PS3 resign 4.90fw ps3 back up? to clone ps3

[Serial Killer]

as title says is there anyway to resign 4.90fw ps3 back up? to clone a ps3 or another method to clone a cfw ps3

i have two ps3 slims running resign CFW 4.90 evilnat

i would like to clone my main ps3 to my backup ps3 (had one fail in the past lost everything hoping to prevent that)

i tried PeXploit, it said it was successful in changeing the ipds on the back up archive, but it didn't work my back up ps3 detected it was from a different ps3,

i googled to make sure i had latest version and found, PeXploit was patched in 4.70fw

is there alternative software available? or a PeXploit update for 4.90, or is there an easier was like copy paste home dir?

thanks for any help

 

[Serial Killer]

update:still need help

tried resigning back up archive and restoring it on spare ps3 it didn't work

tried psx-place.com/threads/ultimate-userdata-backup-guide.29037/ at about 8 hours mm fails dosnt say why it, just operation failed everytime

tried ftp with filezilla to copy from internal hdd to usb drive it fails

tried mounting hdd with aldos gui ps3 hdd reader, it works fine for old hdd 320gb but not the one im trying to back up a 1000gb hdd, i tried redumping eid key, checked hdd still works in ps3, is the hdd size an issue? it keeps saying hdd not found,

 

[Berion]

Aldo's GUI have old PS3 HDD Reader. Use last one (https://www.psx-place.com/resources/ps3-hdd-reader.1278/) or go to Linux way:
https://www.psx-place.com/threads/tutorial-hdd-mounting-and-decryption-on-linux.23308/
https://www.psx-place.com/resources/ps3-hdd-decryption-helper.1293/

It is possible that You have bad sector which attempt to read cause crash in those applications which You tried. Hard to judge without HDD diagnosis.

Apps for manipulating System Backup archives based on Kakaroto's tool, which was never finished and well tested. It was released "as is" which in most cases works.

Pexploit was patched (maybe, I don't remember) but that doesn't matter as Your task is different. All PS3 firmwares and always will accept sysbup because they cannot changed keys which is used in he process. On different PS3, You cannot restore contents from protected archives because they are signed by IDPS. If You resigned to target IDPS, and still PS3 refusing to restore it, it means resigning wasn't done properly.

 

[Serial Killer]

thank you, i will try resign them again, can you recommend a good tool to do it? ill try the one have again i did retry it before maybe ill get lucky this time, failing that ill try the hdd tools you recommended, thank you for your help @Berion

 

[Berion]

All tools are GUIs or frontends for ps3xport, so nothing else exist because they all using the same code.
https://github.com/kakaroto/ps3xport

tried mounting hdd with aldos gui ps3 hdd reader, it works fine for old hdd 320gb but not the one im trying to back up a 1000gb hdd, i tried redumping eid key, checked hdd still works in ps3, is the hdd size an issue? it keeps saying hdd not found,

BTW: PS3 HDD Reader needs administrator/root privileges. Also I'm not sure if still works on Windows 10/11. They are rolling release kind of Windows so who knows. I assuming You tested it in years ago, and just reporting now that don't work with current HDD - which can be false conclusion because lack of user privileges or Windows changes.

 

[Serial Killer]

All tools are GUIs or frontends for ps3xport, so nothing else exist because they all using the same code.
https://github.com/kakaroto/ps3xport



BTW: PS3 HDD Reader needs administrator/root privileges. Also I'm not sure if still works on Windows 10/11. They are rolling release kind of Windows so who knows. I assuming You tested it in years ago, and just reporting now that don't work with current HDD - which can be false conclusion because lack of user privileges or Windows changes.

ok thank you thats one of the tools i used and the other was pexploit,

i tested few times just before i posted and and again just a few days ago so all this month.

im on win10, i used admin privileges, both hdd from same ps3 running evailnat 4.90cfw same idps bin file both seagate hdds one 500gb one 1000gb, but the 1000 is a sshd drive a hybrid, the 500gb works np but the tool cant find the 1000 which has all the data,

im not a programmer so i dont know but maybe the sshd drive has a different device id or something that the tool is not searching for i imagine is would be a simple update/fix to the tool but i dont have the programming knowledge/skill to attempt it else i would.

i have bought another 1000gb drive it is not a sshd, my plan failing the options above (changing backup ipds again and the newer hdd tools) is to restore the back up to the new 1000gb and seeing if the too can read the hdd then copy to temp drive, reformat in other ps3 then paste files across and rebuild database on spare ps3, then going forward id only have to back up save files and trophies

 

[Berion]

IDPS have nothing to do with HDD. You mislead it with ERK.

