Starting over: Bringing (injured?) rebug PS3 out of retirement

[Bonovox40]

TL,DR: Is there a guide to use for phat PS3's, starting over from scratch, replacing the hard drive with the best offline CFW I should be using, as well as why I can't get a NTFS external hard drive to be seen in multiman, webman, Iris? (Even after doing all the tricks like load PFT, MM Cobra launching, etc)


Background:
So I have a phat PS3, that I rarely used overall, very low wear n tear, and has been in storage since maybe 2018?
Anyway, my son asked for it and I got it out to get it ready, install some football games and such. It's using a version of Rebug and think on a low 4.x fw?

I've been struggling the last few days to get it to recognize a NTFS (mbr partition) 2TB WD external drive, just to transfer large pkg or iso format games over. Multiman, Irishman, webman all fail to see it. If I pop a smaller USB fat32 thumb drive in, that one works no problem.
I've tried to split pkg files and copy them to internal HDD, but multiman refuses to join them. I don't recall having this many issues in the past with transferring stuff to the internal hard drive. FYI, I am not trying to run games from the external hard drive. I want them all locally installed.

The other issue is the last few days when starting up It keeps telling me that it has to restore the storage system and usually gets stuck around 30 40% and just runs for hours. Sometimes goes up another one or two percent. A few times I was able to just hard shut it down and get it to come back up and quickly recover but it's been struggling. So I suppose just with age the hard drive might be going bad? It kind of sucks to lose everything I have but I'm okay to start over because it's my kids taking over. No real loss but to reinstall everything again.

So my main question is is there a guide to starting over, replacing hard drive, what's the best CFW I should be using (nothing being played online) And what the heck can I do to get that external hard drive to be usable, because it takes forever to use a fat32 drive with split files and rejoin and repeat over and over.
Sorry for the long post, but just wanted everything to be understood. Thanks!

 

[godreborn]

Just replace hdd, install evilnat 4.90. I've never used ntfs, don't even use an external hdd, but you may need to use prepntfs.

 

[Bonovox40]

Ok. But I'd really like to get the NTFS external HDD to work. It just takes forever to have to split apart ISOs and transfer them one at a time. Last time I tried it took like a good 45 min to move them on to the internal HDD. And that wasn't even kind of installed time after
How is evilnat vs rebug? Differences? Pros/cons?

 

[lwiz]

Ok. But I'd really like to get the NTFS external HDD to work. It just takes forever to have to split apart ISOs and transfer them one at a time. Last time I tried it took like a good 45 min to move them on to the internal HDD. And that wasn't even kind of installed time after

Last time I tested this with Irisman, game on NTFS refused to copy over completely, so I ftp'd it over via WebmanMod (Slower than just copying from the drive). I haven't used it yet myself, but ManagunZ is a Irisman fork that seems to be still in active
development, so that might be worth testing (and using instead of Irisman.)

How is evilnat vs rebug? Differences? Pros/cons?

No cons really, CEX Evilnat has actually most if not all DEX features usable for non-devs. Also no additional toolbox app is needed, all the settings can be found in PS3 menu. Also with 4.90, you can go online to PSN for syncing trophies, network gaming etc. without the need of any spoofing if so desired - just mind the usual ban avoidance rules, no cheating, no certain games online etc.

 

[Bonovox40]

Also, can I just

Last time I tested this with Irisman, game on NTFS refused to copy over completely, so I ftp'd it over via WebmanMod (Slower than just copying from the drive). I haven't used it yet myself, but ManagunZ is a Irisman fork that seems to be still in active
development, so that might be worth testing (and using instead of Irisman.)



No cons really, CEX Evilnat has actually most if not all DEX features usable for non-devs. Also no additional toolbox app is needed, all the settings can be found in PS3 menu. Also with 4.90, you can go online to PSN for syncing trophies, network gaming etc. without the need of any spoofing if so desired - just mind the usual ban avoidance rules, no cheating, no certain games online etc.

Okay. My kid won't need to go online for anything. So 4.90 and safe to go up to? I thought from what I read that 4.86 is the highest you generally want, and there's no games that need higher. Or that's not true?

