Fixing a PS3 with Blinking Red Light "of Death" (YLOD)

This video archives the heroic rescue of an early PS3 that just flashes a red light instead of turning on. Subscribe for more heroism.
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*Update (1-JUN-2021):
Based on some of the comments, I feel the need to point out that I am not a PS3 repair expert. The method used here has been done before by many others and is also part of an ifixit guide. I do not claim this to be the best or most robust method of resolving the YLOD problem. All I can say is that it worked and the unit is still going strong almost 2 months later. The more advanced method of full BGA reball on the CPU/GPU is beyond what anyone can reasonably expect from an average person (including myself) due to the specialized equipment involved. Capacitor replacement is more reasonable, but I cannot confidently say--and frankly no one else here can--whether the cap's or the CPU/GPU (or other) was the problem causing YLOD. This is evidenced by the conflicting comments adamantly declaring what the issue was and how the repair should have been handled. I'm just a guy who wanted his PS3 to work. If you can do it better I encourage you to follow through. The PS3 is a great system where many of us draw fond memories. Let's keep alive as many as we can! Have a great day all, and thanks for watching ... even if you think my repair sucks :)

[@FantasticQuack]

Note: YLOD has many causes with a prominent one being failure of the NEC capacitors. There are some involved methods to further diagnose using syscon (check discussions on psx-place) but replacing the NEC capacitors is a generally safe option to start with, and I'd recommend it before resorting to the reflow process shown here. Reflow with a heat gun carries multiple risks due to inherent variation in people/method and the heating equipment itself--if not done carefully you can cause additional or new damage to the CPU or GPU. I may have gotten "lucky" with this one, in that it seems the caps are still okay, but there was some intermittent solder joints in either the CPU or GPU. My reason for thinking this is that the console in this video is still functioning 9+ months later, granted it is not seeing heavy use. If you're here, you've probably been exploring multiple avenues already, and I encourage researching other options before deciding what's right for your situation. Being real with you all, I didn’t do that much research before attempting this fix; I was excited by the outcome and wanted to share the process/result here. Everything I’ve learned since came from viewer comments, so thanks to you all for teaching me something new. Cheers -Joe

[@seamino8329]

Hi fantastic quack

[@vintageshopsc]

Muito bom amigo Vou fazer no meu pra ver se resolve

[@vintageshopsc]

Muito bom amigo Vou fazer no meu pra ver se resolve

[@cv.sikbyy]

my friend ❤️

[@bolutv4864]

Can help me fix my ps3 it extacly the same problem am from nigeria

[@djej2165]

It’s 2024 I have a ps3 that has the red light of death. Watched your video and did the same thing and now I have a working ps3 that cost me 6 dollars in thermal paste. Thank you :)

[@FantasticQuack]

Love to hear it, cheers!

[@3SXOPE]

if your consoles stops working again i would suggest watch rip felix video on the ylod it can explain alot about ps3 errors

[@fabianf4921]

Just curious: How long did it last? :) wanna try this myself too :)

[@Devwithani25]

I’ve found one of these models on the top of someone’s garbage pile years ago when they were still hot, it was soaking wet and missing the disk drive. Brought it home, dried it out and had the same ylod. I wrapped it in aluminum foil , put items to hold the chips in place and stuck it in the oven. Ran like a dream for years.

[@FantasticQuack]

Nice job doing what needs to be done to enjoy some sweet sweet ps3

[@AlexanderLomouri]

On what temperature?

[@Devwithani25]

@@AlexanderLomouri I don’t remember exactly, but it was a little bit hotter than the melting point of the solder. If you are attempting this make sure to wrap the rest of the board in tinfoil to protect the chips and caps around the main chips. And make sure it’s perfectly level.

[@SHUT-UP_MEG]

Did it taste good tho?

[@Auscilius]

​@@SHUT-UP_MEG bro🤣

[@jiggybucksington]

That’s the cleanest inside of an 18 year old ps3 I’ve ever seen in my life

[@FantasticQuack]

It was decent but very dusty. I was cleaning it as I went but edited out most of that stuff. Except where I used a leaf blower at 2:53 which helped a ton to get a lot of dust out.

[@TWONSSHOW]

The reason why that worked is because you heated up the Nec Tokin Caps and temporally brought them back to life. Its reccomended that you replace those since there most likely gonna die again very soon.

[@adamking816]

@@za-se4jv nope dead rsx will get gold no picture

[@renardleterrible6791]

yup, it’s the Nec Tonkins. Not worth the time and money to reball the RSX / GPU for a temporary fix.

[@calyps0man]

That's most likely not the Tokins, there's a high chance it's RSX Issues. It's possible to diagnose it now.

[@wretchedsavedbygrace4499]

Why not just replace the mother board? Instead all that soldering and heating the components . ?

[@TWONSSHOW]

@@wretchedsavedbygrace4499 at that point your replacing the entire system, not only that, you would need to make sure it's the proper revision too since some boards aren't properly compatible with the power supply the original ps3's use. Other fats also have different heat sinks.

[@Elc22]

btw, "warrantee void if removed" stickers are illegal to enforce in the US. The FTC had already sent out warnings to many companies back in 2018 about their use. I like to try and keep them as intact as possible, and have them reattached nearby (out of the way, so I can open the thing in the future if i need to) as an aesthetic thing.

[@FantasticQuack]

All about the aesthetics for me as well!

