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)
Sorry, but it seems that SONY don’t was us to explain what we think.
Are we on SONY China ? I was thinking we were on SONY US.
@zepala: May take you up on that…right now I’m waiting on the ghost in the machine to respond.
Since my posts started getting zapped I’ve been getting Sony survey’s etc. in my inbox so I suspect that the censors have gone into manual mode. There’s a way out htat’s good for everyone, I just want to see which way they’ll go.
Sorry @zepala, this is US but all Japanese executives are expected to have studied Sun Tzu, so I was laying out some logic along the lines he might use….half for fun half so they could see how it fits if they’re reading.
Yep, getting moderating….search cnet sony class action rootkit
@5902 justnowfree: .. “if your legal department is too weak to take on the hackers in court (likely since that legal department recommended the root-kit fiasco) just tell us the truth. If you really feel this way about your customers, tell us that too.”
______________________________
Good point. believe Ken Kutaragi was upset by that decision as well.
Why are they so short-sighted? Wasn’t that the point of bringing in a new President?
Was telling we are on SNY China because of censoring near all my posts !
I have know idea whay Sony keeps doing dumb things like this..it never has nor will it ever work. It only blows thier chance at gaining market share.
Sony should realize that alot of their money comes from Japan and the US and neither culture will tolerate this sort of behavior. Maybe they’re trying to develop products that communist china would like.
Hmm..helps to misspell apparently
Even so, there is a way for them to reverse themselves and STILL save (maybe even gain) face.
LMAO my post’s been moderated and took all the naughty words out
@5929 justnowfree:
Well put.
I haven’t used any naughty words…seldom do as I know so many. I’m getting censored by hand I think. All of my comments that have been censored are written more or less like this one (and the others that get through)…They don’t like the implications of my comments.
I’m not talking REAL naughty words !!
lol well at least they’re reading them! someone, hopefully, with a shred of insight may decide to do something!
What I would rather do than boycott or harm Sony is to help Sony come up with a way to restore the “Install Other OS” feature without losing face. By deciding to do this and then deciding to defend it, Sony is in a very delicate position but not one they need to remain in.
Problem is, if I post it here they can’t use it because part of the problem is that they can’t appear to be capitulating.
It’s not accurate to say that Japan is eastern or western. Japan is Japan.
Guys, look- there is no question if you bought your PS3 because of the option of using the other OS, and now Sony has taken that away (and they have, the option of not installing update 3.21 is not option at all), you in theory have a right to seek regress from Sony.
I would think Sony could have a potential class action lawsuit on their hands, since there are literally millions of purchasers of the earlier PS3’s.
Look at it this way- If Sony took away the BC of older PS3’s (an option that was advertised and was the reason I bought my PS3) don’t you think the product you bought no longer works as promised? Its the same thing.
I think Sony has a legal problem.
One of the primary reasons I purchased used PS3 Phat in the first place was because of the ability to install linux and use it as a spare home computer. Taking away features with updates and angering your customers is not a very smart business and customer service model. This is something you would expect from microsoft.
.. though a boycott seems inevitable. I doubt there’s anyway to show them the implications of thier decisions without some cost. SONY may no longer be as culturally relevant as in the past.
I received a response from them… “We apologize for any inconvenience you are experiencing with our latest update 3.21 for the PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system. We are not offering a refund for this feature change on the PS3™ system. We understand your frustration with this feature change but the change was made to protect the intellectual property of the content offered on the PS3 system as well as to provide a more secure system for those users who are enjoying games and other entertainment content on the PS3 system, we have decided to delete the feature to address security vulnerabilities of the system.
Regards,
Nicole M.”
lame
oh I guess I have to add censorship to accumulating list of Sony based malcontent. Since you wont even allow me to post a perfectly civil comment I shall try again this time with sarcasm and cynicism in mind….
I would like to personally “thank you” for this “lovely” update. I can hardly describe the “wonderful” feelings I get when thinking about the 700 GB drive I just installed in my PS3. I am “elated” that this “divine” update will render it “sterile”. I apologize for my ignorance, I must have misread the product description…….
Yes I am a Linux user. I however bought all 19 of my games legitimately, and never had any intention to pursue other illegal methods of entertainment.
