First off, this is unfortunately not a "free" solution. It requires the use of the PS4 Save Game Wizard, which is a paid app (at least I paid for my copy ).
Requirements:
- PS4 Save Wizard
- Activated PS4 Console (I activated mine using this method here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/activated-ps4-profile.513597/)
- At least 1 save (from any game) from the activated console (with the target PSN ID), exported via the Application Data Management -> Save to USB function.
- Your backed up saves from the non-activated console. (These can be collected using Stooge's SG DB Backup, or manually via FTP, both are available in such solutions as Kiwii's excellent self-host here:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-x-project-5-05-self-host.512046/. either way you need all of the CUSA folders in \user\home\<Local USER ID #>\savedata\)
- At least 1 USB drive, formatted so that the PS4 will see it (easy enough to check if you used the same one to backup the save game from the activated console)
First you need to import the PSN ID from the activated console. So take the USB that you used to backup the save game from the activated console and plug it into the computer. Fire up the Save Wizard and click on the Re-Sign tab at the top. Make sure you see your game in the list, if not then check the USB Drive setting is pointing to your USB drive. If it still does not show up then you either have a corrupted save or you did not use the backup directly from the PS4 export to usb feature, or it is an unsupported game, try another one.
Update: If the target PSN ID/Profile is the shared "Activated" profile, then you only need to import it once for resigning saves for multiple target PS4s. IE: If it is the same PSN ID then you do not need to import from a new PS4 save every time you re-sign for a different/new PS4. Another way to put it is if you have Activated PS4 #1 and import a save from the Activated PSN Profile ID, you can then resign a save for import onto Activated PS4 #2, or PS4 #3, so long as they are using the same Activated Profile. You get the idea. The PSN ID, when importing into the Save Wizard, does not appear to contain any console specific flags, making sharing them across multiple PS4s using the same profile possible. This has been tested and confirmed.
Now highlight your save gave and click on the arrow to the left to expand the name. Then there should be a list of files, at least one of which includes the PSN ID of your console in the Profile/PSN ID column. Right click on that line and select Register Profile. Once that is done, it only needs to be done once. The app will retain that profile for re-signing.
Now either clear off your USB drive, or start with a new one. You will need to have the following directory structure:
\PS4\SAVEDATA\56259107bc784f2b
In that folder copy all of the CUSA folders (from your non-activated console) that you want to re-sign/restore. (NOTE: Nothing will show up in the Save Wizard yet).
Then go into each CUSA and look for any files with an "sdimg_" prefix and remove it. IE: rename "sdimg_sce_sdmemory" to "sce_sdmemory". If you have a lot to rename I have used a windows program called Bulk Rename Utility (BRU) and it works really well.
Now your saves should be showing up in the Save Wizard. Expand each CUSA line to see the save files for each game. They should be reporting that they have an unknown PSN ID (or the weird 5625... directory name). Right click on each file in each game and choose "re-sign". The app will show a progress bar and the USB drive will be active. This can take from 30 second to over a minute per file (no way to batch them that I know of, but I have not really looked). You will see a new directory on your USB drive in the \PS4\SAVEDATA\ folder. Those are your resigned and ready to import saves.
I would recommend backing up everything on the drive to a folder on your computer, just in case. When done re-signing all of your saves you should delete the 56259107bc784f2b directory to avoid trying to import the wrong saves into your PS4, which won't work in the games anyways. If you are using the Activated profile linked above then you will be left with the following directory: \PS4\SAVEDATA\56259107bc784f2a\<CUSA Folders>
Now just put the USB drive into your PS4 and go to the Settings -> Application Saved Data Management -> Data on USB -> Copy to System (I think I got those name correct, but am typing them from memory at the moment) and import the saves. If a save already exists for that game it will ask you if you want to overwrite it. If you backed everything up first then there should be no issue with it.
Start up your game and do a happy dance (at least that is what I did when I finally got it working )
A couple of notes:
The Save Wizard has a couple of requirements before it will "see" a save for resigning.
1. It must be in a PSN ID (hashed) folder. (in the /PS4/SAVEDATA/ folder on a USB drive)
2. It must not be in the target PSN ID (hashed) folder (it will not re-sign back to the same ID)
3. The files must match what it is expecting for a save
The 56259107bc784f2b folder addresses #1 and #2. It is 1 character off from the Activated profile I am using (in the link at the start of this post), so it appears valid to the Save Wizard, but it is not the target ID that I want to re-sign to (which is 56259107bc784f2a if you are using the shared Activated profile). You may be able to use any folder name, I never really played around too much since this method worked and was simple enough. But a different folder is needed to "trick" the Save Wizard into signing the local save.
Stripping the sdimg_ prefix (that the PS4 appears to place in front of all saves for a local account) allows the Save Wizard to "find" the file names that it expects.
I have successfully used this method to "salvage" my GOW save from the PS4 Pro from before I applied the Activated profile (that wipes your system when it is applied). I made sure to back up first. I imported it back onto the same PS4 Pro post-activation.
I also salvaged Nier Automata and Shantae Half Genie from a PS4 Slim (still on FW 4.55), resigned and restored onto the PS4 Pro (running FW 5.05).
I tested that the saves were good by launching the games, opening up the save then playing for a couple of minutes. I then re-saved just to lock in any changes into the PS4 DB, but I am not 100% sure that is really necessary.
