PS3 Switching internal HDDs between two PS3 without formating
- Thread starter Lambada
- Start date
jcorrea
PSX-Place Supporter
No, at least, not in a easy way. The HDD is tied to the EID ROOT KEY, that is unique by console.
Berion
Developer
@jcorrea Actually this is not fully true. From ERK are calculated ATA and ENCDEC Keys which are used for encrypting HDD.
@Lambada You cannot.
GEX consoles (Arcade units) can exchange disks between different models because they are using the same keys across all consoles, while every other using unique per unit. In theory, this can be patched on CFW level, but no one ever did this, and jumping to another CFW or another PS3 with different fw cause the same problems. Also after installation of such CFW, needs to format HDD. So this idea died.
If You want switching, You must first decrypt both layers on HDD from source console and then encrypt them for keys used on target console. Not worth the effort, extremely time consuming. Yet this is the only way to achieve thing about You have asked.
@Lambada You cannot.
GEX consoles (Arcade units) can exchange disks between different models because they are using the same keys across all consoles, while every other using unique per unit. In theory, this can be patched on CFW level, but no one ever did this, and jumping to another CFW or another PS3 with different fw cause the same problems. Also after installation of such CFW, needs to format HDD. So this idea died.
If You want switching, You must first decrypt both layers on HDD from source console and then encrypt them for keys used on target console. Not worth the effort, extremely time consuming. Yet this is the only way to achieve thing about You have asked.
Lambada
Member
So if I don't want to loose data, I don't want to install everything again and I don't want to loose configs, trophies..
If I have the EID Root key of each HDD, can I backup my 1TB hdd into my computer and then after formating it in my PS3, copying all data back to it through a software (PS3 HDD Gui) or just through ftp (FileZilla)? Or can I do it with a filemanager and an external HDD plugged to my PS3?
If I have the EID Root key of each HDD, can I backup my 1TB hdd into my computer and then after formating it in my PS3, copying all data back to it through a software (PS3 HDD Gui) or just through ftp (FileZilla)? Or can I do it with a filemanager and an external HDD plugged to my PS3?
hdd gui is ready-only AFAIK.
Lambada
Member
That's what I thought, maybe it's better to backup stuff from the PS3 using a Filemanager (Managunz or IRISMAN) to an external HDD instead of using a desktop at all.
@Berion if I use the PS3 System backup from my 1TB internal to an external HDD (2tb), will I retain all stuff or almost all (accounts, etc)? If so the rest I could backup with a filemanager or ftp.
And Can I use the backuped HDD (from ps3 system backup) and recover in another PS3 console?
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michael barber
Forum Noob
just out of curiosity could you copy/clone matching custom firmware consoles and all the data from one to another by using identical size drives an ethernet cord and the data transfer utility within the ps3's settings i ask bc ive done this on ofw but im not sure how this will work on cfw?
that utility will move from one ps3 to another yes. usefull for replacing a ps3 with a new ps3. it works the same on CFW, but many users would use ftp or usb drive to move the data instead.
the OP only wants to swap the drives. he does not want to move the data.
Berion
Developer
@Lambada System Backup is almost useless if You want import it on different console that it was created. Simple because none of data from protected archives will be restored (save data with copy prohibited, licenses, maybe games too, trophies (trophies aren't on any PS3), and NP Account ID only for first account (the rest accounts got "*" symbol in user name and they must be log into SEN to get it again)). System Backup system is piece of shit on PS3.
If both consoles have CFW, just copy data manually (Ultimate UserData Backup guide). One thing about which I didn't mentioned is export licenses to empty forms by Apollo and restore them on target console also by this app (You can also use it to copy saves and trophies if You don't want use file manager/ftp). Mainly because I written tutorial before @bucanero written Apollo. ^^
On Windows You can read only data from PS3 HDD because of lack of tools. On Linux You can also write, but it is not much noob friendly road. If You insist, enjoy.
