CEX 2 DEX Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

[BahumatLord]

I didn't see aldostools' tutorial. Do you mean the one where he was letting us know about deank's guide? If so it's been stickied in the cex2dex section of the forums. I'm not sure about PS1/PS2 capabilities. I don't have any PS1 discs anymore and my PS3 isn't backwards compatible with PS2. I did try to load Final Fantasy XII after installing the PS2 support pkg, but it still shows as unsupported on my end. If you have a phat I could send you the link for the PS2 support if you don't have it already if you want to try

[BahumatLord]

Correction and this must be everyone know before they do it:

A: Yes and No.

Yes - If you have a flasher with good NAND/NOR flash backup when you were still in CEX and unmodded eEID
No - If you use a full software method, specially if you are going back to DEX - CEX. You will be getting a 100% brick for good. There a workaround on it but it's hell a lot of work to do it (not just a simple mm flash the cex method), specially restoring its capabilities like Blu-ray player and such.

You don't need a flasher. Those instructions tell you how to reflash through multiMAN with date code 20120722. I've gone back and forth several times. deank disabled full flash writing and only allows you to write the EID0 section. Full flash writing even with a hardware flasher is risky and may have to be attempted several times before success. Give me a minute and I'll add all this too just to clear it up

[wartutor]

I didn't see aldostools' tutorial. Do you mean the one where he was letting us know about deank's guide? If so it's been stickied in the cex2dex section of the forums. I'm not sure about PS1/PS2 capabilities. I don't have any PS1 discs anymore and my PS3 isn't backwards compatible with PS2. I did try to load Final Fantasy XII after installing the PS2 support pkg, but it still shows as unsupported on my end. If you have a phat I could send you the link for the PS2 support if you don't have it already if you want to try

yeah i was meaning deank's guide aldostools was posting it in that thread...wow didn't know there was a cex2dex section thats awesome...what do u mean link for ps2 support..i have a cecha01 that i plan on doing this to...have been working alot (and when home family has tv) making it hard for me to get time to play with it i just keep reading about it over and over that way it's real familiar when i go to do it...as far as that guide it probably wouldn't hurt to at least link to that in your first post incase someone ends up here first doing a search...anyway i'm off to find this sticky'd guide thx for all the help

edit...thx bahumatlord...i'll definatly be converting to dex as soon as i get my new modem in the mail (was suppost to be installed today) currently i'm on a lousily 1 mb connection got a new one coming and will give me 12 mb....was waiting for that before i download the files but with the mishap with the wrong address/lost modem i may just go ahead and d/l it now anyways just so i can get started i'll let u know if i have any questions...oops already have one has anyone tried this on a cecha01 without formating the hd and doing linux via usb

[digitaloverdose]

taken from readme included in PS3_Generator_Tools-330 regarding BD drives and burnable BD/DVD discs

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Restrictions
---------------------------------------------------------------------
- If it is intended to submit a master disc that contains install packages,
  content data or patch packages that are automatically applied to
  disc boot game, contact SCE in advance.

- System file parameters for regular HDD boot Game and for its cumulative
  patch are identical. Consequently, Patch checkbox will be disregarded
  for the cumulative patch of HDD boot Game when the system file is
  loaded in ps3sys.exe. In order to edit such system files, mark the
  Patch checkbox first.

- For more information on the notes for the "Enable BGM" checkbox, 
  please refer to the following technical note.

  Technote ID:200807-27  https://ps3.scedev.net/technotes/view/779

- In Windows Vista, it is required to run the Generator as an
  administrator if BD Emulator function is used.

- When writing into a media using Generator, please terminate other 
  applications, such as screen saver.

- Although manuals do not explain about DVD media because it is not 
  supported anymore, when writing a disc image of "DVD 4.7GB Single 
  Layer", please use DVD-R SL or DVD+R SL.  Similarly, when writing 
  a disc image of "DVD 8.3GB Dual Layer", please use DVD+R DL.
  Reference Tool does not recognize DVD-RW and DVD+RW as a game 
  master disc.

- When selecting "DVD 8.3GB Dual Layer OTP" for Disc Type, files that is
  actually placed in Layer1 may be displayed in Blue (the color of file
  placed in Layer0) in the layout tab.  

