I think I'm losing my PS3 slowly. Help if you can.

[Spider-X]

Sad story...I had a day long gaming session with a friend 2 weekends ago and near the end of the day my PS3 started acting up. It would catch a load screen and load indefinitely. I turned it off and turned it back on at it didn't even recognize a disc was in. I popped the disc out and in, it recognized the disc, but when i clicked to play it an error popped up after trying to load it. I turned the system off and on again and the disc loaded to the first screen and then hitched. I decided to let the system cool off for awhile (hour or so) then tried it again. It worked fine for another hour or so then hitched on a load screen and wouldn't load anything. When this happens long pressing the reset button won't turn it off...i have to flip the back switch.

Well...i left the system off at that point and went to bed. I tried using it the next day and it appeared fine...though i only used it for about an hour or so. Fast forward to last Saturday...had another long day of gaming and it started happening again around 4-6 hours in. I was playing Mass Effect 2 and the voice audio would stop working, then the game would freeze. Fast forward to today and I'm lucky if I can squeeze 2 hours out of her

I feel like I'm slowly losing my PS3. When the games freeze and i get close to the system, it sounds like the laser is moving and having a hard time reading the disc...looks like my laser might be going out. They system works just fine when I'm not playing off a disc though...and I haven't tried watching a blu-ray or PS2 games since the problems, so i don't know how those'll effect it.

This is my 2nd 60GB system. My first one YLOD'd on me after around 3 years...i spent the $150 and got this one (pretty sure it refurbished since the 60GB's are discontinued). This one's worked like a charm for the past 1 and 3/4 to 2 years.

Anyone else here dealt with this and know how to fix it? Should I send it in for a another refurbished one or should i just cut my losses and get a PS3 slim (which would kinda suck because they aren't backwards compatible like my 60GB)?

All suggestions, help, or hugs are appreciated.

 

[Havok83]

Did you play for 4-6 hours straight? You should try to limit your gaming to like 2 hours top. Id take a break. Having had a YLOD myself, I tend to be more aware of my gaming time and when the fan starts to run heavy. Its getting worse now bc its starting to get hot and its more likely to YLOD. Im hoping I dont get another one but Im prepared for it

 

[Spider-X]

i played for around 8 hours straight probably...I've done it many times, so maybe it's just worn parts of my system out. Does anyone know if the PS3 Slim is more durable with regards to it's internal hardware and long playtimes? Does it ventilate well?

I don't think my system is so much burning out as the laser is just going out on me. Last night i was only able to get 30 minutes of MvC3 time in before it froze on me.

 

[Gotham Knight]

When did you buy it? And if so do you have any receipts? Even if you don't just look on their website for a tech support number and send it in to be repaired.

 

[Spider-X]

When did you buy it? And if so do you have any receipts? Even if you don't just look on their website for a tech support number and send it in to be repaired.

per my initial post...i've been there. I'd have to pay $150 to get it fixed due to being out of warranty. So i'm thinking about either doing that or just getting a PS3 Slim if it's considered to be made of more stable hardware.

 

[Kryptonian Warrior]

It's simple. Your Blu Ray laser is finally going out. I once had a PS3 fat, and I had to replace the laser. If you want, I can find the videos on how to replace the laser yourself. It's actually quite easy to do. I am NOT mechanically savvy whatsoever, and if I can do it, anyone can. At the time that I replaced the laser, it cost about $89 for the laser itself. Once I got it, it took me all of 30 minutes from start to finish.

 

[Havok83]

i played for around 8 hours straight probably...I've done it many times, so maybe it's just worn parts of my system out. Does anyone know if the PS3 Slim is more durable with regards to it's internal hardware and long playtimes? Does it ventilate well?

I don't think my system is so much burning out as the laser is just going out on me. Last night i was only able to get 30 minutes of MvC3 time in before it froze on me.

8 hours straight? Yikes. Thats a big no no and you are definetly hurting the system everytime you do long sessions like that

 

[Spider-X]

It's simple. Your Blu Ray laser is finally going out. I once had a PS3 fat, and I had to replace the laser. If you want, I can find the videos on how to replace the laser yourself. It's actually quite easy to do. I am NOT mechanically savvy whatsoever, and if I can do it, anyone can. At the time that I replaced the laser, it cost about $89 for the laser itself. Once I got it, it took me all of 30 minutes from start to finish.

cool! yeah, if you'd give me a link to the video and a link to where I would purchase the laser I'd appreciate it big time!

