The next system software update for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) system will be released on April 1, 2010 (JST), and will disable the “Install Other OS” feature that was available on the PS3 systems prior to the current slimmer models, launched in September 2009. This feature enabled users to install an operating system, but due to security concerns, Sony Computer Entertainment will remove the functionality through the 3.21 system software update.
In addition, disabling the “Other OS” feature will help ensure that PS3 owners will continue to have access to the broad range of gaming and entertainment content from SCE and its content partners on a more secure system.
Consumers and organizations that currently use the “Other OS” feature can choose not to upgrade their PS3 systems, although the following features will no longer be available;
- Ability to sign in to PlayStation Network and use network features that require signing in to PlayStation Network, such as online features of PS3 games and chat
- Playback of PS3 software titles or Blu-ray Disc videos that require PS3 system software version 3.21 or later
- Playback of copyright-protected videos that are stored on a media server (when DTCP-IP is enabled under Settings)
- Use of new features and improvements that are available on PS3 system software 3.21 or later
For those PS3 users who are currently using the “Other OS” feature but choose to install the system software update, to avoid data loss they first need to back-up any data stored within the hard drive partition used by the “Other OS,” as they will not be able to access that data following the update.
Additional information about PS3 firmware updates, including v3.21 (once it becomes available), can be found here:
http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps3/index.htm
PS3 owners who have further questions should contact Consumer Services:
http://us.playstation.com/support/ask/
800-345-7669 (800-345-SONY)
thank u hirotosama
Playstation 3. “It only does less than half of what it used to.”
@ improperlyaged
Anytime… Sound logic always triumphs.
@improperlyaged
sony didnt make those games. so there goes ur win.
why dont you SUE sony now? hahaha
at the end of the day. im not the one whose pissed off. im the guy who play mw2 right now and getting my ass kicked by how many players online right now? suck that
@ Ajie
No, he still has it.
Sony advertised that you can play them right on the box.
@ajie
I believe Sony published Warhawk.
They physically made the media.
What SONY feign not to understant:
Most of us (me) are not lawers. But we found hundreds of situations where SONY will be sued. I doubt a lawer cant find one.
EPIC FAIL SONY.
EPIC FAIL SONY SUPPORTERS. YOU WILL BE LEFT WITH A NO USERS NO GAMES NO SUPPORT CONSOLE.
@ Ajie
And they gave the team behind Warhawk the development kit to create the game in the first place.
@ajie are u stupid seriously. its still advertised on my box and i bought it fromt THEIR store not the disk. so not only is it theri game as Ivxxoni pointed out they sold me it directly as working with their network. double fail by them and probably the 7th fail by u today alone.
@ Ajie
Told you so.
improperlyaged still wins. (Its getting pretty close to epic.)
I don’t play the victim, because it’s pointless, but I do feel in this case I am being victimized. I have done nothing to deserve this. I was a long time customer leading up to this.
Sony, I hope the PS3 is hacked so completely that it makes duplicating Sony media and games a trivial exercise, while leaving your competitors untouched, to the point where you only sell one copy of anything. I am now very happy that you lost money in your last fiscal year, and I hope you continue to lose money until you are no longer in business. I hope the people responsible for this decision are fired, and never work again, ending up desperately poor, and while committing a petty crime to eat, are gunned down like dogs and buried in unremarkable graves.
For forcing this update decision on me, you fail at customer service.
funny thing is, why dont sue sony? instead of
1.) nerd rage at forum/blog
2.) saying xbox is better
3.) switching to xbox360
4.) wont buy another sony product
5.) im about to buy this ferrari made by sony, but they screw my otherOS. so ill buy a 10 xbox instead.
why the hell are u guys even here? you should be on gamestop getting ur copy of halo or something.
CALL SONY / CONTACT ATTORNEY GENERAL and do something about it
you know whats really sad is i dont even use or want the feature. i just understand the ramifications of sony being allowed to get away with this. if this is allowed whats to stop them from eliminating mp3 playback or dvd playback or the ability to pics or movies or even browse the internet at all or utilize wifi. literally anything could go at anytime and all they have to do is say the magic word “security”.
Simply outrageous. I was an early adopter (first gen 60GB model) of the PS3, because it was a feature rich system. If you were going to do anything with the OtherOS feature, you should have added a better format utility that allowed custom partition sizes. Looks like you’ll have to revise your “It only does everything.” tagline now. What a slap in the face to the open source community.
Last comment was apparently too truthful for sony to hear. All I got to say is that removing a key feature that I use, maybe not everyone, but ME, will definitely change my perspective on this company and their products. No longer will I be convincing people to buy a ps3 over an xbox, because now, in my opinion, they both suck, and only look at what fills their pockets and not what satisfies their customers.
