1. It is a matter of personal preference. Slim can output video/audio to TV, Fat Can not. Fat has infrared port, Slim don´t. Slim has double memory, Fat does not. In theory Slim is a revision of Fat version so it is suppose to be better. Again, arguable.
2. Upgrading firmware through games is never automatic. You´ll always have to consent. However newest games, say with 4.01 update usually will not run unless you install that firmware .
3. Your guess is right .
4. No.
5. No. You just need to know that ALL PSPs can be "downgraded" to CFW, however some models (Slim PSPs mainly) cannot be downgraded to 1.5 firmware (as they are not compatible with the 1.5 kernel).
5.5 You can still convert your own battery and return it back to it´s normal condition once you finished. No need for a spare battery. Moreover if you buy Datel, you just get the battery. You will still need to create the Memory Stick (Battery without stick, it is like stick without battery... nothing).
6. Because to convert the memory stick you need to insert it in a PSP already running either 1.5 Kernel or CFW (3.xx / 4.xx kernel) which is where the homebrew utility will be able to run. Homebrew (games or utilities) run only in homebrew enabled PSPs (That is 1.50 Firmware PSPs or any PSP with CFW installed already). Obviously homebrew (and therefore the utility to create the magic memory stick) will NOT run in a Official Firmware PSP.
From the link to
the pandora´s guide you mentioned:
Creating the Magic Memory Stick
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1.- Insert the Memory Stick in the PSP.
2.- Format the Memory Stick via the Menu of your PSP within Settings.
3.- Connect the PSP to your PC through the USB Cable and enable the USB Mode in the PSP Settings.
4.- Create the /PSP/GAME and PSP/GAME150 folders on the root of the Memory Stick
5.- Download Dark_Alex's Despertar del Cementerio v5 from the above link. Unrar the "DC5.rar" file with the help of your favourite compatible uncompressor (i.e. WinRAR, 7Zip) into your local hard drive. Locate the folder called DC5 and copy it (along with its contents) to the folder /PSP/GAME you just created above.
6.- Download the 1.50 Official SONY Update File from any of the download links above. Unzip the 1.50 update to a temporary folder. Rename the unzipped 1.50 EBOOT.PBP file to 150.PBP. Then copy it into the root of your Memory Stick.
7.- Download the 3.40 Official SONY Update File from any of the download links above. Unzip the 3.40 update to a temporary folder. Rename the unzipped 3.40 EBOOT.PBP file to 340.PBP. Then copy it into the root of your Memory Stick.
8.- Download the 3.90 Official SONY Update File from any of the download links above. Unzip the 3.90 update to a temporary folder. Rename the unzipped 3.90 EBOOT.PBP file to 390.PBP. Then copy it into the root of your Memory Stick.
9.- Once finished copying all the files, disable the USB Mode safely.
10.- Go to the GAME Menu of your PSP, select the Memory Stick and press X, then select "Despertar del Cementerio v5" and press X. It will ask you to press the X button to begin the installation.
11.- Only if Dark_Alex's Timemachine is already installed in the memory stick you're using, the program will prompt you during the memory stick creation for the button(s) you want to boot DC5.
12.- NOTE: Beginning at this version, DC uses same iplloader than timemachine which usually doesn't require to mspformat the memory stick. However, in some memory sticks it might still be necessary. If this is the case you will see an error during the installation process (iploader). To fix that just run mspformat as explained in this guide and then re-start the process from the Step 10 again
13.- Once finished, you'lll get back to the XMB. If you had TimeMachine already installed, then skip to the next step. Otherwise connect the PSP to your PC again through the USB Cable and enable the USB Mode in the PSP Settings. Click THIS LINK, and save the config.txt file into the /TM folder of your memory stick.
14.- If you would like to free some space in the memory stick, you can safely delete the files 150.PBP and 340.PBP off the root of the memory stick as they will not be needed anymore, however make sure the file 390.PBP remains in there. Once finished, disable the USB Mode safely.
15.- You have successfully created your Magic Memory Stick. Now you still need a jigkick battery in order to run it. Let's get to it.
In a Official Firmware PSP you will not be able to past the Step 10 as DCv5 will not run in it and will give an error message.
I hope this helped
