Hacking PS4 stuck on IDU in FW 8.50

[komabear]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought an used PS4 that had CFW 7.55 installed on it, but the previous owner accidentally updated it to FW 8.50.

I'm not sure if they messed with IDU options, but now the PS4 is stuck in IDU mode in OFW.

Is there anything I can do to fix this? I know downgrading is impossible, but is there anything that can be done to go back to the regular, non-IDU mode in the original FW?

Thanks!

 

[Hayato213]

Not if you have no access to debug menu.

 

[godreborn]

https://twitter.com/_alazif/status/1393951196612681732?s=21

this is what al azif says where this happened to someone else, unless it was you.

 

[komabear]

Not if you have no access to debug menu.

Yeah, I don't think so, it was updated to 8.50 and is stuck there..

https://twitter.com/_alazif/status/1393951196612681732?s=21

this is what al azif says where this happened to someone else, unless it was you.

That's not me but that's very interesting, it's doable but what byte should I be looking for? They never say it

 

[godreborn]

that I don't know. you'd have to ask al azif for specifics on doing this.

 

[komabear]

that I don't know. you'd have to ask al azif for specifics on doing this.

Well thanks for the help in any case!

By the way, if I decide to stick around with this PS4, if someday there's a CFW for 8.50, would I be able to install CFW on it again even if it's in this state?

 

[godreborn]

possibly. I'm not sure if hen works in idu mode or not. I think there's a button combo to get out of it. idu mode exists for the vita as well, and it also has a combo to get out of demo mode, where you can't do anything. however, you use an app to get back to official mode. I've been in it on the vita when using uri calls to call the package installer, when we had to do that with the smallest demo on psn for use to install adrenaline. anyway, the ps4 has an option for idu mode in debug settings. it could be as simple as the button combo, then changing that option (not sure). they say never to go into idu mode. the other person I was referring to said all profiles and saves were deleted once he got out of it.

 

[Hayato213]

Well thanks for the help in any case!

By the way, if I decide to stick around with this PS4, if someday there's a CFW for 8.50, would I be able to install CFW on it again even if it's in this state?

You should be able to get it out of idu mode if there is a 8.50 public exploit.

 

[godreborn]

btw, here's the conversation where I got some info on that: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/help-to-get-ps4-out-of-demo-kiosk-mode.33935/page-2#post-294435

there's another post where someone got out of it, but he was on an exploitable firmware. the first post kinda goes off topic (in a way), because the person was ripped off by someone on ebay who sold him the system on idu mode by default.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

alright, I found the post on getting out: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/w...roller-on-pc-and-ps4.33878/page-3#post-293815

it really messed up the person's system. it's just as I thought though: button combo followed by getting into debug settings to turn it off.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

one reminder: make sure to remove the internet settings from the system if they're in there. the system will try to update to the latest if it detects newer firmware, and you obviously don't want that to happen.

 

[komabear]

btw, here's the conversation where I got some info on that: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/help-to-get-ps4-out-of-demo-kiosk-mode.33935/page-2#post-294435

there's another post where someone got out of it, but he was on an exploitable firmware. the first post kinda goes off topic (in a way), because the person was ripped off by someone on ebay who sold him the system on idu mode by default.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

alright, I found the post on getting out: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/w...roller-on-pc-and-ps4.33878/page-3#post-293815

it really messed up the person's system. it's just as I thought though: button combo followed by getting into debug settings to turn it off.

Thanks, I'll take a look but if it doesn't work I'll just wait for a 8.50 CFW someday

 

[komabear]

Just a quick heads up for anyone who runs into this issue - I figured out how to at least run physical games on it. The only downside is that you get an annoying notification icon stuck on your screen while you play the game.

So basically a quick run down - OMSK doesn't actually start in this PS4. When I turn it on, it's stuck saying "updating from server...". I read here that it's actually looking for some software on the same network. Does anyone know what this is about? Maybe if I could at least get this software it would make things easier - I could install games using Staff Mode, then run the actual Kiosk mode and run the games.

In any case, I found what seems to be an oversight that allows me to actually run the game.

1. First thing, turn off automatic downloads for system software so the PS4 doesn't update or something - you will need to turn the internet on briefly.
2. Delete the OMSK app by pressing Options on it and selecting Delete.
3. Turn on the internet, and as soon as it begins downloading again (it always does this if you delete it), quickly go to Settings and turn off your internet.
4. The download will be stuck and after some time you'll get a notification saying it failed, but the "Waiting for IDU update" ribbon won't go away.
5. You can now start the game.

