Playstation 3 Yellow Light of Death

[Chakra-X]

My Launch 60gb PS3 has died today ;(. She went strong for 4 years and gave me the Yellow Light of Death while I was playing Transformers: War on Cybertron.

Sony is having a "Limited Time Offer" where you can send them your broken 60gb PS3 and they'll give you a refurbished 120gb PS3 Slim for $119.99 (149.99 after shipping). However I never even thought to back up my save data, plus I could have sworn the PS3 lets you transfer game saves, I know I did that with Armored Cure For Answer. I am worried about Just Cause 2 though, I logged 50 hours in that game.

They could also repair it for $180 (that's which shipping), but if they send me a refurbished 80gb model instead of a 60gb model than that's pointless.

But, I have heard of YLOD repair services on Ebay such as http://cgi.ebay.com/PLAYSTATION-3-YLOD-OVERHEATING-READING-REPAIR-SERVICE-/260448804669. They seem to work most of the time, but I am curious to how long until the YLOD comes back. And yet it's around 60% of the price.

So I either get a essentially new 120gb PS3 Slim

Pros

Bigger HDD
More energy efficient
Significantly small chance of failure due to new hardware
A 120gb PS3 Slim at $150 sounds like a steal
It's a new model and I am a sucker for new things.

Cons

Loss of Save Data (only concerns be about 3 games really)
$150 out of my pocket

Or send my rare 60 gb Launch PS3 for repair through a third party

Pros

Keep game saves
Only $65-75, which includes shipping
Get console back faster (perhaps?)
Keep my rare 60 gb backwards compatible PS3

Cons

May not be a lasting fix
They may need to buy more parts, increasing the price



I am leaning towards the PS3 Slim, but I want outside input as well. Ideas? (YES we have a 360, so that's off the table. While they're percentage of faulty consoles is larger, at least they repair for free)

 

[Sicron]

You know, you can just take the HDD out of your PS3 and back it up using a PC, hell, maybe you can even send that PS3 and just keep the HDD. That, and you need to remember, if you have one of the starting 60GB's, your PS3 has backwards compatibility with PS2 games...which is a big plus, since newer PS3s do not have this option.

 

[Chakra-X]

You know, you can just take the HDD out of your PS3 and back it up using a PC, hell, maybe you can even send that PS3 and just keep the HDD. That, and you need to remember, if you have one of the starting 60GB's, your PS3 has backwards compatibility with PS2 games...which is a big plus, since newer PS3s do not have this option.

I've heard that trying to back up via PC does not work because of the different file systems but if I heard wrong that would be great.

PS2/PS1 compatibility is awesome on paper...But I rarely rarely find myself playing PS2 or PS1 games, and if I do need to, I'll play them on my PS2. I have a PSP which can play PS1 games and couple of PS2 games have been ported to the PSP.

 

[Sicron]

You're probably right about the HDD. You'd have to call Sony for that one. They are encrypted per-PS3, meaning if you put it in a different PS3, it won't be recognized. Though some people say (I have not verified though) that a UNIX OS should be able to read the HDD, and you may be able to copy some files of it.

PS1 games can be played on all PS3's anyway, but if you don't care for Backwards compatibility...it might be an interesting idea to put the PS3 up on ebay. I don't know how rare they are on ebay, but you might get more than 200 bucks for them, since they do have backwards compatibility. Never hurts to try, right?

 

[Skyrider]

What about this though?

1. On the XMB (cross media bar), go to the Game section.
2. Go to Game Saves
3. Put in your memory stick (cf, ms duo, sd)
4. Find the game save you want to copy/backup, highlight it and hit the Triangle button.
5. Choose the menu option to Copy
6. Hit the X button on the memory stick and let it copy.

Voila, easy backup of your game save file you prob put hours of playing into!

A few games have copy protected game save files. To backup these files you can’t just copy them to a memory stick, you will need to do an actual system backup.

To do a full system backup (this will basically copy ALL of the photos, music, videos and game save files and settings on the PS3 to a backup folder; you will need to have an external usb harddrive or thumbdrive w/enough space on it).

In the XMB, go to System
Go to Settings > System Settings > Backup Utility
Then choose Back Up
Finally, pick the device to backup too (memory stick, usb harddrive, etc).

To help save space on the full system backups, I usually will backup all of my photos, music, videos to a seperate harddrive and then delete them from the PS3 harddrive prior to a backup.

 

[Grega]

Sky you do know that his console unit died right. What you suggested requires a working console >.<

 

[Tenzo]

Though some people say (I have not verified though) that a UNIX OS should be able to read the HDD, and you may be able to copy some files of it.

Tried that myself with a faulty HDD once (not from a game console though) and it worked.

 

[Pain]

What about this though?

1. On the XMB (cross media bar), go to the Game section.
2. Go to Game Saves
3. Put in your memory stick (cf, ms duo, sd)
4. Find the game save you want to copy/backup, highlight it and hit the Triangle button.
5. Choose the menu option to Copy
6. Hit the X button on the memory stick and let it copy.

Voila, easy backup of your game save file you prob put hours of playing into!

A few games have copy protected game save files. To backup these files you can’t just copy them to a memory stick, you will need to do an actual system backup.

To do a full system backup (this will basically copy ALL of the photos, music, videos and game save files and settings on the PS3 to a backup folder; you will need to have an external usb harddrive or thumbdrive w/enough space on it).