Use last PS3 HDD Reader, it is newer than one used in Aldo's GUI by few years. Maybe it is possible to replace it if syntax wasn't changed if You really need graphical interface than CLI.

High probably (I didn't look into code :P) HDD recognition based on first sectors decryption and trying to read magic number (DEADFACE 0FACE00F). If it will match, it means it is PS3 drive and combo key plus algo works, if not, it is other drive. There is no any device IDs or whatever so there is nothing to update on app side. Also it doesn't matter what kind of device You using, it can be even SDHC. :P

 

[Serial Killer]

Update: i tried the hdd tools they didnt work same result as aldos gui version reads the 500gb but not the 1000gb sshd re-tried aldos aswell didnt work even tried swaping drives while tool was loaded with 500gb drive to 1000gb didnt work

tried pexploit, PS3Xport Tool, Aps3xportGUI,i tried ps3xport in cmd and when i read kakaroto's github command list i realised it dosnt have the function to change the idps on the back up archive? so none of the tools that are based off it will work

is there someone here that could write that function and recompile it? from the source here https://github.com/kakaroto/ps3xport im not a programmer else i would haha, would only need something like read idps on backup to confirm changes and an option replace it?

or am i better off downgrading fw so i can change the idps using https://github.com/Zarh/IDPSet/releases on the spare ps3 then running restore back up then changing it back? how risky is it? other then saves and trophys any other unforseen issues?

IDPS have nothing to do with HDD. You mislead it with ERK.

Use last PS3 HDD Reader, it is newer than one used in Aldo's GUI by few years. Maybe it is possible to replace it if syntax wasn't changed if You really need graphical interface than CLI.

High probably (I didn't look into code :P) HDD recognition based on first sectors decryption and trying to read magic number (DEADFACE 0FACE00F). If it will match, it means it is PS3 drive and combo key plus algo works, if not, it is other drive. There is no any device IDs or whatever so there is nothing to update on app side. Also it doesn't matter what kind of device You using, it can be even SDHC. :P

ok so basically the hdd readers will either work or not work, odd that it works in the ps3 no issues and other the drives work np just not the one i need lol its always the way, i thought it might be a device id thing or something similar, for refernce this is the drive in question https://www.storagereview.com/review/seagate-laptop-sshd-1tb-review

so my only real options are to change the idps either on the spare ps3 or the back up archive, and theres no tool for the archive and no current idps changer for 490 im guess im going to have downgrade fw,

are the back ups locked to a firmware? for example can i downgrade change idps restore back up change idps back then update or will i have to downgrade change idps update to 490 restore downgrade again change idps back then update to 490 again?

 

[Berion]

I don't know about what "hdd tools" You talking. There is only one working application which perform decryption and interpreting logic structure: the PS3 HDD Reader, written by 3141card. Aldostools made GUI for it, but GUI is GUI, and without this app, it will not work. In this GUI, PS3 HDD Reader (ps3.exe) is ancient and You could try replace it by last version (yet as I said, I don't know if it will work because myself never tried, I'm Linux user mostly).

And speaking of which, on Linux, all tools needed for decryption and mounnting are already build-in in any Linux distribution, except bswap16 kernel module which converting on the fly little endian to big endian. bswap16-ecb written by Decaf Code and used in my toolbox called PS3 HDD Decryption Helper which I strongly recommend to try.

Besides them, there are two applications which only decrypting drive and only first layer. Their purpose is different than Your goal.

- - -
HDD can be identify by its serial number, model, firmware version, and eventually by special ata commands which are out of atapi standard. PS3 using first three for assigning drive to console, for nothing more. Encryption based only on two keys (maybe three, for OtherOS partition), all generated from ERK (EID Root Key).

You can dump first 2MiB of this mystery drive and attach it here with ERK, with information from which exactly PS3 model came from (because different models, using different algos and different seeds for keys generating), and I could try decrypt it, telling You if You messed up or there are other reasons that HDD isn't recognized. In this small chunk, there is no any private informations. ERK is unique but Sony identifying consoles in their network only by IDPS.

