Hacking Any way to read a PS3 HDD without knowing my keys?

[FireEmblemGuy]

I recently modded a PS2 and wanted to pick up where I left off on my last Persona 3 run on my PS3, but the thing YLOD'd about three months ago, and apparently I didn't have a backup of any of my virtual memory cards (or if I do, they're on some USB stick I've long since forgotten about and likely didn't come through my last move).

I never did any sort of modding on the PS3, so I never backed up any sort of device keys. From what little I've gathered on the subject, that pretty much makes reading the drive via PC pretty much impossible, correct?

 

[Deleted User]

Correct. Without the keys, the drive is a door stop for you. Hopefully you can find that USB stick.

 

[Necron]

Your best choice would be to get it reballed. Or try the drier trick, to keep it turned on for some minutes and hopefully be able to copy the save.

 

[migles]

Your best choice would be to get it reballed. Or try the drier trick, to keep it turned on for some minutes and hopefully be able to copy the save.

hello, can you give me information about the drier trick?

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Your best choice would be to get it reballed. Or try the drier trick, to keep it turned on for some minutes and hopefully be able to copy the save.

Dryer trick? As in, blow dryer? If that's the case, that's not really going to work. Hair dryers don't get near hot enough to melt the solder, I don't think that would work out.

If you're too cheap to get it reflowed or re-balled, you can always give the oven trick a try. It's a "poor-mans" reflow, it'll melt the solder balls underneath the GPU/CPU, and will give it a reflow when they cool after being melted (which is essentially what a re-flow is). This is a very finicky trick, and should be done very carefully if you do bother messing with it.

 

[cracker]

I am assuming you have a CECHx01. Even with a YLOD, I believe you could still use a Teensy++ or ProgSkeet to dump the NAND from the board. It requires a lot of wiring so a NAND clip is a good thing to have. You may also need an ATX (normal computer) power supply if the YLOD prevents powering the NAND.

Alternately, you could probably get a professional reball and salvage your PS3 (or at least get enough time to dump the NAND again/back up your saves or cut a deal with someone reputable to dump and send you your saves in exchange for letting them have the PS3 if it can't be salvaged.

 

[Necron]

Dryer trick? As in, blow dryer? If that's the case, that's not really going to work. Hair dryers don't get near hot enough to melt the solder, I don't think that would work out.

If you're too cheap to get it reflowed or re-balled, you can always give the oven trick a try. It's a "poor-mans" reflow, it'll melt the solder balls underneath the GPU/CPU, and will give it a reflow when they cool after being melted (which is essentially what a re-flow is). This is a very finicky trick, and should be done very carefully if you do bother messing with it.

I've read multiple times that only works for a couple of minutes, so I guess giving it a shot wouldn't be bad.

 

[cracker]

Cover the plastic pieces with aluminum foil before you pop it in and let it lay flat and cool off before taking it out.

 

[CheeseCake]

I would say you should do an actual reball (not the drier trick) and this will give it 4 days min and 2 months maximum to give you all the time to backup everything.
After backup everything, get a new 3.55 PS3 off Ebay's Top Rated Plus users if you have the money for it. Get a PS3 Slim because Slims are better when properly maintained. https://support.us.playstation.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/802
Don't do the drier trick though. The person reballing won't even touch your PS3 if you do the drier trick since it damages it.

If you backed up everything on the USB stick. You'll find
you can't play your games on the new PS3, use a PS3 Save Resigner like Bruteforce Save Data. You need to activate your system first with a PSN account then save a game file with the activated system to give that game save your new PS3 key. Use the key in this save's Param.SFO and use it to resign all your old saves so you can play them on your new PS3