I am also certain that a certain famous individual is just your scapegoat. As with your slim you clearly already had this plan in mind.
I now hold Microsoft in higher regard then Sony. WAY TO GO !!
I love your new company image…..but the darklord says he wants his look back ….
I had a great new product idea for you too…… Lets hear it for Sony brand Rohypnol !!!!!!!
I guess all of the Microsoft fan-boys were right. I am done with Sony products and will avoid them whenever possible.
Dear Sony …
This is very poor way of treating your customers – like many other this is one feature that sold me on buying my PS3.
Since you are wanting to disable this feature can I return my PS3? (Since you won’t let us use the Other OS and still use the rest of the PS3 features)
I will ensure you don’t get another dime from me unless you let me continue to use one of the features I PAID for.
I’m also strongly considering selling my PS3 for a XBOX 360 (believe it or not a more open system) after this poor move.
Or for that matter get a gaming PC – (Did you ever notice that games for PC are $20 to $30 cheaper on PC’s?). This doesn’t even take into account the additional discounts you can get with services like Steam. I’ll give my money to the developers not the companies like Sony that will continue to screw their customers.
Let’s speak with our money – Sony can go under for all I care.
smark21965
So who is going to pay the extra power I will be consuming becuase now I HAVE TO format my entire 500GB drive and re-download everything just to have an update to the game four or five FULL versions after update to as well?
Is Jack Treton going to pay my increase to my power bill?
And of course I know I dont HAVE to update…just if I want to use my games Iv already downloaded, talk with my family in another state, you know, the things I guess they didnt build it for us to do…NO!!!
SCEA you are forcing something on us you DO NOT have the right, modify your ToS’s like you can do anything, you will find your consumers WILL shut you off.
Call Nolan Hass, SCEA Direcor of Consumer Affairs, at 650-655-5920…they are starting to just block my number…’take der jobs’
“I will also take the time to contact the companies who’s games I purchase an inform them that due to Sony’s polices I will be moving away from this platform and requesting they support alternate consoles if they wish to retain my business.”
^^^^ THIS ^^^^
I will also be sending letters to game compaines I normally purchase from to tell them exactly the same thing. I will be moving away form this platform because of this move by Sony.I will also inform them that they stand no chance of winning over my business if they require a firmware greater than 3.15 (as there is no technical reason for this whatsoever currently, since the “upgrade” was actually a downgrade and offered negative functionality). I have already sent a number of letters, and I am looking for contact information for additional development houses.
@GrandNooblar: good thing you got a response, at least now I know from Sony’s point of view all their customer/product users are crooks and criminals. I am simply using the feature as it is intended, adverstised. Yet now they claim the need to protect their IP, would they sue me for violating/stealing their IP these past years for using a product I puchased as it is designed. We’re all guilty of enjoying something they provided and promoted, and to them we support piracy.
Anyone tried suing a cook because the knife he uses is the same brand of knife someone got stabbed with. Because a criminal used same brand of knife, thus makes you a criminal to own that brand.
Maybe Sony could choose any brand of knife & commit seppuku…
i still haven’t updated… im so glad i saw this blog before the update went live, otherwise i would have just thought this was anyother routine “security update”
thanks whoever figured out that d.n.s work around
also i’m not selling the console, cause the buyer could update and buy more games, movies, online items, accessories, which supports this sort of practice by Sony. Instead exploring alternative use of this device. Already know it can play DVD, maybe also as a feet warmer for the wife while watching DVD. Any other ideas
@justnowfree: agreed
Yeah, the console shouldn’t be sold as that would support Sony. One option to avoid giving money to Sony is via trade – swaptree.com you can trade games and avoid monetary exchanges..aside from a couple dollars shipping.
sonys only increasing the value of the phat ps3s that are still running update 3.15 and below
@5951 i called nolan hass but all i can get is an answering machine, no mr. hass. probably on vacation? i wish i could install yellow dog to my ps3, like it says on the box when i bought it
I can’t believe they still have the nerve to keep this web page up:
h.t.t.p.:././.w.w.w…p.l.a.y.s.t.a.t.i.o.n…c.o.m./.p.s.3.-.o.p.e.n.p.l.a.t.f.o.r.m./.i.n.d.e.x…h.t.m.l
I’m archiving this page as well for historical purposes.
lol irony
So when is the class action suit gona happen, i would like a full refund of the hardware all games and psn purchases. I bought my ps3 because of the install other OS feature.
