Is my PS3 heading for a YLOD?

[D. S. Veteran]

Hi.

 

I have an 80GB CECHLxx PAL model since 2009, with a 1TB HHD in it. It has always been rock solid while my friends' consoles failed around it. But recently it has begun to randomly shutdown and the red light keeps blinking. I say randomly because it isn't prefaced by the fans spinning loudly to cool it down or anything like that, it just shutdowns and cuts the video, doesn't even freeze the game on screen. I can play Tomb Raider for hours and nothing happens. I go into the Extras menu to look at the character models and bam!, shutdown. I hadn't even played the game yet, the console had been on for 5 minutes. This had happened before as well with Virtua Fighter 5. The thing that keeps me second guessing is that they're both digital games being played on the HDD...

 

Seeing how a bunch of users has had a previous YLOD and knows the signs, is my PS3 slowly but surely heading for a YLOD failure? Or maybe it's something else?

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Hi.

 

I have an 80GB CECHLxx PAL model since 2009, with a 1TB HHD in it. It has always been rock solid while my friends' consoles failed around it. But recently it has begun to randomly shutdown and the red light keeps blinking. I say randomly because it isn't prefaced by the fans spinning loudly to cool it down or anything like that, it just shutdowns and cuts the video, doesn't even freeze the game on screen. I can play Tomb Raider for hours and nothing happens. I go into the Extras menu to look at the character models and bam!, shutdown. I hadn't even played the game yet, the console had been on for 5 minutes. This had happened before as well with Virtua Fighter 5. The thing that keeps me second guessing is that they're both digital games being played on the HDD...

 

Seeing how a bunch of users has had a previous YLOD and knows the signs, is my PS3 slowly but surely heading for a YLOD failure? Or maybe it's something else?

 

There's not really any signs of YLOD before they happen like the RRoD on 360 where you could see artifacting etc. What you've described happens quite frequently on PS3's both in game and in apps though, even with a brand new console.

 

Does the console reboot or turn off? In my experience, when software crashes the PS3 always goes into a reboot rather than freezing (although it can happen it's not as common).

 

If it's turning off completely then I'd lean towards overheating. The console will beep 3 times spaced out and IIRC the red standby light won't be on after overheating. You'll need to press the power button once for the light and then a second time to turn it on.

 

If it's rebooting I'd say it's unoptimized code causing it or lack of resources (the PSN store is notorious for the latter, it turns into a slideshow).

 

To be on the safe side, sync your saves and back up any data.

[D. S. Veteran]

There's not really any signs of YLOD before they happen like the RRoD on 360 where you could see artifacting etc. What you've described happens quite frequently on PS3's both in game and in apps though, even with a brand new console.

 

Does the console reboot or turn off? In my experience, when software crashes the PS3 always goes into a reboot rather than freezing (although it can happen it's not as common).

 

If it's turning off completely then I'd lean towards overheating. If it's rebooting I'd say it's unoptimized code causing it or lack of resources (the PSN store is notorious for the latter, it turns into a slideshow).

 

To be on the safe side, sync your saves and back up any data.

 

Data is all backed up. It doesn't reboot, it shutdowns completely and the red light keeps blinking. It happened again and a yellow light flashed before the red light started blinking. It still turns on and plays games but it's probably on its last legs. It had a good run. Now I have a choice to make: either go for a PS4 or buy a new PS3... a Super Slim one :x

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Data is all backed up. It doesn't reboot, it shutdowns completely and the red light keeps blinking. It happened again and a yellow light flashed before the red light started blinking. It still turns on and plays games but it's probably on its last legs. It had a good run. Now I have a choice to make: either go for a PS4 or buy a new PS3... a Super Slim one :x

 

Added some more to my post after you quoted it.

 

Does it make 3 spaced out beeps and turn the red LED off?

[D. S. Veteran]

Added some more to my post after you quoted it.

 

Does it make 3 spaced out beeps and turn the red LED off?

 

No, video cuts out abruptly, it beeps 3 times (I think) and the red LED keeps blinking for a while before you can force it to turn back on. When it turns on, it forces a check of file integrity.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

No, video cuts out abruptly, it beeps 3 times (I think) and the red LED keeps blinking for a while before you can force it to turn back on. When it turns on, it forces a check of file integrity.

 

Doesn't sound like the overheating shutdown then but I'm not sure what it is happening. IIRC there's a message displayed when it overheats, so if you're not seeing that then it would reinforce my thoughts.

 

You could enter the recovery mode and do all the HDD checks and see if it helps. The file integrity is just one of the options IIRC.

[RadishTM Veteran]

I'd run the HDD checks like Andrew said - https://support.us.playstation.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1488/~/safe-mode-on-ps3

 

Thought of taking the unit apart and cleaning out the dust? I did it recently on my PS3 Slim and runs a lot cooler under load now, YMMV however.