 

[godreborn]

Also, can I just

Okay. My kid won't need to go online for anything. So 4.90 and safe to go up to? I thought from what I read that 4.86 is the highest you generally want, and there's no games that need higher. Or that's not true?

4.86 is fine then.

 

[lwiz]

Okay. My kid won't need to go online for anything. So 4.90 and safe to go up to? I thought from what I read that 4.86 is the highest you generally want, and there's no games that need higher. Or that's not true?

Even if the games do not need higher versions and online is not needed IMO later versions, especially 4.90 brings in a good amount of QOL patches making it worthwhile to go to latest. Also with recent CFW's activation spoofing is easier f that's needed.

 

[Bonovox40]

Even if the games do not need higher versions and online is not needed IMO later versions, especially 4.90 brings in a good amount of QOL patches making it worthwhile to go to latest. Also with recent CFW's activation spoofing is easier f that's needed.

Sounds good. Is there a forum recommended webpage step by step guide for all this? There's great universally accepted guides for 3ds and switch hacking, but haven't seen "This is the standard" guide for ps3

 

[lwiz]

There isn't up to date guide at the moment I think, but the process for you should be about the following:

• Change the hdd - if you opt to SSD get a recent(ish) one which does have some housekeeping on firmware. SSD's give no noticeable speed increase, but less wattage and thus potentially lower temps.
• Have the CFW you want in USB stick in \PS3\UPDATE folder in a file called PS3UPDAT.PUP and install when prompted on first boot after HDD change. I'd say the CEX CFW version is the one suitable for your use. As you are already on CFW, no need to go OFW first.
• Run Webman Mod installer from the game menu with L1 pressed down in order to enable full mode.
• After installation enable QA flag in the Network/*Custom Firmware Tools/QA Tools (eEnables FW downgrade if ever needed, a good setting to have always on.)
• From same CFW Tools -menu, under dump tools dump IDPS and ERK (Hopefully never needed, but better safe than...)
• Use Dynamic Fan Control submenu to set the desired max temperature. Keeping it under 70 degrees celsius if fan does not get too loud is desirable. The lowest with bearable noise is the best.
• You can activate account after creating it from under PSN Tools submenu.
• Install Managunz and maybe Apollo save tool for PS3 (nice, not essential to have)

i might have forgotten something from this quick and dirty writeup, but hopefully it's of some use as it stands

 

[FriendlyPolygon]

Ok. But I'd really like to get the NTFS external HDD to work. It just takes forever to have to split apart ISOs and transfer them one at a time. Last time I tried it took like a good 45 min to move them on to the internal HDD. And that wasn't even kind of installed time after
How is evilnat vs rebug? Differences? Pros/cons?

You can use IrisMan. It supports file operations with NTFS and many more connected device formats

 

[godreborn]

I'd also suggest enabling update debug with the qa flag options. You can then put up to 20 updates in dev_hdd0/updater/01 and update without a usb.

 

[lwiz]

You can use IrisMan. It supports file operations with NTFS and many more connected device formats

I tried latest Irisman couple of weeks ago for transfering total 27 Gb of files over to PS3. It died several times on the largest file of the said transfer. Thus my recommendation of trying Managunz as a possible replacement. If I got it right OP wasn't going to play from NTFS external drive, but use it for game transfers.

 

[Bonovox40]

I tried latest Irisman couple of weeks ago for transfering total 27 Gb of files over to PS3. It died several times on the largest file of the said transfer. Thus my recommendation of trying Managunz as a possible replacement. If I got it right OP wasn't going to play from NTFS external drive, but use it for game transfers.

That's correct. I just wanted the NTFS external for transferring games into the new HDD that's coming.
Irisman failed to detect it on the rebug PS3, before the internal HDD crapped out. (Let it recover for about 15 hours, only made it to 45% before I gave up). Was a 500gb WD blue drive, that replaced the original 60 GB drive. Kind of surprised it died based on its usage, which wasn't much overall. But I guess maybe just the age of it was enough.

