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)
@ #6426
What’s really strange is that by editing legit comments, they’re inevitably making it worse for themselves in the long run.
If people try and say something sensible here and get banned, they simply add a touch of anger and say it on other forums.
Way to “Contain the Fire” SONY…
This is stupid no company should remove any functionality from a product that the costumer pay for it. I simply dont care what they say about the TOS on the PSN or whatever.
I will simply not update to a firmware that removes functionality
its a question of principle and Sony your wrong!
If just enough people keep out from the update this will change
and maybe then the rest stop acting like sheep’s to the FUD Sony is spreading.
Just because it’s worth saying twice:
It’s good to see so many people voicing their complaint. Make yourself heard. Let companies like Sony know that punishing it’s loyal fanbase is no way to keep us as customers. I am currently bypassing the update via PS3Proxy, and plan to do so until a custom firmware is written which keeps OtherOS intact. I don’t care about piracy, I have plenty of games (near 40 now) and games are cheap enough as it is. And while I know CFW opens the doors to piracy, it doesn’t deter me from preferring that a CFW is released, as I feel like someone needs to make right of this horrible wrong. And if Sony isn’t going to, then I’m glad for anyone that does. With lv2 (GameOS) dumped now, it’s only a matter of time before this unjustice is remedied, even though it’s something that shouldn’t have been done in the first place. Hold out and don’t let Sony limit your options or take away what features you’re rightfully entitled to. Remember, if it wasn’t for all of us who spend money on their product, Sony wouldn’t have a business to begin with.
I agree with @Generalplot above.
I’m disappointed to see the volume of daily comments going down; obviously it’s “blowing over” just as Sony planned.
Hopefully I’m not alone in refusing to continue buying any games or other Sony products, and there will hopefully be enough of us doing that that they’ll notice a real sales drop in the coming months as a result of this. That’s the only thing they’re gonna pay attention to.
I have a similar problem, i updated my ps3 with the new version from april 2010, everything was fine. When i installed a new game named MAG,everything [DELETED] up. Everytime i try to play online or not, all my games freezes. I erased all my data to see if that was the problem but it seems that it’s not the problem at hand. Will sony do something for that matter.
I used to be a satisfied customer for over five years but for now i’m not sure. Will sony do something for the paying customers.
How incompetent they are. They even don’t try to address legitimate concerns here, treating us like zombies.
Anyway, this post is getting gigantic and you can google any of the replies we are including here: 6400+ records.
Soon it will be the longest record of complains a company have received online in the history of the internet.
No surprise if they delete this entire post anytime and following their coward MO it will happen.
They can take my Other OS, but they will never take any more of my Money.
Hello Samsung HDTV!
@ 6431
lol
Ice cold.
Based on the fact that they are deleting posts (myself included), I believe that we theoretically reached 7000 posts.
GeoHot was actually using an illegal mod chip in his ps3 and he said this. GeoHot is not responsible for this patch. “He stated that all he was doing was tinkering with the PS3 hardware which as an owner he is fullly authorized to do so. He also stated that he had no intention of getting into the firmware scene with the PS3. Sony has shot themselves in the f…oot now because he has reversed his early comments and decided to jump wholeheartedly into publicizing hacks for the PS3.
In addition the Linux user base will now be interested in delving deeper into the PS3 hardware which will only open up more weak spots”
@PlayB3yondCell
You are absolute correct. As I said before, this is the biggest hacking incentive ever created in the videogaming history. And Sony did it!
Now, with so many consoles around crippled from online gaming and other online features – because people that use Linux are refusing to update – will serve as research device to whoever is interested in study every aspect of the PS3’s hardware and software.
I honestly thought this was an April fools joke… I mean it wouldve been great if it was!
I didnt have an OtherOS installed, but I was planning to, mainly to make my PS3 a better media center..
If they would make FLAC/MKV/other videos (in other words, integrate VLC player into the SonyOS) then I wouldnt mind, cause that was the only reason I wanted otherOS in the first place!
That should be possible right? Since it was possible to run it on Linux
I have refused to update my PS3 beyond 3.15, and am not playing online or purchasing anything.
I will boycott Sony and I urge all others as well. I was never this agro against Sony till they started rubbing gamers the wrong way, by using coercion and blackmail which are both illegal. The EFF are now involved in a Class Action, Australian Gamers are lodging complaints with the ACCC, and submitting Notice of Demands to their local Magistrates court indicating they will sue Sony.
Great PR Sony, see what you have done – we wont be pushed around, especially in an illegal manner. I had respect for Sony before this, but this reeks of immoral / illegal activites, very simlar to the RootKit debacle. I dont appreciate the inference that im a hacker / pirate because I want to keep the Other OS functionality which I legally paid for.
The Other OS feature should be re-instated asap, otherwise be prepared for an onslaught of litigation beyond your wildest dreams. Remember there are millions of original PS3 owners out there, and it only takes an email to start litigation. You already have 6,433 complainants, so the longer you leave it the worse it gets.
Not a single person alive has pirated a ps3 game.
