PS3 [Tutorial] HDD mounting and decryption on Linux

Install GSmartControl (just type it in software manager). It have easy GUI. But You know, USB enclosure can falsify results (if You will see some ridiculous values, You must find another way to read S.M.A.R.T).
 
S.M.A.R.T looks valid and disk is ok. Maybe besides retract count is something not normal, especially that You have used such disk only 205 hours but it is nothing to worry about yet.
 
So..... My Linux desktop is an old media PC - Acer Revo 3610 which you can't really crack open (easily) but it has an external (orange) e-SATA port.. could i get an e-SATA -> SATA cable and run the disk "natively" that way?
 
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Yes, but buying a cable special for such task is strange IMO. High probably You get the same results but I mentioned about this only because some enclosures are really junk (no support for all ata commands, 32bit addressing etc.) and because normal PC are just common (so I assumed that You can just go to friend and check this).

eSATA is the same as SATA but external, however, not all eSATA are "power over SATA" (in such case You would also need external power supply).
 
At this point I've accepted defeat and going to cut my losses...I still have my old hard drive which had a lot of saves... And the other gamesI will just download as and when I need them!

Should I just format the 1tb then backup the 120gb and then restore that to the large drive?
 
Yes, based on attached S.M.A.R.T is healthy HDD.

Just don't do it by System Backup, but via file manager (i.e build-in in multiMAN).
 
Hi, I attach modules (ufs.ko and bswap16.ko) for Ubuntu 19.10 with 5.3.0-24 kernel. It allows you to write data on UFS2 partitions. All you need is installed Ubuntu 19.10. To install this kernel simply use terminal command:
Code: 
sudo apt-get install linux-image-5.3.0-24
After reboot you will see a new kernel in advanced options in GRUB. To mount HDD use tutorials from @Berion. Transfer speed for large files (>1GB) is about 20-30 MB/s on my PC. It depends, that you use USB-to-SATA adapter or SATA port on motherboard.
 

Attachments

@Berion one tip for compiling the native ufs module from kernel source.
You can compile ufs.ko alone. Just execute make M=fs/ufs instead of make modules.
 
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And you can solve the wrong module version issue by editing the kernel version in <kernel_source_dir>/include/generated/utsrelease.h. You should then recompile the module.
However, for some reason, mounting the disk as read-write will mount the filesystem with read-only permissions. You need to perform a mount -o remount,rw <ps3_dev_hddX> in order to write files.
 
Thanks for the tips and effort. I have in plans to update those tutorials (but hard to say when exactly).
 
Berion said:
Thanks for the tips and effort. I have in plans to update those tutorials (but hard to say when exactly).
Click to expand...

hi dude , i got a question for you if you dont mind. i have Ubuntu 19.10 with 5.3.0-24 kernel and ive used bswap-ecb + ufs.ko to use with 5.3.0-24. . im stuck in "cryptsetup create -c bswap16 -d / dev / zero ps3hdd-bs / dev / sdc" step cause it shows a "device / not compatible error and it just dont enable ps3hdd mount .

also tried to run linux mint cinnamon 19.2 in my asus prime a320m-k motherboard (disabling fastboot, secure boot, enabling and disabling csm support, well i tried all) to use bswap16-ecb v1.0 4.15.0-54 with no success

i translated Montowanie pamięci wewnętrznej na Linuksie (2019-09-07).pdf to spanish and (google translator) to know what to do . im stuck in the very same problem that happenned to @Hadobedo . i just need to enable dev-hdd1 R/W to erase ps3update folder. any help here will be hot . thanks
 
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@Eruil EOL If You want remove update package, You do not need write support on UFS2 partition, because update is on FAT32 partition. ;)

This specific error is caused by not loaded bswap16 module. You must perform:
Code: 
insmod '/home/mint/ps3/bswap16.ko'
File name must match to command above, if it is named i.e "eruileol.ko" You must insert exactly this module. Of course path to file also must match to real one. Those which You can find in the tutorial are just examples. Maybe Your module is named "bswap16-ecb.ko" and You have tried to load "bswap16.ko", and also You didn't read the output message. :P Just guessing. Other possible reason is not compatible module version with kernel version. You must compile it by Yourself or if used the one attached in this thread, it must match to default kernel of Linux Mint or Ubuntu in specific version.

PS: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/tutorial-fixing-boot-loop.27965/

BTW:
  • Disabling Fast Boot etc. are not needed for apps to work but just to boot Linux. ;) With turned on fastboot, You are doomed to Windows 10.
  • With Secure Boot on, You are doomed to operating systems with signed bootloaders (I don't know if Mint or Ubuntu bought certificate so it is just easy to assume that doesn't and by disabling it, You will be free from this bullshit which in theory expose You to boot loaders replacing attacks (which no one saw on the wild since day one :P)).
  • CSM Support is for operating systems which cannot be run on UEFI (this is the mode, when UEFI emulating BIOS). Both Ubuntu and Mint are compatible with UEFIs since 10 years or so.
 
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dude if this works ill go to poland just to make you a b-job LOL ;D

ive done this based in the quick guide.txt with bswap16.ko (5.3.0.24 ubuntu kernel) :

sudo su
insmod '/home/eruil/ps3/bswap16.ko'
cryptsetup create -c bswap16-ecb -d /dev/zero ps3hdd-bs /dev/sdc
# for Slim (NOR):
cryptsetup create -c aes-xts-plain64 -d /home/eruil/ps3/ata_key.bin -s 256 ps3hdd /dev/mapper/ps3hdd-bs
kpartx -a /dev/mapper/ps3hdd
cryptsetup create -c aes-xts-plain64 -d /home/eruil/ps3/vflash_key.bin -s 256 -p 8 ps3vflash /dev/mapper/ps3hdd1
kpartx -a /dev/mapper/ps3vflash
mount -t ufs -o ufstype=ufs2,ro /dev/mapper/ps3hdd2 /home/eruil/ps3/dev_hdd0
mount -t vfat /dev/mapper/ps3hdd3 /home/eruil/ps3/dev_hdd1
mount -t vfat /dev/mapper/ps3vflash2 /home/eruil/ps3/dev_flash1
mount -t vfat /dev/mapper/ps3vflash3 /home/eruil/ps3/dev_flash2
mount -t vfat /dev/mapper/ps3vflash4 /home/eruil/ps3/dev_flash3
umount -l /home/eruil/ps3/dev_hdd0
umount -l /home/eruil/ps3/dev_hdd1
umount -l /home/eruil/ps3/dev_flash1
umount -l /home/eruil/ps3/dev_flash2
umount -l /home/eruil/ps3/dev_flash3
kpartx -d /dev/mapper/ps3vflash && cryptsetup remove ps3vflash
kpartx -d /dev/mapper/ps3hdd && cryptsetup remove ps3hdd
cryptsetup remove ps3hdd-bs
losetup -d /dev/sdc
rmmod bswap16
exit

partition dev_hdd1 never shown PS3UPDATE folder. its marked as 2.1 free of 2.1 gb
 
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so , i guess i need to do it this way :

sudo su
insmod '/home/eruil/ps3/bswap16.ko'
cryptsetup create -c bswap16-ecb -d /dev/zero ps3hdd-bs /dev/sdc
cryptsetup create -c aes-xts-plain64 -d /home/eruil/ps3/ata_key.bin -s 256 ps3hdd /dev/mapper/ps3hdd-bs
kpartx -a /dev/mapper/ps3hdd
mount -t vfat /dev/mapper/ps3hdd3 /home/eruil/ps3/dev_hdd1
lsblk -b /dev/sdc
umount -l /home/eruil/ps3/dev_hdd1
kpartx -d /dev/mapper/ps3vflash && cryptsetup remove ps3vflash
kpartx -d /dev/mapper/ps3hdd && cryptsetup remove ps3hdd
cryptsetup remove ps3hdd-bs
losetup -d /dev/sdc
rmmod bswap16
exit
 
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