Some question regarding game dump and console's hackability

[gamenoob]

Hi, today I will get a PS3 of my brother, its loaded with PSN downloaded games/dlc along with disc based games too. Now I wish to play those along with testing some titles for RPCS3. Before I start messing with PS3, I need to know how safe is it. I mean, what is the current status of PS3 mod? Can every model be modded and reverted back into original for homebrew/hacktools/dumptools etc? I saw a nice table showing the details of every model so far, it was years ago. Surely many things changed, lost the url of that table too. Can anyone help me out?

[ssshadow]

All fat and some slim models can be downgraded to 3.55 where you can install CFW. However this requires opening the console up and soldering on some semi expensive hardware that you will have to by on Ebay or Aliexpress or similar.

You may be able to mod a superslim PS3 with a Cobra ODE but I don't recommend it. There are many limitations to this method, and it is even more expensive.

Below is the complete list. Source: http://www.psxcare.com/product.php?xProd=1658&xSec=140

Phat:
CECHA - Can be downgraded!
CECHB - Can be downgraded!
CECHC - Can be downgraded!
CECHD - Can be downgraded!
CECHE - Can be downgraded!
CECHF - Can be downgraded!
CECHG - Can be downgraded!
CECHH - Can be downgraded!
CECHI - Can be downgraded!
CECHJ - Can be downgraded!
CECHK - Can be downgraded!
CECHL - Can be downgraded!
CECHM - Can be downgraded!
CECHN - Can be downgraded!
CECHO - Can be downgraded!
CECHP - Can be downgraded!
CECHQ - Can be downgraded!

Slim:
CECH-20xxx - Can be downgraded!
CECH-21xxx - Can be downgraded!
CECH-250xx - Downgradeable if it came with a 120 / 250GB hard drive. Otherwise, if it is purchased before the fall of 2011. If it had firmware 3.61 when it was purchased, you can not downgrade. Otherwise we have to open it and look.
CECH-251xx - Can be downgraded!
CECH-30xxx - Can not be downgraded

[gamenoob]

Thank you, what if the model is the newest? Lets say something like CECH-40xx? Is there no way to hack it to run home-brew?

In the case where the model can be downgraded, then lets say I accidentally installed a latest OFW and the multiman is gone! So is there any softmod or something? Or I must use some sort of hardware to downgrade first and then install CFW?
Now about dumping games and DLCs/Demos:
I do not have any BD-drive, can I access the drive in PS3 via multiman and copy everything on disc to an external HDD? Will this work with RPCS3?
How do I run the demos and dlcs on RPCS3?

[ssshadow]

For a new superslim or something you may be able to use a method called "backup injection" to run backups of commercial disc games, but there are limitations I think. Google it, not very sure myself.

If you accidentally install OFW over CFW you need to downgrade again.

Yes, just copying the contents of a disc via Multiman, FTP or whatever works. It is by far the easiest method as you only need to ctrl+c and ctrl+v basically.

The rest is answered here https://rpcs3.net/quickstart