP Client.

Make sure your PSN account is activated on your Vita before you backup the files, otherwise act.dat won't show up.


5. [OPTIONAL STEP] To feel extra safe, you can do the following to hide all trances of homebrewing, even from your friends on PSN!
- Download the molecularShell disguiser pack from here.
- Open the zip file. Select one of the modularShell .VPK files, copy it to a location on your PC. Be sure to choose a game that you don't plan on playing!
- Go into molecularShell disguiser pack's "param.sfo" folder and select one of the .SFO files inside, copy it to a location on your PC. Be sure to choose another game that you don't plan on playing!
- Create a folder in the " /ux0: " section of the PS Vita. Name it whatever you want. Copy your chosen .VPK file into there using your FTP Client.
- Launch VitaShell and navigate to your newly created folder, press "X" on the .VPK file to install.
- Launch your newly installed bubble (disguised molecularShell), then press " Select " on the Vita.
- Navigate to " /ux0:/app/MLCL00001/sce_sys " on your FTP client. Copy your chosen .SFO file across & replace the existing "param.sfo" file.
- Finally, install History Deleter onto your Vita. Run it to get rid of play history & error log from your Vita. Restart your Vita afterwards.

When VitaShell is updated in the version, you will need to repeat this procedure. The disguised molecularShell is an old version of VitaShell & should not be used except to disguise VitaShell (because you can't modify VitaShell itself when it is running the FTP). A similar procedure to this one can also be used to disguise other homebrew apps as legitimate PS Vita apps.


Repeat step 1-5 for all of your different PSN accounts [gonna have to Format the Vita to do this I'm afraid However, DO NOT DEACTIVATE your PSN account under any circumstances when formatting.


6. Now you have backup all the files associated with all your different PSN account, all you need to do to swap account is to:

• Do step 1-3. (As of right now, HENkaku "disappear" everytime you turn off the system. Instead of connecting to the Internet everytime you want to use HENkaku, you can install the HENkaku-offline homebrew onto your Vita; allowing offline use.)
• Copy the backup files of your desired PSN account from your PC to your PS Vita using your FTP client & your preferred Vita FTP app (disguised VitaShell recommended); making sure they will be in the correct directory on the Vita (refer to step 4) & overwriting them. As usual, you might want to go to the trophy menu and sync your trophies with the PSN server before switching account, otherwise you will lose un-synced trophies.
  
  - If your current memory card also contains content from the desired PSN account (i.e. multi-account set-up), you should also navigate to " /ux0: " on the Vita and delete id.dat .
  If you don't know what this means, you don't need to mess with id.dat.
• Turn off your Vita & then change to a memory card that is linked to the desired PSN account.
• Turn back on your Vita, launch the "Trophies" app from the Vita. Congrats, you have successfully swapped account, without even needing to log in again!
  (For PS TV, you will need connect your PS3/4 controller to the system using a USB cable, so that the controller can be relinked as well. This might take a few tries.)

NOTE: Files taken from one system does NOT work on a different one correctly. You will need to create a separate set of backups for the different console in that case.
NOTE: If you get Error np-6174-8 when trying to launch a digital game. You need to launch the "Trophies" bubble from the PS Vita, it should be fixed afterwards. If not, you can always just format the Vita.


References:
https://henkaku.xyz/usage/
http://hackinformer.com/2015/06/26/how-to-swap-your-vita-memory-card-without-formatting/
https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/...d_my_folder_of_molecularshell_disguiser_vpks/
http://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?p=407087
https://twitter.com/KanadeEngel/status/761329400373710848
https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/comments/4wow3l/am_i_screwed/


How to get multiple accounts on a single memory card:
https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/comments/4vhn3z/how_to_get_multiple_accounts_on_a_single_memory/

 

[SilverCX]

So only the VITA will be formated using this process, and not the actual card correct?

 

[geddanof]

So only the VITA will be formated using this process, and not the actual card correct?

Yes, nothing in your memory card is modified.

 

[VitaType]

This is the molecularShell you use from now on, instead of the regular one. If the regular molecularShell gets updated in the future, I'll update the link in this guide (and maybe post a changelog).

There was a update today (eh, yesterday?), I believe. I would like to see the update you mentioned.

The molecularShell disguiser pack also contains several param.sfo, which can be used to disguise homebrew apps as legitimate PS Vita apps.

This is nice, but there is a fairly large amount of homebrew now. If it isn't to much work I would like to have more of these param.sfo files. Thank you in advance.

Finally, go to " /ur0:/user/ " on your FTP Client. For each folder there, go into " /shell/playlog " and delete playlog.dat . Restart your Vita afterwards.

There is a errorlog which should be deleted too. Just for the case that silent error occurt and were written in the file. This tool here can achieve that.
I readed that the playlog is hold in the RAM and you should reboot the Vita after deleting the file since the OS restores this file otherwise (with the entries). Not sure if it is true, but better secure as careless

 

[geddanof]

There was a update today (eh, yesterday?), I believe. I would like to see the update you mentioned.