[@rombergjalle4570]

Thank you for this great video, well explained and easy to understand. Our PS3 had the same issue and I followed the steps in the video. With a small addition that I heated first the whole motherboard with light temperature and remember to keep it leveled until it cools off. I had my doubts, but the fix worked. Our family is grateful.

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear this helped you out!

[@rombergjalle4570]

Still working after heavy use.

[@windowstips1430]

@@rombergjalle4570 now ?

[@davidsucesso2419]

@@windowstips1430 working

[@windowstips1430]

@@davidsucesso2419 probably not

[@mrwabbit01]

Thank you so much man!! My stepson was so sad that his Ps3 (which he absolutly loves) broke down and would not start up again.. So with the help of your video, step by step WE managed to get it up and running again! You made a little kid very very happy sir!!!!! Thank you so absolut much!

[@FantasticQuack]

This warmed my heart, love to hear stories like this :) thanks for watching!

[@hasibp9128]

I have a CECHG01 model system and I can confirm this method works. Though some of the components look different and some of the steps may not apply to that system, as long as you follow this video as close as possible you will have a working PS3 by the end of it.

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad this worked for you!

[@julianmarlin6438]

This was my introduction video to your channel and I got to say you should get big! I love your dry humor presentation, and you've got a voice for radio (or KZbin), my friend! Discovered your channel after acquiring a BC PS3 in a very lucky circumstance, so I've been studying many videos on what to do if the YLOD shows up. Keep making this great content, you make all your repairs seem pleasant and inviting!

[@FantasticQuack]

Thank you for the kind words, I'm happy to hear you enjoy the videos! Stuff like this inspires me to make more!

[@kawippa1733]

Yeh this really helped

[@20alpha20]

This just happened to me tonight, playing a game and it froze and shut down, disc was stuck inside, couldn't eject it, but did the fan test, luckily that ejected the disc, thanks for the video, I will try do this to mine, all those screws, and disassembly/reassembly looks daunting!

[@FantasticQuack]

It can seem that way at first but if you keep track of your screws and pieces it starts to make sense. I wouldn't call it a beginner repair though.

[@20alpha20]

@@FantasticQuack definitely will do this, my PS3 lasted 14 years, played it regularly, this will be my first ever time opening the system, will get the items you have in the video to try this repair, thanks again for the video tutorial 👍🏼

[@peterbearfr]

@@20alpha20 hey, how did it go ?

[@20alpha20]

@@peterbearfr it didn't go for me, I had to get another PS3 console

[@NOLAGNOPROBLEM]

I actually fixed mine ps3 also like this years ago, and it still works like a charm! Also I did disassembled two ps3 fats and both had different internals. And watching your video I noticed also different internals. But best felling when you fix some old console, keep it going!

[@FantasticQuack]

Agreed! Thanks for the comment, I think there were 3 primary iterations of the phat PS3 so I guess now you've seen them all :)

[@FantasticQuack]

​@Victor Hugo Alvarez Damasceno - #SINGER My take is that you tried this repair yourself and failed, or maybe had bad luck with a broken component. Please do not tell others here to "go lie in hell" or bring any other negativity. You were raised better than that.

[@FantasticQuack]

@Victor Hugo Alvarez Damasceno - #SINGER Wait, I thought I had 3 months max? Now it's 1 month max? Either you're unreliable or each comment you post is killing my ps3 faster.

[@sidahmed2517]

Hey man can i talk to u

[@dustinsterk]

Thank you for the video! My NEC caps looked fine, so I decided to jump right to your solution of heating/reflowing them and the processors with a heat gun. Worked perfect and my PS3 is back in action! Thanks again!

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear it worked for you!

[@solidfixes]

Does it still work today?

[@studebaKer]

Unfortunately it was patched on the most recent update@@solidfixes

[@dan2688]

Still remember having a 60gig phat backwards compatible PS3. Was playing dark souls when I got the ylod. Was punching the air for days.

[@JohnSmith-nj4zq]

Some would punch the PS3 hoping that'd fix it. lol

[@taigergames4125]

For me i starting bo2 after the intro the ps3 shutting down with 3pips

[@FantasticQuack]

Sad that these older beloved systems are showing their age. Hope you can get it fixed up!

[@SiimKuusik]

I am just heading out to pick up a working PS3 for 20€ and just wanted to educate myself on this thing. You sir deserve way more subscribers: the audio quality, the info, the the advice, the editing and the tip that you can use PS4 controllers (because those I just happen to have randomly). Thank you very much!

[@FantasticQuack]

Much appreciated! Enjoy the PS3!

[@SiimKuusik]

@@FantasticQuack I guess I shouldn't be that surprised about the excellent video. It's right there in the name. Fantastic Quack!

[@johny1220]

There’s also thermal paste under the IHS plates (the big metal plates that the thermal paste was on) it’s difficult to remove but replacing that paste would also exponentially help in keeping it even cooler too 😄

[@FantasticQuack]

Good to know! I don't know the best method to remove those plates and haven't attempted it yet.

[@johny1220]

@@FantasticQuack haha I attempted to remove it once and ended up damaging the CPU on a PS3 Slim and now it’s just being used for parts. It’s very difficult so honestly be careful if you’re to attempt it lol. 😭

[@FantasticQuack]

@@johny1220 If it fails again I will probably try it. In this video they heat it up with some hot bar solder device before prying it off, but a heat gun would do the job as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHLMfmx6jZyYbac

[@johny1220]

@@FantasticQuack haha I’ve seen that video actually, and yeah I did remove it on the console I messed up using lots of heat but it’s still pretty difficult, idk I wish I had a full reball station like in his video, so far I’m just doing some of the smaller soldering repairs and still learning the basics lol

[@2345punk1234]

@@johny1220 same here man but mine was a backwards compatible ps3, it sucks that happened.

