Guide: PS3 Slim CFW 3.55 to OFW 3.70 with 2 HDDs Fast Swap

91w ago - Following up on the initial PS3 Slim 3.70 Downgrade and PS3 3.7x Downgrade for Slims and Fats with NOR Flash news, this weekend Italian PlayStation 3 hackers DiGiTaLAnGeL (linked above) have made available a guide to fast swap PS3 Slim CFW 3.55 to OFW 3.70 with 2 HDDs and ProgSkeet followed by a New Method - PS3 Downgrade v2 Supports all NOR Flash from TwoStone.

To quote, roughly translated: Today I'll write a tutorial to "fast-swap" between CFW 3.55 and OFW 3.70, using 2 HDDs... at the end of the tutorial, you'll be able to swap between the firmware just flashing a dump on your PS3 using Progskeet. (instead of downgrading and losing all data).

The first steps are not so easy, so take your time and go on, by the way, you must have some skill with Progskeet, and it must be 100% working on your console.

What we need:

• PS3 Slim running with FW 3.70
  
• 2 Hard Disks
  
• Progskeet installed and working on your PS3 Slim
  
• Downgrade.bin (edited with your personal data): http://www.multiupload.com/EZRZ2QR98W / Downgrade v2 http://www.multiupload.com/ZJINMAKAEP
  
• 3.55 Downgrade Dongle to do the downgrade process.
  
• Sony OFW 3.70 UPDATE: http://www.ps3news.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=5224
  
• CFW 3.55 KMEAW "NO CHECK" by dospiedra: http://www.multiupload.com/4S6NGO13H4
  
• Lv2Diag By JaicraB: http://www.multiupload.com/9CP2RDYOUQ
  
• Lv2Diag "FILE 2″ to go out of Service/Factory Mode: http://www.mediafire.com/?b07qrb96iz99ibb
  

We need 2 HDD because the NOR flashes stores some parts of the current FW on the HDD so we will need 2 HDDs, one is for 3.55, and one is for 3.70.. We will call those HDD "A" (for 3.70) and "B" (for 3.55) don't mix them up!

Starting with a PS3 Slim with OFW 3.70.

1. Plug in HDD "B", format and prepare it if it's required by the PS3 and you should have your 3.70 up and running.
2. DUMP your actual NOR and call it "original dump 3.70.bin"
3. Now flash your "downgrade.bin" (edited with the personal data found in "original dump 3.70.bin")
4. Turn on your PS3 and be sure that the PS3 is asking you to press the PS button (downgrade.bin flashed correctly )
5. Insert a 3.55 Downgrade dongle and enter factory/service mode.
6. Copy Lv2Diag.self by Jaicrab and the 3.55 NO CHECK UPDATE renamed as "PS3UPDAT.PUP" in the root of your USB Stick.
7. Plug in the USB Stick in the most-right USB port of your PS3 and wait for it to turn OFF.
8. Leave the factory mode using the other Lv2Diag.self
9. After the reboot, you need to configure and set up your system... now you have a fully working 3.55 CFW based on KMEAW "NO CHECK".
10. DUMP your actual NOR and call it "swap dump 3.55.bin"
11. Unplug HDD B and Plug in HDD A.
12. Turn on your PS3, plug in your USB Stick containing official 3.70 update and press start+select when asked.
13. When the PS3 reboots, check that the system is fully working and DUMP your actual NOR and call it "swap dump 3.70.bin".

NOW IT'S OVER! You should have "swap dump 3.55.bin" and "swap dump 3.70.bin" ... Now you just have to swap HDD and flash the corresponding dump:

• HDD A = swap dump 3.70.bin
  
• HDD B = swap dump 3.55.bin
  

WARNING: Do not install other CFW than the "NO CHECK" one... because it's used to make the "fast-swap" working... if you flash something different you will not be able to go between the 2 FWs. This CFW disable the Syscon checking at the startup... so it will not freeze or complain when the syscon says "3.70″ and your FW is 3.55

In case you wanna update your console with a future "3.80″ or-so firmware. Do not update your console when you are running 3.55 firmware! You have to go to "swap dump 3.70.bin" and then update as usual (XMB or recovery)... By the way, the downgrade is confirmed working only on 3.70... we haven't tested it on other FWs, you could lose the possibility to go back to 3.55!