Tips, Tricks and Fixes

[Snowgod]

As an IT guy, I constantly have user that their electronics always fail on them. What are the chances of one person having computer problems, but if I give that computer to a different user, no problems ever. Environmental issues, Such as high voltage cables in the wall near their PC or static generated by some carpets used in offices have been the issue on a rare occasion but for the most part it always comes back to the interface between the chair and the keyboard. Computers hate heat and the PS3 is designed to work like a chimney if you stand it up. Stays much cooler that way.

[Uxi]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

Just to add on to what you said.

The fixes that they are doing are not necessarily what the PS3 needs in order to be fixed, but only documentation from other people that have done which had similar issues as them.

Also they are not licensed Sony PS3 repairmen with instructions from Sony on how to repair the machine with the proper tools and equipment.

Right, these temp fixes are bandaids, so they will almost certainly fail again. Basically good enough to get a decent backup done, but not for reliability purposes.

I just wish Sony would clue us in or we'd get a leak or the l ike to know if there is an actual problem. This was Microsoft's problem, too, with not enough communication and leaving the end users to speculate if there's a systemic issue or of it's behavior or environmental concerns that could be be avoided or at least mitigated.

[sssick]

I had a YLOD about 8 months after my launch unit, sent it out under warranty no problem. I just got it again on the repaired unit, did the reflow to get my disc out and backup, now I have a slim. I am debating if I should fork up the $150 to get my 60GB repaired or junk it.

I have mine in a custom cabinet that has a thermostat controlled fan system, so it's not heat related.

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by Snowgod

for the most part it always comes back to the interface between the chair and the keyboard.

When I worked in electronics, we called that a "PEBKAC error.. problem exists between keyboard and chair." Or, ya know, an "eye dee ten tee error" (ID10T), depending on how much we liked or disliked the person.

Originally Posted by Snowgod

Computers hate heat and the PS3 is designed to work like a chimney if you stand it up. Stays much cooler that way.

Yeah, my old 80gb would get pretty hot laying down. My Slim, on the other hand, feels like room temperature even after playing for a few hours. I love it.

[mellowjacob23]

Alright, so my 40 gig PS3 is only around a year old. It has been working wonderfully, then out of no where it has started to freeze. Now the freezing doesn't happen during games, it happens when you start the system. All the user accounts appear, and you click on on but nothing happens. It just stays on the screen. Now i have held down the power button and everything and can sometimes get it to log in and set up. But once it does, it still can't work for some reason. The icons appear and such but if you click on any of them it freezes. I can't even get it to not freeze long enough for me to back up my system or even restore it. So idk what to do, any ideas?

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by mellowjacob23

Alright, so my 40 gig PS3 is only around a year old. It has been working wonderfully, then out of no where it has started to freeze. Now the freezing doesn't happen during games, it happens when you start the system. All the user accounts appear, and you click on on but nothing happens. It just stays on the screen. Now i have held down the power button and everything and can sometimes get it to log in and set up. But once it does, it still can't work for some reason. The icons appear and such but if you click on any of them it freezes. I can't even get it to not freeze long enough for me to back up my system or even restore it. So idk what to do, any ideas?

If its under a year old I recommend contacting Sony as it sounds like it could be a serious issue so it'll still be covered under warranty.

[WimeTime]

I've had my 60gb for around 2 1/2 years now, and the red flashing light just happened to me last night. The system was on for only 5 minutes are so. I think the fan had just kicked on.

If I pull my HDD from the unit (after I get a new one), is a there any easy way to get all the information onto the new unit? Thanks

[phlydude]

nope - you need to do a back-up on the old unit - let it cool off and try getting your game saves 1st

all games and videos attained from the store will be available to download from there

other than that, I couldn't get anything else to back up before it froze on me

Seems like 2.5 years is the life on the 60GB units...if you get more than that, you are lucky (I've been reading more and more units failing at this mark)

[PS3-Playb3yond]

I just sent my PS3 to JD Electronics, hopefully it doesn't get lost or anything lol. Anyone know how long it takes to get it fixed?

[Uxi]

Originally Posted by phlydude

Seems like 2.5 years is the life on the 60GB units...if you get more than that, you are lucky (I've been reading more and more units failing at this mark)

I'm thinking so, too.

