PS3 Firmware 3.21 Coming April 1st, Disables OtherOS Feature!

Deleted-171178 · Mar 29, 2010

Kotaku said:
Ever since it launched in 2006, one of the neater features of the PlayStation 3 has been its ability to run operating systems other than its own. Like Linux. Next month, however, the console will ditch that compatibility.

On April 1, Sony will release the next firmware update for the PS3, bringing it to v3.21. It seems the sole purpose of this update is to remove the "install other OS" feature from pre-Slim models of the console. SCEA's Senior Director Corporate Communications & Social Media, Patrick Seybold, says the move is "due to security concerns".

He also says that disabling the feature "will help ensure that PS3 owners will continue to have access to the broad range of gaming and entertainment content from SCE and its content partners on a more secure system."

Of course, Sony is quick to point out the install is "optional", but then, if you refuse to upgrade, you'll no longer be able to sign into the PlayStation Network or play any PS3 games (or Blu-Rays) that require v3.21 (or higher). So no, for many people, it's not really optional.

This of course doesn't affect owners of a "Slim" PS3, as the feature was never present in that model in the first place.

The "security" reason is an interesting one, given that, around the time of the initial announcement of the PS3 Slim losing Linux support, Sony promised that "this feature will not be disabled in future firmware releases".

We've asked Sony for clarification on just what the "security concerns" are, and will update if we hear back.

Source: Kotaku

PS3NewsToday infamous PS3 hacker GeoHot has blogged that users should not update their PS3 entertainment systems to PS3 Firmware v3.21 when it is released this Thursday as it will disable the OtherOS functionality, and as incentive not to update he has promised the very community he isn't sharing details on how to dump lv2 with that he will work on a solution which could include PS3Custom Firmware.

To quote: "A note to people interested in the exploit and retaining OtherOS support, DO NOT UPDATE. When 3.21 comes out, I will look into a safe way of updating to retain OtherOS support, perhaps something like Hellcat's Recovery Flasher. I never intended to touch CFW, but if that's how you want to play...

Two things, some people seem to think CFW will enable some sort of piracy. It won't. It'll just be a custom version of 3.21 that doesn't lose OtherOS support. Hacking isn't about getting what you didn't pay for, it's about making sure you do get what you did.

And this is about more than this feature right now. It's about whether these companies have the right to take away advertised features from a product you purchased. Imagine if an exploit were found in Safari on the iPhone, but instead of fixing it, Apple decides to pull web browsing altogether. Legally, they may be within their right to do so, but we have to show them it's the wrong move for the future of the product and the company.

First off, I want to apologize to all the people who use Linux on their PS3. Before releasing, I weighed the pros and cons, and considered the possibility of an impact on OtherOSsupport.

My logic was this. OtherOS support had already been removed from the Slim (not for technical reasons; I believe it only existed in the first place to promote the Cell for IBM) The builders had apparently no intention of including it in future products. So for the purposes of openness why not release? Not like anything else has (or probably will be) done on the PS3.

Now you go and remove a feature that people expected to be included with the expensive device they purchased, citing "security concerns". What security concerns? It's not like the exploit can be run even close to without the users knowledge.

You have to open the thing up. How could this harm users? Your blog post doesn't list positive reasons for upgrading like I think most users expect. Instead it lists things you will lose if you don't upgrade. Seriously?

The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout it's life cycle. Software PS2 emulation, SACD playback, and OtherOS support are all just software switches you can flip. It's unbelievable you would go and flip one, not just on new boxes you are shipping, but on tens of millions already in the field."

Here is to hoping GeoHot releases a PlayStation 3 solution in a timely manner, as unfortunately the entire PS3 (and Linux) scene is left waiting on him at the moment.

Source: PS3News

Sir-Fritz · Mar 29, 2010

Why even add the feature if your just going to patch it out?

mortel · Mar 29, 2010

Well this is stupid.

redact · Mar 29, 2010

april fools trollan

luke_c · Mar 29, 2010

As soon as Geohot's hack popped up, we knew it was going to happen... In the end it was the best way to stop any hacks going further on their system but not the best choice their customers

pcmanrules · Mar 29, 2010

Going by the various sources it seems real. It doesn't matter to me because I've got a slim and never had it in the first place.