Take in mind that if You agree for disk initialization on Windows, You overwrite PS3 partition table so PS3 HDD Reader, and the same PS3 itself, will no longer able to recognize disk other than as empty (data recovery from such case is possible only on Linux because no one written tools for Windows, but still complicated).

- - -
Changing IDPS needs changes in eEID. That's uncharted territory if this is the only changes needed for Your task. You could potentially end up with none system backup accepting with any IDPS if You start messing with it.

You can extract data and create another sysbup with target IDPS.

System Backup archives aren't tied to firmware version AFAIK.

 

[Serial Killer]

First off thank you for all your help so far i appreciate it, I have made replies in bold so its easy to follow

I don't know about what "hdd tools" You talking. There is only one working application which perform decryption and interpreting logic structure: the PS3 HDD Reader, written by 3141card. Aldostools made GUI for it, but GUI is GUI, and without this app, it will not work. In this GUI, PS3 HDD Reader (ps3.exe) is ancient and You could try replace it by last version (yet as I said, I don't know if it will work because myself never tried, I'm Linux user mostly).

And speaking of which, on Linux, all tools needed for decryption and mounnting are already build-in in any Linux distribution, except bswap16 kernel module which converting on the fly little endian to big endian. bswap16-ecb written by Decaf Code and used in my toolbox called PS3 HDD Decryption Helper which I strongly recommend to try.

The hdd tools are the ones already mentioned aldos gui and the windows one you mentioned. neither worked neither found the hdd, i dont have a linux system and im not familar with the system or commands so i didnt use the 3rd linux tool,

Besides them, there are two applications which only decrypting drive and only first layer. Their purpose is different than Your goal.

- - -
HDD can be identify by its serial number, model, firmware version, and eventually by special ata commands which are out of atapi standard. PS3 using first three for assigning drive to console, for nothing more. Encryption based only on two keys (maybe three, for OtherOS partition), all generated from ERK (EID Root Key).

You can dump first 2MiB of this mystery drive and attach it here with ERK, with information from which exactly PS3 model came from (because different models, using different algos and different seeds for keys generating), and I could try decrypt it, telling You if You messed up or there are other reasons that HDD isn't recognized. In this small chunk, there is no any private informations. ERK is unique but Sony identifying consoles in their network only by IDPS.

can you explain how to do this 2mib hdd dump from ps3 or point me to tool that will? windows cant read drive without initialization and the hdd programs cant find it,i dont have linux, the is drive i use in the ps3 and it work perfectly in the ps3, i have the erk, both ps3's are same model cech-2502b

Take in mind that if You agree for disk initialization on Windows, You overwrite PS3 partition table so PS3 HDD Reader, and the same PS3 itself, will no longer able to recognize disk other than as empty (data recovery from such case is possible only on Linux because no one written tools for Windows, but still complicated).

i havent initialized the drive on windows it currently works in the ps3and is the drive i use because it has all my current data
- - -
Changing IDPS needs changes in eEID. That's uncharted territory if this is the only changes needed for Your task. You could potentially end up with none system backup accepting with any IDPS if You start messing with it.

ok wont do that, thank you for the headsup

You can extract data and create another sysbup with target IDPS.

i had this same idea extracting the data would be enough, but the tools i used wouldn't extract from the archives they just froze when opening archives

System Backup archives aren't tied to firmware version AFAIK.

ok thank you good to know

 

[Serial Killer]

ok i see your post https://www.psx-place.com/threads/hdd-dump-erk.21402/

so here are the dumps from 500gb drive and the 1000 both from same ps3 model cech-2502b running evilnat490cfw the 500gb is found by the ps3 hdd tools listed above with no problems but the 1000gb cannot be found,

also no idea if this makes a difference but they where both listed as sdg and not sda in mint im not familiar with linux so i know if that matters i have a few of hdds connected to my pc so it could just be that

 

[Berion]

First off thank you for all your help so far i appreciate it, I have made replies in bold so its easy to follow

You're welcome.