But on the other hand, sony is the peg-legged pirate holding the cutless to the consumers throat and saying “AVAST!!! matey yee decide on your leg getting cut off with to be a peg leg like me, or I can just tie you up to be my personal slave and no freedom to play with anyone else.”
Sony is the pirate in this situation.
Patrick Seybold is the worst communicator ever. The fact that you hold a Sr. position is laughable. Just goes to show what kind of monkeys are running the company.
i bought the limited edition to have the memroy to do things like it could do before update 3.21 . this sucks
right when i was able to instal new os you say i no longer can . nice way to loose customers . even loose customers you do not have yet ! nice going !
This feels like a bait and switch like move and i don’t like it that they took away the other os option plz give it back !!!
I will never buy another Sony product ever. If this is how they take care of there customers, why would anyone. I had a 52″ Bravia W on layaway. I took it off and am now getting a Sharp LED. My sister was going to buy a Vaio, however i told her not to. She got an HP.My next console will be an XBOX. I payed a lot more for this feature and they will not even give a credit…………………. Imagine buying a car that the GPS was having a security issue. They won’t let you put your car in gear until they remove it. Then they do not refund your money either.
Wow, look at all the no-life little boys crying foul. You have 6444 comments? More like 1500 people, 1500 people who need to man up. Sony is doing this for the right reasons and if they alienate 1500 nerds, so be it. I still think most of you are bored little kids with nothing to do but spam Sony’s message boards and comments sections with your “complaints” over this.
@brighat2007: you people should support who’s not updating, they are defending your rights too, we are all on the same side
LMAO @ brighat2007. It takes a no-life little momma’s boy to criticize others when all they are doing is talking about something they feel passionate about. Seriously, get a life and grow up.
To the rest that say you will stop buying anything Sony, you need to stick to your words. They never would’ve done something like this if they didn’t already know it would blow over pretty quickly. The only reason I have a ps3 is my son got bored with his in about a month. So I didn’t completely waste money I gave him $200 for it. Then I went and bought him the XBOX 360 MW2 edition. Problem now is I can’t watch any bluray movies produced in the last couple months because of the update I refuse to download. Basically, I threw $1000 away. Sony has to be owned by Toyota. They are both Jap companies and don’t care about their customers.
What the [DELETED]? This is [DELETED]! I spent hours installing and configuring Linux on my PS3 so I could play emulators. What the hell gives you the right to take that away? Find another [DELETED] way to fight piracy, you idiots! I’m not installing this [DELETED].
Oh yeah, by the way, now I’m going to go LOOKING for a custom firmware or hack so I can play online AND have my Linux, too. You’re taking a loyal, law-abiding, paying customer and you’re making me want to hack my PS3. Way to f***ing go.
IF SONY WOULD REFUND OR AT LEAST OFFER ME AND OTHERS SOME SORT OF FEATURES THAT WOULD BE JUST AS GOOD. I DID NOT USE THE OTHER OS BUT IM OUTRAGED BECAUSE THIS WAS A FEATURE THAT I PURCHASED AND IM PISSED ALSO I HAVE ALREADY FILED A COMPLAINT AND I HOPE SONY HAS TO REFUND ME MY MONEY OR PART OF WHAT IM OWED SAY 250 BUCKS SHOULD DO IT OR HELL SEND ME A 120GIG HARD DRIVE THE SLIM MODDELS HAVE THEM AND NOW MY PS3 IS NO BETTER THAN THE SLIM PS3 CRAP GOOD JOB SONY
@ Blaiyan
I bought a standalone Samsung Blu-Ray player and it’s great. I had been buying the BD Combo packs for my kids. It’s the only Blu-Ray movies I buy. If you are trying to stick it to the man, then don’t buy BD movies, they are part of the consortium and get fees from the sales. Or Rent or buy used.
Me personally, I don’t know. I bought the PS3 to play games, and that feature was put me over. It was something to play around with. I used it a few times and then removed it. I will likely never use it again so this would not impact me. But I swear I feel like I’m a kid and they just stole my lollipop.
I’m sure I’ll change back and be fine with it in the long run. I do understand others position and their being upset.
Well people must be sticking to their word, I just took a look at the Sony stock and down it’s going. Down 1.18, so far. needs to drop alot more before they actually pay attention however.
I’m still not updating, still not buying sony products until this mess is repaired.
Yea. Moderation.
Stocks always go up and down. It is the nature of the stock market.
does anybody understand sonys m.ove? how does it help to pre.vent pir.acy when sony divides his consumers into solely linux users or solely gamers? some want to use the o.theros f.eature as ad.vertised as well, have paid the extra price for it and a lot of time and mon.ey has been invested in distributions for the cell processor.
the r.isk of h.acking still remains the same. this s.ituation is quite f.rustrating. Why aren’t s.even months not enough time to work on a se.curity p:atch? The start of the ps3slim without o.theros f.unctionality was s.even months ago!
