PS3 YLOD fix..reball...reflow?! Help please!

[LiquidPolicenaut]

My heart broke today....my original PS3, which I bought on launch day, suddenly froze while watching a movie. *sigh* I always kept/keep all of my systems, including the PS3, as clean, dirt-free, and well ventilated as possible but I guess the PS3 just didn't wanna be with me anymore...

As this has happened, I have been reading up on reballing or reflowing PS3 units to get them to work again. I am hoping there is someway to get it running again so I can at least try to save and transfer stuff from my PS3 hard drive to an external one. I'd rather NOT lose my backwards-compatible PS3 but...you know. Does anyone know how to do either of these? Are there any third-party repair shops that are good and can do it and not lose my data from my hard drive?

Any info. would be greatly appreciated in my sad time of bereavement...

[megasdkirby]

As much as it pains me to say, even if you reflow and make it work again, it WILL die once again later on.

The solution is only temporary. Eventually, the unit will suffer once more.

However, reflowing might work, as I did it with one unit and worked great. However, like I mentioned before, it will die out eventually.

[LiquidPolicenaut]

I found some sight called gophermods and they say they can fix it via reflow method and you wont lose any data from the hard drive. Anybody have any opinions on them?

If I am able to get it to work again, even if just for a few hours or days, I want to see if I can use the PS3's Backup Utility to back up stuff from my hard rive. Question is, though, what can I actually copy via this method? Save data, saved games, etc. as well as photos, videos, etc?

Also: Is it true I can hook up my old PS3 unit (if I get it working) to a new one (IF I buy one) via an ethernet cable and transfer stuff via that way?

[Kitsune Sniper]

Take out the hard drive and send the system in for repair if it's still under warranty.

[LiquidPolicenaut]

Take out the hard drive and send the system in for repair if it's still under warranty.

Doesn't Sony make me ship my hard drive along with the system if i get it repaired from them?

[Kitsune Sniper]

Why the hell would they? That's just asking for trouble if someone has all their hard drive data wiped.

Tried... calling them?

[megasdkirby]

Why the hell would they? That's just asking for trouble if someone has all their hard drive data wiped.

Tried... calling them?

Knowing Sony... *sigh*

I do know Sony repairs consoles...was it $150 or something? Do they still have that replacement program?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Doesn't Sony make me ship my hard drive along with the system if i get it repaired from them?

I wouldn't keep the HDD. If they wind up sending you back a different refurbished system you won't be able to recover the data off that HDD by putting it in a different system. It needs to stay paired with the system that all the games were downloaded to.

[LiquidPolicenaut]

Why the hell would they? That's just asking for trouble if someone has all their hard drive data wiped.

Tried... calling them?

Everywhere I have read online states that when Sony repairs your PS3 your hard drive gets formatted and everything is wiped. Some say Sony says you MUST have your original HD in there others say no so I don't know who to believe. Regardless though, even if they fix my system with no hard drive in it and, once I get it back, wont the PS3 MAKE me format the hard drive if I try to reinstall it anyway, thus losing the data anyhow?

[megasdkirby]

I wouldn't keep the HDD. If they wind up sending you back a different refurbished system you won't be able to recover the data off that HDD by putting it in a different system. It needs to stay paired with the system that all the games were downloaded to.

Is there no way to somehow access the files, either using another PS3 or PC program? Os it the file system still accessible?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Is there no way to somehow access the files, either using another PS3 or PC program? Os it the file system still accessible?

I'm sure the file system is in some way accessible, but there's no legitimate way to transfer data from one PS3 HDD to another PS3 HDD outside of the tools found on the PS3 OS.

And the HDD NEEDS to be in the system that it was matched with originally in order to make the transfer.

At this point, I'd get the YLOD system up and running temporarily, go buy a new slim, and do the Ethernet cable full-HDD transfer from the old system to the new one.

While it sucks for sure, loss of PS2 BC is pretty negligible at this point. the PS3's software library is great and there's plenty of good stuff on the PSN.

[LiquidPolicenaut]

I'm sure the file system is in some way accessible, but there's no legitimate way to transfer data from one PS3 HDD to another PS3 HDD outside of the tools found on the PS3 OS.

And the HDD NEEDS to be in the system that it was matched with originally in order to make the transfer.

At this point, I'd get the YLOD system up and running temporarily, go buy a new slim, and do the Ethernet cable full-HDD transfer from the old system to the new one.