If both consoles have CFW, just copy data manually (Ultimate UserData Backup guide). One thing about which I didn't mentioned is export licenses to empty forms by Apollo and restore them on target console also by this app (You can also use it to copy saves and trophies if You don't want use file manager/ftp). Mainly because I written tutorial before @bucanero written Apollo. ^^
On Windows You can read only data from PS3 HDD because of lack of tools. On Linux You can also write, but it is not much noob friendly road. If You insist, enjoy.
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Berion
Developer
Thanks.
Yes, but on first reboot it will show You blue screen of dead, don't worry and turn her of from watchdog (press power button until it starts turning off if I remember correctly, many years has passed since I moved my data from CECHL04 to CECH-2504), on next reboot it will be normal one. We don't know why this happening, some settings must be per console probably and cellos goes into some failsafe because of it. That's the easiest way to keeps accounts.
Yes, but on first reboot it will show You blue screen of dead, don't worry and turn her of from watchdog (press power button until it starts turning off if I remember correctly, many years has passed since I moved my data from CECHL04 to CECH-2504), on next reboot it will be normal one. We don't know why this happening, some settings must be per console probably and cellos goes into some failsafe because of it. That's the easiest way to keeps accounts.
Lambada
Member
1) After everything is backed up, if I insert the HDD from the old into the new console, is PS3 system going to ask for a reformat? Do I need to install my CFW pup again?
2) After when I'm going to plug my externally HDD with my backup and starting to copying over to the HDD in the new PS3 throught Managunz/Irisman, should I rebuild the DB from the System Recovery menu? Probably I will backup a little by little so the HDD won't get too hot while copying almost 1TB of files.
3) Which file transfer method is more stable, using file manager Managunz or Irisman?
Thanks in advance!
Berion
Developer
Ad1. Of course yes.
Yes, for NOR models and yes in all cases when fw version is different.
Ad2. Not should, but You must. Without it, You will not see anything new in XMB. But You can do this at the end. It is not something system needs to work but something You need it to see stuff.
Ad3. I never used them, always using file manager from multiMAN which never failed me. The problem here is that supports only FAT32, and in theory NTFS for read only but I never got it works properly. FAT32 means files with max size 4GiB. exFAT in newer backup managers/file managers in them is experimental, so take this on mind.
I don't understand why You copying data to and from USB device. Use FTP to send games etc. For critical data like saves and trophies, use USB.
Yes, for NOR models and yes in all cases when fw version is different.
Ad2. Not should, but You must. Without it, You will not see anything new in XMB. But You can do this at the end. It is not something system needs to work but something You need it to see stuff.
Ad3. I never used them, always using file manager from multiMAN which never failed me. The problem here is that supports only FAT32, and in theory NTFS for read only but I never got it works properly. FAT32 means files with max size 4GiB. exFAT in newer backup managers/file managers in them is experimental, so take this on mind.
I don't understand why You copying data to and from USB device. Use FTP to send games etc. For critical data like saves and trophies, use USB.
Lambada
Member
Thanks for the explanation.
Almost all my games are PSN ones and I didn't want to reinstall all pkg again one by one and then install their updates one by one again. That's why I thought that it would be better using USB instead of FTP.
But maybe you are right, if send game by game I can check the queue list and see if a file has failed and send again with FTP.
Also I have lots of ROMs from Retroarch with it's thumbnails (screenshots and covers), it's a lot of files and if I remember I do not have a backup In my pc. :/
jcorrea
PSX-Place Supporter
https://twitter.com/notzecoxao/status/1374863493481033731
https://3141card.jimdofree.com/downloads/
I didn't tried the new version yet, but I think it can read and write from and to PS3 HDD (if you have the eid root key).
@3141card could you please shed some light about this?
Berion
Developer
HDD Reader published in latest version on psx-place forum doesn't have write support (actually it have but not on fs level but block level so only replacing files are possible with exactly the same size). Maybe there are newer? Would be awesome.
GUI written by @aldostools is a GUI.
And GUI can do things which CLI apps for which GUI was created can do. In assumption that HDD Reader support now writing, and for copy files to PS3 HDD using the same command as from HDD, then GUI should support it out of the box, just by replacing old HDD Reader by new one, with of course the same file name (ps3.exe if I'm correct).
GUI written by @aldostools is a GUI.
And GUI can do things which CLI apps for which GUI was created can do. In assumption that HDD Reader support now writing, and for copy files to PS3 HDD using the same command as from HDD, then GUI should support it out of the box, just by replacing old HDD Reader by new one, with of course the same file name (ps3.exe if I'm correct).
jcorrea
PSX-Place Supporter
Yeah, sorry about the confusion, I always see the GUI as the HDD Reader itself, because the GUI uses the HDD Reader, but you are totally right. About how GUI works with HDD Reader, I really don't know, because I prefer to use the HDD Reader itself (without GUI) to copy files from PS3 HDD to computer.HDD Reader published in latest version on psx-place forum doesn't have write support (actually it have but not on fs level but block level so only replacing files are possible with exactly the same size). Maybe there are newer? Would be awesome.
GUI written by @aldostools is a GUI.
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3141card
Developer
@jcorrea
There are only low level functions for correct read/write blocks(sectors) from/to the ps3 HDD. Based on the PS3 partition table, i.e. the start and size of the various regions, data is always read in the correct plaintext and plaintext is always correctly encrypted and written back to the PS3 HDD.
If someone intends to add a FAT32 driver to the HDD reader, for example, he can use these functions in src/device.h without having to worry about the PS3 crypto stuff.
A few years ago someone asked again about write support for the HDD reader. Since he only had to patch files without changing the size of the file, I gave him the replace command as "quick & dirty" method. replace is just the opposite of copy. Instead of copying the file block by block from the PS3 HDD to the PC, the file on the PS3 HDD will be overwritten with the new one. This is not only for dev_hdd0(gameOS) its for dev_flash (FAT12/16/32) too. Who knows what it's good for...
Dump a file into the HDD Reader program folder:
hdd_reader hdd dev_hdd0 cp /path/to/file.xyz
Patch the file without changing size.
Write the file back to the PS3 HDD:
hdd_reader hdd dev_hdd0 replace /path/to/file.xyz
There are only low level functions for correct read/write blocks(sectors) from/to the ps3 HDD. Based on the PS3 partition table, i.e. the start and size of the various regions, data is always read in the correct plaintext and plaintext is always correctly encrypted and written back to the PS3 HDD.
If someone intends to add a FAT32 driver to the HDD reader, for example, he can use these functions in src/device.h without having to worry about the PS3 crypto stuff.
A few years ago someone asked again about write support for the HDD reader. Since he only had to patch files without changing the size of the file, I gave him the replace command as "quick & dirty" method. replace is just the opposite of copy. Instead of copying the file block by block from the PS3 HDD to the PC, the file on the PS3 HDD will be overwritten with the new one. This is not only for dev_hdd0(gameOS) its for dev_flash (FAT12/16/32) too. Who knows what it's good for...
Dump a file into the HDD Reader program folder:
hdd_reader hdd dev_hdd0 cp /path/to/file.xyz
Patch the file without changing size.
Write the file back to the PS3 HDD:
hdd_reader hdd dev_hdd0 replace /path/to/file.xyz
Lambada
Member
@Berion do you have any advice to copy a lot of files from PS3?
I want to backup my ROMS folder which has subfolders categorized by systems. Mame is a very big one, the same goes for my screenshots. Is there a way to ZIP/compress or convert them to a single file, like a ISO, PKG from my PS3 so I can send it as one or maybe 3 or 4 parts to an external HDD? Sometimes when Its a lot of files transfering the PS3 can hang or if using FTP it can be unstable.
I want to backup my ROMS folder which has subfolders categorized by systems. Mame is a very big one, the same goes for my screenshots. Is there a way to ZIP/compress or convert them to a single file, like a ISO, PKG from my PS3 so I can send it as one or maybe 3 or 4 parts to an external HDD? Sometimes when Its a lot of files transfering the PS3 can hang or if using FTP it can be unstable.
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