Fat PS3 Issues
- Thread starter Slipstreamery
- 132 comments
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Oberheim
(Banned)
- 171
- United Kingdom
Mine is due for a strip down. I could repaste it again, if anyone is interested. I can take pics as I go along but they won't be available online for a while.
It is worth noting also, the Fat '3's internals differ from version to version. Especially the wifi/bluetooth board. Some are fastened to the lid, others (like mine) to the PCB casing. And, if you're in the States, the first units had the PS2 hardware in them. I had one if these, couldn't do a thing with it as it's region locked and NTSC so I reluctantly sold it.
It is worth noting also, the Fat '3's internals differ from version to version. Especially the wifi/bluetooth board. Some are fastened to the lid, others (like mine) to the PCB casing. And, if you're in the States, the first units had the PS2 hardware in them. I had one if these, couldn't do a thing with it as it's region locked and NTSC so I reluctantly sold it.
- 1,210
- Sydney
What are you talking about the only thing that was more region locked than any other ps3 in these early backward compatible 20 and 60gb models was ps2 compatibility. but thats because you get to play ps2 games on those ps3s and not on others.. SO you cant say its more region locked than others and you cant do a thing on it.
Oberheim
(Banned)
- 171
- United Kingdom
- 442
- New York
- Racer_S90
Not that I know of, I never did a search for it. Possibly on YouTube, but taking the PS3 apart isn't all that hard as long as you have the proper size screwdrivers, be gentle when you're unplugging the components, and remember where everything went on reassembly. Soldering the GPU is another case, I had experience doing it, but I would still recommend having some professional you trust do the job if you have experienced the YLOD.
Oberheim
(Banned)
- 171
- United Kingdom
For anyone about to undertake that job, take note of what Steph290 states here. It's good advice. Reballing (which is what's needed if your PS3 cooks) requires expensive equipment to do correctly. It's usually done with infra-red, certainly not with a soldering iron.
What happens is, Sony in their infinate wisdom, soldered the CPU and GPU chips to the circuit board. Under those chips are tiny copper 'legs' just as you see on your Intel/AMD CPU's. To solder them to the board, small round balls of solder (hence re-balling) are placed onto the board and infra-red is used to heat the solder up and house the chip (think Predator when he heats the blades on his arm). It's done this way for accuracy (no overspill), no damage to the board or surrounding components and mass production. The problem is, Sony didn't use the best solder for job nor did they apply enough (same as the thermal transfer paste).
Do, while you have your PS3 on for extended periods and playing a very intensive graphic rendering game (it's usually the GPU that quits first), the current draw increases and with so does the heat generated. It gets so hot the solder that keeps the chips on the board is melted into it's liquid form, the chip unseats and bang. Dead PS3!
3 things would made sure this never happened:
1. Use the correct grade and amount of solder.
2. Use the correct grade and amount of heat transfer paste.
3. Borrowing the same method as PC boards and clamping the chip into sockets!
- 568
- Croatia
- Mustangmiha
Semi-random question; does anyone have the 20GB (US or Japanese) model? I can't be the only one who had it (had because it failed on me last year).
- 148
- White-Shadw
I have a 80Gb one, it rarely crashes, never did anything strange with GT5 and only has problems with Shift 2 (very rarely) and with Transformers: War for Cybertron (also, on rare occassions)...
I hope GT6 doesn't kill it...
I have the 20GB PS3.. and it's alive and kicking and this POS of a game keeps crashing it. Arrrgh!
- 263
- Argentina
Did you change the thermal compound?
- 148
- White-Shadw
- 148
- White-Shadw
Mine is the Japanese 20GB launch model. Still working flawlessly.
- 263
- Argentina
Man, you need to change the thermal paste, try arctic MX-4. That paste in your console must be dry as 🤬, and I started with problems in my old 40Gb just for that. Was playing Uncharted 2 (one of the most heavy games for the PS3) and the PS3 got overheating, and after that, I had the same problem with any game. Do it before it's too late.
- 613
- TWNTYB_4ME
- F Caris
- 87
- New York, New York
- Star_Drift_Kiyo
- ODCxKiyo
I have a 160GB FAT PS3 that I play every day almost for 6+ hours before work and 4+ hours after work. Only thing I do it let it sit under my ac vent (70*F in my room so very cold) and put a 1TB SSD in my PS3. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147251) Yes, I see the price. I did not pay that price. I have had no issues since. I even keep a spare 500GB SSD as back up for traveling. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147190) did not pay that price either. Mind you I've had this for a year now and got it from Gamestop.