 

[Bonovox40]

So hard drive swap went fine. Was actually on rebug 4.65, but now 4.90 evilnat cex.

Only thing is that external drive still isn't being seen in iris, multiman, modman, and using that prep for NTFS app, doesn't help either.
A fat32 USB drive is seen no problem, however I really wanted to use the NTFS external drive so I don't have to deal with splitting and remerging ISOs and large packages.

Also when my kid uses modman to play a game, the fan instantly cranks up to extreme speed and sounds like a freight train.
I took the case off and compressed air Everything, when I did the hard drive swap and it wasn't very dusty at all, so I don't know why the fan is going nuts like that.

 

[lwiz]

Only thing is that external drive still isn't being seen in iris, multiman, modman, and using that prep for NTFS app, doesn't help either.
A fat32 USB drive is seen no problem, however I really wanted to use the NTFS external drive so I don't have to deal with splitting and remerging ISOs and large packages.

Is the external HDD in question MBR or GPT? If GPT swap partitioning to MBR if possible and try again. PS3 isn't as picky with external HDD encloseures as Wii or WiiU, but there is also a slight possibility of incompatible enclosure. How large is the drive?
Also, I still recommend ManagunZ, as it seems by user reports to have better NTFS file handling, than the other PS managers/launchers.

Found in the interwebz:

4. Success!!! Reformatting to MBR Primary 16KB, not only made the drive recognizeable again but there are no longer hangs/freezes. It responds like anything other drive/folder in the file manager(s).

So, not only the partitioning scheme, but cluster size might have an effect on NTFS drive recognition.

Also when my kid uses modman to play a game, the fan instantly cranks up to extreme speed and sounds like a freight train.
I took the case off and compressed air Everything, when I did the hard drive swap and it wasn't very dusty at all, so I don't know why the fan is going nuts like that.

How high did you set your temp limit in settings? Also, is the game in question a PS2 one?
One partially effective and safeish measure is to replace the paste between processor dies and heatsink.[/QUOTE]

 

[FriendlyPolygon]

Only thing is that external drive still isn't being seen in iris, multiman, modman, and using that prep for NTFS app, doesn't help either.
A fat32 USB drive is seen no problem, however I really wanted to use the NTFS external drive so I don't have to deal with splitting and remerging ISOs and large packages.

Are you sure you're not missing power requirement? Remember that PS3's USBs are pretty weak and most HDDs will fail to start and require additional power supply

 

[Bonovox40]

Is the external HDD in question MBR or GPT? If GPT swap partitioning to MBR if possible and try again. PS3 isn't as picky with external HDD encloseures as Wii or WiiU, but there is also a slight possibility of incompatible enclosure. How large is the drive?
Also, I still recommend ManagunZ, as it seems by user reports to have better NTFS file handling, than the other PS managers/launchers.

Found in the interwebz:

So, not only the partitioning scheme, but cluster size might have an effect on NTFS drive recognition.


How high did you set your temp limit in settings? Also, is the game in question a PS2 one?
One partially effective and safeish measure is to replace the paste between processor dies and heatsink.

[/QUOTE]

It's MBR. But I can reformat with a different cluster size to test. It does power on and spin up when plugged into the PS3's USB ports.

 

[lwiz]

It's MBR. But I can reformat with a different cluster size to test. It does power on and spin up when plugged into the PS3's USB ports.

Try with different cluster size first - also if the drive is self powered, Y-cable might help. I use exclusively wall powered drives myself with consoles.

 

[Kng_JaXon]

Not sure if this is solved, but I was having the same issue across the board with several drives USB or HDD, and the only thing that managed to work for me after IRISMAN, Multi-man, WEBMAN failed. ManaGunz Beta - Nightly File Manager.

 

[SylverReZ]

Not sure if this is solved, but I was having the same issue across the board with several drives USB or HDD, and the only thing that managed to work for me after IRISMAN, Multi-man, WEBMAN failed. ManaGunz Beta - Nightly File Manager.

Have you tried installing a different CFW like Cobra or Evilnat? Evilnat seems to work the best for me.