I hope that this helps others with rescuing their backed up saves from their non-activated consoles (importing onto an activated one).
Requirements:
- PS4 Save Wizard
- Activated PS4 Console (I activated mine using this method here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/activated-ps4-profile.513597/)
- At least 1 save (from any game) from the activated console (with the target PSN ID), exported via the Application Data Management -> Save to USB function.
- Your backed up saves from the non-activated console. (These can be collected using Stooge's SG DB Backup, or manually via FTP, both are available in such solutions as Kiwii's excellent self-host here:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-x-project-5-05-self-host.512046/. either way you need all of the CUSA folders in \user\home\<Local USER ID #>\savedata\)
- At least 1 USB drive, formatted so that the PS4 will see it (easy enough to check if you used the same one to backup the save game from the activated console)
First you need to import the PSN ID from the activated console. So take the USB that you used to backup the save game from the activated console and plug it into the computer. Fire up the Save Wizard and click on the Re-Sign tab at the top. Make sure you see your game in the list, if not then check the USB Drive setting is pointing to your USB drive. If it still does not show up then you either have a corrupted save or you did not use the backup directly from the PS4 export to usb feature, or it is an unsupported game, try another one.
Update: If the target PSN ID/Profile is the shared "Activated" profile, then you only need to import it once for resigning saves for multiple target PS4s. IE: If it is the same PSN ID then you do not need to import from a new PS4 save every time you re-sign for a different/new PS4. Another way to put it is if you have Activated PS4 #1 and import a save from the Activated PSN Profile ID, you can then resign a save for import onto Activated PS4 #2, or PS4 #3, so long as they are using the same Activated Profile. You get the idea. The PSN ID, when importing into the Save Wizard, does not appear to contain any console specific flags, making sharing them across multiple PS4s using the same profile possible. This has been tested and confirmed.
Now highlight your save gave and click on the arrow to the left to expand the name. Then there should be a list of files, at least one of which includes the PSN ID of your console in the Profile/PSN ID column. Right click on that line and select Register Profile. Once that is done, it only needs to be done once. The app will retain that profile for re-signing.
Now either clear off your USB drive, or start with a new one. You will need to have the following directory structure:
\PS4\SAVEDATA\56259107bc784f2b
In that folder copy all of the CUSA folders (from your non-activated console) that you want to re-sign/restore. (NOTE: Nothing will show up in the Save Wizard yet).
Then go into each CUSA and look for any files with an "sdimg_" prefix and remove it. IE: rename "sdimg_sce_sdmemory" to "sce_sdmemory". If you have a lot to rename I have used a windows program called Bulk Rename Utility (BRU) and it works really well.
Now your saves should be showing up in the Save Wizard. Expand each CUSA line to see the save files for each game. They should be reporting that they have an unknown PSN ID (or the weird 5625... directory name). Right click on each file in each game and choose "re-sign". The app will show a progress bar and the USB drive will be active. This can take from 30 second to over a minute per file (no way to batch them that I know of, but I have not really looked). You will see a new directory on your USB drive in the \PS4\SAVEDATA\ folder. Those are your resigned and ready to import saves.
I would recommend backing up everything on the drive to a folder on your computer, just in case. When done re-signing all of your saves you should delete the 56259107bc784f2b directory to avoid trying to import the wrong saves into your PS4, which won't work in the games anyways. If you are using the Activated profile linked above then you will be left with the following directory: \PS4\SAVEDATA\56259107bc784f2a\<CUSA Folders>
Now just put the USB drive into your PS4 and go to the Settings -> Application Saved Data Management -> Data on USB -> Copy to System (I think I got those name correct, but am typing them from memory at the moment) and import the saves. If a save already exists for that game it will ask you if you want to overwrite it. If you backed everything up first then there should be no issue with it.
Start up your game and do a happy dance (at least that is what I did when I finally got it working )
A couple of notes:
The Save Wizard has a couple of requirements before it will "see" a save for resigning.
1. It must be in a PSN ID (hashed) folder. (in the /PS4/SAVEDATA/ folder on a USB drive)
2. It must not be in the target PSN ID (hashed) folder (it will not re-sign back to the same ID)
3. The files must match what it is expecting for a save
The 56259107bc784f2b folder addresses #1 and #2. It is 1 character off from the Activated profile I am using (in the link at the start of this post), so it appears valid to the Save Wizard, but it is not the target ID that I want to re-sign to (which is 56259107bc784f2a if you are using the shared Activated profile). You may be able to use any folder name, I never really played around too much since this method worked and was simple enough. But a different folder is needed to "trick" the Save Wizard into signing the local save.
Stripping the sdimg_ prefix (that the PS4 appears to place in front of all saves for a local account) allows the Save Wizard to "find" the file names that it expects.
I have successfully used this method to "salvage" my GOW save from the PS4 Pro from before I applied the Activated profile (that wipes your system when it is applied). I made sure to back up first. I imported it back onto the same PS4 Pro post-activation.
I also salvaged Nier Automata and Shantae Half Genie from a PS4 Slim (still on FW 4.55), resigned and restored onto the PS4 Pro (running FW 5.05).
I tested that the saves were good by launching the games, opening up the save then playing for a couple of minutes. I then re-saved just to lock in any changes into the PS4 DB, but I am not 100% sure that is really necessary.
I hope that this helps others with rescuing their backed up saves from their non-activated consoles (importing onto an activated one).
Last edited by Sparkss,