A truly sad day in the gaming world. This is why I stick to my “pre” internet gaming consoles. “Ps3: Too good to be true, like a feature we’ll remove it and say %$&# you!”
@improperlyaged
insert sacrasm theme music …
now when has anyone taken anything away in the name of security?
fade out sarcastic theme …
@darin179 You honestly think gehot works alone? You don’t think there are other hackers? other hackers who will now target the PS3 just to spite Sony? That must be one massive rock you live under my friend.
You can blame hackers all you want, boohoo, because of a few I have to pay, boohoo. LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE! We all know this is about money, and you can be sure Sony will spend/lose more money TRYING to stop hackers than they would have otherwise.
um actually i already filed complaints with theft and bbb and spoke with a representative at the nys attorney generals office who agrees with me. i have a meeting with them next week where i have to present any evidence i have of sony wrongdoing b4 they can launch anw official investigation. if they find a case they will probbably launch a class action lawsuit. i dont just talk sh!+ on blogs anonymously, i inform neanderthals like u how to get sh!+ done.
EASY FIRMWARE UPDATE BYPASS
Figured I’d at least post this somewhere, since Sony made a pathetic move today (April Fools, yeah right) that affects a large number of PS3 owners; the removal of OtherOS. The 3.21 update apparently does nothing but remove a feature for “security concerns.” I didn’t even want to install it on my PS3 Slim, so I went and adjusted my server to bypass the update for myself and others.
Basically, this will allow you to use the PSN and play your games online while still having an older PS3 firmware version installed, such as 3.15.
If, eventually, a disc game comes out that requires 3.21, you will be forced to upgrade to play that game; there’s nothing you can do about that yet. But in the meantime…
You can go to customize your network settings from XMB, and get to the part about DNS nameservers. Select custom, and enter the following IP as your Primary DNS:
67.202.81.137
And there you go, PSN works.
@ Ajie
You don’t think much before you speak (type), do you?
My rebuttal to your claims:
1) I’m not able to legally sue due to age/ my family doesn’t have the money for a attorney at the moment with only one person employed
2) Have I even mentioned those little white (and red) bricks?
3) See #2.
4) I haven’t mentioned that either.
5) See #2 and #4.
End comment) See #2 again.
you know whats really sad is i dont even use or want the feature. i just understand the ramifications of sony being allowed to get away with this. if this is allowed whats to stop them from eliminating mp3 playback or dvd playback or the ability to pics or movies or even browse the internet at all or utilize wifi. literally anything could go at anytime and all they have to do is say the magic word “security”.
_______________________________________________________________
backwards compatibility is next, im telling you
@improperlyaged
to stop them from doing what you think theyre doing is to stop supporting them.
do you honestly believe that a billion dollar industry want to screw their customer? do you?
you can make people happy. but not all of em.
@ improperlyaged post 5328
Why you still epically win.
they can’t take backwards compatability out of the PS3’s that still have the PS2 chipset.
I keep waiting to hear someone from Sony say, “April Fools you poor saps!”
I just can’t believe the stupidity of Sony with this update.
I was already blown away that they removed backwards compatibility and the other os feature when they released the slim PS3s, but now they are messing with features already present on our good old fat PS3’s? wtf
Even if this is a joke, it is in bad taste Sony!! Please rethink this decision. Having linux support is the only thing staving all the hackers from trying to crack the PS3’s firmware to run homebrew.
*sigh* just a terrible decision
@ Ajie
I don’t think that and didn’t mention that.
But to stop using something that I invested time and money into is not something I’d just throw away on a whim.
“you can make people happy. but not all of em.” And not most of them either.
they can’t take backwards compatability out of the PS3’s that still have the PS2 chipset.
________________________________________________________________
not all ps3’s have the chip
Sony, I am truly sorry for you. Really, I am. I understand that what you are doing now seems like the right thing to do right now, but you must understand that hackers are not normal human beings like you and me. If you take away a feature that they were looking into hacking, you have only done three things.
1. Anger them, which is like challenging them to hack you.
2. Take away their distraction so that they can go straight to hacking the console with codes and whatnot, which pirates will then steal.
3. Punish the innocent who did not try to hack in the first place.
So lets review. Hackers will do whatever they must to get what they feel is theirs. Pirates will use hackers for much worse purposes. And people would not be nearly as angry if you would add a useful feature, or at least respond to 5325 posts in three days. Sony still has the best customer service towards me of any electronic company Ive ever done business with, but you have angered many people, and then made yourself seem cowardly by not responding. Obviously, youre going through with this because i updated mine last night, but at least answer your people. I think it may be time for you to get on some PR work.
dude if they remove by backwards compatibility i will win without a lawyer. it’s specifically state on my box like 7 times and in my manual 4 times. hell i wouldnt even break a sweat tearing any argument to shreds just drop my box down in front of a judge and game over.
@Ivxxoni really? you think so? keep in mind RIRMWARE RUNS HARDWARE. FW passes the process to the EE and RSX.
@fox_hound
then the early adopters have a little insurance against the removal of that feature too.
that’s where the extra cost then will pay itself back.
I’m sad to see it go but it’s not that big a deal. I always wanted to try it out and I still have my 60gig sitting here so I can try it eventually if I want too. But I doubt I ever will, I’m just not that tech savy.
@ All the jailhouse lawyers on here, STOP typing go get a video camera and document your lawsuit against SCE. Seriously Attack of the Show needs some good Epic Fail footage. You will not win, I’ll laugh just at the footage of use trying to secure a competent lawyer. Use make it I pledge that I will Netflix it when it comes out.
if u guys are so interested in security why not google ps2 iso usb ps3. i bet u will find something real interesting that might involve running illegally copied ps2 games on a ps3 with no disk. maybe maybe not. does that give sony the right to take away the ps2 compatibility i already paid for. no i dont think so.
@intriven
I stand corrected.
Same thing with the PS1 USB ISO loader.
@ FoX_Hound and IVxxoni
Actually yes they can. Just because the EE chipset is still in there doesn’t mean they cannot remove BC. It’s all software switches, this has been confirmed by GeoHot in his blog, told you people the lvl 2 dumps were done already. So Sony can remove any functionality at any time just by switching off the OS support for the hardware. This could be anything from USB 2.0 to Bluetooth, which I’ll be interested to see how they handle it when those two avenues are used for an exploit.
also cant people load illegally downloaded music(including the sony bmg catalog) on their ps3. i guess that means they are allowed to remove mp3 playback compatibility. illegally downloaded movies,hey no problem just add a little drm coding to psn titles and limit any movie without that drm form palying. no big deal. wait a minute cant wifi give people access to unsecure networks. ohhhhh no cant have that it has to go. they can just use ethernet so what if they already paid for these features damnit we need security.
For the one who says they can’t take the backwards compatibility from PS3’s with the PS2 chipset, I suggest you take some remedial computer courses. A chipset is dependent on firmware to work. If the firmware is changed to break the communication between the PS3 OS and the PS2 chipset, the chipset becomes a useless lump of silicon.
they will tell you the reason behind this update. call them whiners
PS3 owners who have further questions should contact Consumer Services:
800-345-7669 (800-345-SONY)
people wake up this is a huge consumer rights issue that sony cant win. u dont believe me ask amazon what happened when they tried removing software that was legally purchased form people’s kindles. here’s a clue. little people sue, big companies lose. period.
@fox hound
Not all BC PS3 have both PS2 chips. All BC PS3 models have the GS chip inside. Not all have the EE chip inside.
actually i’m online right now without the update and i AM NOT in violation of the tos or eula. my dns provider is a choice that they cant restrict. should they ever do so they are in major trouble and in violation of dozens of american and international fair trade laws. we aren’t china. u dont put restrictions on americans. England tried that in 1774. anybody know what happened two years later?
Well the ps3 officially doesn’t do everything now…..
instead of taking away a valuable tool and forcing us to take it or leave it , why not do something productive ?
a few demands –
better video support – all the other types not currently supported
cross game chat
maybe even a music override system (SEE XBOX )
i don’t care how good a games music is after 30 – 60 hrs of play its annoying ,
hate to even say their name but the red ring of death sounds appealing .
who knows maybe a little mutiny will make u see it from our perspective especially those who shelled out 750 + when they were released
Who releases a patch that contains nothing but bad news? Granted, I don’t use YDL or ever planned to, but you’d think they’d release something people want to offset some of the static.
When this blog came out, I was alittle angered by this. This update isnt big enough of a deal to sue Sony or switch to Xbox. Sony will do something that makes up for a this update. If they don’t, then you have a good reason to switch to Xbox. All I’m basically saying is give Sony 1 more chance and if that doesnt work…do what you want.
I am very disappointed in this decision. I have lost interest in purchasing other products with a Sony label.
Im not using other OS, but Im not able to sign in PSN, if I dont upgrade to 3.21 then how can I play online games? wtf?
Really Sony? This is the worst decision you’ve made since Beta. And yes, I was there for that. I use YDL 6.2 for alot. But not anymore.
cant u install windows on the xbox 360 or xbox? if so i guess i’m switchin till then