[@BigBoss-nn2ut]

Watching this and knowing it has to be done makes me want to throw anything I can get my hands on

[@FantasticQuack]

It's an unfortunate reality with some of these older systems. Things like OG xbox and game gear have e-lytic caps that fail or leak over time, and at this point today, almost all of them need work even if they were otherwise expertly cared for.

[@brothersoulwatch2474]

@@FantasticQuack This is happening to our new system rn bruh

[@SpeedyJedda]

This worked thank you so much I hadn’t turned this on for 6 years and now I can enjoy my favourite games again

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear it!

[@omoowobhd]

Blessings, this was an invaluable lesson in addressing the same issue I have now with my backwards compatible PS3, but I refuse to take it apart completely like u did for fear of not remembering the sequences. LOL, but at least I have an idea of what;s wrong.

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks for watching! Recording the process helped me a lot during reassembly because I could revisit earlier footage to make sure I was putting things back the way they came out.

[@slime_creeper439]

My PS3 does that while I'm in a middle of a game. I've been using it for 10 years so it must be really old now.

[@FantasticQuack]

Hey there try a thorough clean from the inside out and replacing the thermal paste. If yours doesn't YLOD on start up you're still in decent shape, and it may be just an overheating problem that a good cleanout and fresh paste could remedy. Cheers!

[@UkDiablo]

Theirs a more simple method to fixing the YLOD as show in this video. You don't even need to take it apart, simply turn the ps3 over so it's facing bottom up. Get a hair dryer and run it on the hottest heat through the vents at the back of the playstation for around 15-20 minutes until the bottom of the playstation is hot. Leave it to stand and cool down for a further 15 minutes. Then you plug it back in and away you go. Trust me this method works also and avoids you ruining the warranty sticker and saves you opening it. I've done it myself many times before it works!!

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear that works. The thermal paste on mine was very dried out and probably not working well, I think getting new thermal paste on is important to keep it from happening again.

[@VIVAPSESCE]

I’ve got my old fat ps3 in bedroom for Netflix and blue ray shit off tonight after years of use... I’m going to try the hair dryer good shout mate!! Hope it works... could I get another good ps3 and swap hardrive? Have music and pics on this one

[@jcc4543]

@@VIVAPSESCE so how was it?

[@UkDiablo]

@@FantasticQuack yeah thermal paste can cause issues especially dry but this method with the hair dryer just saves all the work taking apart the console that’s all

[@UkDiablo]

@@VIVAPSESCE yeah you could get a ps3 and change the hard drive, that can work too

[@cliptv7955]

Great video man I realize I won’t be taking mine apart after watching hahahah

[@FantasticQuack]

Cmon if you try it you'll like it! Thanks for the kind words :)

[@michaelolayinka441]

So how did you fix it without taking it apart

[@michaelolayinka441]

Please help

[@Lunacy282]

@@michaelolayinka441 one way is just to use pressured air through the fans the open places you can put it through and get all the dust out it MIGHT work but its better if you take it apart its pretty easy

[@SolidNate99]

That's what I was thinking haha. Looked hard. I also don't have have a heat gun.

[@krispydream6907]

I bought my friend’s PS3 FAT model the one with two usb slots sadly the fan is defective and really dirty it has not been used for more than 5 years now luckily it will still work and got me to the menu but whenever I play any game the red light blinks so with this review I manage to replace the fan and added new thermal paste after heating it to the cpu/gpu after putting all back together I was worried that there are two medium and small screws that I forgot where they were placed and I check all the arrows and rewind this video and all other screws are placed and intact with the right placement so I tried to play one game for more than 5 hours no more red blink thanks to this video still bothered about the two screws though 🥺

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad it's working for you! Please update here again after a few months if it's still working; a lot of people are saying the repair doesn't last but it's still going strong for me.

[@krispydream6907]

@@FantasticQuack I have a new issue which is kinda weird I observe my PS3 for two days staying it on for more than 5 hours playing (God of War III) after playing then turning off the PS3 the next day I will do the same thing again play a game for more than 5 hours then the YLOD will start so I will cool down the PS3 for a few minutes sometimes leaving it in front of the air conditioner do the same play GOW III for 5 hours or more the YLOD is gone 😅 and if it’s a overheating issue I always play in a small room where the air conditioner is on for 11 hours even the TV and Monitor will moist it’s like playing in a cooler box 😂

[@aNd_MaN-hs1ke]

if its working now, those screws werent that important. You should be ok.

[@PrimeU24]

Omg THANK YOU SO MUCH my son and I got my PS3 back from the Dead cause of your video. Now I can play WARHAWK Earth Worm Jim and all my old games thank you again

[@FantasticQuack]

Happy to hear this and glad I could help, cheers!

[@sirjarko8762]

Sadly this method is only a temporary fix. The permanent fix is to replace as many of the Nec capacitors with a better brand and to make sure the fan runs at a higher RPM. Sony made sure this thing was quiet instead of cooled properly and will only ramp the fans up to 33% once its getting to hot. Ideally you would run it at minimum 28% to 38% alongside replacing the capacitors and and thermal paste both under the chips and on them. If you don't care at all about noise and want a Jet Engine you can go higher and have it running under 60c easily with anything around 50% or higher. By default most of these launch models run from the 70s to 80s. Far to hot in my opinion. My personal fat that I jail breaked runs at 74c on the cell and 70c on the RSX with a 38% fan curve, I got unlucky and just have a PS3 that runs hot even with a better fan, Delid and replacement of paste and pads. Most will be 65c at 33% with a delit which is far better long term for the unit and the capacitors. If you're tight for time the Capacitors around the RSX are the most likely failure points.

