Problem with ARK-4 Infrastructure mode and Network Settings after updating/changing Memory Stick

[egoryash-dotcom]

PSP/Vita Model

PSP-3000 (Slim & Bright)

ARK Version

v4.20.69 r206

Homebrew/GAME (if applicable)

No response

Plugins ( if applicable )

No response

Steps to reproduce

1. Boot ARK via cIPL overwriting an older version ARK
2. Attempt to use "Update via Internet" in the ARK menu. Result: Console hangs and shuts down.
3. Attempt to open "Network Settings" in the console menu. Result: Menu fails to open.
   4.Attempt to use "Infrastructure Mode". Result: Console hangs and shuts down.Subject: Problem with ARK-4 Infrastructure mode and Network Settings after updating/changing Memory Stick
4. If boot ARK from the Memory Stick via cIPL, everything works fine without issues.

Problem: I successfully installed ARK-4 using Baryon Sweeper, but I don't remember which version of ARK it was. Everything was working perfectly. However, my memory stick failed, so I prepared a new one using DC-ARK with the latest available download. I decided to update and reinstalled ARK via cIPL.

Now, when I try to perform an ARK update through the console menu and select "update via internet," the PSP hangs and shuts down. Additionally, the "Network Settings" menu in the console menu doesn't open at all, though the console stays powered on.

Interestingly, "Co-op" mode works fine, and WLAN/Ad-hoc multiplayer in games works as expected. The issue is specifically with Infrastructure mode: if I try to use it, the console hangs and shuts down. I've tried changing the default CFW settings, but it doesn't help.

Observations:

If I boot ARK from the Memory Stick via cIPL, everything works fine without issues.
If I roll back to OFW via cIPL, the problem persists: neither the Network Settings menu nor Infrastructure mode (via the browser) works. It still hangs.
Using the same memory stick on another PSP (OFW, no previous ARK installation), everything works perfectly.
Hardware/Software info:

Problematic PSP Revision: 09g TA-095v2
Working PSP Revision: 04g TA-093v2
ARK Version: v4.20.69 r206
It seems the issue isn't the console revision, but rather the process of installing a newer version of ARK over an older one. Is there any way to fix this?

USB Charge

Off

CPU Clock in Game

Auto

CPU Clock in XMB

Auto

WPA2

Off

Autoboot Launcher

Off

Disable PSP Go Pause

Off

Old Plugin Support on ef0

Off

Prevent hibernation deletion

Off

Use Extra Memory

Auto

Memory Stick Speedup

Off

Inferno Cache

Off

Skip Sony Logos

Off

Hide PIC0 and PIC1

Off

Hide MAC Address

Off

Hide DLC

Off

Turn off LEDs

Off

Disable UMD Drive

Off

Disable Analog Stick

Off

Enable QA Flags

Off

Custom settings

No response

Verification of form.

• I agree that I properly filled out the items listed above.

[Givemegitpls]

Same issue with same hardware

[Kaan-Yasar]

Same bug, different console — I have a PSP-3000 (09g / TA-095v2) also showing this exact issue, installed via official ARK Loader + cIPL Flasher (not DC-ARK), on ARK-4 6.61.

Symptoms:

Network Settings menu fails to open — brief loading spinner (~0.5s) then returns to Settings menu, no crash
Browser launches fine but freezes to a gray screen when navigating to any site, requiring a hard power-off
Game Sharing fails with Connection Error 80410702, though the WLAN LED does light up during the attempt
ARK Updater opens normally and shows both "Update via Internet" and "Update via Storage Media"

Already ruled out:

All plugins disabled — no change
Restored default settings — no change
Swapped memory stick with a second, working PSP-3000 (also 09g, ARK-4, cIPL, installed fresh from a brand-new console) — no change on either console, confirming it's not the memory stick or its config
Recovery menu contents are identical between the faulty and working console (both lack "Format Flash1"/Advanced), so that's not a distinguishing factor
Both consoles were flashed using the exact same ARK-4 release files

One possibly relevant difference: my working console was modded by me from stock, first-ever CFW install. My faulty console was purchased second-hand already claiming ARK-4, and I don't know what CFW (if any) was on it before I (re)installed ARK-4 via cIPL. This matches the pattern in the original report, where the issue appeared after cIPL was used to flash ARK-4 over an existing/prior installation rather than onto clean flash.

Happy to provide more diagnostics if useful, though I'm not yet comfortable navigating Pro Shell's file browser to pull flash0/flash1 listings directly.

[JoseAaronLopezGarcia]

We don't provide support for ARK-4 anymore.