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This guide is intended to take a new PlayStation 3 owner through ALL of the steps in order to legally back-up their PS3 Blu-ray Game discs. I am starting with my "virgin" PS3 in order to write this Tutorial, and currently from the factory it arrives with v1.00 Firmware, which will need to be updated before delving into PS3 Game dumping. Here are the steps, be sure to follow them closely, take your time, and you will learn well. ;-)

NOTE: Before proceeding, ensure you have a USB Keyboard and USB Mouse available- they are both required.

Upgrading your PS3 to v1.10 Firmware:

1) Download PS3 Firmware Update v1.10 ([97.8MB] - this is the minimum version required to use Linux on your PS3) and burn it to a CDR (use Nero's "Burn Image To Disc" option with Finalize disc checked and Track-at-once mode) or simply copy it to a USB JumpDrive in the following folder/directory (create it): PS3\UPDATE\PS3UPDAT.PUP. As mentioned above, the stock PS3 Firmware (System Software- at the time of this Tutorial) is v1.00 as seen on the PS3's System Information menu.

2) Once you have it ready, turn on your PS3 and insert the CDR or USB JumpDrive and then go to the PS3 System Update in the PS3 browser, select an Update Method, and once you press X you should see THIS screen- make your selection and then proceed to THIS screen. It should now begin copying files from CDR/USB to your PS3 HDD, and you will see THIS prompt when it's finished. Once you START you will see a User Agreement prompt, and after you ACCEPT it and view a Warning the actual PS3 HDD Installation will begin. About 2 minutes later, you will see a nice Update Completed prompt, and after restarting the PS3 your Firmware version will be at v1.10- all set for installing PS3 Linux baby!! ~_^

Installing Linux FC5 & AddOn to the PS3:

3) Before you can install PS3 Linux, you need to download a few things as follows: the Fedora 5 iSO ([3.38GB] FC-5-ppc-DVD.iso (see HERE for mirrors of the latest version) - burn this to a DVDR using Nero as detailed in Step 1 - mirrors HERE if that link is slow/dead) and the CELL-Linux-CL_20061110-ADDON.iso CDR ([45.2MB] (or the updated version HERE, if that is dead also working mirrors are HERE and HERE) - burn this to a CDR using the same instructions as in Step 1 as well... you will also be pulling a file from this burned disc too, but not just yet).

4) Now, download the PS3 Other OS Installer and unpack it to your PC desktop. Next, from your burned CELL-Linux-CL_20061110-ADDON.iso copy and paste the otheros.bld file from the kboot\otheros.bld directory of the iSO (CDR) to your PC desktop. Then, take both the otheros.self and the otheros.bld files and put them in a PS3\otheros\ directory (folder) either burned to a CDR (following the instructions in Step 1) or to a USB JumpDrive. On your PS3, from the browser navigate to Settings and then System Settings and then Format Utility followed by the Format Hard Disk menu option- select that and press X. You will then see both a Format Hard Disk prompt and a confirmation prompt... followed by a Partition Settings menu.

Select the Custom Partition Setting from the menu, and then Allot 10GB to the PS3 System (if you have a 60GB PS3, if not then use the ...to the Other OS option for a 20GB PS3). It will then show a very brief "Formatting..." screen followed by "Format Completed. Press X to Restart the System." and follow those instructions letting your PS3 reboot itself. Then, insert your burned CDR or USB JumpDrive (with the otheros.self and the otheros.bld files on it) and proceed back to the Settings and then System Settings option from the PS3 browser... and navigate to Install Other OS and select it.

The PS3 will then scan for either your CDR/USB JumpDrive and then you will see a screen similar to THIS... followed by a prompt to start the Other OS Installer and then an Other OS Installer START screen. After pressing X to another prompt, you will see a License Agreement screen which you must agree to by pressing X once again, and then you will reach an Install completed screen a few seconds thereafter.

5) The next thing to do is grab a USB Keyboard and USB Mouse and plug them into the PS3. Now, go back to the PS3 browser and to Settings and then System Settings followed by Default System and select Other OS as shown HERE. Then turn the PS3 off, and turn it back on and you should see THIS screen with a flashing kboot: _ cursor. Now type install-fc sda and it will prompt you to insert your burned Fedora 5 iSO DVD and then type Y for Yes and press ENTER on your keyboard.

You will then see a brief "Initializing install environment..." prompt followed by two options: 1) Fedora Core minimum install and 2) Fedora Core full install... choose full (it includes a GUI) by pressing 2 and ENTER on the keyboard. Then you will see an "Caution!!. All data in /dev/sda are removed. Is this OK?" and select Y for Yes and press ENTER on your keyboard. Now sit back, relax, and shortly it will tell you to come back in approximately 2 hours as that is how long it takes to install.

