Now, please hear me out on this one:

I have just recently purchased a PSP from a friend. While he did deliver everything he told me ("can play PSP/PS1 game via ROMs, 3 UMD games) and then some (2 Memory sticks), he failed to tell me that he had it modified via some firmware program he downloaded from some torrent site.
Yeah, I know playing ROMs should've given it away, but I figured I would be able to upgrade the PSP without much of a problem.
Boy, was I wrong...
I've tried to download several upgraders (both official and hacked), but the message is generally the same - "It won't start...", followed by what I suppose is an error number (DADADADADA).

My PSP's system software is currently "locked" at "3.03 OE-C" (as it is seen in the Sys. Info. screen).
I am trying to find a way to upgrade my system so that it may be able to play some of the upcoming PSP titles like CV: Dracula X Chronicles (the sole reason I decided to buy my second PSP; the first one was a gift that was later stolen from me).

While I am more than willing to get yet another PSP, I would like to avoid that option as much as possible.
Is there anyway I can fix this problem?

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there are chips or something similar to chips where you can use 2 firmwares on two memory cards
one official one hacked
try one of these

You need to downgrade to firmware 1.5 (downgraders are all over the place), THEN upgrade to your hacked firmware of choice.