In the XMB, go to System
Go to Settings > System Settings > Backup Utility
Then choose Back Up
Finally, pick the device to backup too (memory stick, usb harddrive, etc).

To help save space on the full system backups, I usually will backup all of my photos, music, videos to a seperate harddrive and then delete them from the PS3 harddrive prior to a backup.

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/2570/ps3_how_to_backup_ps3_game_save_files/

Good copy paste job.

 

[Darth Revan]

hmm i am thinking of upgrading my 60 to a 120 soon

 

[Avenger]

Your 60 GB version of the PS3 was far superior to the one you're about to purchase. Basically, Sony started out with the best ****ing machine in the world, and stripped it down so it would be cheaper to mass produce. You're lucky you got the 60 gb version in the first place. Everybody else got the piece of **** that followed.

I would recommend you fix the old one, as the new one is stripped down and in essence, utterly crappy.

The PS3 they launched at the beginning (the one you have now) was actually better than the XBox overall. The new one? Not so much.

 

[Chakra-X]

Your 60 GB version of the PS3 was far superior to the one you're about to purchase. Basically, Sony started out with the best ****ing machine in the world, and stripped it down so it would be cheaper to mass produce. You're lucky you got the 60 gb version in the first place. Everybody else got the piece of **** that followed.

I would recommend you fix the old one, as the new one is stripped down and in essence, utterly crappy.

The PS3 they launched at the beginning (the one you have now) was actually better than the XBox overall. The new one? Not so much.

I love the fact that I have a 60gb PS3, the fact that I have the OPTION to play most PS2 games. That I can put SD, MS pro, CF, etc. cards in is a big deal to me. But the new one actually has better technology if I am not mistaken. The launch PS3s are the most prone to overheating or malfunctioning. They just took away costly PS2 emulation and the media card slots (which I actually used).

But your comment made me google to see if there were any noticeable hardware differences and apparently, the older PS3 can load Blu Ray movies faster (I can attest to this myself. My gf's ps3 takes noticeably longer to load newer blu ray movies than my 60gb PS3), but the PS3 slim loads video games a bit faster.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/PS3-Slim-Slower-Faster-phat,news-4539.html

I would have been fine if my 60gb PS3 never broke. I'd never consider getting the PS3 slim even though it looks nice. But I do not want to get my precious 60gb back only to fail in a month or next year. They do give a 3 month warranty but I think I'd feel safer with the refurbished PS3 Slim. Thanks for all the suggestions!

EDIT: That financially attractive Ebay repair only attempts to 'reflow' the system, which is generally only a temporary fix. A replacement motherboard or 'reballing' would be required to get it stable, which is more expensive and risky. I'm even more driven to get the PS3 Slim now.

I *did* consider trying to do the YLOD fix myself since it's already out of warranty and there are easy YouTube videos to follow. I would only do this so I had enough time to back up my save data but if I send it to Sony and it works, would they not complete the exchange I wonder?

 

[Avenger]

But the new one actually has better technology if I am not mistaken.

I think you're mistaken. I recommend you look it up.

 

[.Maze]

I also got the First Generation PS3.
What exactly happened ?
Did it just went into Yellow while playing ?
No weird things the night before from the PS3 ? Just like that ?

Hmm i think im gonna backup my stuff tomorrow...

 

[Chakra-X]

I also got the First Generation PS3.
What exactly happened ?
Did it just went into Yellow while playing ?
No weird things the night before from the PS3 ? Just like that ?

Hmm i think im gonna backup my stuff tomorrow...

Well I was playing Transformers: War on Cybertron online. I had played it for about 45 minutes and then it suddenly shut off, going in to a red blinking light. I tried to restart it and it went green, then yellow, then blinking red, without showing anything on the screen.

HOWEVER my dad had closed the cabinet door by accident about a year or 2 so back overnight and when I woke up I found the fan ROARING and the red light blinking. I have a feeling that may have contributed to it...

I think you're mistaken. I recommend you look it up.

I don't know buddy, I even googled with bias towards your claim, searching "ps3 slim hardware worse original" and I found that it reads Blu Ray movies noticeably slower, but has a *much* larger, 17 blade fan and a much more compact power unit with better heat dissipation. I do not know what better hardware you are referring to besides the backwards compatibility and blu-ray movie reading.

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/6...Insides-Revealed-95mm-Fan-With-17-Blades.html

 

[Avenger]

I've done some googling and it would appear that most of the downsides are cosmetic. I'll be more wary of listening to my stupid friends in the future (a friend of mine adamantly claimed that his 60 gb version of the PS3 was superior to all the ones that came after it, and I clearly didn't investigate his claim enough)

 

[.Maze]

@ Chakra-X
Ive read several sites about the yellow light some time ago. Since i dont want to have that problem.

What i understood ist that some connectors have melted from overheating, and they can be repaired by remelding them and placing that silver stuff again clean on the connectors.
And like that it should be able to be fixed again.
Thats what im trying to do then when mine (hopefully never) is giving me the YLOD...

So maybe that door was closet could helped that, but since it was a long time ago, i quess it was random.
Mine stands in an open cabinet upright with enough space behind it. Since im scared to put it somewhere else and to damage it .
Was expensive some years ago ...