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)
that would restore my faith in sony. along with a promise that this crap won’t happen again i would continue to spend m money on psn and in stores buying games. otherwise i’m done with sony and all its products.
@improperlyaged
Trade in value for a PS3 fat has tanked to $120. There was at one time an extra $30 bonus for trade in with hardware purchase.
I wanted to trade my 60gb for a slim at one time. I still feel it’s a YLOD ticking time bomb, but I certainly hope I’m wrong.
I have other systems now I can play and fall back on including a spare 60gb. Just in case.
This is like Star Wars Galaxies all over again! Sony Killed That Game by removing features, is this the same path of the PS3?
Dear Sony,
It only cost me $50 to file in small claims today.
Even if I lose, you had to send a lawyer to Texas.
If you don’t I win by default. Either way, I feel better.
:)
wow only $120. that sux oh well i can sell my games and sytems on ebay or amazon instead i’m sure i can get about $1000 or more for everything like that.
BY BigBoss07 | April 2nd, 2010 at 12:23 pm
All I have to say is Sony, go to hell. I was forced to backup all 136gb of my data, format to get my 10gigs, download you downgrade, and begin restoring. I follwed everyhting the downgrade said and fro some reason my restore gets stuck at 83%. I have checked over everything and it still will not restore. So, in other words, I lost all 136gb of data to downgrade my $600 system I purchased with this feature in mind, and the only excuse you can give is “security concerns.”
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woa, they really screwed you over mate..
i wouldn’t like to be you right now..
i ,for one, have not deleted my Linux partition and have not updated yet.let’s see where this will go
I didn’t buy one of the first but I did buy one that was able to load an OS. I purchased mine just when the slim came out. I have yet to load an OS on but that’s not the point. I purchased mine solely on that I could load an OS when ever I wanted too and skipped the slim with a larger hard drive for the same $. I will not update my PS3 and will most likely take legal action against Sony.
Also just thinking out loud….If the PS3 code has been hacked then couldn’t they just come out with their own firmware that will allow an OS on all PS3’s? I mean this is like punishing everyone, instead of people that will eventually have a hacked PS3 no matter what Sony tries to do.
Thanks Sony. I paid $500 bucks for my PS3 and I specifically got it over the XBOX360 because I’m a Linux user. Now you’ve screwed me over. Next time I’m going with Microsoft, even though it pains me to do so.
other o.s
playstation 3 it only did everything
backwards compatibility.
Why was my comment deleted?
What’s next, removing PS2 BC from the fat PS3’s. I demand compensation.
I purposely bought the PS3 because of PSX and PS2 BC and OtherOS. Don’t they realize they said they would NOT remove OtherOS.
I refuse to buy the slim PS3 until PS2 BC and OtherOS are in them.
If this comment gets deleted, it would be a violation of my freedom of speech.
I will keep adding this comment every time it gets deleted.
aww it came out wrong the way i set it up it looked like the ads….lame :(
BTW: My kids are pissed. They can’t play MAG, which they spent $70 on. Nice one Sony. Thanks a lot.
How come my $500 Sony home computer system (PS3) works just like the $299 Sony home computer system (PS3 Slim),
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Sums it up perfectly
Thought it was able to check whether a console has been tampered with, like xbox360. There got to be a better way to approach this, rather than crippling what your company sold, making your product less enjoyable. The result easily cause your users to have other brands in mind as preference for future purchase, the act alone is despicable. Likely worse than some of the malpractice Microsoft and Apple came up with.
Does the consumer right activist/media know about this?
so is there anything i can say?????
@ccfman2004
Go for it. But FYI it’s not a freedom of speech issue. Freedom of speech is against the government/public entities not a private corporation like Sony.
Now sony is censoring this message board. They deleted one of my comments. Guess the XBOX fanboys are right. You can’t trust sony.
Now… here’s an update I’ll surely delay to install.
Very, very disappointed to see the PS3 to lose such a incredible feature :(
Does anyone know if a class action has been initiated on this matter?
OK… suddenly, you just decide to cancel “other OS” because you’re afraid of something. Coming right after your next scare, bluray playback forbidden? HDD change prohibited? Cannot read from USB ports? You have to admit, Sony, you have fallen in the eyes of many.
