TUTORIAL - Shaitan's List: Easily Swap Firmwares Without USB

Published on 01-25-2012 10:58 PM

81 Comments

PSX-Scene member Shaitan has shared with everyone an easy way to change between CFWs, OFWs, and MFWs on your Jailbroken PS3 consoles; a new way that does not require a USB device in order to install the firmware of your choice. I will let him explain the rest.

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Hi guys, I'm always looking for ways to make my PS3 experience easier so this was an awesome find. It's nothing special but I'm constantly needing to change firmwares like many of you with otheros++, True Blue and/or Cobra so I thought I'd share it. Please note that this doesn't work on firmwares above 3.55, this is simply a faster and easier way to use update files of the same firmware level.

Updates take only 3 minutes with this!It's a one click install - period. All the prompts are completely removed, including the license agreement, update details, and confirmation prompt. The PS3 bypasses even the version.txt readout, using only the filename you manually inputted for display.

To do this you MUST install QA Flag Extra, just using Rebug's debug menu will not work 100% in some cases

Enable QA Flag Extra and go to the debug settings and enable "System Update Debug"
Use Multiman's file manager(or other) and create a folder in /dev_hdd0 called "updater", so it's /dev_hdd0/updater/
Create folders in that directory for the firmwares called 01, 02, 03, ect.(Dont miss a number or it will error).
Copy whichever PS3UPDAT.PUP into one of those folders and........
Rename it to whatever you want, you dont even need the .PUP at the end.
Go to System Update then Update via Hard Disk and it should look something like this:

Some people with Launch 60gb and 20gb models are reporting that this method gives them a "highest firmware version is already installed" message, if you have one of these models and it does/doesn't work please let us know to help make the tutorial complete.

PSX-Scene: Easily swap firwares without USB

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Article written by tthousand

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81 Comments

bitsbubba - 02-08-2012, 06:24 AM
- Reply
Originally Posted by amnesia82

Mmmmm...

I don't understand!

1. On 3.55.2 Rebug I can't activate qa flag extra (game quit: no request event).
2. On system update don't have the options update via hard disk like 3.55otheros++.
3. I have made change on rebug selector mode/rebug & xmb/retail but i don't need the button combo to acces the QA flag debug menu! It show me debug menu like mode/normal

... fu****g ps3!

"No Update Required" usually means you cannot use this option, as QA flag only by-passes the FW version check in Recovery Menu/Mode!!

Shaitan - 02-08-2012, 06:38 AM
- Reply
Once you activate QA Flag Extra it stays flagged until you use Reset QA Flag, changing firmwares does not effect it so it only needs to be done once.
It's weird that "MODE: Rebug XMB: Retail" gives you the debug menu without the button combo, try different selector mode/xmb combo's until you find that network settings is the bottom option then do the button combo and enable system update debug, only because I'm not sure if after enabling QA flag extra that rebug's debug menu will work the same as the true QA flag debug menu

amnesia82 - 02-08-2012, 07:47 AM
- Reply
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!

FINALLY WOOOORKS!!!

AMNESIA82 UP TO LEVEL TESTER!!! ;-)

My last steps:

1. From 3.55.2 rebug and selector installed (rebug selector Mode:Normal XMBebug Debug menu:1 comes "for defect when turn ON the system) I've updated to 3.55OTHEROS-++SPECIAL. (from recovery menu)
2. On 3.55OTHEROS-++SPECIAL I've installed QA FLAG EXTRA and reboot system.
3. I can see Rebug selector Icon but I can't enter to the menu! When I try enter to menu,the system quit to XMB!
3. Give debug menu with the button combo. Here the system update debug legend is ON (I don't touch nothing, because on 3.55.2 rebug this option comes ON "for defect")
4. On the system update menu, now I've again the option update via hard disk!
5. WOORKS FINE!!!!

Thank you guys!!! Thank you very much!!!

I have cobra usb, TrueBlue usb and many Homebrew on kmeaw! That the switch has been easy, was very important for me!

Sorry for my English and i hope that this post can help some people!

Thanks again!

truekillah - 02-08-2012, 05:10 PM
- Reply
I got a 3.55 cfw ps3. can i swap between 3.55 cfw and 4.1 official with this?
or is there any other way to do so?

BahumatLord - 02-08-2012, 05:34 PM
- Reply
Originally Posted by truekillah

I got a 3.55 cfw ps3. can i swap between 3.55 cfw and 4.1 official with this?
or is there any other way to do so?

NO - DO NOT TRY THAT. This is only for people who have multiple dongles (Cobra, TrueBlue, etc) who need to swap their firmwares easily for those dongles to work. If you want custom firmware and current official firmware, you need a dual boot setup or a hardware flasher

windrider42 - 02-25-2012, 01:42 AM
- Reply
Well Congrats and Thanks for your Tutorial Shaitan.

I finally got around to doing this today. It took me a bit longer as I have never used QA Flag before, and didn't realize I needed to press a Button combo while showing Network on XMB, but not clicking on it.

Anyway once someone told me that the rest is simple.