This is [DELETED][DELETED]. I’m not updating. I went out of my way to purchase the older model before the new ones rolled out. I’ll sell mine to someone else who doesn’t care and start buying 360.. No more SONY products in this household.
i just instaled the update and now my system will not play any games evereything elss seems to work concidering im typeing this with my ps3 it realy pisses me off that an “update” fd up my ps3 system
What would be interesting to note :
SONY Employees who talk here told us the install of linux was a bonus.
But, in GrandNooblar response from them, they say :
“We are not offering a refund for this feature change on the PS3™ system”
So, is it a bonus, or a feature ?
They, on more time, confirm : This is a feature which was sold with the PS3.
Stay away from all SONY products.. Lesson learned..
Yes, I will stay away from SONY too. My friends will stay away too. Their friends too … In a few time, SONY will see.
Does anyone know where I can find a copy of the 3.15 version of ps3-updatelist.txt file the ps3 requests when checking for versions?
Nevermind, Google was kind enough to cache it :-)
WHAT IS UP WITH THE PLAYSTATION NETWORK CRASHING LATELY! IT HAPPENS
WHEN IAM PLAYING ONLINE..IT TELLS ME THE NETWORK LOST SIGNAL OR INTERNET SIGNAL WAS LOST.. IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM PLAYING MODERN WARFARE 2 OR BAD COMPANY 2 OR MAG… IT NOT MY SIGNAL, I HAVE AN PRIVATE NETWORK FOR GAMING ONLY..
dont install there are bugs on the firmware.
I’m really disappointed, Sony. I thought you were different. Guess you’re the same as Nintendo and Microsoft. So much for innovation.
Guys, You don’t have to update, but you can’t use your system online anymore if you don’t.. Awesome!!
Really.. No Pressure.. Sony will just cut-off your PSN Access if you don’t update.
This garbage is why I won’t buy another Sony product. I got this thing because it had all these cool features, and later found out how half baked they are. I thought it would be a great media center in addition to a great gaming console.. it is neither of these things.
Sony’s new marketing push is missing one word: IT does everything. (Poorly)
That’s not just my opinion, Last place in market share after enjoying 1st place under the PS2 for so long.. The PS3 is junk, is obviously more than MY opinion.
I’ll wait for hacked Custom firmware and start using that.
Bye Bye Sony.
I’s like to say it’s been good.. but I cant.
It seems there is lot of problems with this downdate …
YLOD, loop reboots, loss of sound, video arctefacts.
So, not only they make people who don’t want tu update angry, but they will make angry thoses who update too.
Okay, I don’t want to update, I want to continue using my other os. How do I get my QORE that I’m subscribed to???
what a laaammmmeee way to treat your MOST LOYAL customers who stuck with you back when ps3 was 600 bucks
The sad thing is that people are STILL discussing this… it’s SOOOOO easy to avoid the update and still access playstation network using DNS redirection with BIND… :/
Anyone want to buy a really expensive PS2?
Obviously, it is no joke, and Sony has no cohonas, and doesn’t respect it customer base.
I will not buy future Sony, or update the official firmware.
I will now throw my support to the hackers to create a alternative firmware for the ps3. As they did for the psp.
I had acted in good faith, only using official Sony products, buying more expensive collectors edition games, and so forth.
I. Even backed and promoted Sony during the ps3 growing pains.
You have betrayed me, and my fellow gamers.
I never intended to run anything other than the stock xmb. If you decide to restore it, I may continue with official os, but my trust is severely betrayed.
I had been loyal Sony since ps1.
This experience shows just how badly hackers are needed, not how much harm they do. I don’t think I can continue to support Sony when this shows what they think of die-hard customers and early adapters!
Look for my name on a class action when one is started.
I have no other computer so I MUST have OTHER OS.
No other os, no point in. Ps3.
Maybe its better I didn’t get a psp yet, when this is what you think about customers.