PS3 Frankenstein PHAT PS3: CECHA with 40nm RSX

vyktormvmpay25 said:
ram epoxy crashes and split solder out
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The backwards compatible boards popcorn more than anything else I've run in to. Are you pre-baking the board? I usually bake a full 24 hours at 100c. Your top heater could also be too close. I put a few fingers between the board and the top heater to measure distance, and I give these boards an extra finger of clearance over what I do for any other board. You could have also worn out your top heater and now it has hot spots. Try throwing a sheet of paper under it and give it a blast, then watch how evenly it turns brown.

I don't think replacing the RAM would be good enough odds to be worth the time. If we can get the 65nm GPU swap working, you would only need a single cheap donor console instead of tracking down exotic parts.
 
I have backed up to 8 at 75. Usually 2 hours at 50 with any model is enough. Sometimes not even needed when board looks well.
I have on all boards 4 cm from bottom, 4 from top. Anyway I will start looking for this type of syscon. Hoping to get resurrection on this moodel.
 
About sourcing the exotic/rare syscon with the firmwares (303GB/304GB) which support the 40nm RSX:
- Sony only used it on phat units which were refurbished beginning in late 2009. So you can't really source it from these boards, since these probably always have a higher value than the target you're repairing
- You can get these chips from China, but be aware of fakes
- The easiest way to get a genuine "exotic" syscon from China is to buy the flash variant (CXR713F120A) and then just flash it with the newest firmware

Why the CXR713F120A?
- You can easily check if it has the flash bonding option by checking the bottom (FLASH: https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps3/images/b/bc/CXR713F120A-bottom-1F.JPG vs ROM: https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps3/images/7/7d/CXR713120-201GB-bottom.JPG)
- A ROM variant could just have a different marking on the top but still have the old firmware which you can't update
- The CXR713120, CXR713F120A and CXR714120 are interchangable (same pinout)

Maybe it's also cheaper to just get a "new" syscon for a 65nm RSX if there's no donor available.
 
Some weird stuff about the RSX that might be interesting to some of you:

The DECR-1000 uses the "90nm" RSX and it was produced at least up to 2010 (need to confirm when the production actually stopped).
Sony calls the RSX VBIOS just rom.

So the earlier units had a b01, b02 or b03 rom.
The rom version actually determines the minimal supported firmware of the DECR: b01 supports 082.006, b03 only 084.001.

However, they changed it later to the b07 rom version (b04, b05 and b06 were skipped).
And the DECR-1000 produced in 2009 still had the "90nm" b07 RSX.
The b07 rom was never used on retail PS3s (up to my knowledge), only the DECR-1000 RSX had it. Retail just went b01, b03, b08,....

Now the interesting fact: The retail b08 rom which can be found on the CECHA/DECHA supports a minimal firmware version of ~0.95 but the b07 used in the DECR only 1.60.
So b07 is actually newer than b08.

This means that Sony either kept producing the 90nm RSX only for the DECR or they just used a newer RSX revisions and a special VBIOS (which just returns 90nm so it's compatible with older fw).
So if they kept producing this RSX only for the DECR up to ?2010? why didn't they use it for the refurbished units?
 
M4j0r said:
Some weird stuff about the RSX that might be interesting to some of you:

The DECR-1000 uses the "90nm" RSX and it was produced at least up to 2010 (need to confirm when the production actually stopped).
Sony calls the RSX VBIOS just rom.

So the earlier units had a b01, b02 or b03 rom.
The rom version actually determines the minimal supported firmware of the DECR: b01 supports 082.006, b03 only 084.001.

However, they changed it later to the b07 rom version (b04, b05 and b06 were skipped).
And the DECR-1000 produced in 2009 still had the "90nm" b07 RSX.
The b07 rom was never used on retail PS3s (up to my knowledge), only the DECR-1000 RSX had it. Retail just went b01, b03, b08,....

Now the interesting fact: The retail b08 rom which can be found on the CECHA/DECHA supports a minimal firmware version of ~0.95 but the b07 used in the DECR only 1.60.
So b07 is actually newer than b08.

This means that Sony either kept producing the 90nm RSX only for the DECR or they just used a newer RSX revisions and a special VBIOS (which just returns 90nm so it's compatible with older fw).
So if they kept producing this RSX only for the DECR up to ?2010? why didn't they use it for the refurbished units?
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Can cofirm with ProDG my DECR-1000A has RSX rom b07
 
Guys, I just made the account and I've been following these discoveries closely. So I recently got 2 60gb ps3s, CHEHC (Their boards are COK-002 since I'm in Europe). Anyways, the consoles were unopened and both had YLOD, after diagnosing with syscon turned out both have nearly identical faults. I am just about to source another working console CECHJ, which in my understanding contains a 65nm RSX chip.

Referring to this idea

In other words, if I pull the 65nm GPU and the 301GB syscon from a CECHJ or CECHK, you're saying it should work if I throw them on a CECHA?.
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Yes, but maybe the pcb needs some "patches" like on this console .
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I could use one of the BC consoles as a guinea pig onto which I could transplant a 65nm RSX with a syscon from the working console and see what happens. I can resolder the resistor and also use the rest of the pics to try and discover what needs to be changed on the PCB

I've got a DIY BGA station, with bottom and top heaters. Both provide smooth temperature profiles for heating up the boards. Great for reflowing, however I do not have much experience with reballing yet. I remember having practiced on a faulty graphics card and the most challenging thing was getting the new balls soldered back to the bed of the chip. I dont know if it was the cheap stensil at fault, but for the life of me I could not get all the balls to stick. Now thinking about it , it may have been the problem with flux as well... But hey, I'm feeling more optimistic this time and I even managed to borrow some quality flux. So if all goes well, I will test it out this december and see what happens.
 
Hi @DeadEnd . If you have read this thread , then the people to ask specifically are major, zecoxao, and sandungas. There are also 2 other interesting threads one that is for nec tokin failure, and one is for syscon error codes. You may read them and find useful information. Sony has reportedly done these swaps, but we have yet to figure out how to do it. I hope eventually that hobbyists and tinkerers find these threads and all come together with a solution.
 
nCadeRegal said:
Hi @DeadEnd . If you have read this thread , then the people to ask specifically are major, zecoxao, and sandungas. There are also 2 other interesting threads one that is for nec tokin failure, and one is for syscon error codes. You may read them and find useful information. Sony has reportedly done these swaps, but we have yet to figure out how to do it. I hope eventually that hobbyists and tinkerers find these threads and all come together with a solution.
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Thanks. Perhaps it wasn't so obvious from my message that I have read the other two threads as well. And I've already done syscon diagnosing. Got the same fault code on both consoles (3034). I do not have any questions specifically right now. I was simply sharing my idea based on what I've read here. I can see that it's not clear yet how to replace the 90nm RSX chip with a 65 or 40 nm one. But since the question came up regarding the 65nm chip and the user Major confirmed that it may work, I tried to explain that if I get my hands on the 65nm chip, I am willing to test it out. My only issue is reballing skills...
 
@squeept has already done the swap but didn't have any luck with it. I think there just wasn't enough info about it yet as far as what needed to be done with the syscon programming.
 
nCadeRegal said:
@squeept has already done the swap but didn't have any luck with it. I think there just wasn't enough info about it yet as far as what needed to be done with the syscon programming.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he's done it with only Slim model? I think his latest message indicated that he hasn't done it yet with CHECHJ, but was thinking about it. @squeept In case your offer still stands on swapping chips , would you be willing to swap GPU and syscon for my case? I have not yet attempted the task myself, but in case it proves to be difficult. I could consider sending it to you. I am from EU though, but I bet it shouldn't be too costly to send 2 boards...
 
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DeadEnd said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he's done it with only Slim model? I think his latest message indicated that he hasn't done it yet with CHECHJ, but was thinking about it. @squeept In case your offer still stands on swapping chips , would you be willing to swap GPU and syscon for my case? I have not yet attempted the task myself, but in case it proves to be difficult. I could consider sending it to you. I am from EU though, but I bet it shouldn't be too costly to send 2 boards...
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I just did a straight up GPU swap without any syscon stuff before anyone that knew better checked in. Obviously we know now that stuff needs tweeked in there, along with the changes to the board. I'll make a try soon if no one else does, but I've got holiday price inflation to take advantage of right now. My motivation is money, and I already get quite a bit for normal CECHA01. If I suspect I have a dead GPU in an unfixable console soon then I'll take a stab.

The offer stands for anywhere, but if you're not in the USA, I'll have to ask for shipping costs.... Eh, I'll split you return shipping costs.
 
