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View Full Version : I have two ylod PS3's that I am going to attempt to fix this week.


Big Fat Mike
02-15-2010, 09:42 PM
Neither system has a bad hard drive and I'm pretty sure that the power supply on both is okay. Soooo, I'm going to take both monsters apart and attempt to a "reflow", which prettymuch involves trying to melt the motherboard. Also, reattatching the CPU and the GPU to the heatsink using some thermal compound. Anyone tried this before? Any success/horror stories? At worst, I'm hoping I can save one and keep it as a spare, at best I'm hoping to be able to sell one of them "as is".

So...any advice?

Vietnamese Crippler
02-15-2010, 09:54 PM
What instructions have you found for doing this? There are plenty for the 360, but I've yet to find a decent one for the PS3. Then again, I haven't even thought about trying to fix a PS3.

And my only advice: don't actually melt the motherboard ;)

Big Fat Mike
02-16-2010, 08:38 AM
There are a few step-by-step video series on youtube on how to perform one. Most of these people seem to have as much technical skill as myself (none) so I'm going to follow the longest and most detailed one. Ill try anything once (especially since one of the PS3's isn't mine ;) )

LoDownM
02-16-2010, 09:07 AM
My dad was able to fix the ylod doing that, lasted a few months before completely dieing, ie wasn't able to repeat the fix.

Big Fat Mike
02-16-2010, 09:14 AM
Maybe if I can get both to work I'll keep the 40gb and sell the 60gb to a sucker.

Kane Knight
02-16-2010, 09:18 AM
You lie, the PS3 never fails!

Big Fat Mike
02-16-2010, 10:39 AM
Thanks for your take

G
02-16-2010, 09:03 PM
Should have went with a reliable system, like the 360.

Bad Company
02-16-2010, 09:36 PM
Remember to clean the heatsink bases and cpus completely with iso before reapplying any paste. Also, less is more with thermal paste, you only want a thin layer. Also, FYI, the thermal paste doesn't join the heatsink and GPU/CPU, it just provides themal conductivity between them.

Big Fat Mike
02-17-2010, 01:11 AM
Thank you, BC for the useful information. I guess I had no Idea what the thermal paste was for. But it's going well - I just finished heating up the board, and Im waiting for it to dry so I can apply the arctic silver and reassemble. I'll update in about an hour or so. Even though nobody cares :foc:

Bad Company
02-17-2010, 01:24 AM
If you're using arctic silver, I usually polish a bit into to base of the heatsink, it helps fill the gaps in the finish. Also be careful to only get it on the cores of the cpu/gpu, as it can short out points if it crosses them.
Also, don't get it on yourself, stains like a mofo.

Big Fat Mike
02-17-2010, 02:29 AM
Thanks to your advice and some wicked instructional videos, I have just successfully reflowed the 40 gig :D

Big Fat Mike
02-17-2010, 10:41 AM
Okay, so the 40gb is up and running smoothly, and now I just finished taking apart the 60gb. Fuck me, I can really see where they cut back on production costs between launch and whenever the 40gb was introduced. There's just MORE to tinker with in the original system. Example : last night all I had to do was slide the motherboard out of the casing. On the 60gb, the casing was attatched to the fan assembly and that all had to come apart piece by piece. Very annoying. Also the 60gb is probably the dustiest thing I have ever seen. Tumbleweeds are sitting on the mobo as I wait for my cousin to get here with some compressed air.

G
02-17-2010, 04:21 PM
you should start a 3rd thread about this

Big Fat Mike
02-17-2010, 10:08 PM
I might start a 4th one or a 5th one, you cock.

Funky Fly
02-18-2010, 02:12 AM
Congratumalations on the successful necromancy, Dr. Frankenstein.

DAMN iNATOR
02-18-2010, 02:58 AM
Good work with the 40GB. Keep us updated on the 60GB one. Even if no one else reads the results I will. Meantime I will hope for the best for you.

Big Fat Mike
02-18-2010, 10:39 AM
Blew out the 60GB, reflowed and applied new thermal paste to the cpu and gpu. Snapped off the little uh.."snap thingy" for the input where the ribbon for the blu-ray drive is supposed to go during reassembly and had to tinker with that for a good 30 minutes to get it to stay (note I didn't really snap anything, the piece is CHEAP, plastic, and apparently grooved for removal and re-insertion. I just couldn't get it back for a while because of my huge bananna hands).

Anywho, it's back together and running smooth. I'm going to back up all of my saves and shit onto this computer today, and I still don't know what I'm actually going to do with the unit. Keep it? Sell it? I don't know. It would be akward to sell something that I couldn't really guarantee considering the reflow is a fix for the damage, not the actual problem.

DAMN iNATOR
02-18-2010, 07:00 PM
I don't know what you'll do, but personally, I'd keep the 60GB if you play a shitload of games, that way you won't run out of memory space as quickly as with the 40GB, but then again, if you were to sell one of 'em, it probably for you would come down to which one you think you could get more for, if either of 'em...tough call.

But yeah, it's awesome that you repaired both successfully, wish I could say I was nearly as adept as yourself at hardware repair, but I'm not.

LoDownM
02-18-2010, 07:09 PM
I wouldn't sell them. The fix for the ps3 can last anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months.

RoXer
02-18-2010, 07:27 PM
I don't know what you'll do, but personally, I'd keep the 60GB if you play a shitload of games, that way you won't run out of memory space as quickly as with the 40GB, but then again, if you were to sell one of 'em, it probably for you would come down to which one you think you could get more for, if either of 'em...tough call.

Hmmmmmmmm

Big Fat Mike
02-18-2010, 09:54 PM
I don't know what you'll do, but personally, I'd keep the 60GB if you play a shitload of games, that way you won't run out of memory space as quickly as with the 40GB, but then again, if you were to sell one of 'em, it probably for you would come down to which one you think you could get more for, if either of 'em...tough call.

But yeah, it's awesome that you repaired both successfully, wish I could say I was nearly as adept as yourself at hardware repair, but I'm not.

Im not adept at fixing anything. I followed an instructional video series on youtube. Step by step kind of thing. Well, for the 60GB anyway. The 40GB was tricky.


I wouldn't sell them. The fix for the ps3 can last anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months.
Today 07:00 PM


Yeah, the main reason while I don't feel right selling them.

G
02-18-2010, 10:18 PM
I will give you a copy of MAG for one.

Ogen
02-18-2010, 10:21 PM
Well sell them to a stranger asap so.

Big Fat Mike
02-21-2010, 06:05 PM
60GB just bit the dust. Again.

Big Fat Mike
02-24-2010, 12:54 PM
IT LIVES

G
02-24-2010, 07:42 PM
until friday

Big Fat Mike
02-24-2010, 09:55 PM
Nah. Shooting for sunday.

Vietnamese Crippler
02-24-2010, 10:14 PM
I'll say Thursday, around 7PM

Big Fat Mike
02-25-2010, 12:16 AM
:foc: