Hacking Hackable PS3 models and information

[CoolMe]

Is there any option for the PS3 Slims that aren't easily hackable besides the whole apply the hack every time it boots thing?

No, there's HFW, but HEN'ing after every cold boot is still a thing.
Info on HFW

 

[raxadian]

Interesting. I may just get an external HD instead.

 

[playstays_shun]

I'm about to purchase PS3 Slim for the first time, model number: CECH-2504B, date code: 1A (I think, I've attached an image so that you can take a look).
Based on what's mentioned here, I believe that this model is CFW compatible?

What else should I look out for?
Thank you for your time.

1A = Q1 2011.

May or may not be ,right near the cutoff for shipping fw.

2501a/b is a wild card when you get ones that late. 250x from 2010 should be good.. not sure about like a December one but

Is there any option for the PS3 Slims that aren't easily hackable besides the whole apply the hack every time it boots thing? Cause I have two and the one I have hacked overheats.

Could get a 210x (guaranteed cfw) or 250x (as long as pre-2011 build) and benefit from non terrible capacitors and smaller nm chips that dont overheat anywhere near as frequently as phat and early slims

 

[eggcorp]

Are we going to update the moddable firmwares listed at the start of the post?

 

[Marc_LFD]

Are we going to update the moddable firmwares listed at the start of the post?

Seems it's hackable up to 4.90, 4.91 isn't yet.

https://www.psx-place.com/threads/ps3-4-91-firmware-released-do-not-update.42992/

Not as if it actually adds any new features, anyway.

 

[NiQ1]

Seems it's hackable up to 4.90, 4.91 isn't yet.

https://www.psx-place.com/threads/ps3-4-91-firmware-released-do-not-update.42992/

Not as if it actually adds any new features, anyway.

It actually adds quite a lot. Evilnat had been working on 4.90.2 for many months, adding a lot of new features, but then Sony released 4.91 so (probably) 4.90.2 was abandoned but all of those new CFW features are included with Evilnat 4.91.

 

[Marc_LFD]

It actually adds quite a lot. Evilnat had been working on 4.90.2 for many months, adding a lot of new features, but then Sony released 4.91 so (probably) 4.90.2 was abandoned but all of those new CFW features are included with Evilnat 4.91.

What features are those you speak of?

 

[NiQ1]

What features are those you speak of?

tbh I'm not really sure what was already in 4.90 and what wasn't, so I can't give you a complete list but new features include the ability to change the console region, playing REDUMP ISOs without prior decryption (given that you have a matching IRD), ability to install DEX OFW on a converted console without bricking it, the complete deprecation of Rebug Toolbox (all Rebug features baked into the CFW), switch between PAL and NTSC for DVD movies, probably more.

 

[Marc_LFD]

tbh I'm not really sure what was already in 4.90 and what wasn't, so I can't give you a complete list but new features include the ability to change the console region, playing REDUMP ISOs without prior decryption (given that you have a matching IRD), ability to install DEX OFW on a converted console without bricking it, the complete deprecation of Rebug Toolbox (all Rebug features baked into the CFW), switch between PAL and NTSC for DVD movies, probably more.

That's actually pretty cool.

I bought a 2nd PS3 for use elsewhere and will be installing 4.90 CFW or whatever when it arrives.

I'll probably just install a few homebrew apps, some PSN games, and a few retail games. No point using the PSN Store on PS3 anymore.

Sony better not do the same on PS4 as it's still going strong (since PS5 isn't all that much of an upgrade i.e. lack of games).

 

[NiQ1]

That's actually pretty cool.

I bought a 2nd PS3 for use elsewhere and will be installing 4.90 CFW or whatever when it arrives.

I'll probably just install a few homebrew apps, some PSN games, and a few retail games. No point using the PSN Store on PS3 anymore.

Sony better not do the same on PS4 as it's still going strong (since PS5 isn't all that much of an upgrade i.e. lack of games).

A few bugs have been reported and fixed. I think that if no new bugs are discovered in the next few days we can consider Evilnat 4.91 to be truly complete, at which point there would be absolutely no reason to install 4.90 CFW anymore. The fact that the new CFW is based on a newer OFW doesn't really mean much because, as you said, the only difference in the OFW is updated Blu-Ray keys. It definitely doesn't screw with the ability to run homebrew (like some disinformed news outlets claimed).

Whether to update a console already on CFW is a different story. I'd say you only really need to update if you intend to use one of those new features, or if you wish to use PSN, because it's always better to use a CFW based on the latest OFW than to spoof your version.

 

[eggcorp]

Seems it's hackable up to 4.90, 4.91 isn't yet.

https://www.psx-place.com/threads/ps3-4-91-firmware-released-do-not-update.42992/

Not as if it actually adds any new features, anyway.

Could be wrong but iirc when I left that comment, the latest firmware was listed as 4.88

 

[DexterYeen]

so um, the ps3 got an update recently yeah? im an idiot and updated
is there a way to jailbreak it still?

 

[NiQ1]

so um, the ps3 got an update recently yeah? im an idiot and updated
is there a way to jailbreak it still?

Yeah, all the firmware and tools have already been ported over to the new version. No need for any new detailed guides because the jailbreaking method is identical to what it used to, just make sure you use 4.91 CFW / HFW.

 

[genf]

Can this lead to CFW for Super Slim?

 

[NiQ1]

Can this lead to CFW for Super Slim?

Nope. The bootloader verifies the firmware's digital signature every time the console boots up.
The reason CFW is possible on older models to begin with is that Sony royally screwed up when they generated the firmware signature keys, leading to its secret private keys being calculated and posted online, and that in turn allows anyone to modify the firmware, sign it with the revealed keys, and the bootloader would not be able to tell it apart from genuine Sony firmware.
Sony also made that bootloader immutable in order to prevent the possibility of a modchip for the PS3, but that meant that once the console leaves the factory not even they can touch it, and in this case it completely backfired because they couldn't change the signing keys on existing consoles. The only thing they could do is change the keys in the system update process, which is the reason why you need to use jailbreak tools like bgtoolset to perform the initial CFW installation, but once you get the CFW installed it'll always boot up.
When it comes to newer consoles, i.e., those that have been manufactured after the old keys were discovered, that's a completely different story. They've been released with a new bootloader and new signature keys, which were generated properly this time and were never found. While bgtoolset can still technically write anything to the flash, attempting to install CFW on those will result in a brick. Unless some kind of exploit is found in the new bootloader (which is quite unlikely at this point), CFW on super-slims will never be possible.

The QA flag is irrelevant for that matter. The signature is checked whether it's enabled or not. Even if you were able to QA flag a super-slim, the only thing you'd get is the ability to downgrade the firmware, which would be nice, but is not a priority since HEN fully supports the latest firmware (4.91) so there's no real need to downgrade. If Sony ever releases firmware that attempts to patch the exploit used by HEN then maybe it'll be more relevant, but seeing that the only changes Sony made to the firmware in years were just Blu-Ray key updates, that's very unlikely to happen.