So let me see if I understand this right. In order to make this work you need:
  1. A new old stock CXR713F120A and programmer to install a SYSCON version that supports 90nm, 65nm, and 40nm RSX. Or a SYCON chip from a donor board that has latest revision.
  2. M4j0r said:
    The syscon needs to be changed in order to support the newer RSX. You'll need a 302GB or newer.
    First you have to dump the eeprom of the original syscon.
    Then:
    - Change the layout (Cookie old to Cookie new: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ENs1zGGXUAIwnZl?format=png&name=large)
    - Delete the complete patch (0x2800-0x2C00 and 0x4400-0x5000)
    - Change the RSX revision byte (set 0x3912 to 0x21)
    and flash it to the new syscon.
    If you do it via hardware you don't even need any key.
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  3. M4j0r said:
    ...both the checksum of the (new format) fan table and the boardconfig need to be changed.
    I posted some information about the checksum here: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/s...o-what-does-it-mean.26148/page-12#post-236929
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  4. Install new SYSCON chip on COK-001
  5. Install 40nm or 65nm (whichever was set in SYSCON)
  6. Tie CGReset to ground
Is it feasible to create a web interface like PS3Xploit that can copy/backup the EEPROM then automate the changes needed to a copy of the newest SYSCON version? For example, the web interface asks "Which Model RSX will you be using?" Then it lists them by model number, if needed. User makes a selection that determines the RSX revision byte. Once all the changes to the firmware are done, it can be DL'ed and flashed to the CXR713F120A. Then the RSX and SYSCON chips can be swaped. The CGreset grounded and whatever else needs to be done on the hardware side. This would make the whole process viable for those able to perform the hardware modifications, but not comfortable with the software side.
 
@RIP-Felix, you are on to something. If I may add, it would also be reasonable to try the swap (65nm RSX + Syscon) which was mentioned earlier on , but hasn't been done yet.

In other words, if I pull the 65nm GPU and the 301GB syscon from a CECHJ or CECHK, you're saying it should work if I throw them on a CECHA?.
Yes, but maybe the pcb needs some "patches" like on this console .​
Click to expand...

But others tried to dismiss it saying it's already been tested, when in reality it hasn't. I think some folks do not read every page on this thread or don't follow the discussions fully.

I've got a CECHJ and CECHC at the moment, so this will be easy to test once I am confident with my reballing skills. I am going to try it either ways. Unlike squeept, I am not in this for the money.
 
Check your facts there brother. Squeept is not "in this" for the "money" clearly you haven't read any of his postings in this thread or others. In fact he has clearly volunteered his skills to try and replicate this on his equipment. I'd consider that a pretty good "donation" of his time and material versus what you just inferred
 
Let's not get all twisted up. I'm in it for the money, but that doesn't mean I can't still help, lol.

I'm expecting to be able to try again some time next week with the pile of systems I have on the way. I got a warranty sealed CECHK01 with a bad disc drive sitting on the shelf waiting.
 
RIP-Felix said:
Is it feasible to create a web interface like PS3Xploit that can copy/backup the EEPROM then automate the changes needed to a copy of the newest SYSCON version? For example, the web interface asks "Which Model RSX will you be using?" Then it lists them by model number, if needed. User makes a selection that determines the RSX revision byte. Once all the changes to the firmware are done, it can be DL'ed and flashed to the CXR713F120A. Then the RSX and SYSCON chips can be swaped. The CGreset grounded and whatever else needs to be done on the hardware side. This would make the whole process viable for those able to perform the hardware modifications, but not comfortable with the software side.
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Another Python script? I think most people would be doing this to a system with a dead GPU, so it's not gonna be in running condition.
 
Maybe this is different than the EEPROM, but I already have the "dump.hex" from when I was able to jailbreak my console. A week later it gave me the YLOD. So one of the questions I was trying to get at was, is that all I need to create a SYSCON I could flash to a CXR713F120A (so long as I know which RSX model I wanted to use)?

Isn't one of the reasons you need the EEPROM because you need to marry the SYSCON to the CELL of the board? This needs to be "baked" into the CXR713F120A if you want it to use a new part, otherwise you need to use the chip off the donor board. Yes? Whichever you decide to use, you still have to make the checksum match or it won't boot. I was just wondering if all that could be done in one simple program if you already had your PS3 backup from a jailbreak?
 
nCadeRegal said:
Check your facts there brother. Squeept is not "in this" for the "money" clearly you haven't read any of his postings in this thread or others. In fact he has clearly volunteered his skills to try and replicate this on his equipment. I'd consider that a pretty good "donation" of his time and material versus what you just inferred
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DeViL303 said:
wtf, He said he'd do it for nothing, and only asked for you to cover half the return shipping costs and you think he's in it for the money?? wow

Personally I hope he does provide this upgrade as a paid service someday, More power to him.
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Wow. You sure both took my post the wrong way. If you had been reading his messages, you'd see he himself clearly said his motivation for fixing was money. I simply meant, that I would be doing this for my own curiosity, not looking for any financial gain from these experiments. And I've seen that he was offering help with it. Never did I state that him covering some of the shipping costs is wrong in any way. It wasn't related to that at all. Either way, apologizes if that's how it sounded. I like how everyone skips over the fact how I'm trying to help as well.
 
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