PS4 PKG2USB: Fake PKGs on USB 4.05 / 4.55 Payloads by SiSTRo

Following the App.pkg Database Mod, PS4 4.55 Update Blocker HEN and recent PS4HEN VTX release, PlayStation 4 developer @CelesteBlue made available via Twitter PS4 PKG2USB to dump and run Fake PKGs on USB with both 4.05 / 4.55 Payloads by SiSTRo.

Download: PS4 PKG2USB (Latest Release) / PKG2USB 4.55_USB.zip / GIT

Available on the latest release page are a ps4-pkg2usb.cfg configuration file, ps4-pkg2usb_405.bin and ps4-pkg2usb_455.bin payloads.

Before getting overly excited, this is some PKG2USB Feedback by Stooged for those considering giving it a try.

Here's a brief usage guide from e✘treme-Modding.de, to quote roughly translated:

Today we present you PKG2USB, a Payload (based on Vortex’s Dumper) to dump and run Fake PKGs on USB.

1) works only with fpkg
2) game/app must be before installed as usally on internal
3) copy ps4-pkg2usb.cfg to usb root
4) edit config title_id with game/app title_id
5) always use the same usb port when you installed game
6) to reinstall game to internal hdd, remove and reinstall as usal
tip: if you still have the pkg and you want to avoid wasting time waiting for the file to be copied from the payload on the usb HDD, copy the pkg to X:\PS4\CUSAxxxxx\app.pkg

Download: ps4-pkg2usb_v1.0.7z (7.4 KB)

Coded by SiSTRo – Credits to XVortex & Anonymous

Thanks for the payload, have tested it on 4.05 and it works perfect. Keep in mind that the app.pkg must be on internal hdd, so it’s similar to my Database Mod but with this payload you don’t have to edit the app.db anymore. Great work !

Spoiler

And from the README.md, to quote: PS4 PKG2USB – Dump and run Fake PKGs on USB – 4.05/4.55 Payload by SiSTRo

This is a PS4 payload (based on Vortex's dumper) to dump and run fake PKGs on USB.

• USB drive must be formatted to exFAT
• works only with fpkg (not official pkg)
• game/app have to be before installed as usually on internal storage
• copy ps4-pkg2usb.cfg to usb root
• edit config title_id with game/app title_id
• always use the same USB port that when you installed game
• to reinstall game to internal hdd, remove and reinstall as usual

Tip: If you still have the pkg and you want to avoid wasting time waiting for the file to be copied from the payload on the USB HDD, copy the pkg to X:\PS4\CUSAxxxxx\app.pkg

External USB drive storage for 4.05 and 4.55 PS4 homebrews and games is now a thing ! exFAT drive is way easiest to manage, no encryption, so maybe faster than native USB, and works also on 4.05 !!! Credits go to SiSTRO and xvortex and anonymous. (not me)
I recall that I didn't do anything in this project except releasing it. I host source code so people will improve it.
Cheers to everyone who shared the news tips in the ongoing PS4 4.55 Holy Grail (PS4HEN) discussion thread earlier on!

 

[stooged]

This payload is useless. It does nothing but copy the pkg from internal to external memory. And the pkg must also be reborn in internal memory, what's the point? Payload useless in my opinion.

that was my initial thought when I only had the bin payload but after examining the source it does infact copy the app to the usb hdd then unlinks the app.pkg in the system drive and creates a symlink from the system drive to the usb drive for the app.pkg and when you go into ftp looks like the app.pkg is still there with something like 12gb of size but the ftp is reading that info via the symlink.

think of the symlink like a desktop icon for an app you know the app is in program files or what ever but you have it on the desktop and when you run that desktop icon it launches the app in program files.
its the same kind of thing.

the main point here is don't delete the app.pkg in /user/app/CUSAXXXXX as it will delete the symlink and break everything.

 

[robertusit]

@stooged i guess is simple to see if system flush internal memory after payload copy pkg to external hdd, right?

 

[mopoge]

In the process of creating the symlink, can the devs create a 0 Kb (or something small in size) dummy file to replace the internal file with the same name? Or at least make this the default option?

 

[fabrebatalla18]

@stooged But then that symbolic link how does the PS4 system interpret it? That is to say, it continues subtracting space in the internal one although they are only symbolic links?

 

[Tanmay007]

By definition a sym link is just like a shortcut file which you’re used to on Windows. Its size is negligible and it simply points to the location of the original file which in this case is on ext hdd.

I’m going to give it a try and verify is the PS OS actually reports back correct size.

 

[Divinegrace]

Thank you!!!

 

[redsoft]

thanks for your awesome job

 

[psxmod]

Doubles the work, maybe a next revision where you can actually boot games from the usb drive

 

[Tanmay007]

True the best solution would be to simply support 4.50 native external hdd. But beggars can't be choosers, we should be happy to even get this

 

[fabrebatalla18]

Actually if this really ends up being true and only takes up space on the external one, it is much better than the extended disk, since with the extended disk you need 2 external HDDs, one extended in PS4 format and another one in exFAT format to be able to install the pkg .