- 96
- Michigan
- mattybb47
I've really had no problems with my fat 80gb after 6 years up until now. Upgraded the hard drive to a 250gb unit when GTA5 came out to get some extra space and worked fine. GT6 has been working great so far but unfortunately my blu-ray drive decided to quit today with the game in it. It won't even recognize the disc in it so it looks like I'll have to do a little surgery on it and buy a new drive. Any recommendations?
- 148
- White-Shadw
- 263
- Argentina
Lucky of youGood idea.. I have opened it up before to service it but I didn't have thermal paste at the time so I didn't bother to change it. I'll get it done today. Cheers!
This is a video where you can see how to apply the paste.
Oberheim
(Banned)
- 171
- United Kingdom
Lucky of you
This is a video where you can see how to apply the paste.
I have to disagree with that video. All you'd end up with there really is an IC with an incomplete and uneven spread of paste, with a lot of it wasted.
The first method of applying the paste is good. A flexible thin piece of plastic, like a credit card (car filler spreaders are a little too thick). Ensure the side used for spreading isn't chipped or has burrs of plastic.
The paste needs to cover the entire IC and it needs to be an even layer, same thickness all round. I wouldn't try spreading with pressure, you can damage the board that way, especially if you should slip. You would also waste a lot of paste as it would stick to the piece of plastic you're using to squash it with. Also, when you removed that plastic you're left with little peaks and troffs of paste on the chip.
Lastly, ensure that there is build up of paste around the edges of the chip when the cooling device is correctly placed. This indicates that too much paste was used, gently and carefully wipe away the paste with a lint free material. Avoid leaving a 'drip' of paste on the board from the chip, it will transfer some of that heat to the wrong area (the board or other components). Wipe away those and any other paste on the board with the appropriate fluids, usually 91% rubbing alcohol or 91% isopropyl alcohol. Use this as it evaporates quickly.
Thermal compound should be removed and replaced every time the IC & cooling device are split apart.
DISCLAIMER: This information is to be taken as is. I take no responsibility for anyones safety or electrical components who decide to use the above information.
- 74
- Poland
- bartofslaves
- 263
- Argentina
The credit card method is useless, I put that video because it use the spread method by pressure, the only one that works fine.
My first intention was putting a video with the pressure method (didn't see the video I put before), but this one explains very good why the spread method is bad.
You can see that the pressure method (which is not dangerous at all) is the best, no air between the heatsink and heatspreader, but with the spread method we have air, which is bad, very bad for a good dispel of heat. In the case of the PS3, it has two cores, one the CELL processor, and the RSX GPU. The CELL only needs a little amount of paste in the middle, because under the heatspreader we have an only single core. BUT in the RSX, we have a core in the middle and the rams in the corners. So in that case you need to put a little more of paste than with the CELL, to cover every part that produces heat.
Intel and AMD recommend the pressure method too, so I don't why it is bad.
This is an example in a PS3 FAT:
Oberheim
(Banned)
- 171
- United Kingdom
Well I wouldn't take my console to you for repair. Sorry but I wouldn't and I didn't say to use a credit card but something flexible LIKE a credit card! A credit card is too coarse and has a way less than perferct finish. The PS3 doesn't have two cores, it has two processing units, with one core each. One is the custom central, the other is the custom graphics, called Cell and RSX respectively, as you correctly state
The logic of only needing the paste in the middle of the CPU is totally flawed. IC's dissipate heat over the entire surface, not just where the core is. One thing you DO NOT do is apply excess pressure to the P.C.B. It can damage other IC's, surface mount components, solder joints, component legs etc as well as the board itself, especially when you are dealing with multi layer P.C.B's. Boards aren't flexible, aren't supposed to be flexible and most certainly aren't designed to 'be' flexed, which is exactly what will happen when applying thermal compound in that way. Besides' there are more than the CPU and GPU that needs re-pasting.
When the heatsinks/exhausts are finally put in place in the PS3, they are screwed to a metal brace not the board.
If air bubbles are left after spreading, then the person applying the compound shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Oh, incase you're wondering. I was taught by a well qualified electronics engineer, who happened to build mixing desks for the BBC.
Each to their own though, if that's how you want to do the job and you're comfortable doing it, fair enough.
I re-applied thermal compound several years ago as the YLOD started to rear it's ugly head, in the exact same way. The CPU's and heatsinks have never benn split since. My console runs quiter than a slim and not far off a superslim and barring a blu-ray assembly swap, has never skipped a beat.. It can be left running all day. Yes it does fire the fan up when needed (usually with DUST 514) and noisier than usual, but when it's not running at high RPM it's quiet.
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