8 hours straight? Yikes. Thats a big no no and you are definetly hurting the system everytime you do long sessions like that

what are the recommended intervals for safe non-system damaging play?

 

[TheAQU4M4N]

I think i am currently going through the same problem, the disk isn't coming in the loading dock (either a Ps3 game or a Blu-ray) when I try to play it. I usually only play 2 hours max or watch a blu-ray movie every other weekend with the gf. So what can this problem be?

 

[Havok83]

what are the recommended intervals for safe non-system damaging play?

2-3 hours max and then take a break of about 15-30 minutes. Most of the YLOD problems came from thermal paste which cracked and when I sent mine in for repair, they replaced that and told me not to play for too long as overheating the system could affect that. They said it would take about 2 months to completely cool and settle and after that I could resume normal play. To be on the safe side, I try to still limit my playtime so I dont have that issue again.

 

[black_dust]

Get a laser off ebay for like $60 for your machine (need the right serial number for different models) and fix it yourself, ample amounts of tutorials for it on youtube and its rather straight forward

 

[Superhero 101]

I don't know if Sony still has the deal that if you have a Fat original ps3 you can just upgrade to a slimmer one for like a $100 bucks. that's what i did when my original 60gb died last year

 

[Havok83]

I don't know if Sony still has the deal that if you have a Fat original ps3 you can just upgrade to a slimmer one for like a $100 bucks. that's what i did when my original 60gb died last year

Im pretty sure they do. I think it was more than $100 though, at least when I had that option presented to me last May. It might have been $120 or $130. If I YLOD again, Id have to think about that. I dont play PS2s much anymore but I like to still have the option. I always say I want to play FFX or XII again but never have the time

 

[Spider-X]

I don't know if Sony still has the deal that if you have a Fat original ps3 you can just upgrade to a slimmer one for like a $100 bucks. that's what i did when my original 60gb died last year

I googled around and couldn't find this deal. Could you shoot me a link?

 

[Spider-X]

I've packed my 60GB in it's cardboard box and will be sending it off for fixing. I could have traded it for a new slim for $40 cheaper, but I want my Backwards Compatibility damn it!

Good bye, dear PS3...I'll see you again when you feel better

 

[hippie_hunter]

My PS3 is just simply turning off by itself when I'm playing Resident Evil 5. I'm curious if it's the game itself or if it might be overheating and I should let it cool down for a while.

 

[KALEL114]

It is over heating. You are getting close the dreaded YLOD. Make sure to back your stuff up ASAP.
Got to call Sony or find a cheaper place near you to get it fixed. Or grab yourself a heatgun.

http://playstationlifestyle.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2376

 

[hippie_hunter]

It is over heating. You are getting close the dreaded YLOD. Make sure to back your stuff up ASAP.
Got to call Sony or find a cheaper place near you to get it fixed. Or grab yourself a heatgun.

http://playstationlifestyle.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2376

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

So I need to back my stuff up and then send it to Sony or I can I just simply send it to Sony.

 

[KALEL114]

Lol. Yeah back-up your stuff. Better to be proactive than be a sad panda later. You are lucky. Some people just have it crash without the opportunity to save their stuff.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Is it possible that there might be another issue with the PS3 or is it definitely on the verge of overheating to the point where I get the YLOD.

 

[KALEL114]

If you are playing and it turns itself off, then that is the safety mechanism kicking in to save it from getting way too hot. I have not heard of anything else causing that. If it continually happens to you, then eventually internal components will separate and you will get the YLOD. You could take your chances and wait until/if it happens, but with each time it over heats, the more likely you will get YLOD'd.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Okay, thanks man. Now I have to get an external HDD for my PS3, any ideas on a good one for me to get.

 

[KALEL114]

I always go with WD. I have had zero issues with the ones I have. Here's a good one at a pretty good price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136738

Not every game save can be backed up. Some developers placed copy protection on their games saves. Demon Souls is one example of this. The only way to get those saved is to be a Plus member and use the Cloud to save them on.

 

[hippie_hunter]

My saved games right now are Resident Evil 5, Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanets 1 and 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Dragon Age, and the Force Unleashed. All my previous saves were lost when my first PS3 died in a tragic water accident.

 

[KALEL114]

Man that sucks.

Well those games are good to back-up. You shouldn't have an issue with them.