[@FantasticQuack]

I pinned a comment which partially addresses this, but I appreciate the extra context for your situation in that it may help others. Cheers m8

[@watchingdanny]

If you use alcohol with a plastic razor blade, you can successfully remove the security sticker and not have it show "VOID". I have the exact same PS3 model but it's working so far. I did use your video to take it apart and put it back together. Very east to follow along. It was super dusty in there and now the fan no longer kicks on to full speed after only a minute of idling. Thanks.

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear, thanks for the comment!

[@113odyssey]

You got super lucky. I'm starting to find that there are so many reasons that you could get that specific error. It seems to be a general error sign for pretty much anything damaged on the motherboard. One missing capacitor can cause that to happen

[@FantasticQuack]

Since this video I've repaired another unit using the same method. In both cases I re-heated the large (CPU/GPU?) chips and the NEC Token chips, so in the two cases I've worked on it was an issue in one of those components.

[@iqkingdomofiraq4963]

@@FantasticQuack are both of them still working because i heard it's only temporary fix.

[@FantasticQuack]

@@iqkingdomofiraq4963 I sold one of them. The one I still have is still working, but I have not been playing it heavily for any real stress test.

[@bluepandaman]

I found my old PS3 recently and have been playing it a lot. This happened. First time experiencing a dead console ever. I’ll give this a try!

[@FantasticQuack]

Hope you can get it working again!

[@johngiesbrecht8880]

This is a great video! Love the fact that you included putting everything back together. Got my ps3 working again! Only problem now is that the power indicator isn't on and it ejects the disc right away. Wonder if I got a connection wrong.

[@johngiesbrecht8880]

And now it's working again! The ribbon for the power and eject was finicky.

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks! Glad you got it working!

[@johngiesbrecht8880]

Update. I tried playing a ps2 game on the ps3, worked for a minute or 2 then ylod came on again. Ps3 game worked fine though.

[@niteshbudania9614]

@@johngiesbrecht8880 hey i am planning to buy a fat ps3 which has ylot . its cheap but should i buy it ?? can it be fixed or am i just wasting my money

[@johngiesbrecht8880]

@@niteshbudania9614 it's definitely fixable! I did everything this guy did in the video and it worked again! It played the ps3 games fine, as soon as I tried a ps2 game then it quit. But yes it worked for me!

[@autolife2785]

I just took mine completely apart, cleaned it out, cleaned all the dust off the fan, replaced the thermal paste and then put the whole entire thing back together. Tried to fire it up, same result: yellow light and 3 beeps. I feel really bummed that I couldn't get it back to life; it's a very nice console. I have a slim too, and it's a great console; it stays cooler and is not loud at all. I like it, but I really feel down that I can't play my PS2 games in it :/

[@FantasticQuack]

That's a bummer. Unfortunately the clean up/paste is not enough-- need to reheat it before new paste to repair the bad connections.

[@autolife2785]

@@FantasticQuack I forgot that step, so it all makes sense. I guess now it's too late. I think I saw a video where someone used a hot air gun and blew at it to warm it up.

[@autolife2785]

@@FantasticQuack hey, I apologize for randomly asking, but even though I applied the new thermal paste, is it too late for me to heat the capacitors up? Do you think it would work?

[@FantasticQuack]

@@autolife2785 I'd recommend removing the paste before heating. If it's still "fresh" you could scrape it off onto some wax paper or something temporarily and then put it back on afterwards.

[@autolife2785]

@@FantasticQuack ohh okay. About how long you think it'll last before dying again? (If it does die)

[@tyleyden8695]

Nice dude .. mines completely disassembled now so as soon as I get my neighbors heat gun I'm gonna try to get it running. Thanks for the upload Oh yeah it's an OG 80gb with backwards compatibility 🤟

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks Ty I hope the rest of the process goes well for you!

[@HomeStudioBasics]

This dude is the Christian Bale of PS3 fixes. All I could think about in my head while he was talking was Patrick Bateman explaining his morning routine LOL.

[@FantasticQuack]

Love that movie!

[@stopndrop4588]

Man I love this console.

[@FantasticQuack]

Long live the phat boi

[@pukalo]

Now that the syscon has been figured out and error codes can be extracted, ylod repair is easier than ever before. In most cases it is the GPU failing due to bumpgate, but the NEC caps are another common failure point. A thing you can do is if you hold down the disc eject button while you turn on the power switch at the back of the console, the fan will ramp up to blow out any dust buildup in the heatsink.

[@FantasticQuack]

I tried the fan thing and it didn't help anything on this one

[@kathypolish1389]

Oh man lol. If I took mine apart to this extent I'd never be able to put it back together 😅

[@FantasticQuack]

A side benefit of making these vids is that filming it helps for just that reason. If I'm unsure of something in reassembly I just consult my own previous footage and voila there's my answer!

[@wealthandluxuryvideos]

Ive been looking for this video for months YES thank you 😊

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to help, cheers!