[jono_0101]

hey, a quick question and i didnt think it warranted its own thread, so i thought id put it here, i opened a second sign in profile for my PS3 when i tried trading PSN purchases with someone, and now i have no use for it becuase i am not going to be trading anymore, but everytime i turn on my PS3, i have to select either my user name or user 1, thats kind of annoying, how would i go about deleting user 1 from my PS3?

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by jono_0101

hey, a quick question and i didnt think it warranted its own thread, so i thought id put it here, i opened a second sign in profile for my PS3 when i tried trading PSN purchases with someone, and now i have no use for it becuase i am not going to be trading anymore, but everytime i turn on my PS3, i have to select either my user name or user 1, thats kind of annoying, how would i go about deleting user 1 from my PS3?

You have 2 options.

1. You can go to the Profiles on your XMB (Far Left) and hit on the profile you want to always load.

2. Go to the Profiles on the XMB and delete the unwanted profile.

[jono_0101]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

You have 2 options.

1. You can go to the Profiles on your XMB (Far Left) and hit on the profile you want to always load.

2. Go to the Profiles on the XMB and delete the unwanted profile.

cool, i figured it was a quick fix like that, but i was just thinking about it here, so i thought id ask

[garageinc2001]

Originally Posted by Sylin

I mean no offense, and this isn't directed at you personally, but when I read about people who are on their 3rd, 4th, 6th or 10th PS3 (or, even with its well-publicized fail rates, their 10th or 14th Xbox 360) it makes me think that the cause of their issue is environmental, and not faulty hardware.

The odds against this happening to one person that many times as a result of faulty hardware are so astronomically high it's impossible.

Yeah Ive been repairing my same PS3 all these times. The reflow and thermal compound work everytime but never last that long. A month or maybe more.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

It would be better to just send it to JD Electronics, on their eBay description it says that they use NASA equipment, whatever that is, so hopefully mine lasts longer lol.

[Warjack Prime]

One of my controllers quit working. When I turn it on all 4 red lights blink constantly rather than settling on 1st or 2nd controller. I have 3 other controllers that work fine. I have a slim and a fat and it won't work on either. I tried using the USB connection too. Any ideas? It's the original controller that came with my 60GB or at least it's not a new Duelshock. I have 2 Duelshocks and another sixasis and they work fine, just not this sixaxis all of a sudden.

[cajmoyper]

How do I deactivate a PS3 without being anywhere near it? I'm trying to download some video but it won't let me. Games works fine but the video store is not. I no longer have the PS3 in question and there's no way I could get to it anyways.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

Originally Posted by cajmoyper

How do I deactivate a PS3 without being anywhere near it? I'm trying to download some video but it won't let me. Games works fine but the video store is not. I no longer have the PS3 in question and there's no way I could get to it anyways.

Remote Play (will require PSP of course). Or call someone who is near it to do it for you.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by Warjack Prime

One of my controllers quit working. When I turn it on all 4 red lights blink constantly rather than settling on 1st or 2nd controller. I have 3 other controllers that work fine. I have a slim and a fat and it won't work on either. I tried using the USB connection too. Any ideas? It's the original controller that came with my 60GB or at least it's not a new Duelshock. I have 2 Duelshocks and another sixasis and they work fine, just not this sixaxis all of a sudden.

That happens to me from time to time, so try this.

Plug that controller in question to your PS3 via the USB cable, if those 4 lights are still flashing. Then press the power button on the front of the PS3 to either turn it on or off. If you are turning the PS3 ON, the controller should work fine once you press the PS button again. If you are turning the PS3 OFF, trying turning it back on by pressing the PS button on the controller.

[Warjack Prime]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

That happens to me from time to time, so try this.

Plug that controller in question to your PS3 via the USB cable, if those 4 lights are still flashing. Then press the power button on the front of the PS3 to either turn it on or off. If you are turning the PS3 ON, the controller should work fine once you press the PS button again. If you are turning the PS3 OFF, trying turning it back on by pressing the PS button on the controller.

That didn't work. If I plug in the controller and turn the PS3 on the 4 lights begin to blink once the PS3 loads. If I turn the controller on before the PS3 they blink more rapidly but that's it.