This is VERY VERY VERY disappointing Sony… I am so pissed and angry since i learned about this news some days ago. I have all my programs and documents carefully set up in Linux on my PS3. I even sold my PC because i found Linux on my PS3 to be better and more stable, with no virus. Now, how the hell could you possibly expect me to just upgrade to the latest firmware just to plug your arrogance/ignore against possible suspected holes in your firmware. I am VERY seriously considering shifting to Xbox Live for all my gaming needs. PS3 has just been self-defeated. Thanks Sony for killing your own baby.
At least you know microsoft isn’t going to steal one of your computers
i remembered sony said they wouldn’t remove otheros and so i dled the update and installed it not even thinking this would happen. after update install i tried to boot linux only to not find my default system option available.
i see it is getting harder to get comments through. this is the worst consumer experience i have ever had.
I am extremely dismayed and disappointed by Sony’s decision to pull “OtherOS” support. Why couldn’t you just fix that hypervisor or whatever it is that was claimed to be hacked? It doesn’t make sense.
Installing Linux was the second thing I did on my brand new PS3 (playing the included game for an hour or so was the first thing).
I was eyeing a Sony Vaio laptop but that sale is off. I will no longer buy Sony DVDs, it’s Verbatim for me now. And I will not buy any extra Memorysticks for my Sony HDR camera.
I WANT MY FUNCTION BACK!!!
I am one very unhappy bunny, friends who have been visiting booted up my PS3 while I was out and thought they would download and instal the latest update….
I can’t even bring myself to switch it on and confirm that I have lost everything.
Why Sony? You just lost any future income you would have (undoubtedly)had from me!
LVL2 has been dumped!!!
I’m excited as hell and I don’t even know what it means, LMAO.
SONY you are f)(ing idiots.
These people WILL break into your machine and the sad thing is alot of people in the PS3 community are now on their side.
You shouldn’t have removed this feature, Sony.
LV2 has been dumped.
rofl
Sony im a big fan but you guys over there are loosing your minds. we need a better system. not a crippled one. you guys are taking more then your giving. If this continues, i’ll have to trade in my ps3 and get a xbox. cause it seems everything is working the way it should be on that system.
This whole ordeal is very upsetting, and the ones most affected by this firmware are the EARLY-ADAPTERS.
Think about that Sony, let it sink in for a minute or two.
These people who bought your console that costs at $500-600.
These are the people that you are hurting… Good luck on the PS4
@ maninashed
lvl2 code i think that is the kernel of the system (the software that controls how every other piece of software and hardware interacts with each other).
so if they managed to dump lvl2 , it means that ps3 is pretty much done for, hack wise :P
(please correct me if i said something wrong)
with out this update, the playstation is basically trash. and if this [DELETED] continues, thats where its going or to game stop for store credit.
@fYteRClef
I was an early adopter. I spent big money on my PS3. I will NEVER buy another Sony product EVER AGAIN. I’m probably going to go out and get myself XBOX360 and sell all of my PS3 stuff. It’s really too bad because I loved my PS3, but Sony…. we’re done.
@maninashed :
“a lot of people in the PS3 community are now on their side.”
Yes, and not to play games. To have full Linux access to our hardware !
.. even if SONY did have something planned as a compensation, — which I doubt, somewhat, — the damage has already been done. some other company will have to release a console like IDEO, Apple, or Toshiba, ect.. current generation is no longer sufficient.
SONY, please read.
LMAO, I got a feeling it was quite a big thing.
I think April Fool’s Day should be renamed Sony Day what a bunch of idiots.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not happy they’ve cracked it (if they have) but it shows Sony they can’t take a big dump on us.
I really hope the people who made this decision are looking for a new job on Monday.
Indeed, they are deleting tons of comments. I’ve find out comments that were on certain page be 2 or 3 pages back within a few hours. I think they should at least say something, how serious it is not to stand up in front of your Costumers, because we paid for it 600$ or even more depending on the countries and as of today, not a single reply has been made, moreover, not a single post on this matter. Im really disappointed by this decision. If I wanted to do some piracy, I would have bought a 360 and not pay like 300$ bucks for something else. The fact is, is not even affecting the cheaper models (slim) is affecting the early adopters, the users who knew the machine cost’d a whole lot more and couldnt be modded, and still, we choose sony over Microsoft.
