How To Downgrade the Fat PS3 from 4.66 to 3.55 Firmware Using E3 Flasher Tutorial

Revisions:
1-12-15: Initial release.

1-13-15: Added part 2 of video tutorial.

1-16-15: Part 3 video tutorial added.

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Before Xmas holidays, I got a chance to record a lot of video footage as I took apart my PS3 and attempted to install the E3 flasher for my fat PS3 that uses the NOR chip.

Today I am proud to release the first portion of that video tutorial, where I will show you how to take apart the fat PS3, and go into detail on how to secure the E3 clip to the PS3 mobo (the hardest part of the mod).

One reason I like how I did this video is I go over in detail the steps to take apart the PS3 in such a way that it doesn’t take too much of the viewer’s time. Other PS3 videos on other youtube channels the guys either fast forward through the disassemble process without any narration, or if they do decide to talk, its a LONG video!!!

If you guys been watching me over the years, you know I hate watching LONG videos, so its always my mantra to try to record short but concise videos when I can. Anyway, see the video below and please give a thumbs up, it really helps.

If you have specific PS3 questions, I prefer you ask it on the youtube channel so other gamers can benefit from your questions.

Added on 1-13-15:

Part 2 of the video tutorial series is live:

Part 3 of the video tutorial series is live:

E3 Flasher – Used for Downgrading PS3 Firmware

Revisions:
5-13-14: Initial release.

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So recently I just bought a used PS3 off of Amazon which is a 80GB fat PS3 model. Just my luck, this PS3 is the 4.55 firmware, which means that if I ever want to downgrade it to 3.55 so I can install CFW, I will need to get a hold of the E3 flasher (or find someone with E3 flasher and do it for me).

My brother used to have one of the first generation fat PS3 launch consoles that could play PS2 games, but he recently sold that off (doh!). But he was smart, he knew in the beginning not to update the firmware to the latest official version, and he was enjoying the 3.55 CFW for the longest time until work got into his way and he had just little time for gaming.

Now here I am embarking on my own PS3 adventure, and the concept of PS3 modding is interesting, but not sure if I am ready to take the plunge.

Maybe you have a PS3 and you want to take the plunge and get it modded. Did you update it to the latest firmware? If you have a compatible model, you can purchase a device called an E3 Flasher. Essentially what it does is it reflashes the NOR chip on the PS3 so you can properly downgrade it.

Depending on where you buy this online, it can range from $75 up to $125. The process seems easy, but there is a lot to do to make sure it works right. All fat PS3 are compatible, and only certain models of slim PS3 is compatible with the E3 Flasher.

If you are interested in learning more about how the E3 Flasher works, see an example Youtube tutorial video shown below:

Right now I am enjoy a few games on the PS3, so if you want to add me, my PSN name is VersatileNinja. Thanks!

vstPower Playstation 2 Playlist

Revisions:
10-30-12: Initial release.

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Some of you guys know this, but some may not, but I run a Youtube channel called vstPower. I could tell you the sad sob story of how GameDexterity was shut down by youtube after 3 years, 9400+ subs, but I’m not going to.

That is what the first video upload on vstPower channel is all about. Rather, I am here to talk about something else that most people may not even realize, and that is about the PS2 playlist!

In the coming weeks, I will go back to old PS2 articles I have written and update them so that they reference the correct video, but in the meantime, did you know that everything that you need to know about PS2 modding, FMCB, and more is right here under your nose?

All you got to do is check out the PS2 playlist, watch a few videos, and get up to speed!  But don’t take my word for it, as they say, seeing is believing.

Click the link below, check out some of the PS2 videos, and if you got questions, either leave a comment on the Youtube video, or leave one here. Thanks!

PS2 Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8FB2D7062B84BBBA

 

Making Tutorials – It Really Is An Art Form

Revisions:
2-19-11: Initial release.

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Finally, this is the time I get to write an article about life and not something tangible like a game or a movie.

So ever since I started the blog back in September 2006, and many years later when I started my Youtube adventure in 2008, I realized that a lot of what I do is about helping people and more specifically, creating content related about tutorials.

As I reflect on what I have done so far, why do I do what I do? Why do I continue to spend time on working on tutorials to share on the Internet, an activity that can easily take more time than focusing on friends, family, work, or myself?  Why spend the time to do it with possibly very little return on “investment”?  Well, the answer may surprise you.

