PS3 Is my ps3 totally clean from hen and hfw?

powerhen

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Hello, I have recently bought an ps3 super slim model 4001b with 250gb and 16mb nor, and it come with hen 3.3.0 and hfw 4.91.

but I wanted a original console to play my physical games, use my main account, play online etc.

Btw I have downloaded the ps3 ofw 4.91 and updated it, then I used the restore ps3 option from ps3 xmb and used the quick formatting option.


Is this enough? Is my console 100% original and stock? What I did was just this, updated the console with ofw and then quick formatted by restore ps3 option.

Later I did another ofw update from safe mode too.

but what I wanted to know is: I heard that even after installing ofw and formatting the ps3 it could still have some hfw and hen files traces on the hdd and system, is that true?

i have read that the correct way is to do a full format of the hdd using a pc, is that true too?

And, my ps3 model have a 16mb nor, so the firmware is installed on the hdd, so just by installing ofw and quick formatting was enough?

and the last thing, when I updated my ps3 with the ofw, when the console booted up it still had the hen icon on boot, and it stayed on the Home Screen too, is that normal? I have installed ofw by the xmb that time, later I installed ofw by safe mode and everything gone, I don't recall correctly, and I just finished quick formatting.

And that's all guys, sorry if the post is really big, I just searched a lot about those doubts and barely found anything.

Your help is appreciated guys, hope this post answers help other people in the future.
 
You should be fine. I had the same concerns with my superslim. I had it in a closet for a year, and I wiped it clean. That's the scary thing about buying a used PS3, but you've done everything you should. Don't worry.
 
Is this enough?
In case of HEN, yes. In case ofw CFW (not Your case of course), twice in a row installing OFW (to replace both ROS sections in NAND/NOR).

On NOR models, instead "Restore PS3 System", quicker be just make quick format of HDD on PC.
I heard that even after installing ofw and formatting the ps3 it could still have some hfw and hen files traces on the hdd and system, is that true?
Only if You install OFW without HDD formatting.
i have read that the correct way is to do a full format of the hdd using a pc, is that true too?
No. Quick is sufficient. To be precise, clearing 1st sector (first 512 bytes).
And, my ps3 model have a 16mb nor, so the firmware is installed on the hdd
On all PS3 models fw is installing on flash memory (NOR/NAND/eMMC). Only on NOR models (probably on eMMC too), partially on HDD for less important data.
and the last thing, when I updated my ps3 with the ofw, when the console booted up it still had the hen icon on boot, and it stayed on the Home Screen too, is that normal?
No. It means that You didn't format HDD.
 
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ah, I didn't see that about hen still being there. a system Restore reformats the hdd iirc, so I don't know how that happened other than if you have one of those 12GB superslims. it keeps the last firmware stored off the hdd. I'm not entirely sure how to format it, but I have one of those as well. when I removed the hdd and reformatted it on my sata station, the system still booted into the xmb, but the hdd was in fact formatted. that's a tricky one for me. I'm not sure what to do other than trying to reformat without the hdd being present.

edit: you copy the content when you install an hdd, but I don't know if any of the flash components are copied on an emmc system. if they are, they're merely copied, not moved.

edit2: I'm afraid I don't know enough about hen. I didn't have any hen signs on my systems, so I went ahead with it. perhaps someone will know what to do if you have one of those superslims. good luck.
 
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Hello, I have recently bought an ps3 super slim model 4001b with 250gb and 16mb nor, and it come with hen 3.3.0 and hfw 4.91.

but I wanted a original console to play my physical games, use my main account, play online etc.

Btw I have downloaded the ps3 ofw 4.91 and updated it, then I used the restore ps3 option from ps3 xmb and used the quick formatting option.


Is this enough? Is my console 100% original and stock? What I did was just this, updated the console with ofw and then quick formatted by restore ps3 option.

Later I did another ofw update from safe mode too.

but what I wanted to know is: I heard that even after installing ofw and formatting the ps3 it could still have some hfw and hen files traces on the hdd and system, is that true?

i have read that the correct way is to do a full format of the hdd using a pc, is that true too?