While it sucks for sure, loss of PS2 BC is pretty negligible at this point. the PS3's software library is great and there's plenty of good stuff on the PSN.

You are correct in every manner. Only a PS3 seems to be able to read the PS3 harddrive. Though it's gonna cost me extra, I guess I will get the PS3 reflowed, buy a new PS3 and transfer my data like that. It does majorly suck that my PS2 compatibility is gone as I loved having them upscaled but I DO still have my trusty PS2 slim with component cables and at least I can retrieve my PS3 saves so I can find some good in the bad

[kupomogli]

Doesn't Sony make me ship my hard drive along with the system if i get it repaired from them?

I upgraded my hard drive so I still have my old one left. Why don't you find a small cheap HDD and then just format it for use on the system. Also instead of paying money to get a refurbished system back, I'd contact Sony and try and speak to some part of management and tell them if you're paying $150 to get your system repaired, you want the exact same system or another 60GB system with backwards compatibility.

I think it's bullshit that they'll send you a refurbished system and tell you that they're not going to guarantee you get the a bc system back.

[tomwaits]

I went through this last summer with my 60GB. As mentioned, there's no way to recover your save data unless you get THE SAME PS3 running again. I don't think Sony makes any assurance you'll get the same PS3 back.... better with an indie repair. If you move the hard drive to another PS3 the drive needs to be wiped before the console boots. If you decide to get the console repaired, some game saves can be backed up to memory card but others are locked. They can only be moved by transferring to a direct networked PS3. Locked saves are moved and erased from the source PS3. Most of my locked saves were for music games (GHs/RBs/SingStars) and 1st party Sony games.

When mine failed, I hadn't backed up any game saves in years so I sent it for an ebay reflow station repair with great feedback and 100 day repair warranty. Came back working and I backed up all that I could to memory card. Was waiting for a PS3 sale to get a new Slim and it hit the YLoD again before the 100 days. Had to pay postage again, but the re-reflow was free and got it running. I bought a 160GB Slim and direct transferred all my save data.

It looks like all early PS3s will eventually fail. Any repairs are temporary... heat gun fixes don't last long, reflow repairs might last longer, reballing ($$) might be like starting over. But, the chips run so hot that a few years of heavy use and it'll die again. Not as bad as early 360s but PS3s are disposable junk too.

The 160GB Slims use the least power of any PS3 and should run cooler/last longer than any previous models. I'm just hoping my Slim lasts until I can transfer to a backwards compatible PS4 so I don't have to go through this again.

Whether to repair or just start over with a fresh Slim depends on how much you value your game saves. I'd definitely go for a Slim though... trying to replace with another 60GB bc unit is just asking for another failure.

Good Luck!

[Kitsune Sniper]

Wow. Not being able to use your HD data with other systems is bullshit. That should be tied to your hardware ID OR your PSN ID so moving to a new system would be simple. God damn.

[98redM6]

Get it reflowed and transfer your info to a new slim. Amazon has the 160gb PS3 Slim for $299.99 with a $50 credit. At that point, you can put the Fat PS3 away since you'll have a newer console or sell it so that you're not taking that big of a hit on buying a new one. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[dannye812]

Gophermods they fixed mine. It was freezing all the time and got to the point where it wouldn't play games at all. Sent it to Gophermods $130 all together with shipping. One year warranty. Haven't had any problems since.

[otoko]

Ps3 + heat gun + thermal grease + power supply replacement to a APS-231 = Win

Same happened to my 60gb and here's what I found:

What has killed most of the old models is the power supply unit. They run extremely hot and will get as hot a iron for clothing. I've actually burned my hands on one once after it running for five minutes on dead cold start up. Also all the early models I've seen had little to no thermal grease on the processors. Plus the thermal grease was cheap and poor quality. This is why they die. I wouldn't buy a service to reflow it if you have a friend who can use a heat gun effectively.

Since I have had no problems with my ps3.

Also I'm against the slim idea, but that's just me.

[megasdkirby]

Gophermods they fixed mine. It was freezing all the time and got to the point where it wouldn't play games at all. Sent it to Gophermods $130 all together with shipping. One year warranty. Haven't had any problems since.

They might offer good service, but at that price, that's very, very high.

For just a bit more, you can send it to Sony and get it done through them.

I don't know why repair shops ask so much to repair, which in the long run will just eventually die.

[Gameguy]

I don't know why repair shops ask so much to repair, which in the long run will just eventually die.

I don't know why people bother buying electronics that they know will die, yet people still do that too.