My PS3 crashed on me! :(

Seriously. Here's my situation:

I have an original 60GB unit (purchased in Jan 2007) with firmware version 2.50, so I have the latest version of firmware.

I was playing LittleBigPlanet last night and turned the console off to watch TV. I typically will exit out of the game to the XMB and then shut down (using the controller). I noticed afterwards the console came back on! I looked to make sure I hadn't accidentally hit a button on a controller turning it back on (which I hadn't). I didn't go back to 'investigate'. Eventually, the console just turned off by itself sometime later. VERY STRANGE! (I don't know how much time later) But, whatever...I still didn't 'investigate' to check the state.

The next day (today) I went to turn it on and...nothing. The system comes on, but I never get to the Playstation 3 splash screen, nor does it make any audible sounds (meaning the PS3 "chime"). No picture, no XMB...nothing. I turn it off completely (in the back). Turn it back on, same thing - nothing. I can eject the disc and put the disc back in. I notice that I have the controller plugged in and the lights on it are exhibiting a 'slow flash' - all four of them in unison. When I unplug and try to "pair" it, it is unable to do so and basically turns off (meaning, the controller). I plug it back in and the four lights return to their 'slow flash'.

I am able to get to the "restore" menu by powering it down in the back and then back on; by holding down the power button on the front of the console, I get to the main screen which shows:

1. Restart System
2. Restore Default Settings
3. Restore File System
4. Rebuild Database
5. Restore PS3 System
6. System Update

(1) results in the same behavior
(2) may do something, but results in the same behavior
(3) indicates that it recognizes the file system is corrupted and (I'm guessing) attempts to fix it; however, the end result is the same behavior
(4) indicates that it wants to "wipe" the hard drive (or at least that I'll lose my data), which I don't want to do just yet...
(5) indicates that it's going to format the drive. Once again I don't want to do this just yet...
(6) I put the 2.50 firmware on a USB stick and follow the instructions to load it. It doesn't indicate that it's already on the console, so it attempts to update. It takes me through the motions after loading it, and then basically reboots - and then returns to the same, inoperable state.

At this point, I'm somewhat at a loss for what to try other than to replace the hard drive. I'm hesitant to wipe the drive if there might be some way to recover it. So, I'm going to try and pick up a new one tomorrow and install it and see if I can get the system back. I don't think I'll be able to though.

I'm obviously out of warranty, and I don't mind paying to have Sony fix it. But, (a) are they going to give me any hassles if I replace the hard drive myself? and (b) is there any way that I won't get my BC-capable unit back when I send it in for repair??

Please, if anyone has any suggestions at all...I'm open. Do you think formatting the drive might fix the problem? Also, if I do so, do I lose all of my trophies as well? Or is that information stored on the PSN servers? I kinda don't mind losing my game saves...but I would HATE to lose my trophies!!

Thanks very much for any suggestions you might have...

Kevy Kev

The more I muck with it, the more I feel it's just a corrupted hard drive...but, REALLY corrupted! I can load the new firmware (via USB stick) and it goes through the installation process. But then as soon as I restart, it exhibits the same behavior as before.

I'm going to have to wait until Fry's opens and go pick up a new drive and then pop that in.

As I mentioned before as well...when I try and do the Restore File System it indicates that it's corrupted and attempts to restore. But that doesn't work. When I try and Rebuild Database, it just never starts it!

*crosses fingers and hopes it's the hard drive*

I guess I'll go play some Fable II for now...I never thought I'd say it, but...thank goodness for my XBox 360!!

*prays he doesn't get RROD*

ROFL

Kevy Kev

Well, it was the hard drive that went tits up on me. I went and bought a new one and popped it in and, VIOLA, PS3 worky now! (yay me)

The pro: It only cost me $60 for the drive and no down time in terms of having to ship it to Sony!

The cons: I lost all my game save data, but the only game I was really working on currently anyway was LBP and I was only barely half way through that. Also, I'll have to redownload all my PSN games that I bought...I think there's only two of them though. But, a friend gave me Pain from his account, so I lost that one prob...unless he's willing to 'burn' another of his five on me.

I'm still going to try and recover the data from the old drive though...I just have to find something to put it in and see if I can read the data on it.

But, I'm happy to say the least.

The moral of the story?? BACK UP YOUR DATA!! (and also, if you can afford it, go buy a better, more reliable drive and put it in...it's literally a five minute fix!) Just be sure and use the backup/restore utility and you should be fine.

Ott