[How-To] Signed Homebrew on PS3

Ever since the New Year, the PS3 community has been abuzz with news of PS3 security keys being leaked. How is this any different from before? Well, usually when you hear initial announcements on homebrew they are announcing something along the lines of, "Hey look, we can run unsigned code!"

This means, they've found a way to run code to bypass the system's checks.

The new developments mean that there are tools available can sign your programs. That's right, instead of relying on exploits and trying to patch things up, homebrew developers can sign their programs and make the PS3 think it's legitimately signed and approved by Sony.

Technically, these signed homebrew packages will 'work' on any PS3, but the default firmware does not include any way for you to install them. That's where we begin.

First, you'll want to install OFW 3.55
http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps3/pc_update/index.htm

If you're on KaKaRoto's firmware, or any other firmware, you need to do that first before we move on. (Yes, this means you Kevin) You'll want to do it from a memory stick. You can switch between all the various CFW 3.55 firmwares, but it has to be done on memory stick. If you do network update, it will think you already have 3.55 and do nothing.

Next, you'll want to install Geohot's CFW 3.55 firmware from a memory stick. http://www.geohot.com/jailbreak.zip

Install it like you would any other firmware from a memory stick. After it's done installing, your screen will go blank and your PS3 will beep a few times. Then it will turn off. Wait a few seconds to make sure it's completely turned off, then turn it back on.

You should see a new menu under the Game tab on XMB. It says "Install Packages" or something to that effect.

So what now? You want to run homebrew, right?

Put these .pkg files on the root directory of your memory stick and put it into your PS3:

Emulators:
SNES9x: http://www.multiupload.com/PM45UC1681
Mednafen: http://www.mediafire.com/?xoqsnaphqog5r43 (NES, GB, GBC, GBA, SMS, GG, PCE)
Genesis Plus: http://www.multiupload.com/F9SDU8DN6W
Final Burn Alpha Multi-Arcade Emulator: http://www.multiupload.com/JCU9IUB61J (Capcom CPS-1,Capcom CPS-2,Capcom CPS-3,Cave,Neo Geo,Sega System 16 (and similar), System 18, X-Board, Y-Board,Toaplan,Taito,Psikyo 68EC020 based hardware)

Ok, so you have emulators, but how do you get ROMS installed to your PS3's hard drive? I want to play some Super Mario, dammit! Install these just like you did the emulators.

Tools:
PS3 FTP Server: http://psx-scene.com/forums/662050-post1072.html
Comgenies Awesome File Manager: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YL0HQNQO

You need to use the PS3 FTP to get files onto your PS3's hard drive. So go ahead and boot that up after you've installed all the emulators you're interested in.

It should be some red text and a screen with some numbers on it (192.186.1.101 usually)

Now you need to go to your computer with your roms that you've downloaded. You need an FTP program on your computer, now. Technically, it comes with one, but I don't suspect that many of you are too familiar with command-line interface.

So here's two options that can make things easier:

FireFTP (Firefox): http://fireftp.mozdev.org/
Filezilla (free, all platforms): http://filezilla-project.org/

There is no user and there is no password on PS3 FTP server, so when you log in on your PC, just leave that blank. Once connected, go to the following directory /dev_hdd0/Game/ - You'll then want to make a new folder called roms. Once in there, you can upload your files to the selected directories. Be advised, however, I don't think many of these emulators support compressed formats. So if your roms are .7z or .zip please unzip them before uploading them.

Once you have your roms installed, you can open up snes9x or whichever, and find the directory in which you installed the roms. (If you want to get fancy, you can always download and edit the config or .ini files from the emulator folder and just type in where you want the default ROM location to be. Then reupload. Although there are ways to do config in-game as well)

Caveats: There are several developments pretty every five hours with this. There's new homebrew coming all the time. I think there's a ScummVM emu and VBA as well (GBA/GBC, works better than mednafen). People are also working on backup managers that don't require payloads and syscalls that this CFW lacks. This CFW pretty much only allows you to run install signed code. It doesn't have a bunch of fancy extras. In fact, it's more like a 'modified firmware' than a 'cracked firmware' but whatever.