Maikel Steneker · Mar 29, 2010

This is incredibly stupid. The Other OS feature was part of their product from the very beginning. Removing it now is a huge stab in the back for legitimate customers. Blaming it on hackers is just not going to work. They should have just patched the hypervisor if they cared about it that much.

Imagine if they did this with other functionality. Like, I don't know, disabling playback of movie files because everyone should just buy their movies on Blu-Ray...

kalmis · Mar 29, 2010

luke_c said:
As soon as Geohot's hack popped up, we knew it was going to happen... In the end it was the best way to stop any hacks going further on their system but not the best choice their customers

What he ^^ said. Sony are shit scared of what happened with PSP and don't want the same to happen with PS3

BoxShot · Mar 29, 2010

Do people actually use OtherOS?

Still sad to see it gone.

Joe88 · Mar 29, 2010

BoxShot said:
Do people actually use OtherOS?

Still sad to see it gone.

I dont
never touched it because you needed to format to use it

anyway maybe just an april fools joke

Vidboy10 · Mar 29, 2010

BoxShot said:
Do people actually use OtherOS?

Still sad to see it gone.

The OtherOS feature was the path of hacking the PS3 by using Geohot's exploit was released a few months ago.

Bladexdsl · Mar 29, 2010

oh noz you can kiss hacking the ps3 goodbye than

Destructobot · Mar 29, 2010

Sony's good at getting class action lawsuits filed against them. Having a major feature as a main selling point and then taking that feature away is pretty much guaranteed to get them another one. Sure, they'll say the update is optional, but as the source stated, it really isn't.

Edit: Not that the lawsuit would change anything; they'll just do it anyway and give everyone $6.84 in PSN points (or whatever they call their fake online money).

DeltaBurnt · Mar 29, 2010

They just borked one of their console's pros. They basically just said "We're going to make our console a little more shittier now, kkthnxbai"

spotanjo3 · Mar 29, 2010

Dont update it then unless you really want 3D. For me, nope! I wait for geohotp and hacker team to have backup eloader or something in the near future. If you want that then do not update it!

Sorry Sony, no thanks and never will update it from you!

dnniwa485 · Mar 29, 2010

lol im stuck on FW 3.01 ... lol

chartube12 · Mar 29, 2010

This is only going to lead to hacked updates aka CFW, for getting around this update and future ones. Sony you fail and make hacking teams now work harder and faster.

raulpica · Mar 29, 2010

luke_c said:
As soon as Geohot's hack popped up, we knew it was going to happen... In the end it was the best way to stop any hacks going further on their system but not the best choice their customers
Meh, like geohot's hack really meant something. I still have to see some real code running over the HV. Also, the Cell's root-key is still securely hidden.

QUOTE(chartube12 @ Mar 29 2010, 01:46 PM) This is only going to lead to hacked updates aka CFW, for getting around this update and future ones. Sony you fail and make hacking teams now work harder and faster.

Yeah, just like the PSP! See how much people are hacking at it, there are so many CFWs out there I can't even choose one! [/sarcasm]

DeltaBurnt · Mar 29, 2010

RockmanForte said:
Dont update it then unless you really want 3D. For me, nope! I wait for geohotp and hacker team to have backup eloader or something in the near future. If you want that then do not update it!

Sorry Sony, no thanks and never will update it from you!

I could give less of a shit about 3D, but it'd be nice to play new games and access the PSN.

raulpica said:

QUOTE(luke_c @ Mar 29 2010, 07:10 AM) As soon as Geohot's hack popped up, we knew it was going to happen... In the end it was the best way to stop any hacks going further on their system but not the best choice their customers

Click to expand...

Meh, like geohot's hack really meant something. I still have to see some real code running over the HV. Also, the Cell's root-key is still securely hidden.

Yah, he pretty much got to where the other hacker's got and stopped.

Maikel Steneker · Mar 29, 2010

dnniwa485 said:
lol im stuck on FW 3.01 ... lol

Because you want to keep Other OS? You should update before april first then. That way, you'll update to 3.15 instead of 3.21, meaning you'll keep Other OS and future games might not require an update (after all, 3.15 is higher than 3.01).

PS3 Firmware 3.21 Coming April 1st, Disables OtherOS Feature!

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