[Dannyboy]

Hey Retro.

So, I have a PS3 (320 GB slim model), serial number CECH-2501B. The USB ports are shot and can't read a thing, but I may have found a solution. My brother has a junked CECH-2001B model that he's kept around for parts. Does anyone here know enough about the different models and their motherboards to know that if I took the USB ports from the 2001B and ported them to the 2501B that they would be compatible, or at least work? I've Googled for answers, but holy whack that's some serious digging and I've come up short. Any advice would be wholly appreciated.

And any other advice for solving this that someone might have would be welcome as well.

ALSO:

I did ask Sony, but they'd delete my data AND require that I have the original copy of the receipt from when it was purchased... which was three years ago by her parents and they have no idea where they got it from. So that rules out that option. :\

[Caniad Bach]

It's just USB ports, they should work fine. Worst case scenario they don't work and you're no better or worse off than you are now. I'd make sure all the connections and circuits aren't the problem before replacing the whole port though.

[Dannyboy]

See that's what I thought, but I asked a local gaming repair shop and they said with the way Sony did motherboards on the consoles that I would need the same kind, just due to the logistics of how they were built.

...


Although I guess he could have just been full of shit/retarded.

[Caniad Bach]

The fattys have a daughter board with USB/Bluetooth/WiFi, while the slims just use bog standard USB ports.

[Dannyboy]

Alright, well we'll see what this dude says. For some reason, a lot of people (through forums and this guy in specific) are treating this like it's some sort of big deal. It's just a fuckin' USB port replacement, right?

[Dannyboy]

Welp... dude replaced 'em and it didn't work. He think's the problem is within the motherboard and that I should just get a new system or try to replace the motherboard.



Bust. Thanks anyway though.

[Caniad Bach]

Do you really need to use the USB ports? You can stream, or even copy files with PS3 media server. No point getting a new system, wait for PS4 =P

[Dannyboy]

Well... like a dumbass, I'd read somewhere that "restore default settings" might solve the issue, without realzing that it would de-sync my controllers and go back into "first use" mode. So now I have that stupid "make.believe" thing come up when I turn it on and it asks for a controller to be plugged in. Bricked... because I followed internet advice like a hapless fool. Derp. :{

So I COULD have just charged the controller using my PC, but I did that. Unless you know of a way to override this without using a controller (which... lol) then I'm screwed.

[Foolishoverlord]

Dannyboy, on 23 April 2013 - 06:00 PM, said:

Well... like a dumbass, I'd read somewhere that "restore default settings" might solve the issue, without realzing that it would de-sync my controllers and go back into "first use" mode. So now I have that stupid "make.believe" thing come up when I turn it on and it asks for a controller to be plugged in. Bricked... because I followed internet advice like a hapless fool. Derp. :{

So I COULD have just charged the controller using my PC, but I did that. Unless you know of a way to override this without using a controller (which... lol) then I'm screwed.

Tbh you're fucked. Also even if you had charged your controller via PC, the controller would be de-synced by the PC (at least from my experience) so you'd still need the ports to re sync again. I have dabbled with using the PS3 controllers with specialized drivers for emulators, but I found they would be detected even without the custom drivers. (Just trying to make you feel a bit better by showing that it was an inevitable issue, even without the restore)

sorry to hear about the bad luck there though, such a simple issue causing a crapton of problems.

You can make some money back by selling the thing on ebay as spares/repairs, they fetch a little bit of money, about 50-80 depending on the issue. never saw any with USB shortage problems so I couldn't give you a guarantee though. PS3's that are functioning even if a bit faulty do generally sell as the parts are certain to be salvageable.

[Dannyboy]

If I were to keep my hard drive, would I be able to save my data, or is there some strange conundrum with that as well?

[Foolishoverlord]

Dannyboy, on 23 April 2013 - 06:30 PM, said:

If I were to keep my hard drive, would I be able to save my data, or is there some strange conundrum with that as well?

