Difference between PS3 Systems?

[DeathNET]

I am just now joining the ps3 scene, and have been reading through quite a bit of the forums and searched a bit to check, if some one has posted please redirect me!

What is the difference between a ps3 that can play ps2 games and one that cant? Is it hardware or software? etc....

Also i havent checked out the linux for ps3 but i was wondering if its an almost full linux like i would get from installing ubuntu 8, 9, 10 on a pc? Can it do the same to a point or is it something completely different?

Thanks
DeathNET

[Slynk]

Three are 2 types of ps3s that can play ps2 games. The original fats have some ps2 hardware and software emulation. The next generation to come out had no hardware and only ps2 emulation. And then, no emulation at all (although the files to emulate are still in flash, just the option was removed XD).

As far as linux, I'm not sure. Hopefully someone else can reply with that info. ^^

[DeathNET]

Thank you Slynk for the answer which brings me to my next question - As far as i have learned the original 20gb and 60gb were the ones that could play ps2 games(any others i dont know) but if it was just emulation on some then why couldnt the ps3 OS parts that enable that be copied to any other with what the programmers and hackers have already accomplished? is that possible or feasible?

[Slynk]

The way firmware works is that it has all the files necessary for the ps3 to run in it. It has a list that says all models of the ps3 get THIS and some of the models get THIS but ALTERED.... The ps3's are not missing the ps2 emulation files, they have something altered (probably the nas plugin or the lv2kernel... I think those deal with disc verification). Now it's feesable you could grab those and overwrite yours with CFW but it's even more likely that your system will break as a result XD So the best method would be to patch back in the ability.

[DeathNET]

Okay and so that is what we(ps3 users) are waiting for is for them to patch in to the 3.55-jb? I would assume that the firmware would read like the xbox or 360 where the hardware is specific to the system, Hardware ids stored on the system or like an eeprom that say which exact drive this is and what mobo, etc. hence why replacing the drive you have to take out your board from the blu-ray drive and put it in replacement.

What about hex editing the file(s) that tell it which ones are able to play like we would for some software on pc, like having a program that looks for specific keys and make it accept any key?

[Slynk]

We would need a working unself for that. I attempted to make one but no one wanted to look over my source and fix it >.<

All the files are encrypted and signed. (ELF/PRX files == unencrypted)(SELF/SPRX files == encrypted)

We have plenty of tools to re-encrypt and sign the files. But to patch it, you'd have decrypt it first. The official unself tool works well enough to reverse though, it just isn't perffect. (Mine doesn't work at all XD)

[DeathNET]

I want to get started into that kind of stuff but i cant just sit here and read, i have to have hands on stuff or someone showing me or its harder for me to concentrate on it and keep at it. I know some programming, enough to get by but i dont know what i need to start or what it requires to use? Like specific progs, if they cost, download them, bricking the ps3(lol) i only got the one i have out of luck

[Slynk]

Well if you don't have any reversing experience, I'd steer away from the hacking aspect of this community and go towards the homebrew side. But if you're determined to, look up fail0verflow on these forums. And good luck. XD For reversing, you'll need IDA pro, xorslor's ppc plugin for it, and the failoverflow tools.