PS3 hardware failure

[rabidrabbit]

I fixed my YLOD old PS3, now it's running again like a champ again!
It's even more quiet now, not close to the new Slim's level, but much quieter than before the fix.
Only the Blu-ray drive is not functioning, there is a disc stuck in there and it won't show in the XMB, or allow me to eject it. Must open it again and check if the BR flat cable was not properly inserted.
The process was easy, though it took me all evening, but I was being extra careful and followed instructions to the letter. If I were to do it again I'm sure I'd be able to do it in two hours or so.
I did the reflow and applied new thermal paste to the processors. The old paste had hardened completely, no wonder it was not able to cool any more. There was almost no dust inside, I have vacuumed the openings regularly and used canned air occasionally, which must have helped.
There was no visible signs of overheating, other than the hardened thermal paste, so maybe it'll manage to stay alive the time I make the data transfer.

How long approximately does it take the data transfer tool to migrate the data from PS3 to PS3? I have at least 200GB of data on the old, might have to delete some to a more reasonable amount, maybe I'll just keep the games and saves.

Edit: I just read from Sony's online PS3 manual that the backup tool can actually be used for copying backed up data from one PS3 to another, it just won't copy any copy protected data.
I thought you could only use it for same PS3, good to know! But does restoring a backup also delete all other data already on the PS3 that's receiving the backup??

If you back up data on a PS3™ system and then transfer data to another PS3™ system using the data transfer utility, copy-prohibited saved data that is included in the backup data cannot be restored on either system

Some types of backed up data can be restored on another PS3™ system. The types of data that can be restored on another system are as follows:
- Saved data from PlayStation3 format software
- Image files under (Photo)
- Music files under (Music)
- Video files under (Video)
- Bookmarks added under (Internet Browser)
- Terms that were added using (Settings) > (System Settings) > [Add/Edit Term], or predictive terms that were "learned" by the on-screen keyboard .

Edit: Got the Blu-ray drive functioning, it was only a flat cable that I had inserted the wrong way.
Started the data transfer tool, it has been transferring over ten hours already, it doesn't seem stuck as it just went from 93% to 94%. Last night before I went to bed it estimated the remaining time 1:45min, this morning the estimate was 40 min, I guess the estimates aren't very accurate I had over 100 Gigs of data on the old.

 

[deathindustrial]

Looks like I may need to replace my second PS3 slim already (the first one failed upon setup).

I have not used it much due to poor light control in our front room (now fixed) so only just noticed that there was a ton of hiss isolated to one channel of the PS3 any time audio played (clicks on the XMB, movies, etc.). I'm waiting to see if Sony has a solution (perhaps it is OS related) but if not, I will be onto my 3rd PS3 slim!

=(

Cheers

EDIT: talked to Sony today and a coffin is now coming my way.

Beware of model CECH-2101A!

 

[Rotmm]

Dead for good methinks. Definately time for a slim.

 

[deathindustrial]

Well that was a quick turnaround, got my replacement PS3 today. So far so good, audio is no longer gimped. Unsurprisingly the replacement system comes with a pitch for the extended warranty. . .

The backup utility flat out sucks. None of the PSN content (including themes) or even the hard disk data from any games was restored. All that got restored was the account name (with an asterisk added to it) and some media files. Unless you have a lot of MP3s or pictures on the system it likely is not worth the hassle of doing the initial backup.

Cheers

 

[Nesh]

I didnt want to start a new thread for this so I post it here
I was playing against someone who apparently cant accept losing, so he started insulting and after ignoring him he said that he Hacked my PSN account,

Of course nothing happened but I was wondering if its possible

 

[Dregun]

For all those that have performed the re-flow, how is it still going?

When I went to purchase my 40gb PS3 I almost didn't pick up the extended warranty because my 60gb was still running like a champ. However I knew that if something happened to my 40gb I just couldn't ask my dad for my 60gb back.

Luckily I did (or unluckily) my PS3 died about 3 months ago, I sent my PS3 into the warranty people to get fixed and they sent it back. (In doing so the Warranty sticker is now gone) I plugged it in and it worked just fine; however the very next day I went to use the system and it YLOD again. However what was really unusual was the fact that I could keep messing with the powering on and off a couple of times and it would work; sometimes for a few days or a week before it would YLOD on me again.

After it YLOD on me I imediately called the warranty place and they were supposed to send me a new shipping label. Unfortunatly life happend, I never got the label and I never got around to getting it sent back to them and was willing to live with the powering it on and off routine that I had to perform 3 times already.

This past Sunday it died on me with no chance of coming back, so I followed the instructions on how to reflow (without flux) and when I took the system apart I found some inherent problems.

1. I doubt Sony uses Artic Silver 5, so that means the warranty place had no idea what a "thin layer" of thermal compound means.

2. Most of the heat transfer pads were in the wrong place (stuck inside other cavities of my PS3) instead of the chips or specified areas of the cover plate.

