Thread
PPC, okay it's a PS3, but technically a PPC, right?
Someone was giving away a fat PS3, in peices, in a box, on CL a while back, and I snagged it. I just got around to putting it back together and unfortunately I get the dreaded '3 beep' error when I try to turn it on. 
From what I've read it's pertaining to the HDD. The HDD i got with it was dead (I plugged it into my PC and it would not read or format it), so I plopped another in and I still get the same three beeps.
Does anyone have any experience, or know of a good site to read up on these? I've done some Googling, but it seems to be a lot of kids with their iPhones explaining how they got their PS3's to work, filiming in portait mode. :-/
From what I've read it's pertaining to the HDD. The HDD i got with it was dead (I plugged it into my PC and it would not read or format it), so I plopped another in and I still get the same three beeps.Does anyone have any experience, or know of a good site to read up on these? I've done some Googling, but it seems to be a lot of kids with their iPhones explaining how they got their PS3's to work, filiming in portait mode. :-/
When 'phat' PS3 systems die, it is usually the kiss of true death, unless you can reflow a BGA. Most phats die from excess heat, which leads to cracked BGA surface mounts. If you can reflow, or know someone who can, I have no doubt it can be brought back to life, but it usually isn't worth the time or effort for a phat since they aren't worth much.
Did you try baking the board? That's how I being back dead video cards (like the GeForce 8800) and my powermac g5.
Most likely someone has already dicked with it and tried, failed. Which is why it was in a million pieces. I find more often that someone elses failed attempt ruins them.
if it was in pieces i have to agree with techknight, probably been heatgunned or oven baked. If it has bee you probably have a dead chip.
I once when through a pile of about 30 dead xbox boards i had, all had probably been heatgunned, pulled out 15 with exploitable kernels and pulled the CPU and GPU off each. Out of that lot i got about 6 or 7 good GPU's and 4 or 5 good CPU's (which is pretty impressive, xbox CPU's tend to be harder to break than the GPU's)
I once when through a pile of about 30 dead xbox boards i had, all had probably been heatgunned, pulled out 15 with exploitable kernels and pulled the CPU and GPU off each. Out of that lot i got about 6 or 7 good GPU's and 4 or 5 good CPU's (which is pretty impressive, xbox CPU's tend to be harder to break than the GPU's)
the timing of the green light to the 3 beeps indicates the failure.
if it has a beep, then a good 10 seconds before a triple beep, its possible a reflow will fix it.
But if it beeps, then instantly within a second or two, triple beep, its done for.
if it has a beep, then a good 10 seconds before a triple beep, its possible a reflow will fix it.
But if it beeps, then instantly within a second or two, triple beep, its done for.
Thanks, everyone. The guy that gave it to me didn't seem so tech savvy to me, so I doubt he tried baking it. I figured I'd try it, as I have nothing to lose. It does beep right after I turn it on most of the time, but a few times it has waited a few seconds then beeped.
I found this link, and was going to give it a whirl. It'd be cool to have a second PS3.
Fingers crossed.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Fix-a-PS3-by-Reflowing-the-Motherboard/
I found this link, and was going to give it a whirl. It'd be cool to have a second PS3.
Fingers crossed.http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Fix-a-PS3-by-Reflowing-the-Motherboard/
Which model is it? The later Phat models are 65nm chips and run cooler (though still fairly warm). Mine is six years old now, and the only issue I had was that the Fujitsu hard drive started to die in 2012. Replaced it with a nice 500GB WD unit and moved on.
Getting the firmware back on them can be a pain, make sure the flash drive is formatted properly and you follow the instructions.
Getting the firmware back on them can be a pain, make sure the flash drive is formatted properly and you follow the instructions.
Thanks, it's a CECHG01, 40GB.
I downloaded the firmware from here https://support.us.playstation.com and put the file on a flash drive in a PS3/UPDATE folder.
Anything else I need to know?
Okay, so you have a 90nm GPU and a 65nm CPU. I'm betting the GPU might be in need of a reflow if that is the issue.
Should be good to try and reinstall the firmware though.
Should be good to try and reinstall the firmware though.
Well lookie what I baked up! This morning I baked the logic board, and after it was done baking, I had to leave it in my oven (off) with the door open for a few hours as I had errands to run. Got home and had a day trip the wife planned. Got home a couple hours ago, put it back together, and i had no video the first few times I turned it on. Come to find out, the crappy display I was using wasn't recognizing the 480 resolution. I plugged it in my good TV and heard the familiar PS3 startup sound AND HAD VIDEO!!