Sorry, my mistake; I mean I will update the disguised molecularShell link if the link gets updated to match the real molecularShell. If I find out a better way to disguise molecularShell, I'll update my guide ASAP.

This is nice, but there is a fairly large amount of homebrew now. If it isn't to much work I would like to have more of these param.sfo files. Thank you in advance.

I have quite a bit of legitimate PS Vita games in my collection, I should be able to extract the param.sfo from them and upload them online sometime

There is a errorlog which should be deleted too. Just for the case that silent error occurt and were written in the file This tool here could achieve that.

Gotcha, I'll test out the new tool myself and update the guide accordingly later.

 

[VitaType]

---deleted---

 

[geddanof]

Oh, I think you mean VitaShell

https://bitbucket.org/TheOfficialFloW/vitashell/

Come to think of it, molecularShell is just a derived version of VitaShell, right? So if VitaShell gets updated to have the ability to install .vpk files, we can probably just replace molecularShell with that instead; this should allow us to disguise the app manually by replacing param.sfo ourselves, hence guaranteed to be always up-to-date!

 

[TerraCadence]

Download the molecularShell disguiser pack from here.

Hey cool, I made those. That's my Mega folder.

 

[geddanof]

Hey cool, I made those. That's my Mega folder.

Sorry, do you want me to add a credit list or something? I'm starting to feel kind of rude now that various authors state that they saw their work being referenced here.

 

[TerraCadence]

Sorry, do you want me to add a credit list or something? I'm starting to feel kind of rude now that various authors state that they saw their work being referenced here.

You already linked back to my thread. I'm not complaining, I'm just surprised that my work has been so helpful to the community.

 

[sirauron14]

Wait step 5 says

Finally, go to " /ur0:/user/ " on your FTP Client. For each folder there, go into " /shell/playlog " and delete playlog.dat . Restart your Vita afterwards.

So if you restart it you have to re-apply the exploit?

 

[xy2_]

People restart their Vita?

 

[geddanof]

Wait step 5 says

So if you restart it you have to re-apply the exploit?

We need to restart our Vita immediately afterwards because a copy of the playlog is supposingly held in the RAM too. So if you attempt to start another app after just deleting the playlog on the system storage, the Vita will just restore it from RAM. If you turn off the system however, it will get rid of the RAM copy forever.

And yes, you need to go to that website every single time you turn on your Vita. Seems to be quicker after the first time though.

 

[sirauron14]

We need to restart our Vita immediately afterwards because a copy of the playlog is supposingly held in the RAM too. So if you attempt to start another app after just deleting the playlog on the system storage, the Vita will just restore it from RAM. If you turn off the system however, it will get rid of the RAM copy forever.

And yes, you need to go to that website every single time you turn on your Vita. Seems to be quicker after the first time though.

Ah! Ok just making sure! Thanks

 

[geddanof]

Welp, PS Vita system software 3.61 has been released... backup all your files when you can!

P.S. Guide is now updated to utilize the newest version of VitaShell instead

 

[sakinud]

Need help, the problem I have is to buy a memory card used which still has data and sets the former owner, well what I want is to format this card and you can use it in my psvita with that now I have and spend everything I have in the old to the new (which incidentally the former is 8GB and the new one is 32GB), well the problem I found is that I am now in version 3.60 with henhaku installed, emulators and others, and my concern is that to put the new Blast me ask upgrade to 3.61 without option to cancel and lose everything I have with henhaku, have told me that you can cancel the update but then would not let me put the bill so it would not have access to my digital games, believe that a solution would be to back up the system and the games I have installed right now, someone can tell me to do, and if possible step, thanks in advance.

 

[CarefulCrysis]

I've got two accounts with different games on but I can't access one as I need to deactivate the vita, is there a work around for this?

 

[retrofan_k]

Does this resolve the problem using digital games downloaded from a PSN account on a Vita to a PSTV? I just bought a PSTV, updated it to 3.60, installed the Whitelist.vpk and Memcardswapv1.apk to the Vita MC and transferred the MC to the PSTV.

However, after running the Henhaku exploit, everything works, except my bought Vita titles on the PSTV, as it says they must be downloaded again from the PSN store. The offline Henhaku Email doesn't work either, if you switch between systems with just the 1 MC, as it complains of the Email Database needing to be formatted. I fucking hate all this SONY DRM bullshit, it's so annoying.

 

[geddanof]

I've got two accounts with different games on but I can't access one as I need to deactivate the vita, is there a work around for this?

What, why not? Have you not performed the file backup as described in the guide already? If you have done so beforehand (i.e. before the 3.61 update), you should be able to swap between different accounts without even the need to format the Vita. You DO NOT NEED to deactivate one account w/ Vita in order to switch accounts.


If no backup, then you should make sure all of your PSN accounts have your Vita activated on them. You can check this by logging in Sony Entertainment Network with your account details (check for each account), and then go to the "Device" tab; you should be able to see all your Sony systems listed there.

