PS3 Adding a "package manager" to OFW with one line of XML.

DeViL303

DeViL303

Developer
PSX-Place Supporter
This is a bit random, but I found it kind of interesting that this is possible.

If someone did not want to install HEN, HAN or CFW for some reason, like if they are using their main console and main PS3 account and wanted to keep the ban risk to the minimum possible. Again, The only reason to do this would be if you wanted to add the ability to install packages but with the absolute least amount of modifications to the system possible.

So anyway to get to the point, really all that OFW needs to be able to install ANY officially signed pkgs is one tiny xml mod. Literally one line of xml and you can basically have a "OFW package manager" that will allow you to install any officially signed packages (from any webserver)

Here is that one line that can enable this "pkg manager", I have kept it as short as possible.
Code: 
<Q class="type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap" key="p" src="xmb://localhost/dev_usb000/PKG/p.xml#p"/>

Injecting it with the xml injector web xploit is the only way to do that currently that I know of so this means that HFW needs to be installed (see below for converting back to OFW). So lets say for example you injected this line into category_network.xml, I chose this xml in my tests as it has less chance of being checked than category_game.xml in theory.

I have attached an example of the files to put on USB that allows every c00 demo to be installed on OFW/HFW with only that one line of xml changed in the FW.

So to enable this "OFW Package Manager" you only need to:
  • Install HFW
  • inject the category_network.xml in the zip using THIS URL
  • Put the PKG folder from the attached zip on the root of a stick in usb000
  • Optional: Inject latest silk_webkit.sprx back to flash to convert HFW back to OFW
This enables you install any retail signed pkgs you want without doing anything else. After injecting the xml, you could even replace the webkit sprx with the real one from 4.87, so you would end up with a perfect 4.87 OFW but with that one xml mod applied. :D

Big thanks to @DADi590 for helping me port the xml injector exploit to 4.87 HFW.
 

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Last edited:
DeViL303 said:
This is a bit random, but I found it kind of interesting that this is possible.

If someone did not want to install HEN, HAN or CFW for some reason, like if they are using their main console and main PS3 account and wanted to keep the ban risk to the minimum possible. Again, The only reason to do this would be if you wanted to add the ability to install packages but with the absolute least amount of modifications to the system possible.

So anyway to get to the point, really all that OFW needs to be able to install ANY officially signed pkgs is one tiny xml mod. Literally one line of xml and you can basically have a "OFW package manager" that will allow you to install any officially signed packages (from any webserver)

Here is that one line that can enable this "pkg manager", I have kept it as short as possible.
Code: 
<Q class="type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap" key="p" src="xmb://localhost/dev_usb000/PKG/p.xml#p"/>

Injecting it with the xml injector on **ps3xploit.com >Domain no Longer owned by team** (ps3xploit.me =new) is the only way to do that currently that I know of. So lets say for example you injected this line into category_network.xml, I chose this xml in my tests as it has less chance of being checked than category_game.xml in theory.

I have attached an example of the files to put on USB that allows every c00 demo to be installed on OFW/HFW with only that one line of xml changed in the FW.

So to enable this "OFW Package Manager" you only need to:
  • Install HFW
  • inject the category_network.xml in the zip using THIS URL
  • Put the PKG folder from the attached zip on the root of a stick in usb000
  • Optional: Inject latest silk_webkit.sprx hack to flash
This enables you install any retail signed pkgs you want without doing anything else. After injecting the xml, you could even replace the webkit sprx with the real one from 4.87, so you would end up with a perfect 4.87 OFW but with that one xml mod applied. :D
Click to expand...
Exact what I need. Tks.
 
Check out the example files I included for USB to see how to add your own pkg link, these can be hosted on a local webserver if you wanted.

So you just need to edit the URL, and the LONG content ID in any of these xml entries. See the 2 items in bold.
<View id="item_NPEA00123_main">
<Attributes>
<Table key="item_NPEA00123_link">
<Pair key="info"><String>net_package_install</String></Pair>
<Pair key="pkg_src"><String>http://zeus.dl.playstation.net/cdn/...hcdSDmKAeaTTjPMeHItFOMiXHTADXBZpLHGmgISYt.pkg</String></Pair>
<Pair key="pkg_src_qa"><String>http://zeus.dl.playstation.net/cdn/EP9000/NPEA00123_00/lqtgHTozJivKzqCPKKoiBLChcdSDmKAeaTTjPMeHItFOMiXHTADXBZpLHGmgISYt.pkg</String></Pair>
<Pair key="content_name"><String>msg_install</String></Pair>
<Pair key="content_id"><String>EP9000-NPEA00123_00-UHUSTLEKIN000001</String></Pair>
<Pair key="prod_pict_path"><String>/dev_usb000/PKG/demo_icons/Hustle_Kings.jpg</String></Pair>
</Table>
</Attributes>
<Items>
<Item class="type:x-xmb/xmlnpsignup" key="item_NPEA00123_link" attr="item_NPEA00123_link"/>
</Items>
</View>
Click to expand...

Do not edit anything else except those 2 lines unless you know what you are at.
 