Unfortunately there is a conundrum, the PS3 hard drives are encrypted and the cryptokey is a weird culmination of data relating to that particular PS3 (I''ve no idea what particular factors are involved, but I know it's a key unique too each individual PS3) So it cant be recovered without doing a full transfer to a new console while it is active, or sending it off too Sony (possibly,) or Jailbreaking the thing, but if you had upgraded your firmware Jailbreaking would be a no-go anyway, so thats moot. Interestingly the PS3 formats the drive in NTFS, so if you take it out and plug it into your PC it will be recognized by a Windows PC, but will only be functional upon a mandatory format if you try to navigate.

You've got a full on worst case scenario going on I'm afraid. :-(

I'll look into seeing if the Jailbreak community has any potential stand alone applications for reading data off from a PC, but it's highly unlikely. I wouldn't get my hopes up for it.

Edit: Since the Jailbreak a couple years ago there may be some hope for you. A few searches pulled up cloning drive threads, but that is useless for you since the cloned drives would also be encrypted with your PS3's unque crypto-key. I did however find this thread which is a little old but seems to be focusing on decryption and backing up PS3 save data.

Actually read the thread properly, it's dead end, ignore the post.

Have a read of it and see if you'd feel up too giving it a shot. There is ANOTHER big issue though which is that as of a few firmware updates ago Sony copy prohibit all save file son the PS3 (anyone with PS3's can verify this by checking an old save on their PS3 which they knew to be copyable before, you'll more than likely find its all prohibited now.) I speculate it was decided to stop back ups from any method other than PS+ or back up and transfer tools, for profiteering and pushing the PS+ online save feature.

Point is even if you manage to decrypt and extract your game saves, you might not be able to copy it back to your new PS3. plus if you are able to copy it back you'll need to have the save re-encoded with the User ID/System ID hash that is (once again) unique toot he new PS3 console. But I can help you with that second part.


Edit 2: Saw your post too late Caniad Bach, thinking logically even if there was it would only function on jailbroken PS3's anyway, another moot point. I need sleep.....

This post has been edited by Foolishoverlord: 23 April 2013 - 07:15 PM

[Caniad Bach]

Foolishoverlord, on 23 April 2013 - 06:53 PM, said:

I'll look into seeing if the Jailbreak community has any potential stand alone applications for reading data off from a PC, but it's highly unlikely. I wouldn't get my hopes up for it.

I'll save you the time, there isn't anything.

[Dannyboy]

Well thanks for all the help guys.

I'll be starting quite a few games over then... who knows?! COULD BE FUN!!

Because I really don't feel like replacing the entire damn motherboard. lol I just cannot understand for the life of me why their police is to delete all data once it comes in. If someone has child porn on their system and Sony runs across it... Report the dick! Other then finding illegal/illicit things on a person's memory, why is that policy? So dumb.

Again, thanks duders.

[Ultima]

Presumably so they don't have to waste time trying to save everyone's data, and avoiding disappointment from players in situations where they can't.

[Caniad Bach]

Dannyboy, on 24 April 2013 - 05:30 PM, said:

Well thanks for all the help guys.

I'll be starting quite a few games over then... who knows?! COULD BE FUN!!

Because I really don't feel like replacing the entire damn motherboard. lol I just cannot understand for the life of me why their police is to delete all data once it comes in. If someone has child porn on their system and Sony runs across it... Report the dick! Other then finding illegal/illicit things on a person's memory, why is that policy? So dumb.

Again, thanks duders.

While I try not to, it's pretty much my work's company policy to do the same thing with PCs, because if something's wrong with a computer the easiest thing to do is to set the fucker back to factory default as if it's a software problem it'll be solved immediately, and if it's a hardware problem it'll then become apparent. It's shitty for the end user, but when a company has to deal with thousands of issues, it's just easier to wipe them, because... well, what Ultima said.