- Only the PNG file can be displayed using the feature to display 
  contents information files (for icons, for example) for activating 
  games. 

- If a disc image is created after editing or moving the file 
  that has been added to a project of the Generator with the Explorer 
  or other applications, the size of the image to be created will be 
  the size of the file that was added to the Generator. 
  Therefore, the disc image may not be created, or the size of the file
  on the disc image may not be as intended. 

- Drives and media whose operation has been confirmed regarding 
  the writing feature are as follows: 
  - Drives
    - Pioneer BDR-101A (BD 50GB is not supported)
    - Pioneer BDR-202 (BD 50GB is not supported)
    - Panasonic SW-5582
    - Panasonic SW-5584
    - Panasonic LF-MB121
    - Panasonic LF-PB271
    - HL-DT-ST GGW-H20N
    - HL-DT-ST BH10NS38
    - OEM models that have the same product ID listed above
  - Media
    - BD-RE SL(25GB)
      - SONY all 2x media
      - TDK BDD-RE25S
      - Maxell BDRE25P.1P
    - BD-R SL(25GB)
      - SONY all 2x/4x/6x media
      - TDK BDD-R25S, BDD-R25A, BRD25PWA10S
      - Panasonic LM-BR25LD
    - BD-RE DL(50GB)
      - SONY all 2x media
      - Panasonic LM-BE50D
    - BD-R DL(50GB)
      - SONY all 2x/4x/6x media
      - Panasonic LM-BR50D
      - TDK BDD-R50A
  - Writing to BD-R LTH media has not been confirmed.
    Also, BD-R LTH media cannot be used for submission discs.
  - A drive that supports BD-R Ver1.2 is required for writing BD-R 4x media.
  - A drive that supports BD-R Ver1.3 is required for writing BD-R 6x media.
  - Do not use BD-R media that are already initialized.

- The following drive has been confirmed regarding the restriction
  for the creation of master discs:
  - PLDS(Philips/LITE-ON) DH-4B1S (rev.7D14)
    - Because of specification or bug of this drive, the drive
      creates Spare Areas automatically when writing image to BD-R
      medium.
      Thus with this drive you cannot create BD-R master discs for
      PlayStation(R)3 by Generator and by commercially-available
      writing software.
      If using BD-RE medium, you can successfully create master disc
      with this drive.

as for useing burned BD/DVD discs on DEX 3.55+ with the update method i havent tested this,only read on the webs some have done it.so i cannot comfirm this myself.
also on the ps3devwiki it says otherwise

Burned Master Discs  
3.55 No  
3.56 No  
3.60+ No 	
Hardware limitations in the Drive Id's (OTP not set to 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF) 
prevent from using burned ps3 and ps2 masterdiscs (they are recognized as data discs), 
this is a check performed by the drive's firmware.

pro's and cons of DEX Talk:Cex2Dex - PS3 Development Wiki

[jefskie]

Can i ask? im on 3.55 cfw kmeaw.. Why should i convert my ps3 to DEX? if i can play my back ups on int/ext-hdd

[JOshISPoser]

blargh. rplease point me to the right people

[futuretime23]

once i switch over to dex,i will test dvds just for curiosity's sake,and i do have a small question: IIRC wasnt there a BD Emulator (HDD) option in dex? if so,is it possible to play 3.60+ backups from the internal hdd?

[maxx11111]

ok a couple of questions
is there anything being on dex3.55 cfw cant do that retail cfw can (other than psn)
blurays and dvds work? (region free?)
3.55 backups (need patching?)
do 3.60+ backups work with PS3GEN?

[rimi]

Bahamutlord
you can use this reference if you want, and also one of them who affected on this kind of problem. So its in for me, converting to DEX is a great risk that you will loose your CEX capability.

/forum/threads/4
172-CEX-gt-DEX-gt-CEX-Information-Survey
?p=46115

Just link that on ps3cruch. forums wont let me post links

[gDrive]

once i switch over to dex,i will test dvds just for curiosity's sake,and i do have a small question: IIRC wasnt there a BD Emulator (HDD) option in dex? if so,is it possible to play 3.60+ backups from the internal hdd?

In fact, there is such an option, but having said that, that's restricted to Reference Tool Systems (DECR) according to the Rebug link here: Debug Settings: MENU 2 (DEX) | Codename: REBUG