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@aldostools or someone maybe someone can give a quick explanation of why we can not properly sign pkgs for 3.55. We have the keys, and Sony never blacklisted the pkg keys from 3.55, so the fact we can not sign pkgs properly for 3.55 OFW seems like something that might be fixable in theory?

In conjunction with this simple XML mod it might allow some interesting stuff.
 
I really think this mod would be perfectly safe to do even if it is not that useful to most people .Sony are obviously not checking these XMLS, here is the category_network.xml from 4.87 OFW. Look closely. ;)

It has an extra closing tag but still reads ok luckily for them. So if Sony are still including typos in the official xmls in 2021 it seems unlikely anything or anyone is ever going to be checking them.

Note I added the extra "OFW package manager" query on that exact same line. So the OFW xml and my xml even have the exact same amount of lines. :D

upload_2021-3-2_22-18-1.png


I just realized, with a slightly different query added, Support for PKG linker can be added too :)
 
DeViL303 said:
@aldostools or someone maybe someone can give a quick explanation of why we can not properly sign pkgs for 3.55. We have the keys, and Sony never blacklisted the pkg keys from 3.55, so the fact we can not sign pkgs properly for 3.55 OFW seems like something that might be fixable in theory?

In conjunction with this simple XML mod it might allow some interesting stuff.
Click to expand...

That's something that I haven't tried since I don't need OFW.

Although your mod is very interesting... I think it's more simple to install HEN, setup the games, then go back to OFW if needed.
 
aldostools said:
That's something that I haven't tried since I don't need OFW.

Although your mod is very interesting... I think it's more simple to install HEN, setup the games, then go back to OFW if needed.
Click to expand...
True, you just need to be sure you remove everything from HDD too that should not be there before reverting back to OFW.
 
DeViL303 said:
I just realized, with a slightly different query added, Support for PKG linker can be added too :)
Click to expand...
Actually category_game.xml or category_network.xml only need this line:
<Q class="type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap" key="p" src="xmb://localhost/dev_usb000/p.xml#p"/>

Everything else like Package Manager, Package Linker, Store, XMB File Explorer, HEN Enabler, etc. can be added to p.xml or p.xml could be used as root to link other xml files.
 
Yeah, that is it, just one query to USB gives a lot of functions even on OFW.

I thought of one potential use for this mod, you know all the old demo discs from magazines, well burned discs will not work on OFW, but if someone wanted, I think they could download the ISOs of those discs, extract them and install the old demos using this mod. Not a great use, but a use all the same. :)
 
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DeViL303 said:
Yeah, that is it, just one query to USB gives a lot of functions even on OFW.

I thought of one potential use for this mod, you know all the old demo discs from magazines, well burned discs will not work on OFW, but if someone wanted, I think they could download the ISOs of those discs, extract them and install the old demos using this mod. Not a great use, but a use all the same. :)
Click to expand...
I downloaded an ISO from Playstation Magazine, to check structures, and created an ISO with game updates. It didn't work on OFW. I thought it was just a "normal" disc, but I realize that PS3 recognize that as a game disc, so the disc I burned didn't work... :apologetic:
 
jcorrea said:
I downloaded an ISO from Playstation Magazine, to check structures, and created an ISO with game updates. It didn't work on OFW. I thought it was just a "normal" disc, but I realize that PS3 recognize that as a game disc, so the disc I burned didn't work... :apologetic:
Click to expand...
Well, now you can install game updates and maybe demos too by using this mod if you need to. The easiest thing would be to use PKG Linker and it will create the xml for you and serve the pkgs.
 
aldostools said:
Actually category_game.xml or category_network.xml only need this line:
<Q class="type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap" key="p" src="xmb://localhost/dev_usb000/p.xml#p"/>

Everything else like Package Manager, Package Linker, Store, XMB File Explorer, HEN Enabler, etc. can be added to p.xml or p.xml could be used as root to link other xml files.
Click to expand...
Worth noting, normal package manager can not work with just xml mods alone. It needs patches to at least explore_plugin.sprx, or it needs the DEX explore sprx to work. So that is why this mod is slightly better in that way, it is 100% xml based.
 
DeViL303 said:
@aldostools or someone maybe someone can give a quick explanation of why we can not properly sign pkgs for 3.55. We have the keys, and Sony never blacklisted the pkg keys from 3.55, so the fact we can not sign pkgs properly for 3.55 OFW seems like something that might be fixable in theory?

In conjunction with this simple XML mod it might allow some interesting stuff.
Click to expand...
Would be great to be able to install my own packages (not retail, like the "Gran Turismo 6 big update package") on OFW... Weird that we have the keys, but aren't able to sign pkgs properly.
 
Yeah, being able to properly sign pkgs with 3.55 keys that would install on the latest OFW would open up loads of possibilities.

CFW2OFW games could be installed and ran with out even an xml mod, we could redirect normal pkg links like Photo gallery to a custom version that has loads of games included in there beside the normal files by using the directory traversal trick (../) , so one Photo Gallery pkg could install as many games we wanted as it installed. Then we just rebuild the database and they all show up. :)
 
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