The day everyone has been waiting for, is finally upon us. KaKaRoTo, famous for his work on the PL3 payload, has released a tool that converts a standard Sony retail firmware files, into a custom firmware. The custom firmware allows the installation of homebrew files (via package install), without the need for a jailbreak.





Please note, this does not appear to have the necessary patches in place, that are necessary for playing backups. However, that is a very trivial matter, considering the grand spectrum of what KaKaRoTo has achieved. Stay tuned to this post, as it will be updated as more info becomes available.

DOES NOT CURRENTLY ALLOW BACKUPS OR MANAGERS

Custom Firmware PUPs for both 3.55 and 3.41 have been updated, and now use KaKaRoTo's latest script, which fixes several issues users were having. 01-05-11 22:35 EST STD

Download Custom Firmware 3.55 PUP: [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]


Download Custom Firmware 3.41 PUP: [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

KaKaRoTo's Git: [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Download: [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]



We can confirm, if you have legitimate v3.55 installed already, that custom firmware WILL still install!






Here is the update screen when trying to install 3.55CFW while on 3.55 official. Its a bit hard to read but it says:

Update data of the same version as the current system software was found. Do you want to install the same version?

Version 3.55-KaKaRoTo
Location USB Device




via KaKaRoTo's Twitter
First CFW working. Grab [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] , then "./create_cfw.sh PS3UPDAT.355.PUP CFW.PUP". Permanently adds "install pkg files" menu. 38 minutes ago via web @josuaarzensek custom firmware is what you want it to be, you run the script on 3.55 OFW and you get 3.55 CFW Latest script should restore game save data, etc.. also with PS1/PS2 support for BC machines (unlike the jailbreak). IT'S DONE! Expect new updated CFW soon, using the latest scripts, tweeted about above

Videos of it in action:

This video shows proof you can install 3.55CFW while on 3.55OFW, it also shows the installation of a retail PKG using the custom install package option. Special thanks to to daManptyltd for the video.






Here is what KaKaRoTo had to say about the feat on his blog:

PS3: First Custom Firmware now working!

Great news!


Thanks to the tools made by the fail0verflow team (and thanks to sven in particular for his work on the pkg/unpkg tools), the first Custom Firmware is now available for the PS3!


I see a lot of questions coming up really fast on my Twitter account, so here are the basic things you need to know :


Because of legal/copyright issues, I will not provide the custom firmware to anyone, however, Ive made available all the tools necessary to transform an Official firmware update, into a custom one, just grab my ps3utils repository from github, compile, then run :


./create_cfw.sh PS3UPDATE.PUP CFW.PUP
This will take the official firmware, unpack it, modify it, then repack it correctly (requires you to install ps3tools).

This requires Linux of course, but Im sure others will do it for the masses and illegally release those files somewhere.


The advantage here is that you can do it for any firmware, if you want to keep version 3.41, then give it the 3.41 update, if you are on 3.55 already and cant downgrade, then run the script on the official 3.55 firmware and it will create a modified 3.55 firmware.


You can put the file in a USB drive under the filename PS3/UPDATE/PS3UPDAT.PUP and then go to system update in the XMB, and it will allow you to install the update (even if youre already on 3.55).


People are asking what are the features of this firmware, its simple, all it does is to add those Install Package Files options to the Game section of the XMB. It doesnt do anything else!


This firmware will not allow you to run the currently available homebrew application. Once the homebrew developers re-package their files in a retail .pkg format with signed executable, then it will work (this should be coming soon thanks to the work of the fail0verflow team).


Since the kernel is left unmodified, this means that this custom firmware is really meant for future homebrew installation, and it will not allow piracy. I plan on keeping it that way.


This is just the first attempt at custom firmware, and it only contains a minor modification to allow you to install pkg files directly, eventually well get some more options added to it in the future. This is just starting to get interesting!
Enjoy!
KaKaRoTo

Read more: PSGroove.com - KaKaRoTo Creates First PS3 Custom Firmware [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]