Hacking Firmware downgrade

[xbones090]

So i had the idea what if you completely reset your ps3 and then instal firmware 3.41, could that work if you have already updated to 3.42 or higher.
Or what if you just replace the hard drive?

 

[SixtySixHundred]

I don't know for sure about the PS3 but most Firmware files aren't stored on a HDD. That goes for anything that uses a firmware of any kind.

The firmware is loaded onto a small chip designed just for the job and as a rule, downgrading isn't a good idea as it will result in bricking.

I'm just generalising though, like I said, I don't have a PS3 so I could be miles off but this info is true of other stuff that utilizes a firmware.

 

[antwill]

So i had the idea what if you completely reset your ps3 and then instal firmware 3.41, could that work if you have already updated to 3.42 or higher.
Or what if you just replace the hard drive?

:S Why would a firmware be installed to the hard drive? And if it were that simple don't you think someone other than you could have and would reported about it before?

 

[WiiPower]

I would expect something stupid like that from nintendo, but not from sony. If you look at the Wii, you can see that nintendo fails at every single update to block homebrew, sometimes they need months and then block only the half of stuff. And the blocked stuff is only blocked partly and can be updated to work again(within 24 hours!). If you look at ps3 homebrew, i wouldn't be surprised if the used exploit is fixed for good in the 3.42 update already.

I don't have a ps3, but i expect the ps3 to have the firmware on some kind of internal memory and it won't reset if your reset your ps3 with any method. Also i wouldn't be surprised that if you have a firmware installer, that you can 1. only install valid firmwares that are not modified and 2. that you can't downgrade. Well downgrade might be possible with such an installer, but i would expect that to brick the ps3 on the next reboot.

In short, i don't say it's totally impossible to downgrade a ps3, but i expect that you need to find a special exploit for this. (and on newer firmwares an exploit to run code at all on top of that)

 

[Pakatus]

In short, i don't say it's totally impossible to downgrade a ps3, but i expect that you need to find a special exploit for this. (and on newer firmwares an exploit to run code at all on top of that)

From what i read somewhere...the chip Infectus was able to flash nand before, allowing downgrade.

http://www.infectus.biz/tutorialps3nand-en.php

Maybe something alike?

 

[DeltaBurnt]

In short, i don't say it's totally impossible to downgrade a ps3, but i expect that you need to find a special exploit for this. (and on newer firmwares an exploit to run code at all on top of that)

From what i read somewhere...the chip Infectus was able to flash nand before, allowing downgrade.

http://www.infectus.biz/tutorialps3nand-en.php

Maybe something alike?

Well the FTP server for the PS3 allows the user to have flash access, so there may be a way to downgrade through FTP access.

 

[Rydian]

Well the FTP server for the PS3 allows the user to have flash access, so there may be a way to downgrade through FTP access.

We just need to wait for some brave soul to try it, seeing as we do have dumps of the earlier firmwares.

The problem is in order to use the FTP server it needs to be hacked in the first place, no?

 

[wyndcrosser]

The problem is in order to use the FTP server it needs to be hacked in the first place, no?

Yes.

You CAN NOT downgrade. Sorry, it's going to happen, you shouldn't have updated (if you did). Just like with Wii and PSP and Ipod products, NEVER update unless the "scene" says so, and how to properly keep you "hacks".

Wynd

 

[DeltaBurnt]

Well the FTP server for the PS3 allows the user to have flash access, so there may be a way to downgrade through FTP access.

We just need to wait for some brave soul to try it, seeing as we do have dumps of the earlier firmwares.

The problem is in order to use the FTP server it needs to be hacked in the first place, no?

Oh I thought we just were aiming for firmware downgrading in general, not just downgrading to use hacks.

Like I'm sure many would want to downgrade to get OtherOS back.

 

[WiiPower]

I hope there will be a linux soon that can be booted as homebrew. Something that actually uses the GPU, so using a browser or Open Office doesn't lag when moving the mouse curor.

Take a look at this:
http://www.ps3hax.net/showthread.php?t=13844

 

[Zetta_x]

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade from 3.41 to 3.5 minus all of the jailbreak blockage.

