I have personally flashed from DEX to CEX four times. Two of those four times I have soft bricked. The thing that kept me from soft bricking the last two times, "QA Flagged copy of my Flash." The two times I soft bricked, I used the CEX2DEX converted flash that I created with an original extract from MM that was not QA Flagged. My console is a NAND based FLASH.
I don't know too much about NOR and I have read that NAND had problems with soft bricking when going from DEX to CEX. Since I experienced two soft brick flashes from DEX to CEX, while using my original NON-QA flagged flash copy, I decided to try a QA flagged version of my flash from CEX to DEX then back to CEX. The outcome was beautiful, no soft brick when I used a copy of a QA flagged flash.
My verdict upon recovering from 2 soft bricks from DEX to CEX, make a Flash copy while QA flagged and use the QA flagged copy of your flash!!!
Regards,
NeilJames
I have a Nand ps3. I ve dumped my nand with mm and then QA flagged my ps3. After that i converted to DEX (im on dex now). That means that if i get back to cex ill soft brick my ps3 beacause i qa flag after the dump? Any idea on how to prevent soft brick? My ps3 never had a cex firmware above 3.55 (not downgraded to 3.55) Thx in advance....
I have a Nand ps3. I ve dumped my nand with mm and then QA flagged my ps3. After that i converted to DEX (im on dex now). That means that if i get back to cex ill soft brick my ps3 beacause i qa flag after the dump? Any idea on how to prevent soft brick? My ps3 never had a cex firmware above 3.55 (not downgraded to 3.55) Thx in advance....
With a NAND PS3, you're more likely to ACTUALLY brick your console (flasher-recoverable-only) going back to CEX than with a NOR console.
NEW UPDATE: Brick apparently didn't happen because of the Lv2diag.self, both PKG files (DEX / CEX) from FMS Tool v2 are the same Lv2diag.self. Apparently after flashing my NAND back to CEX I had to install a CEX FW from Factory Service Mode. By exiting FSM before I had installed a CEX FW, bricked my NAND PS3.
I have a Nand ps3. I ve dumped my nand with mm and then QA flagged my ps3. After that i converted to DEX (im on dex now). That means that if i get back to cex ill soft brick my ps3 beacause i qa flag after the dump? Any idea on how to prevent soft brick? My ps3 never had a cex firmware above 3.55 (not downgraded to 3.55) Thx in advance....
I can't say for sure if QA flagging, after, making your flash-dump, will help prevent from soft brick. All you can do is try really. From my experience though, I'd say yes, you will probably soft brick because your flash-dump was not made while QA flagged but that's just based off of my experience. My experience could differ from console to console, I really can't say for sure. Like I posted, a QA Flagged copy of my CEX-flash-dump prevented the soft brick as I had already experienced two soft bricks while using a NON-QA flagged copy of my CEX-flash-dump. My ps3 also never had a CEX firmware above 3.55, I have an original CECHA01 60GB.
If you do soft brick though, it is very easy to recover. I use the JIG/FSM method. This tutorial found here: http://www.ps3crunch.net/forum/threa...6086#post46086 is very simple and easy to follow. In the link gDrive posted, apparently, there is no need for a JIG device to achieve FSM (Factory Service Mode). I have no experience with that tool in specific but I'm sure it works since it is used in the other link that gDrive posted.
Make sure you have the tools needed in case of a soft brick and in my opinion, test to see which method keeps you from soft bricking. TRY AT YOUR OWN RISK. I'm not, in any way guaranteeing a successful recovery. I just know it worked for me and others.
On another note, the only reason I went from DEX to CEX four times, was for mere experience with the methods and knowledge for myself. I was fully aware that there was potential for NO recovery but I wanted to see if I could manage to go from DEX to CEX with no soft brick in case I ever really need to go from DEX to CEX. A QA flagged copy of my CEX-flash-dump is what helped me come to my conclusion and kept me from soft bricking when going from DEX to CEX. Although, four tests might not be a sufficient amount of data, it was enough for me, personally.
My PS3 is a Slim Model (120GB). It's the first time I try to convert my CEX to DEX.
Instead of follow this tutorial, can i use the latest version of ReactPSN?
It is safe to convert with that method? Anyone tried it?Is it simplier than this one?
In terms of simplicity, I believe that comes down to the end-user's opinion of simplicity. For me, the simplest method I found without any confusion was this tutorial: http://psx-scene.com/forums/f290/dex...ackups-104770/. Even though the tut I followed was simple, I still managed to soft brick my console two times. It's a matter of obtaining information through reading and of trial and error I suppose. That or having an open communication with someone who knows the ins and outs of the conversion to guide you through the process. Personally, I found that the guides found here at ps3crunch seem to offer better insight to help alleviate "problems." My soft brick is what led me here and the knowledge found within these forums helped me to fix my problem and teach me more about the CEX -> DEX process.
