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My PS3 just turned "yellow" on me...

T

Taustin Powers

macrumors 6502
Original poster
🙁

So what now? Any way to save what's on that hard drive, game saves etc.? My last backup was a while back...

I've seen instructions to repair the Yellow Light problem. How complicated is this? Feasible for a "normal" person?
 
Taustin Powers said:
🙁

So what now? Any way to save what's on that hard drive, game saves etc.? My last backup was a while back...

I've seen instructions to repair the Yellow Light problem. How complicated is this? Feasible for a "normal" person?
Click to expand...

You could probably pull the drive and put it in a new PS3 if that's the direction you choose. Sony will repair it for $150 according to this forum.
 
New PS3 won't read the old hard drive, it will format it first.

I found a few small shops in town that will repair it, cost ranging up to €100. Kinda spektical about how long it will last after that though... I'll Probably get it repaired, do a full backup and pick up a slim model. Hopefully I'll get a good deal on the slim that's being discontinued now, don't want that ugly-ass toploader...
 
Question: If I do a full hard drive backup and then restore on a new console...is it going to be a "complete" transfer of everything? Or do I still lose something as opposed to when I do a use/data transfer via cable between two consoles?

I'd prefer the backup version, because then I wouldn't have to get a new 320GB hard drive.
 
Was that a fatty ps3? It almost just might be better to send it in to sony for a slim ps3, they might still be offering the special to replace it for a slim for only 100-150.

The yellow light is usually caused by the gpu malfunctioning due to poorly applied thermal paste, or the thermal paste drying up over time. The smaller ps3s have lower tdp output, so the issue won't be as likely to happen over time with them.
 
TMRaven said:
Was that a fatty ps3? It almost just might be better to send it in to sony for a slim ps3, they might still be offering the special to replace it for a slim for only 100-150.

The yellow light is usually caused by the gpu malfunctioning due to poorly applied thermal paste, or the thermal paste drying up over time. The smaller ps3s have lower tdp output, so the issue won't be as likely to happen over time with them.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's the Euro 60GB launch model.

If I do this, can they put all the data from my hard drive onto the new one?
 
You know, I'm not too sure. When I had mine swapped out, I didn't really have any rpg or single player heavy games saved on my ps3, just multiplayer games, so I didn't consider transferring my data.

You might call them up on the issue, or see if there's a way to back-up your hard drive. I think you can back up your game saves with psn+, but that does cost money of course.
 
Alright, here's my plan of action for this week:

1.) Get my PS3 repaired.

2.) Buy a new 320GB "old" slim PS3

3.) Transfer all data over to the slim

4.) Do a factory reset on the old one

5.) Sell the phat lady on ebay


I just don't trust the phat one to be reliable in the long run after having YLOD'd and been repaired once. Don't use the media card slots or backwards compatibility either, so it's not a huge loss, really. And now is the time to pick up a slim model, before those ugly toploaders take over all the store shelves.
 
Taustin Powers said:
Alright, here's my plan of action for this week...
Click to expand...

You should take it to GS, they are giving double in store credit for them. They are also taking broken ones as long as the warranty sticker is not broken on your PS3. Less hassle and you can start playing again that same day.
EDIT: Realized you don't live in the US. You can call sony warranty and they should replace it w/a slim model for $150 since that is what they seem to be doing lately w/ people w/ fat ones., but you won't get your data back any way you slice it.
 
Taustin Powers said:
Need my data on the hard drive, no way around that.
Click to expand...
Then you have to take it to a specialty shop and get it fixed instead of sony. Reading through the posts, it seems you have already sent it to fix once, so this time it might be gone for good. And if the first time it was fixed outside of Sony then sony won't take it for replacement.
 
Carlanga said:
Then you have to take it to a specialty shop and get it fixed instead of sony. Reading through the posts, it seems you have already sent it to fix once, so this time it might be gone for good. And if the first time it was fixed outside of Sony then sony won't take it for replacement.
Click to expand...

This is the first time it broke down. Found a shop in town that does repairs. That's where I'll take it, then transfer my data to the new slim, then sell the repaired one for whatever it's worth.
 
They said it was a 60GB EU model, so that means partial backwards compatibility. Yes, I am still incredibly bitter about the fact that Sony pulled the full set of chips just prior to launch, yet still charged me £425.