The Playstation 2 Console – More Potential Than You Realize

Revisions:
10-6-10: Initial Release.

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The almighty PS2 console system was released in 2000, and even though it has been a decade, the gaming system is still going strong. I am not going to bore you with the details, as you probably knew (or didn’t knew) that the PS2 was in fact the console system that killed the VHS and brought in a new era of digital entertainment: DVDs.

Rather than tell you why the PS2 is such a great system (you can read more about it here), I am going to tell you about the potential you probably didn’t know about through the art of modding.

[How To] Boot Games Off Network (SMB) With Playstation 2 (PS2) Using OpenPS2Loader (A Novice Guide)

Note: This tutorial shows networking steps for Windows XP and Windows 7. Why no Vista love? Because Windows 7 is better, and I ask you to consider ditching Vista for 7. Thank you. – Versatile

Revisions:

3-15-10:  Initial release. Expect revisions all year round guaranteed.

8-9-10: Added more information/clarifications to the router method.

6-24-12: Fixed video links.

10-6-12: Fixed video tutorial links.

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Introduction:

The Playstation 2 (Fat or Slim) is a great console to have fun with. In fact, did you know that if you have a FAT PS2 (With the ethernet adapter), or a Slim PS2, that you can share PS2 games stored on the PC hard drive through the SMB network, and have the PS2 recognize it through Ethernet?

Sorry, did I lose you?  Let me paint an easier picture to understand:

1) You rip a PS2 game to your computer’s hard drive.

2) You setup the appropriate network information and share the correct PS2 folder that has your PS2 game data.

3) You boot the Playstation 2 console, and load homebrew program OpenPS2Loader.

4) OpenPS2Loader will start the network connection and it will automatically see your shared game folder on the PC. You select a game, and play!

Xmas – Thinking Ahead and Buying Moddable Electronics

With Christmas almost here, I thought I would share  short story with you guys and how this spawned an idea for this article.

Last week at the office, I had an Xmas party and during lunch I had heard one of my fellow co-workers talking about how she spent all this money over the past weekend for gifts for her 9 and 12 year old sons.  Among the gifts included a Nintendo DS Lite and the Sony PSP Go.

[Novice Guide] How to Get Started with PS2 and Backups

Revisions:

6-23-09:  Initial release

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Note:  This is just a guide to let users know what they can do with the PS2. The Underground Staff does not advocate piracy, and this is just an informational guide. We cannot be held liable for what you do with this information. I am just repeating information that I have across the net and am just going to re-iterate for Underground needs. ~ Versatile

It is my understanding that some people know about the whole scene related to PS2 modding, and some don’t. Perhaps some are just getting onto the bandwagon, and perhaps some have moved onto other consoles for modding and left their PS2 in the dust.  Now that the PS2 slim is only $99, it has made many people eye the price and consider modding it to create backups of their existing games and save their PS2 library while the PS2 is still alive.

Whatever the case may be, I am going to explain what PS2 modding is, why you may be interested, and how you can do it. Please note that modding the PS2 is not illegal, it is the intention of what you may do with it is illegal. The DMCA thing is not very clear, nor has it been, but I assume it is all right to make back up copies of games you own. It is illegal to get backed up copies of games that you don’t own. It is just stealing. I will leave it to that. What you do is your own business.

The Underground Blog – 2008 Reflection

First of all, I want to thank all the viewers that have visited this blog for the year 2008. When I first started off the year, I only had one goal in mind: “Bring the undground knowledge to the common man”.  Did we succeed?  I want to say so, yes!

Check out this month of December page views.  You can see that Decemember was the first time we broke 100k views a month, which is amazing!

At the beginning of 2008, you know what our daily hit was roughly?  See the picture below:

So yes, we have made significant strides this year, and honeslty, I have no goal in terms of daily hits or anything like that.  As long as I have people viewing this blog, I am happy.

Notice that on this blog we do not spam you with donations or ads (except Voltaire’s PrizeRebel ad), but even that works because it helps everyone gets free stuff.

What were the top posts of 2008?  See the list below:

In general, people loved to play COD4 on cracked servers, so of course this is the hottest topic of the year.  After all, COD4 was a badass game!  Next in line were of course anything related to adult erotica passwords, and then the rest is a mirage of PS2/XBOX modding articles, as well as miscellaneous tutorials and things dealing with the internet.