To answer your question, personally I have never tried the ReActPSN method so I can't give an opinion on it's pros or cons. From my own experience with reading a lot of guides, the main thing to remember, at least for a NAND user, is QA flag. Apart from that, the rest has been done for you and all you will need to do is follow the guides put forth.
In terms of simplicity, I believe that comes down to the end-user's opinion of simplicity. For me, the simplest method I found without any confusion was this tutorial: http://psx-scene.com/forums/f290/dex...ackups-104770/. Even though the tut I followed was simple, I still managed to soft brick my console two times. It's a matter of obtaining information through reading and of trial and error I suppose. That or having an open communication with someone who knows the ins and outs of the conversion to guide you through the process. Personally, I found that the guides found here at ps3crunch seem to offer better insight to help alleviate "problems." My soft brick is what led me here and the knowledge found within these forums helped me to fix my problem and teach me more about the CEX -> DEX process.
To answer your question, personally I have never tried the ReActPSN method so I can't give an opinion on it's pros or cons. From my own experience with reading a lot of guides, the main thing to remember, at least for a NAND user, is QA flag. Apart from that, the rest has been done for you and all you will need to do is follow the guides put forth.
NeilJames
Thanks for your answer
Last questions: if I convert my CEX to DEX, will I be able to come back to CEX without risks? Will BD Drive Functions (BD Movies included) be restored? Should I save my CEX Dump and other files before the conversion?
Thanks for your answer
Last questions: if I convert my CEX to DEX, will I be able to come back to CEX without risks? Will BD Drive Functions (BD Movies included) be restored? Should I save my CEX Dump and other files before the conversion?
Anytime you flash your system there is always a risk involved. Nobody can guarantee anything. My advice, just follow the tutorials and if in any case you do brick, there are also tutorials on how to recover from said brick. That is the best answer I can give.
From what I've read, Blu-Ray function "should" return if you manage to convert from DEX to CEX successfully. If you manage to soft brick upon attempting the conversion from DEX to CEX and you have to enter Factory Service Mode (FSM) to recover, I believe your Blu-Ray function will be lost. Not permanently, so long as you have a proper backup of the correct files.
On that note, to answer your final question, yes, you should make backup of your whole system via the PS3 backup method. Also, I'd advise you to make a backup via FTP to your PC of your, "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X" folder, where X is a number depending on how many users are on your ps3. Example: I have one user on my ps3, me, so my folder is "0000001." If I had two users, I'd have two folders, "00000001" and "00000002." The folders within your "0000000X" folder that need to be backed up are, "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X/exdata", "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X/savedata", & "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X/trophy".
As far as BLU-Ray is concerned, I lack the information as to which Flash folder you'd need to back up. I believe it differs from NOR to NAND. I think for NAND users, the Flash3 folder is what needs to be backed up. Again, I lack information in regards to what folder to backup for Blu-Ray.
There are other folders you can look through to backup such as Themes, PS2 Saves, and Wallpapers, etc. I'll leave that up to you. Hopefully this helps you a bit more.
Anytime you flash your system there is always a risk involved. Nobody can guarantee anything. My advice, just follow the tutorials and if in any case you do brick, there are also tutorials on how to recover from said brick. That is the best answer I can give.
From what I've read, Blu-Ray function "should" return if you manage to convert from DEX to CEX successfully. If you manage to soft brick upon attempting the conversion from DEX to CEX and you have to enter Factory Service Mode (FSM) to recover, I believe your Blu-Ray function will be lost. Not permanently, so long as you have a proper backup of the correct files.
On that note, to answer your final question, yes, you should make backup of your whole system via the PS3 backup method. Also, I'd advise you to make a backup via FTP to your PC of your, "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X" folder, where X is a number depending on how many users are on your ps3. Example: I have one user on my ps3, me, so my folder is "0000001." If I had two users, I'd have two folders, "00000001" and "00000002." The folders within your "0000000X" folder that need to be backed up are, "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X/exdata", "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X/savedata", & "dev_hdd0/home/0000000X/trophy".
As far as BLU-Ray is concerned, I lack the information as to which Flash folder you'd need to back up. I believe it differs from NOR to NAND. I think for NAND users, the Flash3 folder is what needs to be backed up. Again, I lack information in regards to what folder to backup for Blu-Ray.
There are other folders you can look through to backup such as Themes, PS2 Saves, and Wallpapers, etc. I'll leave that up to you. Hopefully this helps you a bit more.
What is the benefit to rolling back to 3.55 dex from 4.21 cex? In other words, what can CEX do that DEX can't (other than bluray movies, or is that it)?
Originally Posted by NeilJames
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