3. I doubt the warranty place reflowed the chips, something tells me they just put some new thermal compound on the machine and called it a day (as well as bending the brackets??)


Now, for all of their faults at least they remembered to plug the fan back in, as I did not. Surprisingly my PS3 was on for about 5 minutes before I got the message that it was too hot and it shut itself down. Smart or not I decided to to the "hold eject button while flipping power switch) test and sure enough...no fan noise.

I disassembled the machine and reconnected the power to the fan without having to remove the heat sink (luckily) and the machine so far seems to be working. It is also extremely quite, part of the reason I almost took it apart again because I tested the fan with the method I said above but during normal operation the damn thing is silent.

So those that have reflowed how has your machine been doing? Anyone ever thought of just fluxing the board, disconnecting the fan and running the machine a couple of times to get it to reflow that way?

 

[Arwin]

I can't do it myself, but I had it redone by some kids nearby basically, and that lasted only a few months. I doubt they did more than just heat it with the gun though, probably didn't put decent new paste on it (or any at all, should have asked/checked).

I don't have the patience or tools to do it myself, but as I'm even thinking of getting another PS3 now, it would definitely be convenient to at least try again.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Friend tried 3 times on his PS3 but it didn't last more than a couple of swtich ons each time. Enough time to copy his saves, but the second time network access died completely and he couldn't deactivate. Phoned Sony who said getting his account deactivated and Singstar songs swapped over shouldn't be a problem, but it was down to head office. Head office hasn't replied in a month or so.

 

[Arwin]

Friend tried 3 times on his PS3 but it didn't last more than a couple of swtich ons each time. Enough time to copy his saves, but the second time network access died completely and he couldn't deactivate. Phoned Sony who said getting his account deactivated and Singstar songs swapped over shouldn't be a problem, but it was down to head office. Head office hasn't replied in a month or so.

I called for transferring the singstar songs, and they arranged for that immediately, though notifying that I would only be able to redownload them in 7 business days. That was the case, and all my songs are now on my new machine.

I haven't deactivated the account on my old one though - haven't asked. May do that at some point.

My guess is that you either got an idiot on the line, or they are registering everyone with a bricked console now as a potential hacker, or both. (generally though it is the former)

 

[Dregun]

2 Full days of use down and not a single hiccup from my PS3 after I reflowed it. I'm hoping since my unit would only intermittinly have the YLOD that I have a better chance of this being a permenant fix (or at least a fix that will last 6-12 months)

 

[Nesh]

Hmm....I have noticed something weird with my fat PS3 which I got fixed after the YLOD. Its been quite some time since I switched it on.

A few minutes ago I tried to use it. Well, its kind of weird. Scary weird
It starts of quite, a few seconds later the fans start to spin faster. Then faster.. Then they go like freakin' crazy!!

Its as if its going to explode!! Has anyone else had anything like it??

 

[Reznor007]

That usually happens if its overheating. Could be dusty and not have enough airflow.

 

[-tkf-]

Hmm....I have noticed something weird with my fat PS3 which I got fixed after the YLOD. Its been quite some time since I switched it on.

A few minutes ago I tried to use it. Well, its kind of weird. Scary weird
It starts of quite, a few seconds later the fans start to spin faster. Then faster.. Then they go like freakin' crazy!!

Its as if its going to explode!! Has anyone else had anything like it??

The Thermal Paste has a tendency to "dry out", i had a technician at work change mine and he said it was drying out.

 

[Nesh]

I think it would be it. i doubt its dust

 

[goonergaz]

Sorry but these are signs of the begining of the end

No YLOD fix is permanent unfortunately

 

[tuna]

The YLOD fix usually kills the temperature sensor in the PS3, causing the fans to spin like crazy.

 

[Nesh]

The YLOD fix usually kills the temperature sensor in the PS3, causing the fans to spin like crazy.

You mean it could be spinning like crazy for no apparent reason?

 

[AntShaw]

My BR drive refuses to eject the disc thats in there. I can here it mechanically trying, but no dice. I've tried the force eject by holding in the power button, no dice. The disc also no longer shows up under the XMB. I've seen reports of people trying to use tweezer. Has anyone had any success with anything?

 

[Rotmm]

Have you tried the "fan cycle" trick?

For example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5-wV05_Zjg

 

[Jedi2016]

Have you tried the "fan cycle" trick?

For example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5-wV05_Zjg

That's a neat trick.

I've got a friend whose PS3's disc drive apparently died. He can get discs in and out, and XMB and downloaded stuff works fine, but it won't recognize any discs he puts in it.

Somewhere up above I think I talk about my own YLOD system. It's BD drive works fine as far as I know... so I figure I'll sell him the dead system for cheap and he can cannibalize the BD drive out of it. It's no further use to me, it's just been collecting dust in the closet ever since it died the second time. Might as well get some use out of it, even if only for parts.