Random PS3 Tip

My kids have a PS3 that quit working, and I made a decision that I was going to fix it myself or bust. I spent today doing it and had, so just in case anyone out there is experiencing the same problem, I figured I’d share the process to help others.

OK, this is for the problem that is manifested by the PS3 turning on when you push the power button, the red power light turns green for 2-3 seconds, and the unit then turns off–and that’s all it will do.

Here’s the solution that worked for me.

  1. Take the motherboard out. It will take 10 minutes, and it’s like a puzzle with a bunch of screws, but you’ll get it.

  2. Clean off the heat-transfer paste from the two big, metal IC’s (two silvery-metallic squares next to each other with white paste smeared on them. Scrape the paste of with a razor blade and save it to re-apply when complete.

  3. Remove the 2032 battery (round and flat).

  4. Make little tin-foil standoffs to keep the board elevated, and stick them into four of the screw holes on the board to keep the board components from touching the surface on which the board is set.

  5. Preheat your oven to 300 deg f., and put a decent thermometer in it so you can get a fairly accurate reading.

  6. Get a piece of tin foil, and put a small length of solder on it to use it as a gauge to see when the oven is hot enough (see below.)

  7. At 300 deg, place a dish, big enough for the motherboard to lay on it when the disk is upside, down, revealing a flat, bottom surface as a platform for the board.

  8. Place the dish upside down in the over, and place the motherboard on it in such a way that the tin-foil feet keep the board lying on the disk’s bottom without the board touching anything.

  9. Now, place the tin foil with the piece of solder wire laying on it into the over, and close the door.

  10. Ramp the temperature to 460 deg f.

  11. Watch the piece of solder, and when it melts, wait about 30 seconds, and turn off the oven, immediately opening the door. Be careful here. The idea

“Dad, are those cookies in the oven?”

“No son, it’s your PS3!”

“Whaaaaaaat?!?”