You can use bbcode for make quotation sections like I in this post. Close text in [ QUOTE ] some text [ /QUOTE ] (without spaces of course, case not sensistive).

windows cant read drive without initialization and the hdd programs cant find it

That's not true. You misleading disk recognition with his logic structure recognition. Windows of course will not understand PS3 logic (and it will not assign any drive letter to it, because of that), but still see device and still allow access to the device by any Windows app, including PS3 HDD Reader.

i dont have linux

Sure thing, like majority of planet population. However, You can just boot it from any media and it will work from RAM, without need of any installation in so-called live mode. Worth to be familiar with it, just in case of data recovery or... PS3 HDD reading.

the is drive i use in the ps3 and it work perfectly in the ps3, i have the erk, both ps3's are same model cech-2502b

Confirmed. I have no problems with decryption both samples (screen from only one because both are the same at the beginning):

Your keys:

EID Root Key:
6D07DC96508B6EBD1553BA618AEC8C7CD5849CC0B12834B8BC30253E802ADEBBD16C9246BB70B75FCB83C8ED0C5AF3C2

ATA Key:
912C78E77D8AF615F04F979B4523CA754A7CF53D8C02AE37C9A021412C35F3B5

VFlash Key:
9C039B44E35C269C1D2749DD74B31EB05469EFCC2329FAB4D0C5E4EFFF9A95FF

ok i see your post https://www.psx-place.com/threads/hdd-dump-erk.21402/
(...)
also no idea if this makes a difference but they where both listed as sdg and not sda in mint im not familiar with linux so i know if that matters i have a few of hdds connected to my pc so it could just be that

Linux assigning scsi devices in order of detection ports on mobo. SATA HDDs connected to SATA, USB etc. will get sda, sdb, sdc, sdd, sde, sdf etc. It is the same like in Windows which naming them disk0, disk1, disk2, disk3, disk4 etc.

 

[Serial Killer]

thank you for the keys. i had the eid key but not the other two, how do i use them to solve this issue haha?, and any clue as to why the 1000 isnt found? they both work perfect in ps3?

i just did a fresh back up to try the extraction from backup archive again

 

[Berion]

You will not solve this issue because author of PS3 HDD Reader no longer work on this app. You can try contact him (here or on GBA Temp) and ask anyway if You are sure that last version (not the one bundled with Aldo's gui) not seen this HDD.

IMO Your best bet is use Linux (I recommending Mint) to copy data from PS3 HDD to where You want (but if on partition where Windows is installed, turn off first hybrid/fastboot by turning off hibernation because changes in fs on "C:\" are not written to table but kept in hiberfile... They do this intentionally since Windows 8 to making unaware Linux users breaking NTFS and loosing data...).

 

[Serial Killer]

will linux read the drive natively or will i need special app to read it?

 

[Berion]

1. Run Linux Mint live environment (i.e write it to USB by Rufus/Ventoy or burn on DVD by ImgBurn and boot PC from it (fast boot must be turned off, or UEFI quick boot menu invoked before Windows start booting)).
   
2. Download PS3 HDD Decryption Helper and unpack it to your home (you should see folder "ps3").
   
3. Drop Your eid_root_key.bin to "/home/mint/ps3/keys/".
4. Double click on "PS3 HDD & NAND Keygen.sh" (*.sh in Linux are like *.bat in Windows) and allow it to "run in terminal".
5. Type 4 and press enter (because Your console is Slim). This will generate ATA and VFlash keys needed for decryption (the same which I pasted above in earlier comment).
6. Run "PS3 KO Manager.sh" and choose option 4. If compilation will fail, be sure You have network connection, run again script and choose option 3, after that rerun script and choose again 4 which should produced bswap16-ecb.ko module.
7. Run again the same script and choose hidden option "1-bs" ("1" loading bswap16-ecb and ufs but You don't have ufs so it would unnecessary scare You by error messages ;p).
8. Run "PS3 HDD Mounter Micro.sh" and choose option 3 (because You have Slim).
9. When You will be asked for PS3 HDD, you will see model number on the list along to device name, so type /dev/sda if your ps3 hdd will be sda.
   
10. If everything is ok (keys exist, bswap16-ecb loaded, ps3 hdd connected and chosen properly), you will see dev_hdd0 contents under "/home/mint/ps3/storage/hdd/dev_hdd0/" (Linux using slashes on right, Windows on left) in file manager (Linux mounting partitions where ever user want, instead to Windows which using drive letters like eg. "C:\"). However, You will need root permission to access to its contents, which means click right mouse button and choose "open as root". Nemo, default file manager in Mint, have option to split panel into two parts like eg. in TotalCommander or any FTP clients, by pressing F3. This will make more handier copying I think. ;]
    
11. On left panel in file manager, under device, You will see PS3 partitions but also your PC HDD partitions from Windows. Click on those which You want use for backup data and it will be mount under "/media" (Linux doesn't mounting automatically found partitions of found devices).
12. After You will copy all needed data open terminal and type "sync". Just in case.
    
