Upgrade PS3 Demo Firmware to Retail?

[yngmike]

1rst PS3 Post
(long time PSP user)
Does anyone know if it is possible to flash retail firmware over a demo firmware?

I recently came across a cheap PS3 for sale(probably rightfully so). But it has Demo firmware (unknown ver) . Is it possible to upgrade/downgrade/replace the flash with the retail ver? or at least hack it up enough to make it work similarly as the retail?

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Thanks for the replies, I don't presume to know anything about PS3 architecture. I do know a bit about PSP.

But....  I'm not sure what the status is on upgrading downgrading pre-ipl loaders etc etc etc...

Not sure if CFW is available for PS3 (any FW rev) but wouldn't that make it possible to flash over a demonstation ver of the FW? Obviously the demo is going to look for a demo FW version but, would it be possible to get it to flash pre-ipl. Are there currently CFW Loaders etc etc.? Not to imply that I even want a CFW. The main goal would be to load OFW

Thanks again,

-Mike

[Slim Hacker]

Ummm ive never heard of a demo firmware there is demo mode which is just the store version if you look in the bottom corner of the screen it should say what ver its on I can most likely tell you how to get out of Demo mode but there is no way to go from demo to normal firmware

[W-Gaming5]

[Slim Hacker]

yea demo is for stores
retail is free and you can upgrade it with a internet connection or usb thing if you put it on there

your wrong store firmware has a different signiture than retail (personal) PS3s use

Ive personally tried with the PS3 at bestbuy I unlocked it out of demo mode and pluged my usb drive into it with 2.80 loaded on my USB and it wouldnt find the update data.

Also a store PS3 is basically a normal PS3 but they have some specialness in them usually they have a 150GB HDD and they have all hardware a normal PS3 does, but they use a different signature than retail PS3s do if you download a retail PS3s firmware 2.80
and download a stores firmware 2.80 if you just compare the urls I just gave you can see they are different but take it even further and open them both in a hex editor thay are completely different.

[Tri-edge]

I believe there's a code you need to unlock them but upgrading them I'm not sure.