[@TheObicobiHD]

*Playing bejeweled 2 for the next six hours commences* 😁

[@MrDJSTRATEGY]

Me: step 1 no luck. , I'm scared of the tryn the rest lol. Good video

[@mambochristel5483]

Me too I can't do the next step am scared please tell me a shorter way

[@SHUT-UP_MEG]

You got the voice big dawg You dont know how much it helps, even if i dont solve the issue Loud n clear tho😊😊

[@FantasticQuack]

Thank you for the comment! 😅

[@suberlex2468]

Idk but every time i open up a PS3 console I end up with one that doesn’t turn on, idk maybe I just suck at fixing ps3s

[@FantasticQuack]

Just forgot to plug something back in maybe?

[@sidahmed2517]

Hey man can i talk to you

[@Shaner9er]

Great job! good tear down as well!

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks!

[@pomgrenade9865]

Thanks a lot man ! You have my sub keep the great content !

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks for the sub and glad I could help!

[@HoChunk85]

Love your go get it attitude! Son got a old original ps3 and has this problem. I used to fix Xbox’s with red ring of death. But that time has gone probably gonna look online for a cheap old ps3 slim. Thanks for the info my fellow OG gamer. 👍🏽

[@FantasticQuack]

thanks for this note and for watching, cheers!

[@Skerwo]

I loved the video, thank you ❤

[@FantasticQuack]

You're welcome, cheers!

[@DutchVanDerLindo]

He must be the coolest neighbor in the neighborhood

[@FantasticQuack]

I like to think so 😎

[@lukedavis436]

This is *Not* how you fix a YLOD, you need to replace the NEC/TOKIN capacitors... Reflowing the RSX or CELL will dramatically reduce its lifespan!!!

[@calyps0man]

Noope. RSX is the one that needs replacement.

[@lukedavis436]

@@calyps0man the RSX *sometimes* needs replacement, the GLOD is a symptom of that the NEC/Tokins cause the YLOD *every time*

[@calyps0man]

@@lukedavis436 There is a very long discussion on these topics over at psx-place. A proper diagnostics must be made, GLODs can be different also. On BC boards, more often than not, RSX will need a replacement. It is a bad idea to state that a GLOD is always this and YLOD is always that. It has now been proven that there are various faults that show up as YLOD/GLOD/RLOD. But there is a lot of new information that can help diagnose the components with higher accuracy.

[@lukedavis436]

@@calyps0man ok fine yes the RSX needs replacing *Somtimes* but usually the first thing to allways do is the NEC tokin mod.. If that doesn't work... Then reflow!

[@lukedavis436]

@@calyps0man *i am aware of that* but usually... The first thing to allways check is those capacitors... If you just jump straight on the reball the system could suffer massively

[@xeroxzero1]

my most ambitious project yet..

[@FantasticQuack]

It can be a doozy!

[@tdupcoco5448]

Sorry but that was a temporary fix i use to fix them as a job and they re overheated from 30-100 days

[@FantasticQuack]

No apology needed. Other comments sharing their stories with this method back up what you say. I don't claim it to be a permanent fix. I will say mine (from this video) is still working but I have not been playing it a lot.

[@DidiRox_]

I just got my ps3 second-hand and it was working fine for a few hours, and then the red blinking light happened. I'm in no way able to preform what u did in this video, so now I have a ps3 for decorating :)

[@FantasticQuack]

Even if you try and fail you can still use it as decoration!

[@DidiRox_]

@@FantasticQuack true😂😂

[@tecc8380]

@@DidiRox_ It's already broken, can't break it more! That's my theory as I prepare to do this myself. Here's to hoping I get a round of Tenchu in tonight!

[@DidiRox_]

@@tecc8380 yea I'll probably get around to doing it sometime. You've convinced me lol

[@tecc8380]

Well, that fix wasn't the one I needed for this system. I will say taking it apart was fun and not that difficult. I might need to do some motherboard work, which again it's already broke. Hands on has much inner peace and gratification if you can keep your cool! Good luck out there ❤️🌍

[@MrRafaelzaoo]

Great, awesome work👍🏼 mine does that now but it’s too much effort to do all of that 😅

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks! Yea it can be intimidating if you're new to this kind of stuff, but it will click soon enough!

[@mambochristel5483]

@@FantasticQuack means just leave it and wait a while it will balance

[@iijumunjii]

I heated mine up with a blow dryer, worked for at least a few hours then shut back off. Obviously need more heat. Got a heat gun on its way but this is a real clean video of how to....

[@Wolfstanus]

Or replace the NEC and tokin caps because those react in a positive way to heat and come back to life temporarily. Applying heat also weakens surrounding solder joints and creates a larger problem

[@FantasticQuack]

Thank you! Let me know how it works out for you

[@chuey9313]

You got very lucky. Never, never, never touch anything on the board, or move it in any way while, or after heating it. You run a very high risk of shifting something and causing a solder bridge.

[@FantasticQuack]

The only thing I touched during the heating portion was the large metal shield for a split second to judge how hot it was. I don't think it was luck but thanks for the comment.

[@BitMan775]

I enjoyed this! My fat PS3's been spared (P01, so no backwards compatibility whatsoever), but soon I'll repaste the whole thing to keep it going for longer

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear yours is still going! Good plan as I believe many thermal compounds dry out after 8 years give or take. Getting all the dust out for proper airflow is another good benefit.

