6

I recently got a PS3 Slim, 120GB model, with 4.13 (or was it 4.31?) installed as the last update. I also only just found out there is no way to password protect your User Account on it, and so your games, files, internet history, movies and other things that I want to only be accessible to me.

I know that you can take advantage of the Parental Control system and set it to Level 1 to restrict browser use, movies and games, but I'm more concerned about my photos and videos on the HDD.

So I thought that I could put them on a USB (the ones I wanted to be accessible to only me) and encrypt it with a passcode, and have it prompt me before opening and exploring.

Is this possible at all?

Also, as a note: I would be open to installing 3rd-party software to do this or similar.

Improve this question
2
  • The PS3 is a closed system and does not offer the kind of flexibility you might be used to on PC. I think the best you could do is to put your files on a USB drive and simply keep the USB drive out-of-sight when you're not using it.
    – YellowMegaMan
    Commented Nov 25, 2012 at 5:59
  • I see. Thanks for your suggestion, but I'll try to keep this open to see if any answers or other suggestions arise, if you don't mind :P
    – Grace
    Commented Nov 25, 2012 at 9:35

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

Short Answer: No

Long Answer: The problem is that consumer USB drives themselves can't be intrinsically encrypted. All the drive "knows" is that you are putting data on the drive, and the drive doesn't care if that data is a song, random garbage, or encrypted data. (Incidentally, encrypted data looks a lot like random garbage usually.)

This means that what you really need is software on the PS3 itself that will make encrypted "stuff" and put it on your thumb-drive. Because the stuff you want encrypted is part of the operating system, you need to make changes to how the OS works. In theory, Sony might one day write software that allows this, but I wouldn't hold your breath. The only other way is to jailbreak your PS3 and then hack (modify) the OS so that it encrypts its data and asks for a password on boot.

So, in theory you can. In practice, it would probably be easier, faster, and cheaper to buy a safe and lock your PS3 in the safe when you're not using it.

Improve this answer
3
  • I see. Thanks for your help! I thought I would just use an unencrypted USB to store the "stuff" (haha) and take it out when no longer needed. Thanks again :)
    – Grace
    Commented Jan 2, 2013 at 12:09
  • @Mochan Well, in theory you might backup your saves to a thumb drive, and delete them off of the PS3 each time you finish using it, and then restore them when you're ready to use it again. In practice though, this would take a while, and be very error prone. It would be easy to forget to back something up and delete it off your PS3, or restore the backup version over your new save, instead of the other way around. Worse, not all games allow you to back up your save data. Also, I can's remember for sure, but I'm pretty sure you can't backup your webrowser settings and history.
    – Patrick M
    Commented Jan 2, 2013 at 18:40
  • I see! I think it will be OK, though. My PS3 has a loose ribbon near the WiFi and bluetooth chipset, so I am unable to use the internet. I was more concerned about photos and video, which would probably be OK and I shouldn't have to actually copy them off the USB, to the PS3. Thanks for your help :)
    – Grace
    Commented Jan 3, 2013 at 0:55

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.