Geohot's Custom PlayStation 3 Firmware Restores OtherOS

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Geohot's Custom PlayStation 3 Firmware Restores OtherOS

Post by trog @ 12:34pm 09/04/10 | 11 Comments

So as the fallout of Sony's move to remove the OtherOS option continues to settle, freedom fighter Geohot continues to do battle to make sure you can actually use the product you bought in one of the manners in which you were told you could use it when you bought the damn thing. From his blog:

Here is a video demoing my "custom firmware". It's not any sort of version string change; I would have added something showing off the new features of 3.21, but oh wait, there aren't any.

This can be installed without having to open up your PS3, just by restoring a custom generated PUP file, but only from 3.15 or previous. It's possible this CFW will also work on the slim to actually *enable* OtherOS; I'll know when my infectus gets here.

If you're interested in this sort of thing you can watch the video of the alleged hack on the tubes.

Reader Steven L wrote in to remind us the other day that this sort of move by Sony might very well run contrary to laws that protect Australian consumers from this sort of tactic, and points out that PS3 owners should call Sony Australia to make sure they've heard your complaint. You can also log a complaint with the ACCC on 1300 302 502 (or see their website for more information).

playstation 3

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ravn0s
Posted 01:19pm 09/4/10

some dude got a refund in the UK from amazon because the ps3 no longers operates as advertised when he bought it. i think we have a similar law

last edited by ravn0s at 13:19:31 09/Apr/10

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E.T.
Posted 01:20pm 09/4/10

Complaint logged with ACCC.
Thanks for the link/info ect.

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groganus
Posted 02:00pm 09/4/10

It is interesting that we haven't seen any custom firmware untill now for the ps3.

Which leads me to believe that sony has just brought on a whole chain of problems by telling people what they can and cant do with there product.

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tequila
Posted 03:05pm 09/4/10

word

Confirmation

Thank you for contacting the ACCC.

Where possible the staff of the ACCC Infocentre will phone and discuss your inquiry/complaint. This provides an opportunity to better understand your questions and provide a more useful response. The matters you have raised will receive attention by ACCC staff.

Please note that we are experiencing delays in responding to online complaints.

If you have any urgent inquiries please call 1300 302 502.
You submitted the following:

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Midda
Posted 03:09pm 09/4/10

Everybody's going on about how it's cool that we can keep Other OS (which is great news), but I'm more amazed that we can install custom firmware. That has far more potential.

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tequila
Posted 04:09pm 14/4/10

Just got this back, hopefully it's not a load of bollocks and they actually get something done

Dear Mr Johnson,

Thank you for your email of 1 April 2010 to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding concerns about the recent firmware update to the PlayStation 3 released by Sony. I understand that when the firmware update is applied to the console the 'OtherOS' feature, promoted by Sony as part of the marketing of that PS3 model, is removed.

The issues raised in your complaint are being considered in the context of the Trade Practices Act 1974. In the meantime, you may also wish to contact Sony directly to inform them of your concerns.

If the ACCC requires any further information, then an investigator may contact you.

Thank you for contacting the ACCC.

Yours sincerely,

Jaime

ACCC Infocentre

Ph: 1300 302 502

From: brett@[IS-AWESOME]
Sent: Friday, 9 April 2010 2:52 PM
To: Infocentre
Subject: Complaint form submission [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Complainant details

Mr Brett

Age: 25-34
Gender: male
Contact details

Date received: 9th April 2010

Product provider: Sony
Product description: Sony Playstation 3
Complaint
I purchased my playstation 3 over 4 years ago, it was advertised to support "OtherOS" at the time Since then, Sony have (without asking) disabled this particular feature of my hardware, thus removing my ability to run a different operating system on my PS3 This functionality was available to me when I purchased the device, it was also a determining factor in purchasing the device I do not believe Sony should be able to do this to my device after I have already purchased it
Additional information
---
IMPORTANT: This email from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and any attachments to it, contains information that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal, professional or other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not review, copy, disseminate, disclose to others or take action in reliance of, any material contained within this email. If you have received this email in error, please let the ACCC know by reply email to the sender informing them of the mistake and delete all copies from your computer system. For the purposes of the Spam Act 2003, this email is authorised by the ACCC www.accc.gov.au

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greazy
Posted 04:25pm 14/4/10

wow. Good job teq.

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tequila
Posted 04:35pm 14/4/10

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parabol
Posted 05:01pm 14/4/10

I purchased my playstation 3 over 4 years ago, it was advertised to support "OtherOS" at the time Since then, Sony have (without asking) disabled this particular feature of my hardware, thus removing my ability to run a different operating system on my PS3 This functionality was available to me when I purchased the device, it was also a determining factor in purchasing the device I do not believe Sony should be able to do this to my device after I have already purchased it

No offence (actually I take that back, plenty of offence intended!), but you can make yourself be taken more seriously if you:

1. Give some background info, rather than jumping in with specific references to "OtherOS" expecting the recipient to know exactly what you are talking about.

2. Put some effort into punctuation and capitalisation to not sound like a 12 year old.

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Bah
Posted 05:03pm 14/4/10

expecting the recipient to know exactly what you are talking about.

I think they are aware of what he is talking about, ive seen plenty of forum threads with people sending crap to the accc about this issue.

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parabol
Posted 05:14pm 14/4/10

I think they are aware of what he is talking about, ive seen plenty of forum threads with people sending crap to the accc about this issue.

Yes, of course there would be someone inside the ACCC who would know. But it first has to get past the person who reads the emails and has to categorise/forward them. They might be clueless.

Instead of beginning with a tech/feature-specific term, it's better to talk about the high-level problem (advertised feature removal and how it affects you). After that you can refer to the specific feature and Sony terminology.

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