LMAO MY BROTHER SOLD HIS PS3 AND GOT A XBOX360 LETS ALL BY XBOX360S SCREW SONY AT LEAST MICROSFT IS NOT STEALING SOFTWARE FROM THERE CUTOMERS IN FACT THEY ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO ADD AND MAKE CUSTOMERS HAPPY ALL ON BORED THE XBOX 360 TRAIN IM DOWN WITH XBOX 360 NOW THANK YOU SONY FOR SHOWING ME THE ERRORS OF MY WAYS I REALY HOPE THOUSANDS NO MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS BECOME XBOX 360 CUSTOMERS AND SONY GOES THE WAY OF SEGA AND JUST DEVELOPE GAMES HAHAHA
The PS3 was really expesive but i thought i didn’t have to buy a computer any more. So i bought it for 2 reasons : Play game and Use as computer with Linux.
What Sony did (remove the OtherOS feature) is completely unacceptable and i don’t think it is legal.
More the time advances and less the PS3 have features…
why my comments are being moderated and deadmonkey76’s aren’t??
I liked Sony but after this event, I changed my mind…
Bring back OtherOS!
i also refuse to update, i also refuse to buy sony products. basicly this makes the ps3 phat the same as the slim all they have left to take is the backward compatibility but who knows that might be the next update. the ps3 with the other OS function gave access to programing the cell processor the only other way to get this is buying a $10,000 to $100.000 servers i also believe they had giving this option because the cell processor was not theres its also IBM’s and Toshiba. i believe the other OS was there because IBM wanted it there to promote development on the processor?
i used to def.end the ps3 too, even back in 2006 -2007 when it had absolutely no games whatsoever.. now i don’t even care, and if the box didn’t have rrod id probably be going xbo.x right now…. im not updating until its absolutely totally necessary, how dare they take away features i paid for without some kind of compensation
I was one of those defending the PS3, and I bought a PS3 a week after launch. I am just stunned by this move. I thought this was an April Fool’s joke. If you want to ignore your loyal fanbase who stuck with you while the system was getting ragged on by everyone, that’s your business, but we won’t stand for it. Unless you do something about it, those people who stuck with you aren’t going to be there a second time. This is the first time in the time I’ve had a PS3 that I truely regret my purchase.
@SteelRush.
We see people here complaining, but I truly wonder how many of those actually paid (not mom or dad but they) $600 or more like most of us did. I get a lot of new (v.gr slim) users saying we should move on, but they didn’t have the feature when they bought it and they did bought a console gaming, or had a second gen model for which they paid 500 or 400 instead of 600+ to begin with.
me too
I’m following this blog post almost everyday, I can say they are deleting hundreds of comments everyday..
its funny how the slim users talk, the slim is nothing compare to the good old phat unit with all the fetures, but i guess they never had one so they dont know what their realy missing out, talk talk all yalll want but we still better, im still runing 3.15 and using all the PSN features without updating wooo hoooo!!!!
we phat ps3 users call the slim P,I,E,C,E of C,R,A,P units, they dont do everything like that comercial says, they only do 1/4 of what the phat units do
I have a sony ps3 and a sony vaio and I thought about buying a sony 3d lcd as soon as ps3 has good 3d games. Now, I will by a nice Samsung as I have one now.
I bought my 600+ system on launch day and updated to 3.21. It would have been nice to use that feature atleast once. Well, too late i guess. 6500 comments and no replies. But they reply to everything else. Weird.
@lilcsr20 I bet of Sony had its way there would be no difference between the two.
@Sony
Bring back install other OS, the indifference shown to your customers is crippling your reputation and soon your sales.
It’s true that it’s no better then the slim now. Ive always owned phat model Sony’s because they always do more. 3 fat ps1, 3 fat ps2, 1 fat psp, and the 60gb ps3. I used yellow dog and love it. I bought my sister a slim 120gb ps3 for 300$ now she has the better console and it was 300$ cheaper then my 60gig that was over 600$ :( How unfair is that. It’s only a matter of time till they give the slim BC then I have nothing to show for being loyal and buying early.
I don’t think any hackers intend on updating for obvious reasons. I’m sure like the psp they will find away to restore an older firmware version and we true consumers lose OtherOS for nothing. Really as long as 1 console is out there with OtherOS and it’s in the wrong hands, Taking features from my console wont secure anything. If I have a true reason given to believe it does secure from piracy then sure I will update but a lose or lose game sux. Can Sony please give me a valid reason to downgrade my expensive console to less then a slim.
@Triple6_wild you say that she has the better console,the slim is no way better then the phat
A good idea for the next firmware update would be:
*Disable DivX codec support.
*Disable ps3 games.
*Charge the PSN service.
This way we’ll all be happy that we can still view photos and listen to music with our ps3!
Hello.
How big this world can afford cheating people?
I feel robbed. And he praised Sony product
the brother in law who is an x-box.
How can I?
What I love is that my harmless sarcastic remarks about being mad about 3.21 are getting moderated and deleted.
I was just merely trying to show my distaste for this update on the boards that people from Sony actually exist on.
Maybe they will listen to my Long letter that I am typing today to Sony and mailing to them of how I want a Slim from them and a refund for the money I spent on Yellow Dog Linux.
And if they ignore that, maybe the class action lawyer will want to read it.