NOTE: Be sure to check/monitor it around an hour and a half, because if you wait too long it will die and you'll have to start over. It's happened to MANY people, one of the joys of Linux apparently. D'oh! :P

6) Once Linux installs, the DVDR will automatically eject and you will be greeted with a prompt stating Please insert Addon Packages CD. Is it OK? and so put in your burned CELL-Linux-CL_20061110-ADDON.iso CDR and press Y for Yes. Then, you will be greeted shortly after with "Changing password for user root:" followed by prompts for New UNIX password: and then Retype new UNIX password:

NOTE: You only get a few tries before it aborts, so be sure to pick a minimum 8-character (all letters work) non-dictionary password or it will reject it. Also, when in Linux the letters you type for the passes will not appear on the screen so be careful when typing and verifying your desired password. If the Addon install does abort due to a password failure, you will be able to reset your password after it reboots using the command passwd.

Finally, you should see an "Install done. Type reboot to start Linux or type halt to power off" and then a kboot: _ cursor prompt on your screen like THIS. After you reboot the PS3, you will likely see it load Linux to a "1st run only" GUI screen- you can exit out of it when this happens, or wait and it should eventually bring you to THIS prompt (which you'll also be greeted with at each future boot-up).

NOTE: If you wish to get to the PS3 browser from here, simply type boot-game-os and it will restart the PS3 with the stock OS. Should you ever wish to change your default boot-up OS back to the original PS3 one, simply navigate to Settings and then System Settings followed by Default System and select PS3 from the menu shown HERE.

Dumping PS3 iSO Images via Linux on the PS3:

7) So you're now at THIS prompt (each time you boot-up in PS3 FC5 Linux you will see it after Linux loads and you login). The first thing you'll need to do now is type startx and press ENTER on your USB keyboard. This will load the Linux GUI, which makes it easier to navigate in order to dump images, delete images, and transfer images to your Windows XP (or similar) PC. Now when it loads to the Desktop (you may receive an No '/dev/pmu device found' error prompt- just click OK and ignore it if so), click on the top bar's Applications button followed by Accessories and then Terminal as shown HERE. Next, you will then see a white "notepad-looking" screen with a cursor blinking so simply insert the PS3 Disc that you wish to dump and (after a few seconds pass while the PS3 drive reads the Disc) type the following: dd if=/dev/cdrom of=ps3disc.iso (see screenshot HERE) and press ENTER on your USB keyboard to begin dumping the PS3 Disc.

NOTE: You don't need to be in the Linux GUI to do this, however, it makes things faster once the image is dumped and you're working with it. Also, the above command is if you are using an internal PS3 hard drive... if you are using an external USB hard drive then you would plug in and mount your external USB hard drive using the following:

a) Make SURE that your USB hard drive is an EXT3 formatted drive- if you aren't sure, try Google for additional assistance with EXT3 formatting.

b) If it is an EXT3 formatted USB hard drive, type fdisk -l and press ENTER at the Terminal prompt to determine what disk it is (99% of the time it will be /dev/sdc1). Once you find out, in the Terminal type mkdir /mnt/exthdd and then press ENTER.

c) Now comes the tricky part, in the Terminal prompt type mount /dev/sdc1 /mnt/exthdd where sdc1 is the disk determined in Step b) above... followed by this command to begin dumping your PS3 iSO image to it: dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/mnt/exthdd/ps3disc.iso and press ENTER.

So after you pressed ENTER, the cursor moved to the next line but you're probably asking yourself "Is it dumping?" and "How do I know when it's done?" so to answer these questions here is what you can do: Minimize the Termainal window (DON'T close it) and from the Desktop navigate to the following: Using your USB Mouse, double-(left)click on the root's Home icon and you will see THIS screen- which is where your ps3disc.iso file is being dumped to. If you are using an external (non-60GB stock) PS3 HDD then you may have to navigate to it using the Linux GUI instead.

Now, to find out the PS3 iSO image dumping progress simply right-click on the ps3disc.iso file and navigate to Properties (as shown HERE) and left click on it using your USB Mouse. You will then see your PS3 iSO image dumping progress as is pictured HERE. The SIZE will keep updating until the dump is complete, at which point the numbers will simply stop moving. When it's done, you can exit the Properties window by right-clicking on it's bottom taskbar button and selecting Close with your left mouse button as shown HERE. If you prefer to delete your dumped PS3 iSO image first, then prior to closing out just select Move to Trash from the same menu as pictured and it will move your PS3 iSO image to the Trash can (located on your PS3 Linux Desktop) for permanent deletion.

