Repair Your PS3

PS3 STILL NOT WORKING!?

You really have TWO options:

You can send your PS3 in to Sony. This could cost up to $150 and take 6 weeks!

OR

You can buy our Repair Kit Manual and learn to fix your PS3 using simple tools found at home!

First try this!
Enter Recovery Mode or Safe Mode
Turn off your PS3...
- Hold the Power Button until you hear a beep and it shuts off
- Hold the Power Button again and hold it until you hear two beeps. If you hear two beeps let go and on your TV you should see that the PS3 is now in recovery mode.

Insert your USB cord to the PS3 Controller and press the PS Button. You will now see six different options:

1. Restart System
2. Restore Default Settings
3. Restore File System
4. Rebuild Database
5. Restore PS3
6. System Update

Select Options 3 and 4.

3. Restore File System: This will Restore the File System on the Hard Drive for corrupted files by the Operating System and will be repaired while doing this option. If your Blu-Ray can't read discs for a disc error, then this MAY fix your problem. But this fixes Software Problems including Freezing, Drive Errors, and possibly data being corrupt all the time (Note: This will not fix corrupted data)

4. Rebuild Databse: This is just to Rebuild the Database for the OS. Such as PSN messages and other things.

Note: These options will not delete any data on the Hard Drive. The only option that will delete data is Option 5 (which is not recommended to do) Option 4 will only delete your PSN Messages and perhaps trophies.

If these options work then It could be a Software Problem. If it didn't help, then you're having Hardware Problems which needs to be repaired.

You have two options to repair the hardware probem:

1) Send it in to Sony (They will charge up to $150 and take up to 6 weeks)

2) Repair it yourself using a repair manual.

Resources can be found here.

Here are a few things to try before sending your PS3 in for repairs or buying a repair manual.

Update your firmware (if you aren't running the latest already). This will overwrite some of system software that may have been corrupted.
-Before updating, back up your saved games and any music you have on your HDD. Then format it. This fixes corrupted files on the HDD by forcing the PS3 to rewrite them.

HDMI Users . If your Blue Rays are choppy or you have no video try this:

In the XMB go to Settings ---> BD/DVD Settings ---> BD 1080p 24 Hz Output (HDMI). Turn that off.

Blu Ray Lens Cleaner. It may be as simple as cleaning the lenses on the PS3. Go to Cleaning The Laser Lens for details.

Realign Disk Drive. Sometime the disk drive can become misaligned preventing the PS3 from reading disks. Go to Realigning Your Disk Drive for details.

Replace Laser. Not everything is build to last forever. Your laser diode may be malfuctioning or burnt out. Go to Replacing The Laser for details.

PS3 STILL NOT WORKING!?

You really have TWO options:

You can send your PS3 in to Sony. This could cost up to $150 and take 6 weeks!

OR

You can buy our Repair Kit Manual and learn to fix your PS3 using simple tools found at home!

Sometimes the laser lens can become dirty preventing the laser from reading discs you place in your PS3. It is very easy to clean it yourself from home if this is the case. Here is a simple guide to take your PS3 apart so you can access the laser lens and clean it.

Steps

1) Turn off your PS3, unplug all the cables from the back of the PS3 and put it on its side. You will be able to see a square warranty sticker at the top of the side of the PS3.

2) Peel off the warranty sticker and use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the screw that was under the sticker.

3) Slide the top cover to the side and remove it from the PS3.

4) Remove all screws from the top plastic case of the PS3.

5) Remove the top plastic case off the PS3. The disc drive will now be exposed.

6) Take the DVD drive out of the PS3 and unplug the cable from the bottom corner of the disc drive.

7) Unplug the ribbon cables on the outside of the disc drive and remove all screws from the drive housing.

8) Remove the top half of the drive case. The top of the disc drive will now be visible. You will see the laser in the middle of the drive. Remove the circular plastic cover over the drive.

9) Remove all screws from the top of the drive. Remove the top part of the drive so you have access to the laser.

10) Using a microfiber cloth, wipe the lens clean of all dirt and grime that is on the laser lens.

11) Check the ribbon cable that is under the laser. If the ribbon isn't secure, unplug it and then plug it back in.

12) Reverse the steps to reassembly the PS3.

Resouces can be found here.

First you will need to buy a new laser. These cost about $60 or $70. There is an eBay link below this section to help you get started. Once you have one you can swap the new one for the old one using the following steps:

Steps

1) Disconnect all cables from the PS3. Set the PS3 somewhere so the front facing toward you. Using a flathead screwdriver, pop off the rubber screw cover on the left side of the PS3.

2) Use a Torx T10 to remove the screw that was under the rubber cover.

3) Slide the PS3 nameplate off of the system. Then free all the retaining tabs and remove the nameplate.

4) Remove the seven screws that hold the top cover onto the system. If you wish, tape the screws to the top cover near the slots they came from to make it easier for you to replace them when reassembling the PS3.

5) Lift up the back of the top cover. Then lifift it off the system. Gently pivot the top cover towards you until it comes free of the system.

6) Disconnect the Blu-ray drive's power cable from the motherboard.

