FW 3.55 DOWNGRADE FOR PS3 WITH NOR FLASH. To proceed we’re going to need the following: - a ProgSkeet - A 80Go PS3 or any PS3 Slim with a FW newer than 3.55 but that NATIVELY had max the 3.55 FW. - A JailBreak Key (no matter the model or manifacturer, could also be a DIY one, I used the Blemmi) - The 3.55 FW Package properly customized for the downgrading process. (I personally advice to use Rogero 3.1 or newer to keep Bluray Player Features.) or another CFW with NOCheck enabled : CLICK - Downgrading Package: CLICK - LvDiag.self file to enter FSM (Service Mode) : CLICK - LvDiag.self file to exit FSM: CLICK - Winskeet Tool: CLICK - HxD Program or another Hexadecimal Editing Tool of your choice: CLICK - A Blu-ray movie to recover DRL files. - A USB Key with a minimum size of 256 MBytes, FAT32 formatted. - 2 Resistors, one of 100 Kohm and another of 10KOhm - Flux, Tin Coil and min. AWG30 Wire. - Tons of Patience and Very Good Soldering Skills. It’s better to play a recent BluRay movie BEFORE starting this procedure. This way, DRLs recovery will be easier after downgrade.

I must remind you that this procedure is very complex in its nature, that it needs really good soldering skills and knowledge in the use of electronic programmers. If anything goes wrong there will be good chances that the console will be unrecoverable. WE DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT COULD RESULT FROM YOUR USE OF ANY INFORMATION HERE DEPICTED. First, we need to make sure that we own a Downgradable Console. Please remember that only consoles with a NATIVE FIRMWARE UP TO 3.55 CAN BE DOWNGRADED.

We could also use MinVersCheck Tool (CLICK): rename the file “PS3UPDAT.PUP”. Copy renamed file in our USB Key FAT32 formatted, following this path: PS3\UPDATE\ (If you don’t have it, create it):

Power Up your console and go to Settings\System Update. Launch the Tool as it was an official update. After some seconds you’ll be returned with the minimum Downgrade FW applicable to your console. IMPORTANT NOTE! DO NOT FORGE TO SAVE OUR PROFILE AND OUR SAVES AS THIS PROCEDURE WILL FORMAT THE HDD, THEREBY ERASING ANY DATA ON IT. Now, if 3.55 is applicable and we saved our personal data, we can go on.

SETTING UP PROGSKEET v1.0 and 1.1

Progskeet 1.0 and 1.1 are pretty similar, in 1.1 some PADs have been added to allow different voltages (but we’re not going to use them) and the presence of a 56PIN socket useful to add flats for NAND and NOR CLIPS) Here are some Chips Snapshots:

It could be of use to point out some things about setting up the Progskeet v1.0. ProgSkeet can be set up to power the NOR itself. This mode relies upon the state of R7 and R8. Here is how to set them up: - Stand Alone Mode: R7 and R8 are CLOSED - Standard Mode: R7 is CLOSED while R8 is OPEN. Now we have to set Progskeet up to our console. Here’s a generic schematic of the NOR Pinout. You can follow the installation diagram below (Click on the image to Zoom In) If you need the alternate points, they’re reachable via Ps3 DevWiki WebSite: CLICK As it can be seen from the schematics, it’s suggested to use an external power source and GND, to make the read and write process as stable as possible. Another way through could be to use the NOR with an external ZIF Socket for TSOP 56 (as reported here: CLICK), that is DESOLDERING THE NOR, but avoid this if you aren’t an expert and if you don’t own a proper hardware. If we own a Progskeet 1.0 we firstly CLOSE UP R7 and R8, then we follow the schematics. (Owners of Progskeet v1.1 don’t need to do anything as those points are already CLOSED)

Now we can proceed to downgrade!

SETTING UP PROGSKEET v1.2 Progskeet 1.2 has been through several revisions and improvements, and now includes all the known fixes to make the NAND/NOR writing process as stable as it can be.

Now we have to set Progskeet up to our console. Here’s a generic schematic of the NOR Pinout. You can follow the installation diagram below (Click on the image to Zoom In) If you need the alternate points, they’re reachable via Ps3 DevWiki WebSite: CLICK As it can be seen from the schematics, it’s suggested to use an external power source and GND, to make the read and write process as stable as possible.

Now we can proceed to downgrade!

CONSOLE DOWNGRADE Let WINSKEET run and select our NOR from the Dropdown menu:

Now, navigate the NOR Tab and click on DUMP CFI... this way it’ll be checked if our wiring is good.

Then we click on “Dump” to start the dumping process:

Now that we have the dump, we must check its integrity:

Open HxD and select the dump. Go to Analysis/Statistics and check the maximux values detected on 00 and FF:

If our values fall within the ones in the table below, we have good dumps.

Now the Downgrade: Open WinSkeet, Navigate the Patcher TAB and select: - our NOR. - .txt patch file And start the process!

When the process ends up, we’ll have our PATCHED NOR.

Start WINSKEET again and set the program this way: - Select our NOR from the Dropdown Menu - Navigate to the NOR Tab(1) - In the Options Menu select USB Tranfert Timing (avoid) (2) - Click on “Flash” (3)

IMPORTANT NOTE! If, despite these correct settings, you should have issues flashing the NOR, first try it more times (also 16 times). If you’re still can’t try changing Buffer USB Options (Try Static Timing and Single Word Writing)

When flashing is completed, it’s suggested to dump the NANDS again and compare the resulting dumps with the downgrading file we created before. If comparing matches we can go on. Take LvDiag.self file to enter FSM (Service Mode) and the PS3UPDAT.PUP file (from the CFW Package) and copy them in your USB Key. Then, follow this steps scrupulously:

- Power off the console and insert the Jailbreak key in the leftmost USB port of the console if horizontally or the lowest if vertically.

- Power on the console by pressing POWER and PRESS EJECT WITHIN 2 SECONDS. - Console will power on, then the Jailbreak key will do its job and then the console will self power off again. - Insert the USB Key we prepared earlier with downgrade files in the rightmost USB port of the console, without touching everything else. - Take off the Jailbreak Key. - Power on the console again... The new firmware will start loading (It’ll take some time) - When loading ends, the console will power off itself. - Now, insert the BluRay disc and let the movie play (you are required to actually start the playing, being in the Movie Menu isn’t enough)... When the movie starts, we can exit from the FSM (Service Mode) to go back to Retail. - Power off the console. So, erase the USB Key contents and then copy LvDiag.self file to exit FSM inside of it.

- While console is powered off, insert the USB Key in the rightmost USB port of the console. - Power on the console by pressing POWER and PRESS EJECT WITHIN 2 SECONDS - A loading process will start, then - The console will power off itself again. - When we boot it up again, we’ll must reset video and lan settings (as it was a first booting) Well, you’re done. Your console is now downgraded with the Custom Firmware 3.55. Have Fun.