Calendar Bug Disables Older PlayStation 3 Models 342
JohnWilliams writes "The Sony PlayStation Network appears to be inaccessible to older ('phat') PS3 units. Players cannot play games that require a connection, even in single-player, offline mode, e.g. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Also, the system date resets to January 1, 2000. Sony is 'looking into it.' Speculation abounds that it is a bug related to 2010 being incorrectly flagged as a leap year. The newer PS3 Slim models seem to be working properly."
Re:Can someone explain the bug? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Can someone explain the bug? (Score:2, Interesting)
the clock that is displayed on-screen is just some application level date. it's for 'display purposes only. changing this has no effect on DRM licenses restrictions (such as when you download a movie with an authorization to watch it once over the next 7 days).
the 'real' ps3 clock is a hardware device (I guess they changed model between the 'phat' and 'slim' hardware releases, which is why slim is not affected). this clock has read-only access via the hypervisor only.i don't think it's even possible to reset it - at least that's what was claimed in a Sony document describing the PS3 Linux kernel [ncsu.edu]
if the hardware RTC has a fault, they've got a real big problem
Suing as a means to modify behaviour? (Score:3, Interesting)
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Effects are rather... odd (Score:5, Interesting)
It was refusing to install the Star Ocean Trophy set. I could get it to start Bayonetta, but when it attempted to load the first cutscene it just hung forever. Tried doing a number of things, nothing worked... And it wouldn't let me back up my data as the largest thumbdrive I own is 8gb and after removing ALL game data, installed demos and everything else I could strip, it claimed it still needed another 750mb of space (original claim was over 17gb). And of course it refuses to recognize either of my external USB HDDs as a target for backing up or reading data from...
So I started thinking "HD Failing" (it is an original PS3 after all). Figured I'd have it format the drive then reinstall and repatch my games. Nearly a 5 hour time estimate. Take a nap, wake up, see this.... "oh god damnit."
Re:No PSN on sim yesterday (Score:5, Interesting)
No, DRM is and has always been about killing 2nd hand sales. The piracy non-issue was just an excuse that no one would question whilst they went about removing your consumer rights. For over a year now publishers have been openly equating the 2nd hand market to piracy. The ultimate goal is to destroy all media they don't control, if DRM isn't stopped in the near future all games will require an authorised console, with authorised media, on an authorised display device and an authorised user and if any of these things fail authorisation then the whole system will stop working (for you at least).
/.ers are in the US) about DRM.
So at least write to your representative (I know in the US this will do nothing but not all
I've said it before and I'll say it again, consoles have DRM built into the hardware. This makes it both more prevalent and more aggressive then DRM on the PC. It also makes it harder to remove.
Since when is a year = 2 mod 4 EVER a leap year? (Score:4, Interesting)
GregYear <- (appropriate year for start of Gregorian era in locale)
IF (month = 2 AND year MOD 4 = 0 AND (year < GregYear OR year MOD 100 > 0 OR year MOD 400 = 0))
{MaxDayForMonth <- 29}
ELSE IF (month = 2)
{MaxDayForMonth <- 28}
ELSE IF (month IN (4,6,9,11))
{MaxDayForMonth <- 30}
ELSE
{MaxDayForMonth <- 31}
(pseudocode style adapted for Slashcode)
what will happen in 15 years? (Score:3, Interesting)
I'll be playing my Dreamcast (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:How many other systems have this y2k bug? (Score:3, Interesting)
I've got a fleet of GPS vehicle trackers that crapped out last nite when they hit "00:00 March 1st" UTC. Working with the vendor to resolve :(