I hope articles like these is what you guys are looking for as we try to decide what we shall write for 2009 and beyond.  Once again, thanks for coming to the blog, and if you want to become a writer, by all means let V1 know!  Thanks!

The Beginning of the End is the Beginning

Hey guys, if you didn’t figure it out by now, www.theundergroundblog.cjb.net is not the new blog.  Instead, it goes to a very comical site, but I don’t want to spoil it.  Those who went to it and kep their mouth shut about it, thank you.  We all need a little fun in our lives.

This Sunday is the real unvealing of the next blog, V2.  All we are doing really is starting over from scratch, but this time not on WordPress.com but on an FTP that was leant to us by a friend.  This means we have more control on the interaction between the Staff and the community.  We got some nifty plugins, and now we have a plugin where a thread will email everytime there is a new comment.

Or better yet, we have forms so now you can submit a form and make it even easier.  Demonoid form anyone? 🙂

Don’t fret.  This blog is not going to die.  I will visit it daily as usual and give answers to those who ask.  V2 will not have daily postings.  The frequency will be much much less, but the content will be richer and more satisfying.  Even more importantly, if you feel that a post is not “rich” enough in content, you will be able to fill out a form and let us know so we can fix it!!!!  Now that is satisfaction.

Today I want to take a quick reflection of my top 3 threads here on V1.  It is a tough call, being that a lot of the PS2 tutorials are mine, and I love modding my PS2.  Note that this blog has been around since April of 2007, but I didn’t go hardcore with it until last fall I want to say.  Now the daily postings will come to an end, and more focus will be on V2. Don’t be sad though, more content is just around the corner. :-0

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Versatile1’s Top 3 Posts

Number 3

Demonoid – Free Invites Underground Trading Circle

I am a proud user of Demonoid.  I have been a part of it since May 23, 2005. As you can see, it has been almost 3.5 years as a Demonoid user.  I love Demonoid a lot, and it was saddening to know that in some countries Demonoid cannot be viewed!  Thank you USA!  Anyway, as a proud user of Demonoid, I began to realize that registrations were always closed, and open registrations is very few.  What better way to do it than to organize an underground ring myself?  Why would I do such a thing?  

I just want to give, and let other people get in onto the fun.  Hell, if I wanted to get into a private site, I would appreciate an invite, wouldn’t you?  Now that I got an underground ring going, there will always be invites to offer. Check out the google docs and check the list under confirmed users.  We have over 50 people!  If each person gave me 5 invites, that is 250 invites! Muahahahha.  Organizing it on google docs was the smartest thing I could have done. :0

Number 2

The Underground PS2 Tutorial Table of Contents

Ok, I’m cheating on this one.  This is a table of contents to all PS2 related tutorials on this site.  Being that I wrote every single one of them, I’m proud of all of them, so what better way than reference a table of contents?

However, my favorite tutorial is: https://versatile1.wordpress.com/2007/11/08/how-to-ps2-game-from-torrent-to-dvd-using-nero/

It is also the most popular video on my youtube page: www.youtube.com/versatileninja

Using Nero, you can take that PS2 ISO file and burn it to a blank DVD very easily.  I want to say that is one of the earlier tutorials I have written, and although DVD decrypter tutorial is there, Nero gets more visibility for some reason. ;p

Number 1

IRC – How to Get Free Porn Passwords

Yea, are you surprised?  Right behind COD4 cracked server post, this one comes in second.  I guess we all know where a lot of people’s priority lies.  I first learnt about this back in maybe 9th or 10 grade in high school.  My Indian friend who goes by Prashant showed me on IRC this secret room on thundercity known as #ASP.  In fact, I think the #ASP group is more than 10 years old. ;0

I hardly use it, but I’ve told others of this secret knowledge.  With the birth of the blog, I decided to share it in tutorial form.  Of course, I tried a new method, trying to gather more interaction from the community.  I needed 30 commentors, and that is what I got.  Hence, the tutorial was formed, but we put it in a forum.  The forum got mad hits, and although there were other threads in the forum, the XXX thread got over 1k views easily.  Eventually, the forum got discontinued, and now today I present it in PDF form hosted on rapidshare.  Do with it as you wish.  In V2, I may or may not even top this with a collection of stuff that readers have sent me.  Will I share it?  We’ll see. ;0

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Those are my top 3 threads.  What are your favorites?  Comments appreciated, as I’m interested too!

Secret shoutout to:

and

[Note: Voltaire will post his own commentary here shortly tonight ;0 ]