PS3 repairs

Has anyone on the forum suffered the flashing red light on a PS3 yet? (EDIT: otherwise known as the PS3 YLOD - yellow light of death)

I've got a 60Gb UK model which I bought on day of release back in March 2007, looks like it has now died. Symptoms either being the motherboard or the PS2 HW emulation chip. It's out of warranty, didn't buy the extended coverage with Game where I bought it from as never before had a console failure (the irony eh? )

Looking on the net I either have the option of sending it off to Sony for a repair - £145

Finding out info on these DIY repairs (people want £30 for a guide... hmm.)

Or taking it to a local repair shop

Anyone had the issue and if so how did they resolve it?

*awaits PS3/360 argument*

My brother in Law is having exactly the same prolem. He has dropped it round with me to have a look. If i can come up with a fix i will let you know.

p.s. Quick check before you do anything drastic is to try removing and reseating the hard drive as a dodgy connection here can also cause this error.

p.s. Quick check before you do anything drastic is to try removing and reseating the hard drive as a dodgy connection here can also cause this error.

Going give that a go, giving it an hour or two to cool down first. Also ringing Sony customer support

Trouble with opening it up or taking it to a non-authorised repair shop that when the seals are broken I have read that Sony won't even touch it for repairs at all.

You won't void the warranty by removing the HDD. They are designed to be swappable

If all else fails you could try this...

1. Power Off the PS3 via the power switch in back and power back on w/switch.

2. Hold Power Button on the Front until you hear 3 beeps.

3. Then go through the initial setup and then run a full Format via System > Format. (will take approx 3 1/1 hours). You may need to have our AV cables ready if your using HDMI (in case HDMI isn’t detected after initial reset).

4. Restore your backup you made prior to doing factory/hard reset (optional, if you created a backup).

Hopefully this will solve your freezing problems.

Problems/symptons that this appears to have resolved:

-freezing when doing anything

-no harddrive activity

-freezing when trying to use onboard keyboard or bringing up keyboard

-game/movie disc freezes system

You won't void the warranty by removing the HDD. They are designed to be swappable

Oh yes it's got a 320Gb in it I just meant if you crack it open to look at the mobo etc.. I was actually hoping you'd see this thread and maybe have other suggestions!

 

If all else fails you could try this...

 

1. Power Off the PS3 via the power switch in back and power back on w/switch.

 

2. Hold Power Button on the Front until you hear 3 beeps.

 

Tried this, holding down power button with a hard reset and the light briefly goes yellow then just continuously flashes red and nada. So your step 3 onwards is impossible for me.

Thinking it's the mobo is fried. Been very well ventilated and make sure I hoover out the dust in the intakes/exhaust so quite frankly i'm disappointed

System never froze up until this morning, suddenly a beep whilst playing a game, PS3 powered down and the red light just kept flashing. Unplugged it, switched it off at the back, have left it for an hour but no change.

Poo.

Sounds like the HDD, might be good news...

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Fix-PS3-Blinking-Red-Light-Problem?&id=2236085

Sounds like the HDD, might be good news...

 

Going to swap in a 40Gb HDD my friend has spare.... I've misplaced my 60Gb somewhere!

If you google PS3 YLOD though the symptoms can be GPU, fan, CPU, HDD, motherboard, emotion engine chip.... it's failing on a hardware check somewhere by the looks of it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/09/playstation3_and_the_yellow_li.html

Hmmm seems Sony had a 'goodwill' thing of repairing them until March 2009

..a guy on my PS3 list told me he has had the flashing light of death.. i never asked him details but he said he was reseating something and had run out heat sink paste.. there for must have been one of the chips. He had fixed his on numerous occasions..but eventually he now has a new one.

As far as i know he is not an electronics guy.. so it must be laymen stuff to do, maybe?

I'll ask him if you prompt me too .. good luck

Thanks Aweegin, would be good to hear of any info.

I have a case open with Sony, I can get a refurb unit with 90 day warranty for £128. Just waiting to hear back if I can send it in with no HDD, as I don't know where my original 60Gb is (unless anyone has one I could borrow and send them back another one when it arrives)

Otherwise I'm heading down game with the Sale of Goods act which EU says covers anything up to 6 years.

..ok buddy, i'll drop him a message to see what he had to repair...I'll post it up when he replies (it's no bother..happy to help)

Er.. as far as i know.. you have to put the original HDD back in when it goes to Sony.. so good luck on that!