That's it- you've just dumped your first PS3 iSO image! Now it's time to transfer it to your Windows XP (or similar) PC for further examination.

Transferring your PS3 iSO Images to your WinXP PC:

8) The next step can be done prior to booting into PS3 Linux (if you are following this Tutorial, then you will need to exit PS3 Linux using the boot-game-os command in the Terminal window) and now verify that your Internet Connection is Enabled on your PS3 if you haven't done it prior to reading this Tutorial. To check this, from the PS3 browser navigate to Settings and then Network Settings followed by Internet Connection and then press X to make sure it's set to Enabled. Also be sure to follow the instructions in the PS3 Quick Reference User Manual for selecting Wired/Wireless networking via your PS3, but you do not have to TEST the Internet Connection (it will likely nag you to update your Firmware if you do, which isn't necessary beyond v1.10 Firmware for dumping and transferring PS3 Disc images). If you are using Wired, ensure your Ethernet plug is in the PS3 LAN port with the GREEN light on as illustrated HERE.

9) Next we need to bring up the PS3 Linux side of the transfer, but before opening the integrated gFTP client in Linux FC5 we need to ensure that your eth0 is ACTIVE. To do this, boot up PS3 Linux FC5 and at THIS prompt type in service httpd start and press ENTER on your USB keyboard. You should now be at THIS screen, and simply select Ethernet followed by entering eth0 for both the Name and Device as shown HERE along with selecting/enabling Use DHCP. Once you press ENTER for "OK" you will be back to THIS screen so select Exit and press ENTER.

Now, once again head back into the Linux GUI using startx and then access the Terminal there (you should now know how, as you've done this a few times above already but in case you forgot look HERE). Now it should bring you to THIS prompt screen, so type the following command and press ENTER after: system-config-network

It should bring you to THIS prompt, but if it doesn't then simply close the Terminal and navigate to PS3 System Administration Network by selecting System, then Administration, followed by Network and clicking on it with your USB Mouse and you'll then be HERE. Now, select Automatically obtain IP address settings with DHCP and enable (check) Automatically obtain DNS information from provider (like THIS) and then press ENTER on your USB Keyboard.

Next, we need to test your connection so click on the PS3 Web Browser Icon as shown and FireFox will load to the PS3 Web Browser FC5 Page by default. Now, type in a Web address, press Go, and it should load the page as illustrated HERE. You are now surfing the Web with your PS3- w00t! Test Completed. :P If it doesn't work for you after following the above steps, you may try restarting your PS3 console and then re-clicking on the PS3 Web Browser Icon, or you can troubleshoot by typing ifconfig in the Terminal to check your PS3 IP address info as well.

10) Now it's time to rock n' roll... and get your PS3 iSO Image transferred to your Windows XP (or similar) PC! Start the PS3 in Linux, and now we need to initiate an application that will allow you to download files via Ethernet from your Linux PS3 to your Windows PC. The first thing you'll need to do is download and install (if you don't have one already) an FTP Server Client for your WinXP PC. I recommend BulletProof FTP (Free Trial), and if you get stuck setting it up or configuring it then they offer a handy Knowledge Base to answer many Frequently Asked Questions.

Once your PC-side FTP Server is up and running on your Network, then in the PS3 Linux GUI desktop navigate to gFTP which is the PS3-side FTP Client application. As pictured, you can get there by clicking Applications, then Internet, followed by gFTP. You will then need to enter your PC's FTP URL and UserName/Password into gFTP. To do so, right-click on the right window pane in gFTP and the Open URL prompt (pictured) will appear followed by THIS prompt after left-clicking Open URL. Press Connect after inputting your PC's FTP Address and related info, and soon after you should see your gFTP-to-PC connection (notice the files from your PC's directory on the right window pane).

All that remains is for you to now is for you to select (click on) the ps3disc.iso file from the left window pane, and then click on the center arror pointing right to begin transferring your file to your PC as shown HERE (notice the progress indicator at the bottom of the screen). Finally, you may also wish to check your PC-side FTP Server screen as well to monitor the transfer as displayed HERE. It will tell you when the transfer is complete, and then you can disconnect or transfer another file as you wish. Congrats, and welcome to the PS3 scene now! ^_^

The End (until PS4 arrives, or updates the PS3 Hypervisor via Firmware revisions to block much of what is detailed on this page. *G*)

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