If all of your PSN accounts are indeed activated with Vita, then it is safe to just format the Vita to swap between different accounts (MAKE SURE YOU SELECT "NO" when asked do you want to DEACTIVATE the system). Of course, you should backup the 3 files for all your PSN account, as soon as you can, keep them safe.

If you need to activate your Vita on one or more PSN account, then you should make sure Vita Update Blocker is still functioning properly first. Try and use Vita Update Blocker to access your current PS Store.
- If you are able to, make sure you have backup system.dreg, system.ireg & act.dat from your current account first. You can then safely format the Vita (again, MAKE SURE YOU SELECT "NO" when asked do you want to DEACTIVATE the system), and proceed to set-up your Vita (with the account(s) that have not been activated with your Vita). Once set-up is done, use Vita Update Blocker to access the PS Store; proceed to download one of your games, it will activate itself. You can now backup the 3 files for all your PSN accounts, as soon as you can, keep them safe.
- If you can't get Vita Update Blocker to work, and you have confirmed that it no longer works (try searching the Internet or something), then I'm afraid you will need to look for alternate methods to activate Vita on lower firmware. I'm aware there is an alternate way involving the PS3, but sadly I do not have a PS3...

Does this resolve the problem using digital games downloaded from a PSN account on a Vita to a PSTV? I just bought a PSTV, updated it to 3.60, installed the Whitelist.vpk and Memcardswapv1.apk to the Vita MC and transferred the MC to the PSTV.
...
The offline Henhaku Email doesn't work either, if you switch between systems with just the 1 MC, as it complains of the Email Database needing to be formatted.

That is really weird, I never have any problems sharing games from my Vita to my PS TV... Of course, by sharing games I mean just removing the Vita's memory and putting it into the PS TV (and vice versa), so I haven't really try to have 2 memory card with the same content for each system etc.
I have tried setting up the offline HENkaku Email using my PS Vita, and then take the memory card out & use it in the PS TV. It worked fine, albeit with the usual error popping up from time to time.
Have you make sure everything is set up correctly? I guess you could always just reset the systems and try again?

However, after running the Henhaku exploit, everything works, except my bought Vita titles on the PSTV, as it says they must be downloaded again from the PSN store.

Did you make sure you ran the "trophy" app after? I remember I had problem with getting my PS Vita digital games to run after switching account using my method, back when I was first developing the guide. Allowing the "trophy" app to rebuild the database seem to fix the problem I was having.

 

[retrofan_k]

That is really weird, I never have any problems sharing games from my Vita to my PS TV... Of course, by sharing games I mean just removing the Vita's memory and putting it into the PS TV (and vice versa), so I haven't really try to have 2 memory card with the same content for each system etc.
I have tried setting up the offline HENkaku Email using my PS Vita, and then take the memory card out & use it in the PS TV. It worked fine, albeit with the usual error popping up from time to time.
Have you make sure everything is set up correctly? I guess you could always just reset the systems and try again?


Did you make sure you ran the "trophy" app after? I remember I had problem with getting my PS Vita digital games to run after switching account using my method, back when I was first developing the guide. Allowing the "trophy" app to rebuild the database seem to fix the problem I was having.

I fixed the email app thing after copying both the registry files and the act.dat that you mention on Page1, plus I have the downloaded bought PSN titles on the PSTV now. The problem now, is that the PSTV needs activating on PSN in order to use the titles I got from PSN, as it throws a message up now, saying to activate it when I try to boot one.

Loading trophies makes no difference to the above either.

Because of the current proxy app not working now, I cannot see a way of transferring them from my legit online PS3, as what is suggested, as you cannot do offline USB transfers like a Vita with QCMA because PSTV always asks for a update. Sony's DRM is so annoying

 

[geddanof]

I fixed the email app thing after copying both the registry files and the act.dat that you mention on Page1, plus I have the downloaded bought PSN titles on the PSTV now.

Glad to know you got that fixed!

The problem now, is that the PSTV needs activating on PSN in order to use the titles I got from PSN, as it throws a message up now, saying to activate it when I try to boot one.

Loading trophies makes no difference to the above either.

Because of the current proxy app not working now, I cannot see a way of transferring them from my legit online PS3, as what is suggested, as you cannot do offline USB transfers like a Vita with QCMA because PSTV always asks for a update. Sony's DRM is so annoying

If Vita Update Blocker doesn't work anymore (have you tried using it to access PS Store? The normal method of activation doesn't work using Vita Update Blocker), and neither does the PS3 method (heard you can also use PS Vita from here), then I'm afraid I have no idea how to help your case

Hopefully, you might be able to find another way to activate PS TV on a lower firmware, and if not, maybe someone will find a new way to get around the update prompts in the future. Unless you NEED to play your Vita games on the PS TV, like desparently, I suggest you wait for more Vita hacking news; since you can always update to a specific firmware version manually later on, but you can't downgrade. As of now, HENkaku only works on v3.60 .