 

Er.. as far as i know.. you have to put the original HDD back in when it goes to Sony.. so good luck on that!

After 45 minutes on hold I've got through to Sony, they ran through trying to eject the disk, symptoms, serial number.

I have been offered a refurb unit for £128, and in fact they will deliver to my door and there and then I can swap the HDDs over, so thats a little result.

Boxed it up and going down Game at lunchtime armed with my consumer rights and an inflatable hammer

After 45 minutes on hold I've got through to Sony, they ran through trying to eject the disk, symptoms, serial number.

 

I have been offered a refurb unit for £128, and in fact they will deliver to my door and there and then I can swap the HDDs over, so thats a little result.

 

Boxed it up and going down Game at lunchtime armed with my consumer rights and an inflatable hammer

Remember to post how you get on. Very curious about this. Its always much better to get a new console from game than it is to get a 2nd hand refurb from Sony.

Did you try the HDD swap or are you just not going to bother? Remember if its your HDD at fault they aren't liable for it.

..okies.. as I'm lazing at home.. i just got a reply off the guy.. semi informative..

He said he did the youtube search for 'yellow light of death how to fix' and followed that... but said to be aware it is only a temporary fix and after doing his 4 times he got a new one.

Ditto.. curious to how you get on and the consumer rights thing...

(will take approx 3 1/1 hours).

Isn't that just 4 hours?

I have been offered a refurb unit for £128

Sounds expensive when you can get a new one (with a full warranty) for £199 in Sainsburys at the moment!

Get an X-Box

Remember to post how you get on. Very curious about this. Its always much better to get a new console from game than it is to get a 2nd hand refurb from Sony.

 

Did you try the HDD swap or are you just not going to bother? Remember if its your HDD at fault they aren't liable for it.

My 320Gb mounts in an external caddy, 60Gb did nothing to fix. The 320 is also only 6 months old, span up fine when powered up.

 

Ditto.. curious to how you get on and the consumer rights thing...

Sounds expensive when you can get a new one (with a full warranty) for £199 in Sainsburys at the moment!

And it's a WIN for the consumer! :d:d

Went into Game in town armed with console + receipt (purchased for £425 on 23/03/07 so 32 months old) and was given a game customer services 0871 number.

Called them and said I've got a broken PS3, yellow light of death, game stuck in it, upgraded HDD. Even said I didn't buy the extended warranty from them.

They didn't even bother to argue, not for a second, I didn't even have to mention my consumer rights. I've been given a website (www.totalconsolerepair.co.uk) where I have to put in my details, it'll be collected, repaired and sent back etc. Absolutely free.

Happier now, ok I've got nothing to play whilst it's off for repair but I'm glad I don't have to pay for anything.

EDIT : What's even better is the repair company is in Christchurch. I live in Christchurch I've just called them up and talked through it with them and dropping it in at 3pm.

Great news. Nice to know that

Get an X-Box

my xbox360 broke twice sent it back to mircosoft fixed and returned within a week free of charge 4 months later its got the ring of death again:search:

Don't worry, I was only joking, I wouldn't get an xbox. It's just that on the other 'Xbox' failure threads, we've all put 'get a PS3'

Get a Megadrive now they were built to last.

Get a Megadrive now they were built to last.

Got one And a Master System II (with built Alex Kidd) which I have actually just plugged into my HDTV.

Colour blurr is immense! It's like you've drunk a whole bottle of whiskey.

Mmm Wonder Boy III, it's as awesome as I remember.

And I've just dug up Streets of Rage 1, 2 and 3. Who needs online gaming?

Got one And a Master System II (with built Alex Kidd) which I have actually just plugged into my HDTV.

 

Colour blurr is immense! It's like you've drunk a whole bottle of whiskey.

 

Mmm Wonder Boy III, it's as awesome as I remember.

 

And I've just dug up Streets of Rage 1, 2 and 3. Who needs online gaming?

Oh my god Streets of rage I lost years of my child hood playing them. Also the greatest football game had to be Italia 90 and what about road rash they need to redo that game.

Get a Megadrive now they were built to last.

Screw that! SNES!!!!!

Oh my god Streets of rage I lost years of my child hood playing them. Also the greatest football game had to be Italia 90 and what about road rash they need to redo that game.

I have Road Rash II sat in the same box

Matt, SNES - F-Zero, Mario Kart and Rock 'n Roll Racing. Think that's all sat in the loft.