And, my ps3 model have a 16mb nor, so the firmware is installed on the hdd, so just by installing ofw and quick formatting was enough?

and the last thing, when I updated my ps3 with the ofw, when the console booted up it still had the hen icon on boot, and it stayed on the Home Screen too, is that normal? I have installed ofw by the xmb that time, later I installed ofw by safe mode and everything gone, I don't recall correctly, and I just finished quick formatting.

And that's all guys, sorry if the post is really big, I just searched a lot about those doubts and barely found anything.

Your help is appreciated guys, hope this post answers help other people in the future.

You can remove HEN easier than the mentioned method.

When HEN is activated go to the network section, then click on Hybrid Firmware Tools > Maintenance > Uninstall HEN. It should restore your system to OFW except for an SPRX file, which will not be removed.

This would be the easier way which I recommend more to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You can remove HEN easier than the mentioned method.

When HEN is activated go to the network section, then click on Hybrid Firmware Tools > Maintenance > Uninstall HEN. It should restore your system to OFW except for an SPRX file, which will not be removed.

This would be the easier way which I recommend more to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


And about that file that stays on the console, just by formatting/restoring the console will be enough? Will this remove everything?

I always do a quick format, is quick format enough to remove everything?
 
And about that file that stays on the console, just by formatting/restoring the console will be enough? Will this remove everything?

I always do a quick format, is quick format enough to remove everything?

I recommend after removing HEN to install an OFW to restore the modified file "silk_webkit.sprx" (which makes the HFW working) to its original state.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In addition: If you want to remove every file, you could fully restore the "PS3 System" after successfully installing the OFW.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I recommend after removing HEN to install an OFW to restore the modified file "silk_webkit.sprx" (which makes the HFW working) to its original state.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In addition: If you want to remove every file, you could fully restore the "PS3 System" after successfully installing the OFW.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello, sorry for the very late answer.

btw you mentioned to full restore the ps3 to remove everything.

I have 2 doubts about this.

1: I have used the quick format option, using the restore ps3 function, was the quick formatting enough to clear everything from hen and hfw from the ps3?

2: I have installed ofw by xmb, then used the quick formatting then installed ofw again trough the safe mode, was this enough to remove everything, every file, traces etc from hen and hfw from my ps3 system? Even the files, logs etc in the nor memory?

thanks, that's all.
 
In case of HEN, yes. In case ofw CFW (not Your case of course), twice in a row installing OFW (to replace both ROS sections in NAND/NOR).

On NOR models, instead "Restore PS3 System", quicker be just make quick format of HDD on PC.

Only if You install OFW without HDD formatting.

No. Quick is sufficient. To be precise, clearing 1st sector (first 512 bytes).

On all PS3 models fw is installing on flash memory (NOR/NAND/eMMC). Only on NOR models (probably on eMMC too), partially on HDD for less important data.

No. It means that You didn't format HDD.


Hello, sorry for eye late answer.

Thanks for your help.

although I have another doubts about this.

1: you mentioned that i should has formatted the hdd on a pc, but I don't have one, I just used the quick formatting option from ps3 xmb, was that really enough and safe? Or the correct way was by doing this by pc?
It's because I don't have a ps3 and I don't know or even have the tools to open ps3 and remove hdd.


2: you mentioned too about the hen and hfw files on the flash memory.

A little resume of what I did was: first I installed ofw by the xmb, then I used the quick formatting option by the restore ps3 tab, by last I installed ofw again by the safe mode.

mead those things 100% enough to remove every file, log, traces etc from hen and hfw from my ps3 system? From both the hdd and even the nor flash memory? Or could he still some traces on my console?

But ok, that's all, really appreciate your help, I'm pretty new about this thing of hen and hfw, and ps3 too, I have bought mine past month, it's my first ps3.
 
Ad1/2. Should be fine. Doing that on PC assuring You that nothing is preserved. Doing that on PS3, leaving You in trust that nothing is copied, cached before format and restored after format. Which is technical possible but rather unlikely to happen.

No tools needed than screwdriver for one screw. ;) You don't need to disassemble PS3 to get out HDD. It was designed to be available by end user. Connection to PC via SATA transmission + power or USB controller.
 
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