[@Pandakids09]

Nice, need me a phat ps3 before they get harder to find

[@FantasticQuack]

Yea! I was happy to find this one even if it needed a little TLC :)

[@smerk429]

@@FantasticQuack Hi. Thank you for all your sweet videos. I'm not too good at fixing consoles. do you think I'd be safe having a game store fix it for me maybe like if GameStop did it or another personal I mean small ma n Pop game store such as blue shell gaming in Fresno? Do you think theyd try to steal parts from it without telling me and replace it with cheaper parts or do you think I should be okay? Thank you. Anybody knowledgeable please reply soon.

[@FantasticQuack]

@@smerk429 Thanks for the kind words! For any reputable repair shop it is unlikely they would try to take/replace parts that didn't need replacement. I would start with local retro game stores and use gamestop as a last resort. Every refurbished console I've seen from gamestop looks like they used actual sandpaper on the entire exterior--so who knows what other bad methods they implement.

[@GlitchPG3D]

My ps3 has been doing this for SEVEN years now and my mom is just bringing it in, i hope i wont lose my minecraft disc worlds.

[@FantasticQuack]

Bringing it in.. as in to a shop? I'm a little surprised that shops would still be willing to do this fix. Hopefully you can get it working and keep your saves!

[@DLSFOOTBALL-x2v]

Лучший обзор по ремонту ps3, спасибо 🙏

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks for watching!

[@Wolfstanus]

NEC and tokin caps should have been replaced before doing a full tear down and reflow. These caps are a known failure point since day one in laptops and other devices. The fix for the issue back then was to replace them with higher quality ones. These caps also react in a positive way to heat and come back to life temporarily

[@FantasticQuack]

Since doing this I've seen people replace those caps too. If/when I get YLOD again I might go back inside this thing and do the cap swap.

[@DarkoPetreski]

@@FantasticQuack yeah make sure to super heat the cpu and gpu and shorten their lifespan next time you do it too. This video isn't even that old, how did you not know that ylod happens because of the tokin caps?

[@FantasticQuack]

@@DarkoPetreski ylod has multiple causes beyond just the caps. I've addressed this type of comment in the video description.

[@DarkoPetreski]

@@FantasticQuack Maybe pin a comment saying if you get ylod, first replace the caps, and if that doesn't work do the reflow. People don't really read the description, including me.

[@FantasticQuack]

@@DarkoPetreski that's a good idea I'll do that soon!

[@TheObicobiHD]

Enjoyed this mate! Makes me want to pick up a PS3 sometime ☺️

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear! Make sure to go for the backwards compatible versions: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3_models

[@TheObicobiHD]

@@FantasticQuack oh for sure! With the recent news of Sony about to discontinue support of the PS3 and vita I'll definitely get the older model ☺️

[@TheObicobiHD]

@@FantasticQuack oh wow never mind! Literally as soon as I typed this apparently Sony came out and is reversing the decision due to consumer backlash. Go consumers haha

[@FantasticQuack]

@@TheObicobiHD I heard about that too. Good news for everyone!

[@chrishastings2665]

I did exactly what you did in this vid. And it fixed mine. I don't know if it's a permanent fix, but it has run long enough to get the DVD I borrowed from the library out lol. Thank you sir.

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad I could help, cheers!

[@TheChunginator]

I recently opened up my PS3 and gave it a deep clean and I replaced the thermal paste but I'm still having this issue. Any idea what else it could be?

[@FantasticQuack]

Replacing the thermal past is not enough. You need to repair some solder joints with heat first. See the 7:00 mark in the vid.

[@upyoursenator]

You might need to replace the NEC capacitors

[@FantasticQuack]

@@upyoursenator would be a good long term upgrade but it's working well for now.

[@yogikarang9905]

Should replace the capacitor dude

[@itsmenate1557]

@@FantasticQuack i did that and am still having this problem, deep cleaning and heating the solder appeared to do nothing

[@CatXzerR]

glad I have thermal paste left after upgrading my laptop’s cpu 😬 Thanks for this video, easy to understand. Later in the morning i will fix my ps3

[@FantasticQuack]

Hope you can get it working, cheers!

[@Pawnfaz409]

Got a backwards compatible ps3 with the same issue for 10$. I am excited to tear it down and do the same to hopefully fix it, thanks!

[@FantasticQuack]

Wish you the best!

[@mustafa_alii]

Good job, man. This was and still is a problem with my PS3. I fixed it for $15, but after 3 months the problem returned again. I think it was because I played for 8 hours straight or because the atmosphere contained a lot of dust...

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks! and yes unfortunately the failure mode is unfortunately sure to return eventually in the same way it happens on a brand new unit over time.

[@lordzeuscannon6400]

I'm trying to fix mine right now. I'd rather tear apart my PC 100× than do this again

[@FantasticQuack]

Have you tried working on the top half of a Nintendo 3DS? haha

[@xMikeMan54x]

"Wonder what my neighbours think of me?.. Maybe they think I'm a cool guy; OH IS THAT A PS3 HE'S WORKING ON?!?" oh man that caught me off guard. Thanks for the belly laugh.

[@FantasticQuack]

Always happy to provide a smile, cheers!

[@reemer911]

I have super high hopes that this is my issue finally had the balls to take my 80gb ps3 apart and there was next to no thermal paste on the chips glad I found this video does it matter what paste I used I got some Arctic Silver 5 AS5-3.5G Thermal Paste thats what some forms said to use

[@FantasticQuack]

That paste should be just fine, hope you get it working!

[@elizabethbaxter4996]

Glad I found your vid, others weren’t as helpful 😊 I have this issue with our ps3 that’s been stored for a bit, I think it’s super super dusty inside :/ Wish me luck 😂

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad I could help and I hope you can get it fixed!

