Facts:
PS3 slim. Bought it a week or so after the slim launch (Fall 2009). Use it a few hours per month (i.e. hardly ever). No problems except...

Problem:
The damn thing "cracks" and "snaps" when turned on. Maybe once every 5 minutes. It's not an electrical snap, it's sounds like plastic snapping into place as the console is running and getting warmer.

Possible relevant point:
For the first 2 years of it's life, it was stored inside an enclosed entertainment cabinet (I know) and only used as a blu-ray player. It would get VERY hot inside there. My thought at the time was that it was only turned on for 2 hours (the approximate length of a movie) so the heat wasn't a big deal long term. Worse: it was accidentally turned on and running for hours (6-8?) a few times cooking inside that enclosed entertainment cabinet. The humming from the PS3 fan was so loud that it was audible from other areas of the house.


In short...I'm guessing PS3 slims don't usually snap and crack when turned on? Or do they?