[D. S. Veteran]

The only message is that the system shutdown unexpectedly. It then runs the Files System Restore, cannot skip it. Finishes and reboots. The HDD was recently formatted as well, it only has Tomb Raider and Brothers on it.

 

Doubt it has much dust hidden inside, I keep it pretty clean. Cleaned it again today, reseated the HDD to exclude a bad connection. It already runs the File System Restore every time it shutdowns and Rebuild Database wouldn't do much to check against an HDD problem.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't throw up any kind of error code that I can follow up on. Starting to think I need a PS3 whisperer to listen to the beeps and understand it. I wonder if Cesar Millan is available...

[Praetor]

sounds like overheating to me...

[soniqstylz]

My 80GB seems headed for a #YOLO

 

 - started from a 60GB and now we here.....

[The Evil Overlord]

Although I haven't read every reply, My first guess is an overheating unit.

If this is the case, it's actually quite easily solved, a good vacuum cleaner will solve some of the problem. (if you know what you are doing, you could open it up, and make sure you get most of the build up out of the system, no need to use the vacuum here, as blowing hard will remove quite a lot of dust and other particles from the boards' components without damaging the board)

Another option available is to go to a small pc repair store and asking them to do it for you (some will do this, but for a fee)

 

If it's hard drive related, a reformat or full system restore, (from the hidden menu) might be advisable, or a smaller hard drive, if you go down this path, make sure you download the latest firmware onto a flash drive that is prepped for the ps3 (fat formatted, and some folders included <I believe there are tutorials on sony's website> and re install the console os)

[GotBored]

I'd suggest removing the hdd and putting it in a PC to do some disc checks, it's sounds like the hdd is the cause to me.

[D. S. Veteran]

I'm starting to suspect the HDD as well but it's tricky to confirm as I cannot seem to replicate the shutdowns. Maybe everything is fine now, maybe it isn't. I don't know. If it ends up being a borked HDD, I feel tempted to just throw a 120GB Samsung 840 EVO in there since they're dirt cheap now and reap the (small) benefits of an SSD.

[Luc2k]

I'm starting to suspect the HDD as well but it's tricky to confirm as I cannot seem to replicate the shutdowns. Maybe everything is fine now, maybe it isn't. I don't know. If it ends up being a borked HDD, I feel tempted to just throw a 120GB Samsung 840 EVO in there since they're dirt cheap now and reap the (small) benefits of an SSD.

Even if the initial problem wasn't the HDD, random restarts/shutdowns tend to damage them, especially if it happens while they're in use.

[D. S. Veteran]

Played SC: Blacklist for an hour. No issues. :crazy:  This is infuriating. Is it borked? Isn't it? It's like a time bomb that doesn't have a convenient display. Must have fed a gremlin after midnight!

[brotherfromanothermother]

Played SC: Blacklist for an hour. No issues. :crazy:  This is infuriating. Is it borked? Isn't it? It's like a time bomb that doesn't have a convenient display. Must have fed a gremlin after midni

"Doubt it has much dust hidden inside, I keep it pretty clean. Cleaned it again today" just to be clear have you opened it up and cleaned out the dust around the fan?

[D. S. Veteran]

"Doubt it has much dust hidden inside, I keep it pretty clean. Cleaned it again today" just to be clear have you opened it up and cleaned out the dust around the fan?

 

I did not open the PS3 up. I used an air compressor (minimum psi) combined with a vacuum cleaner to blow every accessible vent clean and the PS3 is kept in space that is regularly cleaned.

[brotherfromanothermother]

I did not open the PS3 up. I used an air compressor (minimum psi) combined with a vacuum cleaner to blow every accessible vent clean and the PS3 is kept in space that is regularly cleaned.

I don't really like this "vacuum cleaner" idea because it could damage the fans fragile motor, people do that when they don't want too void the warranty. Since your ps3 is five years old the warranty is gone. My first fat ps3 and my new slim had the same problem(randomly shutting down) and every time the fix was to open them up and clean out the dust on the fan vents(except when my fat ps3 was ylod-ing)# 

 

#When my fat ps3 was ylod-ing it was randomly shutting down but it was progressively getting worse and worse(shutting down once a day to multiple times a day) til it died then I fix it by heating up the motherboard whit a heat gun as to melt the solder under the cpu and gpu it lasted for about two months and then ylod-ed again so i fix it again and that time it lasted three weeks then I caved in and bought a new slim :)

 

In my opinion you should just open it up and see if it is clean and if it is then trade it in but if it ylod's before you can trade it in then get a heat gun and fix it, then trade it in. :shifty: