CEX/DEX Semi-brick

[Buty]

Hello, I bricked my console and want to know if there's any way I can recover without a hardware solution.

What Happened:

I have a CEX CECH2001A and I was trying to get ISO working without BD-Drive/Daughterboard. I had tried
Fake BD-EMU and also PS3GEN BD-EMU on PC without any luck in any REBUG REX NO BD firmware converted to DEX.

My problems started when I installed PASTA 4.84 STANDARD DEX. I read Joonie's thread and he says these are working:

Managunz v1.34 unofficial update by @littlebalup . Works pretty well on CECH-E01
IRISMAN 4.84 - black screen on start up.(possible cause, broken mamba?) FYI @aldostools
REBUG TOOLBOX 02.03.01
Movian (debug signed)
MultiMAN 4.82 (detected as 4.81, seems to work fine, BDMirror hasn't been tested yet)

source: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/u...by-joonie-for-debug-converted-consoles.23009/

I tested them all except movian and always got a black screen. Since I could not get into Managunz/Multiman for testing BD-Emu, this firmware had no use for me anymore. I then tried updating to another firmware and it gave me an error(didn't take a note of which) it didn't matter if was CEX or DEX it gave me an error, except for PS3ITA 4.75 DEX.

I started updating to this firmware and at some point I got an error and I also did not take note of it because I figured it was a problem with a BD check like it happened with many regular CFW before, I did not know that CEX converted consoles would get a brick from a DEX FIRMWARE.

Now when I start the console it asks me to put a 2.40 or above update in the storage medium, recovery update option also asks for the same thing and in both options if I press Start+Select it will keep on "checking" forever no matter what firmware it's on the flash drive, in fact the led does not react so I assume it's no even getting a read at all.

Things I know for certain:

I did not try any firmware above 4.84 before the brick to see if it would give me an error.

The ones I tried were:

4.21 PS3ITA DEX
4.50 PS3ITA DEX
4.75 REBUG D-REX NO-BD MENTD
4.82.2 REBUG D-REX NO BD

QA Flag was enabled in Rebug Toolbox in 4.75 REBUG D-REX NO-BD MENTD, which was the firmware I was on before I updated to PASTA 4.84 STANDARD DEX. I don't know if such thing resets, but there is no way to know if it was enabled in PASTA because I could not get the Toolbox working.

Things I tried after the brick:

Multiple firmwares including but not limited to

Rebug/Habib/Rogero/MLT downgraders
4.21 PS3ITA DEX
4.50 PS3ITA DEX
4.75 REBUG D-REX NO-BD MENTD
PASTA 4.84 STANDARD DEX
OFW 2.40 CEX/DEX
OFW 3.55 CEX/DEX

Andy1997 says in his topic says he fixed a similar issue with 4.50 PS3ITA, didn't work for me unfortunately
Source: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/looking-for-help-ps3-cant-install-firmware.30412/page-2

Also Tried:

Multiple flash drives, all converted to MBR and FAT32 in DISKPART
Multiple Hard drives, formated with HDD Guru low level format tool, something that helped with a similar case in the past.

Last thing I did was this tutorial: https://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=37870
I tried both with standard Lv2diag and NO-BD patched, nothing.

Things I did not/cannot try

E3/Teensy/Progkeet etc
E3 Reader
Put in service mode with PSP, is it even possible in anything above 3.55?

source:https://brandonw.net/psp/ps3jig/#:~...w program,other downgrade/service mode method.

Last but not least, I have a dump of:

eid_root_key
LV1 made in 4.80.1 REBUG REX BD-EMU
LV2 made in 4.80.1 REBUG REX BD-EMU
LV2 made in Evilnat 4.88.2 CEX
NOR made in made in 4.80.1 REBUG REX BD-EMU
NOR CEX and DEX dumps which I cannot identify which firmware they were made from.
xRegistry

Thanks.

 

[Buty]

Update 1: System now get out of "Checking" but does not recognize any firmware on the usb.

 

[Buty]

Update 2: System fixed.

Steps are below for future reference.

Things I should note

DO NOT do this if you have a working BD-Drive in a retail CEX converted to DEX as it will probably install the update and brick your system beyond recovery without a hardware flasher, the only reason I could recover from this without a flasher it's because I did not get a full brick, the 4.75 DEX did not install completely because it failed the BD check. My NOR got some bug though making it not recognize anything in any flash drive but then it worked again out of nowhere when after some days.

You will lose EVERYTHING in the PS3 HDD, if you want to backup anything you will need to follow this: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/tutorial-hdd-mounting-and-decryption-on-linux.23308/

Now the steps

What you need
DEX OFW 4.75: https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps3/4.75_DEX
REBUG 4.75.3 MENTD: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/unofficial-rebug-4-75-3-d-rex-nobd-patched-mentd-cfw.3138/
Flash drive formatted in FAT32 and MBR
PC and a way to connect the PS3 HDD to it.

1. Download the DEX OFW 4.75 and put it in the flash drive, start the PS3 with the flash drive connected to the left usb port press PS button and then START+SELECT wait to the check see if it starts updating, if it does, it will give you the 8002F14E error (BD check).

2. Once it gives you the error, press the PS3 power button for 20 seconds until the system turns off, take off the PS3 HDD, connect it to PC either via SATA/or adapter and format it. It needs to be in MBR, everything else is irrelevant.

3. Plug the HDD back in the PS3 and see if it gives you the message to press the PS button in the controler, if it starts updating automatically you need to format your drive until it gives you the "press PS button".

4. Delete the old update from the flash drive and put REBUG 4.75.3 MENTD now instead, start the PS3 (DO NOT start in recovery mode, Rebug REX/D-REX CFW below 4.84.2 are not recognized in recovery) with the flash drive connected to the left port, press the PS button and then START+SELECT when it asks for it, now wait until the "checking" ends and it should start updating, once it ends you're back in the Sony welcome screen and can setup the PS3 from there.

One more thing. Always check the MD5 of the files you download, the file that was labeled as PS3ITA DEX 4.75 was OFW 4.75 DEX instead, that is why I thought it was strange it did not install the first time since it has the no BD check removed.

Cheers.

 

[atreyu187]

Enable QA flags and that will never happen again. Recent CFW 4.82 are patched so the FW file can not be installed via the disc. Also using a no-BD drive those patches will render the optical fully disabled. The no-BD/no-BT should only be used if there is an issue with the hardware.

 

[Buty]

As I said, QA was enabled in 4.75.3 MENTD but I could not do it PASTA 4.84 standard, it would just not load the Toolbox for me, when I remembered about the qa pkg it was too late. The hardware is indeed damaged, the ribbon is gone and it's not worth replacing for me because I would not use it anyway.