PS3: First ‘Custom Firmware’ now working!

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Update: I’ve now fixed the issue about the missing game data icons. PS3-Hacks.com has a nice step-by-step tutorials and they posted the PUP files.

Update 2: DO NOT try to install this from the service mode, it might brick your console, install it normally from the normal menu or the recovery menu.

Great news!

Thanks to the tools made by the fail0verflow team (and thanks to sven in particular for his work on the pkg/unpkg tools), the first “Custom Firmware” is now available for the PS3!

I see a lot of questions coming up really fast on my Twitter account, so here are the basic things you need to know :

Because of legal/copyright issues, I will not provide the custom firmware to anyone, however, I’ve made available all the tools necessary to transform an Official firmware update, into a custom one, just grab my ps3utils repository from github, compile, then run :

./create_cfw.sh PS3UPDATE.PUP CFW.PUP

This will take the official firmware, unpack it, modify it, then repack it correctly (requires you to install ps3tools).

This should work on Linux and Mac for now, but I’m sure others will do it for the masses and illegally release those files somewhere.

The advantage here is that you can do it for any firmware, if you want to keep version 3.41, then give it the 3.41 update, if you are on 3.55 already and can’t downgrade, then run the script on the official 3.55 firmware and it will create a modified 3.55 firmware.

You can put the file in a USB drive under the filename “PS3/UPDATE/PS3UPDAT.PUP” and then go to system update in the XMB, and it will allow you to install the update (even if you’re already on 3.55).

People are asking what are the features of this firmware, it’s simple, all it does is to add those “Install Package Files” options to the Game section of the XMB. It doesn’t do anything else!

This firmware will not allow you to run the currently available homebrew application. Once the homebrew developers re-package their files in a ‘retail’ .pkg format with signed executable, then it will work (this should be coming soon thanks to the work of the fail0verflow team).

Since the kernel is left unmodified, this means that this custom firmware is really meant for future homebrew installation, and it will not allow piracy. I plan on keeping it that way.

This is just the first attempt at custom firmware, and it only contains a minor modification to allow you to install pkg files directly, eventually we’ll get some more options added to it in the future. This is just starting to get interesting!

p.s: Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible!

Enjoy! 🙂
KaKaRoTo

263 thoughts on “PS3: First ‘Custom Firmware’ now working!”

  1. Hello,

    First of all, good job on making this, thanks to the people who have made it possible.

    I’m interested in knowing if this will in any way harm my experience as a consumer of Sony. Is there a possibility to get the console banned for doing this?

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  6. Thanks dr3xyz, thanks yotie, and also thanks kakarato. sed with 2 single quotes worked like a charm under MacOS 10.6.

  7. I hope someone will make .MKV playable on the PS3. That feature has been missing for long and I know a lot of people would appreciate it.

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  11. i use a PC over the PS3…. but since your dedicated fine work , i may just drop the $$$ on a ps3 and take the advatage,,, People like you should work for the nsa or NASA.. Keep up upthe hacking

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  14. Pingback: De eerste CFW op PS3! - PS3-Media.nl

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  17. will we be able to install backup manager/open manager/ftp on ps3 via install packages on version 3.55

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  20. Is there any software way to remove HDCP signal protection from HDMI? It would be very nice and useful feature. I would finally use my projector or EIZO LCD with DVI input. Gameplay video capturing would be also possible.

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  25. So… I’m still on 3.15
    Will I lose otherOS if I do this with newer firmware?
    I’m perfectly okay with waiting patiently 😀

    Thanks kakaroto!

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  29. Good work! I would find very useful an option to remove copy restriction flag from savegames. I’m not interested in piracy at all, just want to be sure I can move all content to other PS3 if my main unit dies.

  30. Great Job!! this is almost what I’ve been waiting for.

    I want my “OtherOS” back. Hopefully in the future your modification can include this.

    Thanks… im looking forward to running Vice!!! and a Genesis emulator.

  32. Pingback: Jeff’s Home » Blog Archive » PS3 custom firmware lets you ‘Install Package Files,’ piracy not allowed

  33. Damn good work 🙂
    But I have question though: I have a non CD/DVD readable PS3 and I own Tomb Raider for PSOne console. If I make a ROM out of that, convert it to an eboot file and put it in a Pen, will I be able to play it with the Custom Firmware?

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  36. it seems we are all stuck for now untill they release a un singcode cfw or untill they get a backup loader and ftp working on 3.55
    he should of just make a hybird of 3.4 and 3.55 allowing us to jailbreak to 3.55 and still have the install pkg menu

    rebug should rebug what makes the xploid work for 3.41 in a 3.55fw

  37. i agre that way the scene wold be moving a lil bit faster
    we could have kakarots 3.55 cfw with the ability to jailbreak
    that would be nice that way he wouldn’t be in trouble all legal
    and its up to the user if he chooses to jailbreak or not most of us have dongles all ready

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  42. Thanks for all of your hard work, I’ve been following your progress since the very beginning! Congrats to all of the developers who have made this possible. Now we can finally run homebrew without a dongle!

  43. hi wollte fragen wan ein FTP_server für 3.55 rauskomt freue mich über eine antwort und gute arbeit wen du zeit und lust hast mach irgentwas das mann auf 3.55 chalanglobby machen kann danke

  45. Guys. Thankyou. really great work all of you am so impressed, and i was so dissapionted to see sony removed the otheros so am glad that its now cracked and they deserve it in a way, am sure this could even help sales of the ps3. why not. anyways, thanks alot. looking forward to good things to come. cheers =D

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