[@qresind]

My Fat has been sitting in the closet for more than 10 years now. I do have a slim I bought because of this problem. I did figure it would be a heat problem, it was kinda dusty but not that bad, the thermal paste was all dried up, so I put some new paste on there after removing the old. But it still didn't work. I knew I'd come back to it one day because the Fat just looks 1 million times better than the Slim (PS3 Fat: best looking console in my opinion) And with this heating the solder trick, I might just get it going. Thanks for the video. Hopefully soon I'll be looking at that gorgeous console everyday! Then the only "problem" would be that all my data is on my slim 😅

[@FantasticQuack]

Hope you can get it working!

[@sk3tchimdg3t33]

Anyone else pull the ps3 apart before watching the video and realising they don’t have a heat gun EDIT:just got the heat gun and used a bit of flux and this worked wonders thank you so much I thought i got scammed on this ps3 but you saved me❤️

[@FantasticQuack]

Ouch! I should put a "tools needed" bit at the beginning next time...

[@sk3tchimdg3t33]

@@FantasticQuack no its not your fault i pulled it apart saw the dry thermal paste and immediately knew i had a problem then i started googling videos 😋

[@drako1888]

I can’t believe you put everything back before tearing it

[@FantasticQuack]

Well if it didn't work I wasn't planning to continue working on it for a while until I looked into some other options. I of course could have left some of the hardware out, but generally, assembling it to the point of being able to test it and fully assembling it aren't drastically far apart.

[@drako1888]

Sounds good awesome job bro, I just picked up a ps3 for 20 bucks with the same issue and thx to you it’s working again, thanks!

[@kevinlyon7303]

Just picked one up for $50 at a pawn shop that has the Red light of death, gonna get it fixed

[@FantasticQuack]

I hope you can get it working!

[@kevinlyon7303]

​@@FantasticQuackstill isn't working after putting on new thermal paste

[@eos4002]

Pazzesco, ho smantellato tutta la mia PS3 per cambiare la pasta termica e dare una ripulita alla montagna di polvere che si era accumulata, ma dopo il rimontaggio, con tempi sempre più ridotti la play si spegneva di colpo, fino a quando ha cominciato a non accendersi più e dando l'errore dei 3 bip. Stavo per abbandonarla perché non volevo rismontarla e cercare l'errore, fino a che non ho visto questo video, cosi ho riaperto la PS3 ho provato a togliere e rimettere l'HHD dopo aver spruzzato del disossidante sul connettore..... ed è tornata in vita, non si spegne più. Era l'HDD collegato male oppure i contatti ossidati, adesso funziona tutto perfettamente. GRAZIE 1000 al canale FANTASTIC QUACK.

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear this helped you out, cheers!

[@Stewedpepper_RL]

Thank you

[@FantasticQuack]

Happy to help!

[@Agent-mb1xx]

Here I am in 2024 after my PS3 has worked all night I woke up with a BRLOD - damn it sucks

[@FantasticQuack]

Sorry to hear that, sadly the phat PS3's just don't stand the test of time

[@Agent-mb1xx]

@@FantasticQuack bought a 5th one, another 2501A model

[@DaveDoc1984]

It does have some PS2 hardware. It has the GS (Graphics Synthesiser). The only software emulation is the Emotion Engine which is done by the PS3 CPU.

[@FantasticQuack]

Good to know! My knowledge of PS3 compatibility is minimal.

[@WyattEarth]

This seems like a lot of work , I’m just gona set my oven to 450 , put my console on a cookie sheet , and slide her in there for 10 minutes, that outa do the trick , yep

[@FantasticQuack]

I realize you're joking but I still have to say please do not do that :)

[@YoungBamily]

@@FantasticQuack 🤣🤣

[@kevinblanchette3555]

Much better than some of the other people's videos that I gave a thumbs up. So here is 2 thumbs 👍 👍

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks man I appreciate it!

[@MattTheLast]

I'm just wondering how long this will last. I bought a good heat gun and some high quality thermal paste. Here's hoping.

[@FantasticQuack]

People have been having varying results from 1 week to many months. Depends on how well the fix is implemented and how frequently you play PS3 afterwards, I imagine. Good luck with yours!

[@robertboucherjr]

Awesome video of your process my man! I’m curious what’s the update on your console?? I also love my bc ps3

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks! still working but I hardly use it

[@CollinsSimon-js7lz]

You were not sure it was gonna work, yet you put it on camera

[@FantasticQuack]

Correct! How would I make a video if I didn't film it?

[@thecatastrophicturtle1896]

I've torn it all apart and cleaned off the old thermal paste and then realized I don't have a fu**ing heat gun lol

[@FantasticQuack]

Ouch! They're pretty cheap though and have tons of uses. If desperate you could try a hair dryer for a much longer duration but I have doubts it could get it hot enough.

[@ContraWolf]

Hey there I've got an update for you. So my GF spent the last couple of nights binge watching a show on Netflix using the PS3 no less and nothing happened. It worked just fine I tried playing Medal of Honor Frontline today and it randomly shut off on me with the blinking red light twice in the middle of the game

[@FantasticQuack]

If it went to YLOD again it is more likely the NTC capacitors (which can be temporarily brought back to life with heat) are the problem on your unit and replacing them should be the next thing you try if you're willing to expend the effort. I pinned a comment to this video with more detail on the general situation.