Delvis - 02-26-2012, 07:36 AM
- Reply
thx

when you switch between "trueblue" and "kneaw" do i have to update first the official ps3 3.55 ?

thnks in advance and sorry for my english!

bitsbubba - 02-26-2012, 09:15 PM
- Reply
Originally Posted by Delvis

thx

when you switch between "trueblue" and "kneaw" do i have to update first the official ps3 3.55 ?

thnks in advance and sorry for my english!

no, but I don't see a reason in that as TB cfw acts the same as kmeaw but you need the dongle

Delvis - 02-28-2012, 10:53 AM
- Reply
Originally Posted by bitsbubba

no, but I don't see a reason in that as TB cfw acts the same as kmeaw but you need the dongle

so i can stay on TB and play the "old" game`s ?

...hmm how do i get dirt3 on TB to work?

Berion - 02-28-2012, 12:18 PM
- Reply
NAND or NOR have limited write cycles per sector. So, yes, one day your PS3 will die after flashing.
It doesn't matter it's OFW or CFW.

abbadon7 - 02-29-2012, 12:02 AM
- Reply
great

djluiluv - 04-19-2012, 11:59 AM
- Reply
I did some testing on my console a FAT CECHG01 launch 40GB model... it has some problems switching from CFW to CFW. When I try to switch from a CFW to 3.55 OFW is gives me this error: The Data Type Is Not Supported (80029C9C)??? Also...I tried to go from 3.55 CFW True Blue ver2 True Blue2.5.1 to Kmeaw and I got the "latest FW already installed" msg as well....now from TBcfw2 2.5.1 to Rebug 3.55.2 no problems...then I went from there to 3.55 OFW and it worked....from there I went back to Rebug w/o problems..went from there to OtherOS CFW and no problems..from there I went back to True Blue CFW v2 2.5.1 dongle and it gave me a "latest blah blah again"..then went to kmeaw to see if it worked and it gave me the same error msg..then tried to go to rebug again and it worked..from there I tried 3.55 OFW and it worked...didnt try Cobra USB b/c I dont own one..(yet).What I REALLY WANNA KNOW is it ok to switch from CFW to CFW or do I HAVE TO switch to 3.55 OFW everytime??? *PLEASE ANSWER THOROUGHLY SOMEONE*. Hope this helps someone..

djluiluv - 04-19-2012, 12:42 PM
- Reply
does anyone know if there will be an official 3.55 CFW Rebug True Blue Ver.2??? not that brickfest of garbage FW from technodon that was released...

computersteve - 07-01-2012, 01:57 PM
- Reply
I have a launch 60gb ps3 and I cant get this to work I have tried to follow what amnesia82 has done but I am not getting it to work I am always getting the error that I have the latest version installed the only way to don't get the error is if i'm updating from CFW 3.55 to CFW 3.55.2 Rebug but then if I try to do it from 3.55.2 to 3.55 I get the error again.. Did anyone figure out how to do this or is there a different tutorial for launch ps3's I don't get the part were amnesia received the debug menu icon on the xmb in MODE: Rebug XMB: Retail I have tried to reproduce this but I cant I amusing rebug selector and I cant get this to happen... I like amnesia82 have a 1tb harddrive and I have setup my updater folder exactly like his. Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks.

computersteve - 07-01-2012, 02:06 PM
- Reply
Something I just noticed is that from rebug 3.55.2 I can use system update to update to any firmware its when I update to any other firmware then rebug I get the error I have the latest firmware installed. So it seems to be that the rebug firmware allows any firmware to update and downgrade to through system update from but if on TBV2 or Cobra firmware I cant use system update it just gives an error saying I have the latest firmware.

orangeworx - 07-30-2012, 04:55 AM
- Reply
I have a Phat CECHC04 jailbroken on 3.55KMEAW. Installed the QA pkg and followed to tut to create updater & numbered subfolders. Everything went well until I went to system update and selected update from Hard Drive... I get "An error has occured. (80029C7F)"

Any ideas on what might have gone wrong?

Thx and keep it up

BahumatLord - 07-30-2012, 05:09 AM
- Reply
You didn't say what you're trying to install. I'm thinking it's either a corrupted file, or you're trying to install a firmware not compatible with what you have now

orangeworx - 07-30-2012, 05:30 AM
- Reply
Originally Posted by BahumatLord

You didn't say what you're trying to install. I'm thinking it's either a corrupted file, or you're trying to install a firmware not compatible with what you have now

Hey BahumatLord and thanks for answering, I'm actually not installing anything... this is the error message i get when i select "update via Hard Disk"... it says scanning, please wait then it gives me the error message. so I'm not seeing the FW selector menu
I checked my folders and they are in proper order in mmOS... I have 4 folders in updater: 01 Kmeaw / 02 Rebug 2.55.2 / 03 Varaques / 04 3.55 OFW
edit: and these folder are in /dev_hdd0/updater

no1's mentioned this error so i'm assuming i've done something wrong... i'm on Kmeaw 3.55, just installed the rebug QA toggle.. i can get into the menu with the button combo and have set system update debug to on

Shaitan - 07-30-2012, 08:58 AM
- Reply
One of them will be corrupt, a member on another site had the same problem and fixed it by deleting one of them so try deleting them one by one to find the culprit. Hope that helps.

orangeworx - 07-30-2012, 10:10 AM
- Reply
[at]Shaitan: awesome! thanks for the fix... I went straight to Varaques, deleted it and fixed my folders (was the only cfw that I had not tested) went to update via HD and there we have a winner!!! All three pups show up. Now I can just flip between my cfw and ofw normally or is there some threat at losing hdd saved data? (my backups are all internal)