 

[antwill]

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade from 3.41 to 3.5 minus all of the jailbreak blockage.

HAHAHA keep dreaming! The day that is possible is the day hell freezes over. You can't selectively choose what features you want to upgrade to.

 

[Pakatus]

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade from 3.41 to 3.5 minus all of the jailbreak blockage.

That's what is called a custom firmware

Desired by many...

 

[elmoreas]

@OP: No the HDD doesn't store the firmware so changing it will do no good. As for resetting the PS3 that will not work either as once you reformat it will prompt you to update to the last installed fw, I know I did a HDD swap and it still wanted the newest fw after the swap. I actually did the HDD swap during a fw update release night. Lastly and the instructions on how to do this are out of my league and I imagine very risky but you could flash the chip that contains the fw or just replace it but if I were you I would just buy a 3.41 system and sell my old one.

 

[Zetta_x]

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade from 3.41 to 3.5 minus all of the jailbreak blockage.

HAHAHA keep dreaming! The day that is possible is the day hell freezes over. You can't selectively choose what features you want to upgrade to.

That's funny, no evidence to back up your claims?

 

[WiiPower]

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade from 3.41 to 3.5 minus all of the jailbreak blockage.

HAHAHA keep dreaming! The day that is possible is the day hell freezes over. You can't selectively choose what features you want to upgrade to.

That's funny, no evidence to back up your claims?

The Wii's security is really low compared to the ones used for ps3 and xbox. And even on wii, you can only install signed firmware files. Well unless you have an exploit for that or you are using modified firmware, which you have both on Wii, but none of it on ps3.

 

[Rydian]

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade from 3.41 to 3.5 minus all of the jailbreak blockage.

HAHAHA keep dreaming! The day that is possible is the day hell freezes over. You can't selectively choose what features you want to upgrade to.

That's funny, no evidence to back up your claims?

http://us.playstation.com/support/systemup...pdate/index.htm
http://us.playstation.com/support/systemup...pdate/index.htm

I don't see any mention about picking and choosing your features there...

 

[DeltaBurnt]

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade from 3.41 to 3.5 minus all of the jailbreak blockage.

HAHAHA keep dreaming! The day that is possible is the day hell freezes over. You can't selectively choose what features you want to upgrade to.

That's funny, no evidence to back up your claims?

Even if it was possible for a hacker to dissect the firmware files and take out the jailbreak blocking components, you would already need to be on a jailbreak-able firmware to install the unsigned content (and that's assuming that you actually can flash the PS3 with an unsigned firmware, it might not even be possible with jailbreak).

Furthermore taking out the jailbreak blocking components for each firmware would take quite a bit of time, and I doubt many hackers would want to do that for each firmware.

 

[Zetta_x]

If PS3 is jailbreakable (aka pre 3.41 firmware, yes you can upgrade to 3.41 if exploit does not work on pre 3.41)

{
I wasn't saying that it is something we are going to see right off the back. I am just saying it is possible for it to happen. I don't think we doubt that a Sony technician can create an update to replicate 3.5 system without the jail breaking blockage.

I am pretty sure we all know how much easier to accomplish the task on the wii, I am pretty sure we all have said it's impossible to run GC back up loaders without any additional hardware, the fact is, it is possible to update the PS3 and still keep it jailbreakable. Whether or not someone has the time and ability to make it a custom firmware or a decryption program that dissects the PS3updates before installation is not what i was getting at.

If someone was able to reverse engineer the PS3 update into some source of SONY SDK, they can easily compare files to see what has actually been modified in the newer firmware updates, re compile and encrypt the code minus exploit blockage and there you go. You can download PS3 updates from the official Sony website, of course they are encrypted and by my knowledge no one has been able to decrypt them.
}

If PS3 is not jail breakable (3.42 + firmware)

{
Tough shit
}

 

[WiiPower]

Developting, patching and compiling isn't the problem, signing is. If you could sign software for ps3, then you could most likely run homebrew already, without jailbreak.