One more thing, since this CFW allows you to simply install signed code and nothing else - if you are paranoid and don't want to keep Geohot's CFW installed, you can go back to OFW at any time. All that will be changed is that you can no longer install .pkg files from a flash stick. All of your installed packages will still be there since these are spoofed 'official packages' and not the typical unsigned code most PSP people with hacked firmware are used to dealing with.

Sites to stay informed:

http://psgroove.com/
http://www.qj.net/ps3.html
http://psx-scene.com/forums/cmps_index.php

Closing Statement:

I hope this helps. There's been a lot of talk about this, and things are improving at an alarming rate. I make no claims to be an expert, but I am pretty good with google and the lost art of reading. I am not a programmer, I am not a hacker. I'm just a curious guy with too much downtime and wants to run fun stuff on his PS3. You can ask questions, but I probably won't be able to answer them. Everything I know, I've posted here. Well, except how to run backups, but it's very complicated due to the nature of this firmware only allowing you to install unsigned code and not mess with system-level stuff. I almost couldn't figure it out! (plus, you need to know how to compile things on linux, and there's source code and it's a mess right now - but hey keep an eye on those websites I linked!)

i wish i could do this, idk if the CFW you gave me has something wrong, but i got errors with both emulator and server you gave me, help , please

You have to start from scratch. The CFW I gave you won't support the homebrew that I gave you.

Reinstall Sony's 3.55 firmware, and then follow this guide. (or another guide, mine is sleep depraved)

ohh, so the CFw you gave me is useless? i have to use this one then?

Basically. It's not exactly useless, it's just the description was worded poorly - so I didn't know that it was only for testing actual retail .pkgs like demos and such.

Install Sony's CFW from a USB stick. Install Geohot's CFW from a stick. Then installing those .pkg files should work. (that's how I got them to work, anyway)

wow great tutorial tearsofash! I read in your conclusion statement that you don't know to much about this but you worded the tutorial pretty clean and to the point, thanks for sharing this!

it finally worked, i installed all emulators except for genesis, and blackb0x, now im going for FIleZIlla, REP+
If you can find a N64 Emulator, ill love you! i cant resist to play ocarina of time and majora's mask again on the PS3!! O_O
EDIT: and how to change game's names to trick people.

nice tut here

Thanks for posting this tutorial tears well done +rep

Your hacked console's are in danger!

However, there is a way to protect yourself...and it's free!

Head on over to opendns.com

You will see a button that says: "See Plans and Pricing" Click on it.

Choose "OpenDNS Basic" since it's free. It doesn't have many features, but it does what you need.

Sign up. CHOOSE A REAL E-MAIL ADDRESS AND BE SURE TO MAKE THE SITE REMEMBER YOUR PASSWORD!!

Click on "computer"

choose your OS

Do what it tells you to do in the instructions....if you get confused, there are useful pics to help you out.

Once done, click "Test Settings" at bottom

Once done all this, go to the email address you used, and click the confirmation link they sent you.

All done. You are now safe.

Note: OpenDNS protects you by blocking unwanted server/domain connections as well as other things such as phishing. The way that the PS3 connects to these PSN Domain servers is seen by OpenDNS as an unwanted connection and automatically establishes a proxy across about all 5 domains.

These proxies block connections to these domains, which prevents important info such as boot-up type and such from connecting to the domain servers. In other words, Sony DOES NOT know that you have a hacked console.

Sources: ps3hax.net and ps3-hacks.com

oh nice find spaderz thanks for this

im pooping myself, ill delete the game.dat, the patch.dat and the boot_history file, that shoud work then i delete the rest of the stuff, and go back to 3.55 i hope this doesnt remove my challenge lobby
thanks for the DNS setup instructions spade, i changed it in my pc and ps3.

so with sony not knowing that we have a hacked cosole does that mean we would be able to leave the patches and the file manager on the ps3 with out being scared and worried of being banned?

xGotricex wrote:so with sony not knowing that we have a hacked cosole does that mean we would be able to leave the patches and the file manager on the ps3 with out being scared and worried of being banned?

