PS3 Slim - CECH-2501A- 4.91 ofw but minverchk shows 3.40+
**[Help] First-time PS3 mod — CECH-2501A Slim, which CFW version & method is right for my console?**
---
**TL;DR:** Bought a broken PS3 Slim (CECH-2501A) at a yard sale, got it working, installed 4.91 OFW on a new 256GB SSD. MinVerChk says firmware 3.40+ compatible. Getting conflicting advice on which CFW to use. Don't want to brick it.
---
**My Setup**
- Model: **CECH-2501A** (PS3 Slim)
- Storage: Replaced dead HDD with 256GB SSD
- Current firmware: 4.91 OFW (fresh install)
- MinVerChk result: Compatible with **3.40 or later**
---
**The Conflict I'm Running Into**
Two sources are pointing me in different directions:
- **Claude AI** → Recommends Evilnat 3.55 CFW
- **MrMario2011** → Recommends 4.91 Cobra 8.4
---
**My Questions**
Should I install **Evilnat 4.91** or **Evilnat 3.55**?
**CEX, PEX, or DEX** — which is right for a first-timer on a retail console?
**PS3Toolset method** or **Flash Writer method** — which is safer/recommended?
---
**What I Know So Far**
- MinVerChk at 3.40 = full CFW compatibility (not a restricted 3.56+ min ver unit)
- CECH-2501A uses a **Slim chassis**, which affects some method compatibility
- First PS3 mod ever — not doing anything exotic, just want full homebrew access and backup playback with multiman
- Primary concern is **not bricking the console** or installing the wrong fw/cfw and not being able to downgrade later
---
**Appreciate any guidance — especially from folks who've modded a CECH-2501A recently on 4.91 OFW.**