A couple of bugs to work out, no WIFI, no beeps, but I'll take it.
Thanks, everyone!
A couple of bugs to work out, no WIFI, no beeps, but I'll take it.
Thanks, everyone!
There is a reset procedure involved in switching from HDTV to SDTV, as you likely read. Crappy display or not.
If the wifi dont work then your wireless controllers may not either. Both radios are on the same front board
Smells like freshly baked electronics.....and progress! 
After all of that, I figured I'd update the OS to see if it performed any better. What a nightmare that's turned out to be! Why can't I leave well enough alone?!
The install/update goes to about 60% then fails and restarts. It gives me the 8002F14E error code. From what I've read, the Bluray drive is bad, so I'm going to buy one from eBay. It won't take discs, so I would think that's a problem. New ribbon and power cables were in the box already, so I've ruled them out.
The install/update goes to about 60% then fails and restarts. It gives me the 8002F14E error code. From what I've read, the Bluray drive is bad, so I'm going to buy one from eBay. It won't take discs, so I would think that's a problem. New ribbon and power cables were in the box already, so I've ruled them out.
You can get a lot of use out of it without a working BDRom drive, actually. They're great media servers.
I have had LOTS of trouble with my girlfriend's slim with firmware updates, and always stops at 61%... Keep in mind firmware update "bricks" do happen to PS3s so your PS3 has suffered the same fate as mine, although different error code... My error code is 8002F1F0 if you were wondering
With the replacement of the Disc Drive you may have luck, I unfortunately have had no luck diagnosing my problem... Keep in mind that might not only be the only error coming out of it further in the update could see other problems with your hardware. As for me, a replacement console seems to be the only answer
I'm eager to see how it turns out after you get a replacement drive, good luck with the repair...
You CANNOT replace the drive! The servo board is married to the mainboard.
Youl get the error if the drive isnt original to the machine. If its not original, its done for.
You can also get that error if the hdd is bad.
If your version 3.55 or lower ypu can do a downgrade and remarry but youll lose bluray playback. However if the drive isnt original you lost it anyway.
Youl get the error if the drive isnt original to the machine. If its not original, its done for.
You can also get that error if the hdd is bad.
If your version 3.55 or lower ypu can do a downgrade and remarry but youll lose bluray playback. However if the drive isnt original you lost it anyway.
I planned on using it as a media server and running Netflix, etc.
There is a replacement bluray drive board on eBay that I was going to buy but the seller is saying it's misplaced now. The board on my bluray drive had a component shearded off, so I am assuming that's why the drive doesn't work (won't insert or eject).
The HDD should be okay. When it was working I saved some MP3s on it. It's an 80GB Fujitsu/Apple laptop drive.
There is a replacement bluray drive board on eBay that I was going to buy but the seller is saying it's misplaced now. The board on my bluray drive had a component shearded off, so I am assuming that's why the drive doesn't work (won't insert or eject).
The HDD should be okay. When it was working I saved some MP3s on it. It's an 80GB Fujitsu/Apple laptop drive.
Well, I guess I'm glad that sale went south on the bluray's circuit board. I didn't know about that board and the main board being married. I'm guessing that's a DVD/bluray region thing.
Yeah, you can replace the drive but have to swap the board.
but if you read, his board is messed up.
So no, you cannot. Unless you swap the BGA along with it.
So no, you cannot. Unless you swap the BGA along with it.
I'm aware of that. It was sort of implied.
Ok. Then your also aware that if he doesnt repair the servo board, or swap the bga to the new one , he cannot succeed right?
This is assuming the drive is original to begin with. Also HDD based games wont play without the correct drive either.
I suggest repairing the servo and planting it into the new drive mechanism.
This is assuming the drive is original to begin with. Also HDD based games wont play without the correct drive either.
I suggest repairing the servo and planting it into the new drive mechanism.
Honestly I don't care about playing games or using the optical drive. I just want to get it set up so I can run it as a media server and do Netflix. I have a PS3 slI'm I use for games and movies. Hopefully I can get it working to do just those things.
How will it be a media /server/? PS3 Linux got killed, and I don't think Netflix works on an older OS.
you can probably use a TSOP flasher/downgrader and reflash the unit and take it back to 3.55 This will let you jailbreak/hack it and run linux plus some other stuff.