Not entirely.. Sony has tricks too and ways your PS3 can connect to their servers during boot up. We still need to see the outcome of Geohots court case before we can know for sure if Sony is legally allowed to ban users consoles for having a CFW.

there several case on how jailbreaking isnt against the law sony losed and we have cfw without getting banned

Really are you that thick skulled? You can't see getting banned for this? You may own the system, but Sony own's the network. If you choose to modify there software in any way possible, then Sony has EVERY RIGHT to deny any and all access from the network. Running anything that isn't approved by Sony gets sent to them threw a boot log, Eventually it'll catch up to those who have done so.

Spadez, that OpenDNS thing, Dunno if it's been proven or not to actually work, but just for better protection (might be a little too late for some) you actually have to program the router, or rewire the whole system to go from modem > pc with open dns > router > other devices. Just because you run it on a computer and then set your DNS on the PS3 to that pc, doesn't mean that all traffic is going to run threw the pc. If there's an open link it's gonna bypass the PC all together.

no they dont apple lose there right to stop poeple from jailbreaking there iphone and this same diffent when sony loses specially already a case about the same thing they not be able banned poeple from there network

RenegadeFred wrote:Really are you that thick skulled? You can't see getting banned for this? You may own the system, but Sony own's the network. If you choose to modify there software in any way possible, then Sony has EVERY RIGHT to deny any and all access from the network. Running anything that isn't approved by Sony gets sent to them threw a boot log, Eventually it'll catch up to those who have done so.

To be fair, Sony has never banned anyone from using CFW on their PSP, they've just made new firmware to disable it. You're right though, I'm pretty sure stuff like this is breaking PSN terms. That's why it's probably a better idea to do this on a spare PS3 that you never hook up to the internet (or have your main PSN id on it)

No one going to get banned for moding there sytem if sony lose this legal battle if really should said when make jailbreaking legal on ps3 just like did with iPhone it same thing but if not then sony wins then

The PSP in simple words is Sony's failure to begin with. Yes they updated the firmwares to stop the CFW. Thou they give you the option to download games and such on the computer and transfer it to the psp, leaving out any need to actually be on the network on the PSP.

The PS3 on the other hand, in order to install packages needed the network. Thou CFW does enable the pkg installer, games and such still need to be signed. In order to play online, you need the network. Sony can release firmware updates to combat the CFW but people who are running unofficial pkg's can be seen by sony.

Sony as of now is on a lawsuit rampage, is more then likely the real reason they have not issued bans yet. This can and may still happen.

Modifying the firmware code is just like cheating / hacking and yes Sony bans for that. This is Sony not Apple., The jailbreak may be proven legal but if you actually read the legal documents, it shows that it's ONLY legal on phones.

Expect firmware updates soon giving you the chance to play legal on Sony's OFW or not online at all.

Indeed, I agree to some extent that the process alone of Jail Breaking your PS3 with CFW puts Sony in a position where they can look like this >> and then pretty much own your ass with backhand + console ban combo.

While the court case with Geohot & fail0verflow is still continuing, we have absolutely no leverage of whether people should continue to risk their consoles or just stop installing CFW all together. Which is why I clearly recommend everyone to just sit tight and see how the court case pans out. If Geohot & fail0verflow do win their law suit case against Sony, I'm sure that would be enough leverage to have more people installing CFW without any consequences. The obvious remarks would come to mind, "If they did it, why can't we..." thus, forcing Sony to accept the fact of what is happening right before their eyes. Perhaps pushing the PS4 to launch even sooner.

The fact is, if Geohot and fail0verflow themselves faces no consequences after the smoke has cleared in their pending law suit case... Sony cannot just randomly act upon everyone else for the hell of it.

We've seen similar situations with PS Home in the past. People hacked items on to there account, then got banned for it. Then 1000s of more people started doing it, and all control was lost. Forcing Sony to finally figure out how to patch these exploits, no one has been punished for importing items from other regions of PS Home since the beginning of its occurance.

With that said, I'll go back to my original comment.. We should just wait until Geohot and fail0verflow's court case to end and see the end result. Until then, leave your CFW PS3's off the internet or just do not attempt the method until further notice.