13. Now run script "PS3 HDD Umounter.sh", this will unmount PS3 HDD partition(s). "Micro" mounting only user partition and without special ufs module, it will be read only, so in theory You don't even need unmounting but, well, do it anyway before You disconnect ps3 hdd.
    
14. In file manager click on arrow near the partition from PC HDD where You copied data to unmount pc partitions.

 

[Berion]

PS: If step 10 will not open your road to heaven, run Reporter script and paste here whole output, closed in tags: [ CODE ] text [ /CODE ].

 

[haxxxen]

not to offend your excellent backup guide @Berion , but with a Slim PS3 you could also use ps3encdec (from sorvigolova) on Windows. I have used it to re-encrypt image for a CECHL, which has worked fine, except for vlash, which I had to manually restore, but PS3 only will reinstall firmware without formatting hdd

 

[Serial Killer]

1. Run Linux Mint live environment (i.e write it to USB by Rufus/Ventoy or burn on DVD by ImgBurn and boot PC from it (fast boot must be turned off, or UEFI quick boot menu invoked before Windows start booting)).
   
2. Download PS3 HDD Decryption Helper and unpack it to your home (you should see folder "ps3").
   
3. Drop Your eid_root_key.bin to "/home/mint/ps3/keys/".
4. Double click on "PS3 HDD & NAND Keygen.sh" (*.sh in Linux are like *.bat in Windows) and allow it to "run in terminal".
5. Type 4 and press enter (because Your console is Slim). This will generate ATA and VFlash keys needed for decryption (the same which I pasted above in earlier comment).
6. Run "PS3 KO Manager.sh" and choose option 4. If compilation will fail, be sure You have network connection, run again script and choose option 3, after that rerun script and choose again 4 which should produced bswap16-ecb.ko module.
7. Run again the same script and choose hidden option "1-bs" ("1" loading bswap16-ecb and ufs but You don't have ufs so it would unnecessary scare You by error messages ;p).
8. Run "PS3 HDD Mounter Micro.sh" and choose option 3 (because You have Slim).
9. When You will be asked for PS3 HDD, you will see model number on the list along to device name, so type /dev/sda if your ps3 hdd will be sda.
   
10. If everything is ok (keys exist, bswap16-ecb loaded, ps3 hdd connected and chosen properly), you will see dev_hdd0 contents under "/home/mint/ps3/storage/hdd/dev_hdd0/" (Linux using slashes on right, Windows on left) in file manager (Linux mounting partitions where ever user want, instead to Windows which using drive letters like eg. "C:\"). However, You will need root permission to access to its contents, which means click right mouse button and choose "open as root". Nemo, default file manager in Mint, have option to split panel into two parts like eg. in TotalCommander or any FTP clients, by pressing F3. This will make more handier copying I think. ;]
    
11. On left panel in file manager, under device, You will see PS3 partitions but also your PC HDD partitions from Windows. Click on those which You want use for backup data and it will be mount under "/media" (Linux doesn't mounting automatically found partitions of found devices).
12. After You will copy all needed data open terminal and type "sync". Just in case.
    
13. Now run script "PS3 HDD Umounter.sh", this will unmount PS3 HDD partition(s). "Micro" mounting only user partition and without special ufs module, it will be read only, so in theory You don't even need unmounting but, well, do it anyway before You disconnect ps3 hdd.
    
14. In file manager click on arrow near the partition from PC HDD where You copied data to unmount pc partitions.

PS: If step 10 will not open your road to heaven, run Reporter script and paste here whole output, closed in tags: [ CODE ] text [ /CODE ].

Wow you truly are a good human, thank you for the detailed instructions, i will i give it a go and let you know the results, with all the instuctions im feeling confident is gonna work

 

[Serial Killer]

not to offend your excellent backup guide @Berion , but with a Slim PS3 you could also use ps3encdec (from sorvigolova) on Windows. I have used it to re-encrypt image for a CECHL, which has worked fine, except for vlash, which I had to manually restore, but PS3 only will reinstall firmware without formatting hdd

can you extract files using this tool? it seems from the instructions it will just decrypt the drive? and if i decrypt the drive, can i initilize it in windows and extract the data? or will that stop the drive from working in the ps3? or will the ps3 just re encrypt it?