[@ContraWolf]

@@FantasticQuack I actually found the PS3 a couple days ago with the red light blinking again and it hadn't been turned on in weeks. At this point I don't know what the hell is wrong with it

[@fredcarlson9441]

Way beyond me. I think I’ll go fish today instead.

[@FantasticQuack]

Hope you catch some!

[@mattclark2670]

I just got one today from a buddies garage for free! Gonna try this as soon as i get some thermal paste.

[@FantasticQuack]

Hope it works out, nice find!

[@jessechapman6633]

This was absolutely amazing good effort am Actually having the same issue 😢

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks, hope you can get yours working!

[@summerrr1]

Wish I’d watched this 12 years ago.

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks for watching this year!

[@calyps0man]

There is now a better way to diagnose where the fault actually is by checking error codes. There's around 90% chance that it's RSX issue on the BC console.

[@FantasticQuack]

Hmmm, how do you check error codes if the system doesn't turn on?

[@calyps0man]

@@FantasticQuack By connecting a special UART cable (very cheap on ebay). Read more in here www.psx-place.com/threads/tutorial-research-nec-tokin-capacitors-replacement-ylod-fix.25260/page-192#post-295119

[@DoomSkull72]

I just bought the same model of ps3 and have been getting this issue! I plan to open it up today to take a look at it. Im endlessly appreciative of this video, thanks man! Quick question, when reheating those chips, do I need a heat gun or could I use a standard hair dryer? (I wouldnt have the availability of the narrow nozzle attachment you have to a heat gun, which already seems like a downside)

[@FantasticQuack]

I'm glad you enjoy the video! Unless you did something whacky with insulation and long duration exposure, a hair dyer will not work as it does not produce enough heat to impact the solder. Please check out my pinned comment as well if you haven't already. Cheers!

[@northeast7412]

Easy bypass for this issue, start it by either ejecting a disc that’s in or putting a disc into the system, so this a few times then let it sit, works usually after only about 3 tries. Or try hoovering all the crap out of it that has got in over the years

[@FantasticQuack]

Haven't tried the disc thing but dust removal alone was definitely not enough to solve it in this case.

[@rcruz2008]

Well Done... I just found my Fat Original PS3 with multiple games.. I have the same problem not starting up.

[@FantasticQuack]

Thanks, hope you can get it fixed!

[@Eckdirt]

Awesome. Gonna borrow my friend's heat gun and go for it.

[@FantasticQuack]

Hope it works out!

[@mrkiplingman]

This model of ps3 actually does have ps2 hardware inside but it only contains the ps2 gpu that's it and the rest of the ps2 is emulated by the cell.

[@FantasticQuack]

So partial hardware / partial emulation? I guess I was only half wrong then ;) Interesting stuff!

[@writtenskate522plays]

Apparently, models CECHK01 and models after that have a smaller cpu and gpu at 65 nanometers, where as the original ps3s (models cecha to cechh) have the bigger 90 nanometer cpu and gpu. And somehow, my CECHK01 has the ylod.

[@FantasticQuack]

Have you ever tried working on the top half of a Nintendo 3DS? haha

[@jamesfeltner63]

I’ll be doing this tomorrow to mine, I’ll be watching this video over and over tomorrow 😂😂

[@FantasticQuack]

Hope it worked out!

[@Weekend_Gamer]

Did it worked?

[@HomeStudioBasics]

Man this is funny as f: 1:16 - Is it really this simple? *Tries to start again* "It is not that simple" LMAO

[@niklayfer1445]

Using the drill/ screwdriver hurts my heart + a leaf blower. Your neighbors think you are on crack.

[@JohnSmith-nj4zq]

That's improvising. Gotta work with what you got.

[@FantasticQuack]

What, a man can't use a leaf blower in his own garage? My neighbors know I'm on crack, how do you think I get my hands on it? In all seriousness, the leaf blower is essentially "free" air duster (the canned air isn't cheap). All components were still fastened so very low risk. As for the drill, I had it dialed to an appropriately low torque setting; much more efficient than a hand tool. Were these methods unconventional? Yes. Inappropriate? Perhaps. Successful? Definitely.

[@Colorblindvisuals]

I've tapped my console a few times into the flat sidepanel and now it's working again😂 try it

[@FantasticQuack]

let us know how that goes!

[@mikedisher30]

It’ll break again, unless you reball it

[@FantasticQuack]

Thank you

[@djlancematthew]

I don’t know if I’ll get an answer to this because most people don’t answer old videos like this, but I was curious. I’m still going to go to your playlist see if there’s any other videos after this one, but I was curious to see if after re-flowing the board, how much time you got with the PlayStation before the yellow light came back.

[@FantasticQuack]

I always answer! It's been just under 1 and a half years and it's still working--yellow light has not came back. I play it very seldom though. I thought about doing a follow up video but I wouldn't have much to say/show other than that its still working, so feels like just a cheap plug to advertise this video which is why I haven't.

[@djlancematthew]

I wish that you would do a follow up. There are many people that have been searching the tubes here looking for any answer to this problem. I saw that someone named RIP FELIX made a video saying that most reflows don’t last more than a couple weeks. I want to get a syscon so that I can diagnose ps3s like some can do now with a pc.

[@sleepierhollow5892]

This actually worked for me thank you

[@FantasticQuack]

Glad to hear it, cheers!

[@angely.mercado9902]

The plate removes by sliding it sideways not just pricing it open. Should have especified

[@FantasticQuack]

2:10 you can clearly see me slide it sideways before removing.