“i see it is getting harder to get comments through. this is the worst consumer experience i have ever had.”
@5695 watchdawg23
I’m sure they’re trying to kill this “thread.” This is all evidence that could be used against them. The more individuals posting how angry they are about this “update,” the easier it’ll be to form a case against them. It proves that Sony has violated many people.
Also, I just thought of something. If they were REALLY concerned about security, wouldn’t they want the guy that hacked their system to WORK for them instead of just trying to stop him from doing what he’s doing?
@5707 DEADMANWALKING01:
Precisely! SONY could probably file a lawsuit, and offer a position, on their terms, to the hacker in exchange for lesser charges [and legal fees..] That would be wise.
this is the best move sony could do to ignite ps3 hacking, many linux users on the ps3 are smart programmers, and now they are angry.
i’ve read the guy’s blog (the one who managed to dump lvl2 ) and he used some tool (software tool that is) which is based on geohot’s exploit. the lvl2 dumps have even been released.
i think that they have indeed managed to dump lvl2 ,for real this time..
@Deadmanwalking01
That would require “outside the box” thinking of he exec. They are too traditional and just not that smart.
Thanks for Microsofting the Ps3. What’s next? A montly fee to access the Playstation Network? You should have released a better backup utility, like say “backup to network.” For all of us that do use other OS on our system now have a new pain in the ass. Backup, reformat, restore. Or just permanently lose storage capacity? Pay me $80,000 a year and I will walk around with my sledgehammer and disable peoples Ps3 functionability. Update your browser too. If you want to take away the ability for the ps3 computer, make “your” firmware more compatible with computer technology.
@5711 T478Killa
“What’s next? A montly fee to access the Playstation Network?”
Uh, actually, yeah. They were talking about it awhile back.
I was planning on selling all my PS 1, 2, and 3 games if Sony didn’t make another b/c PS3 when my 60GB PS3 dies. Now I might not wait. I know a couple hundred games going into the used market, and a grand or so of lost money in PSN and Blueray per year is chicken feed to them, but maybe I’m not the only one who feels this way. I’ve already bought 2 360s this year, and while I feel it is inferior in almost every way, I have been enjoying the feeling of not being violated from behind, at least MSoft will look you in the eye and tell you that they run on money and will use your tears and blood as lube.
Does SCEA ever hire any one with intelligence…maybe hopefully one day, so they can fire all these people making DUMB DECSIONS.
If this frustrates you like me, do what HyJaxLTD showed; call Nolan Hass @ 650-655-5920. Hes the ACTUAL director of consumer affiars, but hes about as intelligent as this decsion.
He told me that “child safety would be considered if anough people asked for it”…WTF is that about?
Johnny Cochran where are you…Im pretty damn sure SCEA just broke SEVERAL of thie own original ToS agreements concerning product lifecycle…
…and as far as this stopping the home brew cheats…what a laugh…most home brewing is done on a multy core processor…not this 256 of RAM of a box…SCEA I told you about the hacks and you still go about fixing them without actually fixing them, we will STILL need to mute all in game players; regardless of a mic thanks to your poorly designed ‘chat’ application!!!
way to many complaints about update thats gonna increase security on your system its done stop beating on a dead horse lol
what the hell happened??????? after I installed the 3.21 firmware I don’t have any voice coming from my center speaker. is anybody else having this problem?…I don’t spend thousands of dollars to be screwed out of my gaming experience by a bunch of amateurs who don’t test things first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SONY!!! YOU BETTER FIX THIS ISSUE, PRONTO!!!!!!!!!!
WELL THE PS3 AND SONY WILL GO DOWNHILL,NO PS4 WITH THEM PULLING STUFF AS DELETING FEATURES WE PAID FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IM GOING TO PLAY AND BUY MY ONLINE GAMES ON MY PC NOW.GOT GOW,AND FF13,NO NEED TO PLAY THEM ONLINE,UT3 HAS PC VERSION IM GETTING TODAY.BAD MOVE SONY YOUR VIDEO GAME CONSOLE DAYS ARE OVER!!!!!!!!!!!THE PS3 WILL BE HACKED WIDE OPEN,JUST LIKE THE US GOUVRN.SNEACKY.FUC SONYYYYYYYYYYYY.