Hacking unhacking my ps3?

[udo4ever]

Hi everyone, I'm not that fluent when it comes to hacking the PS3 so bare with me. I am sure you answered this a couple of times but I can't seem to find a solid straight forward and reliable answer. I would like to reinstall the latest OFW for my ps3 because I am no longer interested in running homebrew on it (emulators, backup game loaders, etc.). That being said, I am not sure how to go about doing this without bricking my ps3.
Here are the possible options I am thinking about:

1. I could simply connect my ps3 to the internet and update to the latest firmware. However, I fear that this might brick my system or ban me from psn altogether. Furthermore, I wonder if this will actually delete every homebrew I have. I certainly hope it does but I don't know.

2. download OFW 3.55 install this on my ps3. Then update through PSN.

3. delete any new channels (backup loaders and the like) by pressing the triangle button on the menu. Then installing OFW 3.55. Finally, update through PSN.

Which one is the best option?

Thank for your reply

 

[Viliation]

I would recommend deleting all homebrew related items and upgrade to 3.55 OFW. From there, you can just update to the latest firmware. If you just update directly to the latest OFW, you may end in possible brick.

 

[realveemon]

When i was switching CFW, i used service mode to switch back to OFW before I installed the other.

Backup everything first in the system settings, Service mode, 3.55 OFW in memory stick, upgrade after OFW

 

[udo4ever]

Thanks viliation and realveemon,

I actually went into service mode and switched to ofw 3.55. From there I upgraded. Everything went smoothly. However, I made one bone headed mistake. I forgot to delete the games I installed using backup managers (Batman: Arkham Asylum, Enslaved, NHL....). Am I correct in assuming that the only way to delete those games was through a backup manager and now that I am at the latest OFW i have no way of deleting those games? Basically, I wonder if there is any way to delete those games from the ps3s hard drive using the latest OFW firmware or are those games stuck there for ever and I just lost over 30 gigs of space?

 

[Cyan]

You don't have access to folders on the internal HDD anymore.
The only way to delete the files stored in /dev_hdd0/games/ or /dev_hdd0/gamez/ (used by multiMAN, Gaia Manager, and any recent managers) is by formating the drive*

If you had stored your games in /dev_hdd0/game/LAUN1234/ (the folder of the very first backup Manager v1), then deleting backup Manager from the XMB (triangle>delete) would delete all the folder and sub-folders containing the games.


*Another solution without formating is by downgrading. But you need an hardware to do that.
It's easier to format, but you'll lose everything.

 

[Pong20302000]

You don't have access to folders on the internal HDD anymore.
The only way to delete the files stored in /dev_hdd0/games/ or /dev_hdd0/gamez/ (used by multiMAN, Gaia Manager, and any recent managers) is by formating the drive*

If you had stored your games in /dev_hdd0/game/LAUN1234/ (the folder of the very first backup Manager v1), then deleting backup Manager from the XMB (triangle>delete) would delete all the folder and sub-folders containing the games.


*Another solution without formating is by downgrading. But you need an hardware to do that.
It's easier to format, but you'll lose everything.

can you not just copy saves and user data off the console onto a memory stick and then format system memory?

Settings > System Settings > Format Utility > Format Hard Disk

 

[udo4ever]

You don't have access to folders on the internal HDD anymore.
The only way to delete the files stored in /dev_hdd0/games/ or /dev_hdd0/gamez/ (used by multiMAN, Gaia Manager, and any recent managers) is by formating the drive*

If you had stored your games in /dev_hdd0/game/LAUN1234/ (the folder of the very first backup Manager v1), then deleting backup Manager from the XMB (triangle>delete) would delete all the folder and sub-folders containing the games.


*Another solution without formating is by downgrading. But you need an hardware to do that.
It's easier to format, but you'll lose everything.

can you not just copy saves and user data off the console onto a memory stick and then format system memory?

Settings > System Settings > Format Utility > Format Hard Disk

That's an excellent question. I wonder how I could save my saves and the like before formating. Is there a way to do this? Also will formating see the partition that multiman created and simply merge everything back ( I assume multiman creates partitions but if it creates a folder on the root of the drive I believe formating would solve everything).. Thanks for your help guys!!!!!

...

 

[Cyan]

It's only a folder at the root of the disk.
formating will free the space taken by the games.

I think you can backup your profiles before formating (in the system column, or in the recovery menu).

 

[jalaneme]

instead of updating it why don't you sell it on? a 3.55 cfw ps3 can sell for $250-$350 depending on condition had drive space e.t.c

 

[realveemon]

This was a second reason to backing everything up before updates and such...

Foolproof almost