You have to do this everytime you restart your PS4, as it's the IDU mode is not supposed to work without a IDU disk or connected to the internet. I've thought about it and another way to make this easier would be to block any PS4 connections on your router - I will look into this later.

Edit: Looking around for these specific steps I found this thread, so I guess this procedure was known! https://www.psxhax.com/threads/ps4-demo-console-model-cuh-1115a-idu-utility-disc.1541/
I'm glad it still works too, at least I can play some games while I wait for the CFW someday

This thread also mentions the whole sflash0 procedure and the correct byte to change! Great news!

 

[Deleted User]

Was this explained to you by the seller before you bought it if not they scammed you.

 

[komabear]

Was this explained to you by the seller before you bought it if not they scammed you.

It was, but it was really cheap too so...

I'm talking to some people who can solder better than I do and apparently it's a pretty simple process, removing the sflash chip, using the spi programmer and re-soldering it. I'm going to try that.

 

[KiiWii]

Did the button combo work?

Use R1 + R2 + L1 + L2 + Option + Up for 10 seconds.

 

[komabear]

Did the button combo work?

Use R1 + R2 + L1 + L2 + Option + Up for 10 seconds.

This button combo is only to get into Staff Mode. In a normal IDU unit, you enter the Staff Mode to configure things, then restart the PS4 and either have a program running on the same network, or use an IDU disk that has some demos.

If you dont have either of these, as soon as you turn on your PS4 it will run the OMSK app and get stuck saying "updating from server...". Since there's no server running on the same network, it will just stay there.

 

[komabear]

Quick update - I was able to ask to a friend to unsolder the chip for me, and following this tutorial I've successfully dumped the sflash to a bin file. Bought the CH341a programmer and everything.

The instructions on how to edit the hex code (byte 00 to 01) were extremely unclear, but thankfully there's an app called BwE PS4 NOR Validator that has the option to remove IDU completely - you just load the extracted BIN file on it and follow the instructions, it's pretty amazing. In the end, you actually have to change the first byte at address 0x1CA600 from 01 to FF - but in any case I would still always use the BwE PS4 NOR Validator.

Now I've just finished flashing the chip back and I'm taking it to my friend again so he can solder it back for me. Hopefully this all works!

 

[godreborn]

Fingers crossed. Report back.

 

[komabear]

Finally got the PS4 back from the repair shop. They managed to remove the IDU for me. Apparently when my friend tried to de-solder the chip, some of the heat ended up getting under the southbridge chip also, breaking some connections.

After fixing that, they warned me that the PS4 was still in IDU mode - probably because of me, when I tried flashing the chip (after modifying the fw on the chip using the BwE PS4 NOR Validator) I didn't set it to erase the chip completely first? I'm not 100% sure this was it, but the flash program warned me about that.

tl;dr if you don't know how to de-solder don't try doing this lol. It's a simple process but I managed to fuck it up every part of the way.

I'm glad they got to fix it tho, and the PS4 was so cheap in the first place that it didn't matter!

 

[pejman1998]

Finally got the PS4 back from the repair shop. They managed to remove the IDU for me. Apparently when my friend tried to de-solder the chip, some of the heat ended up getting under the southbridge chip also, breaking some connections.

After fixing that, they warned me that the PS4 was still in IDU mode - probably because of me, when I tried flashing the chip (after modifying the fw on the chip using the BwE PS4 NOR Validator) I didn't set it to erase the chip completely first? I'm not 100% sure this was it, but the flash program warned me about that.

tl;dr if you don't know how to de-solder don't try doing this lol. It's a simple process but I managed to fuck it up every part of the way.

I'm glad they got to fix it tho, and the PS4 was so cheap in the first place that it didn't matter!

i dont get it you mean you didnt solve the IDU problem by flashing it ?

 

[komabear]

i dont get it you mean you didnt solve the IDU problem by flashing it ?

What I mean is that it didn't work when I tried it, but maybe it was my fault, the program did warn me that I should turn the "erase" option on - meaning it would erase the chip completely, then flash. I was too scared to do it so when I flashed it, so I didn't turn that option on.

I don't know how the repair shop fixed it. Maybe they just flashed the chip with the erase option on, but I can't be 100% sure.