I'm worried my launch model will die too 🙁
 
It's the Euro 60GB launch model, so, like peskaa stated, it's still backwards compatible, but not all games work equally well. There are lists on the web, I believe...

It's in the shop right now, getting the "reballing" repair treatment. Costs a little more, but is supposedly the only solution that makes it last a considerable amount of time. The shop guarantees six months, anyways, free repairs if it breaks down again during that time.

If anyone's interested, I'm located in Berlin, Germany.
 
Got the phatty back today. Running fine, six months warranty on the repair. 69€ for that seems like a fair price to me. 🙂

Transferring data to the slim right now...approx. 4 hours to go. 🙄

So far, so good!
 
Yeah that seems reasonable... I still have a US launch console, but if that bites the dust, i'm not sure ill be able to get it repaired due to the fact I imported it..

How is the euro launch model backwards compatible ? I have a euro launch one also but never tried ps2 games on it. I though it was removed from euro launch.

Not that I use backwards compatibility on either, i'm just interested 🙂
 
The EU model has the Graphics Synthesizer chip from the PS2, but lacks the Emotion Engine chip that would make up a full PS2 hardware set. This means that PS2 games are partially software emulated, rather than being run on native hardware.

Basically, some games work, others don't. PSone support is far better though, as that is software on all models since the start.
 
Taustin Powers said:
It's the Euro 60GB launch model, so, like peskaa stated, it's still backwards compatible, but not all games work equally well. There are lists on the web, I believe...

It's in the shop right now, getting the "reballing" repair treatment. Costs a little more, but is supposedly the only solution that makes it last a considerable amount of time. The shop guarantees six months, anyways, free repairs if it breaks down again during that time.

If anyone's interested, I'm located in Berlin, Germany.
Click to expand...

If they truly did 'reballing' then it should last basically forever. That price looks more like reflow instead of reballing though.

I had the 60GB US full BC fatty, took it to get professionally reflowed w/ IR & changed the fan for a faster one (No one does reballing where I live). The fix worked great & I sold it here last year and bought a slim because I wanted the portability.
 
Carlanga said:
If they truly did 'reballing' then it should last basically forever. That price looks more like reflow instead of reballing though.

I had the 60GB US full BC fatty, took it to get professionally reflowed w/ IR & changed the fan for a faster one (No one does reballing where I live). The fix worked great & I sold it here last year and bought a slim because I wanted the portability.
Click to expand...

Nope, Reballing is what he did. Even took photos of the process.

For a Reflow, he would have charged €35.
 
Ok what's a reballing? Is it something I get down the docks doing favours for sailors ?
 
What is PS3 Reballing?

PS3 Reballing Service

When you reball the chips in your PS3 you are removing the "Lead Free" solder joints that hold the chip to the board, then re-attaching the chip using brand new "Leaded" solder.

It is called "PS3 Reballing" because each of the solder joints on the bottom of the chip are so fine and there are so many joints, they are done by using little solder balls. The solder balls are held in place using a special stencil, designed specifically for the PS3 chip.

Reball PS3 ChipThe little "leaded" solder balls are held in place by flux, then pre-soldered to the chip using hot air. The chip is then lined up very carefully on the PS3 Motherboard making sure all solder joints line up perfectly. Once the joints are lined up, hot air heats the chip from the top and melts the solder balls perfectly to the corresponding solder.

PS3 Reball Rework Station



Heating up the motherboard can cause the board to warp and crack. To prevent this from happening the board must be heated evenly. This requires a special Rework Station using hot air and bottom heat.


PS3 Reball Repair vs. PS3 Reflow Repair

Performing a reflow of the solder on your PS3 does work and will repair your system in most cases. The problem with reflowing is eventually the YLOD problem will return. The reason for this is the "Lead FREE" solder used by Sony on the chips. Lead Free solder is very brittle and can crack easily. It is also less resistant to heat than "Leaded" solder and can melt easier. Over time from the chip heating and cooling the "Lead Free" solder will fail again, resulting in the PS3 YLOD returning.

With Reflowing "NO" new solder is applied and the chip is not removed. The chip is just re-heated so that the solder will melt and hopefully re-connect the joints.

With "Reballing" all the old solder is removed. The chip is cleaned, the board is cleaned and brand new "Leaded" solder is applied. Using Leaded solder makes this repair stronger than the original and your system will last for a very long time.
Click to expand...

http://ps3repairman.com/ps3-repair-services/ps3-reballing-service
 
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