Talk:Validating flash dumps

Basic steps to verify if your bios dump is correct:

What you need:
Your ps3 Bios Backup, extracted via e3 flasher (bkps3.bin)
e3 nor dump checker v1.0 (should be used only as a complement, as it gives false positives)
Flowrebuilder v4.2.2.0
HxD - Hex Editor

Now if you follow this basic steps, and if everything matches your ps3dump is OK, if anything fails to match use another dump, the one you're checking may lead you to a permanent brick

0 - open e3 nor dump checker, and check if it gives any errors.

WARNING: Don't trust only in dump checker, as it's known for it's false positives.

Statistics analysis

1.1 - Open your bkps3.bin in HxD
1.2 - select analysis > statistics > select your file
1.3 - mouse over the blue bars and check if:

00's , between 18.71% - 29.01%
FF's , between 10.42% - 10.48%
rest , below 0,5%

Make Visual inspection

Extracting

2.1 - Open Flowrebuilder
2.2 - select "byte reverse and EXTRACT a NOR dump File"
2.3 - select the desired bkps3.bin , and then execute operation
2.3.1 - the Dump extraction should've been done without any errors, otherwise it may lead you to a permanent brick.
2.3.2 - after extracting you should have the following output: bkps3.swap.bin and bkps3.swap.ext
2.3.3 - inside the folder bkps3.swap.ext you should have the following items:

bkps3.swap.ext folder content

asecure_loader (folder)
ros0 (folder)
ros1 (folder)
bootloader_0 (.bin)
cCSD (.bin)
cISD (.bin)
cvtrm (.bin)
eEID (.bin)
trvk_pkg0 (.bin)
trvk_pkg1 (.bin)
trvk_prg0 (.bin)
trvk_prg1 (.bin)

(if you don't have them, please don't proceed! try to extract the dump again, or use an diferent dump, the one you're using will probably lead you to a permanent brick)

Checking seperate files/sections

Metldr

2.4 - open the file ...\asecure_loader\metdlr in HxD, then ctrl + a
2.4.1 - look for your s/n in the following table:
http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Validating_flash_dumps#Check_metldr.2Bbootldr_sizes , and check if your lenght field in HxD matches with Size field in the table.

Bootldr

bootloader_0 start

2.5 - repeat the process with Bootloader_0.bin File
2.5.1 - make sure your bootloader_0(bin) file starts proper: look at offsets 2 and 12 and compare the values against Validating_flash_dumps#Check_metldr.2Bbootldr_sizes

Header

2.6 - now open your bkps3.swap.bin with HxD and check if the next fields matches.

2.6.1 - header (0FACE0FF DEADBEEF), it should match with the follwing:
http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Flash#Header_-_0FACE0FF_DEADBEEF

Table

2.6.2 - From offset 00000400 to 00000600 (search for offset in HxD do ctrl + g) you should have the following:
http://www.ps3devwiki.com/images/3/3e/HxD.png

asecure_loader

2.6.3 - Search now for the following Hex code: 617365637572655F6C6F616465720000
2.6.3.1 - for it in Hxd, do ctrl+f change the datatype field for HEX, Copy and paste the code, it should be found and looks like the following:
http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Flash#example_4

SCE headers

2.6.4 verify the bkpps3.swap.bin
2.6.4.1 - search for SCE in text mode (do ctrl+f SCE), and it should looks like:
http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Flash#example_28

CVTRM

2.6.5 - press f3 and several SCE data should be found, and the last one should be SCEI (check: http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Flash#example_39 (cvtrm))

HDD info in EXTNOR

2.6.6 - verify the HDD info
2.7.6.1 - search for your HDD brand ( ctrl+f and in text mode type the disk brand) or else ctrl + g and it sould be in the 00F20200 offset

Console Serial

2.6.7 - search for your Serial: (http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Flash#example_20)

2.6.7.1 - it should be in offset 003F090 , you can also look for the 2nd part of your serial number (ex: xx-12345678-xxxxxx)

these are the basic stepes to check your dump file, however if you wish to go further and check your dump more in dept, please check:

• http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/E3
  
• http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Flash
  

After Checking all those fields, if everything checks, so your dump is OK and you're good to proceed with your flashing process. always make more than 1 backup of your bios.

all the credits for this tutorial goes to the @p users of irc channel #ps3downgrade at Ef.net especially to alex07 and eussNL who taught me and helped me with the basic how-to for cheking the dumps. all i just did was to compile all the info they gave me and wrote everything down for further use. after writing everything done i thought it could be useful for everyone. hope it helps.

Feel free to correct any bad english or any mistaken info in this how to.

best regards cfcolaco