7) Lift the Blu-ray drive out; it is not screwed in. Disconnect the ribbon cable on the bottom of the drive from the motherboard by flipping the latch on the socket and then pulling the cable out of the socket. Remove the Blu-ray drive.

8) Connect the ribbon cable of the new drive to the motherboard. Set the drive inside. Connect the power cable to the motherboard and reassemble your PS3.

Resources found here.

Here are some steps to help you when encountering problems with you PS3 controller. If this doesn't work you will have to either buy a new controller or use a repair manual to fix it yourself. Here are the steps:

Steps

1) Turn off the PS3 and let it to cool off. Overheating is a common cause of problems with both the console and controllers.

2) Press the power key and hold it for at least 10 seconds. Wait about half an hour before you start the next step.

3) Turn the PS3 on to check the controller. One common problem is when the PS3 acts as if the controller isn't attached at all. If you notice the PS3 does not recognize a controller, continue to the next step.

4) Connect the controller to the PS3 manually. This may restore the connection and fix the problem, especially if the controller's battery is dead.

5) Check the battery of your controller. If it is nearly dead, recharge it by plugging it into a USB charger on the PS3.

6) Look for Bluetooth devices that may interfere with the PS3 signal and remove them from the immediately from the area you plan to be playing.

7) Reset the PlayStation 3 if nothing else works. There is a section earlier on the site to help with resetting the PS3 under My PS3 Is Freezing! If this solves the problem, it means that the problem actually came from the PS3 itself not the controller.

8) Change controllers to find out if the problem is with the original controller. If the new controller works, that means there is a mechanical or electronic problem with the original controller. You can send it in to Sony, buy a new one, or fix it yourself using a repair manual.

9) Attach the controller to the USB charger and press the "PS" key.

Resouces found here.

I can't get BD Live to work!

This seems to be a new problem. To fix this, you need to:

Under the Settings Tab on the XMB choose BD/DVD Settings ---> BD Internet Connection. Select allow.

If that doesn't fix the problem, you'll need to do the following:

Gain access to your routers menu (type in 192.168.1.1 in your web browser for most Linksys routers). Look under your Security tab. Under the menu titled Firewall uncheck the box next to Block Anonymous Internet Requests. Try the port forwarding first, as this function is said to be the following: "Block Anonymous Internet Requests makes it more difficult for outside users to work their way into your network. This feature is selected by default. Deselect the feature to allow anonymous Internet requests."

My Downloads are REALLY slow and/or I can't get online with my PS3 in college

There are three things you can do to increase speed, two of which could help you get online in college (#'s 2 &3):

1) This is more for those whom have multiple devices accessing the internet on their network at the same time.

i) On your router under applications & gaming (if you have a linksys, if not you'll have to look around to find this), select the QoS tab. Hopefully your PS3 is wired, if not, you may want to wire it to your router because this is for wired settings primarily. Select Enable.
ii) On your PS3, go to settings ---> Network Settings ---> Network Settings and Status List. You'll need the PS3's MAC address.
iii) Back under your router's QoS settings input PS3 as the device name, the priority needs to be set as highest level, and then input your MAC address.
iv) Under ethernet port priority disable flow control on all ports.

2) Get a router and do a mac address clone. It's an option in the router (specifically for this reason). After doing that, anything coming through the router should come through as having that mac address.

3) If that doesn't work, you'll need to still use a router, but setup a proxy server. Follow this guide to do that: For Windows users

Find your computer's IP address in the Control Panel -> Network Connections. This is probably something like 192.168.1.100. If it does not start with 192.168 then you might have a public IP and this won't work (as easily at least):

1) Download Privoxy from their website: http://www.privoxy.org/
2) Run the Privoxy installer. When it is done the Privoxy window should appear.
3) Go to the Options menu and select 'Edit Main Configuration'
4) Find the line that says "listen-address 127.0.0.1:8118". This should be about halfway through the file.
5) Replace 127.0.0.1 with the computer's IP address (should start with 192.168). The :8118 part should stay.
6) Save and close the configuration.
7) If you have a firewall on your computer you need to allow access to Privoxy on port 8118.
8) On the PS3 open the network configuration settings. When it asks if you want to use a proxy say yes and enter your computer's IP address and port 8118.
9) Make sure the conenction test works and you're done!

If you are using Vista, and can't get Privoxy to work, try CCProxy

1) Download/install the program
2) Start the Proxy server
3) On your PS3 go through the same setup as for Privoxy, only use port 808

The first should fix the problem, if it doesn't, the second will. Internet connection sharing just sets up a throughput for the internet for the other device, it still uses it's own mac address. By setting up a proxy server, you are connecting to that computer, and then the computer connects to the internet for the device.

My PS3 lags when I'm online (this fix is for those with one or more devices on their network used at the same time as the PS3)

Since everyone uses different routers, I'm going to put this in pretty general terms. 3 easy steps on this one:

1) On your PS3 go under settings ---> network settings ---> Settings and Connection Status List. Write down the MAC address
2) Get into your router. Under Applications and Gaming --> QOS select enable.
3) Look for device priority. Under device name put PS3. Priority needs to be set to Highest, then put in the MAC address.

Your PS3 now has priority over everything else on the network and should reduce your lag.

Resources can be found here.