Playstation and Xbox repairs Redux

[BlackListedB]

Hey guys, was out post holiday shopping, happened on a $30 PS3 80Gig that couldn't read discs, which when GTA V came out, I had just transplanted a 40GB model with a new BD Bluray media drive, and yeah, it's STILL working perfect!! It made the $30 dollar one a no brainer for me to tackle the same thing twice, I'll keep you apprised how that pans out.

 

While dismantling however, this one was CAKED in dust, it took a good day to clean it completely, by hand, no compressed air! just water, paper towels and Q tip like swabs from Radio Shack. It required EVERY part be cleaned front and back, and may I say, what I learned is you guys better take heed of your own hardware situation.

 

Warranty be damned, it won't save your unit from breaking down when it's clogged top to bottom with dust, so make sure it stays as clean as possible, if you have a warranty and don't like using screw drivers yourself, get someone to have a go at it, if required. I would NEVER keep one running as dirty as this one was, even if performance hasn't changed, it won't die from lack of cooling and air circulation. I didn't put new thermal paste on, but I rubbed the contact surfaces with fresh, clean PT to make sure they seat fresh.

 

The Xbox mention comes about via the pawn shop just up the street that sold me my latest, they offered me still more for repair, but given the 360's poor track record and issues with assembly, jury's still out on me actually offering to take them off their hands, but I wonder what you guys would do...pass or go?? It's tempting if they're an awesome deal, and there's parts that I could use, the main issue is the media drive yet again, highly mechanical of course, as such, more likely to fail over time.

 

I shot a good number of videos of the Playstation dismantle stages, I'll link some of those once they're posted. Hopefully it gives some idea about the component issues related to the 80Gig model PS3 that's represented by the SKU CECHK01 that I have in this case, I'm using the metallic shield off that model's drive as reference for a replacement, the previous ones don't have internal enclosures, for example, black plastic PSU unit for these versus a silver, more exposed, and prone to high heat one for earlier 40 and 60GB originals.

Edited December 30, 2013 by BlackListedB

[BlackListedB]

Compared the two 40/60 gig spare BD drives with the new one, a lot has changed under the hood, so the 80gig PS3 drive will have to come from eBay for a parts unit. Keep tuned for more on this endeavor ... it'll be a bit of time before I have the parts needed for repair, but the unit is up and working after COMPLETE disassembly and cleaning, proving you can go about what I did with some confidence in it working upon reassembly

[BlackListedB]

SPAMMER BE DAMNED.....

 

The CECHK01 I bought for second repair is still pending, even like my laptop repairs, you have to wait for the right deal, with working part you need. I could try internal drive parts, but if you can manage as complete a parts unit as possible, you then weigh the cost difference, it could be only 10 dollars lets say, and worth it with shipping also included

[BlackListedB]

Hey all, great news reported on my Playstation 3 project, the drive arrived only slightly messed up with the metallic screw cover on incorrectly, but I added my original circuit board this time and the unit works again like the last, played Uncharted 2 and Red 2 the BluRay movie on it without any hassles.

 

What this comes to in total dollars is $70 bux!! You too can save a pretty penny on a repair if the two missing parts show up, it's all a matter of judicious luck!

[BlackListedB]

Just to point out a final word about the two systems I repaired, in the last one, an 80Gigabyte model PS3, I bought the entire BD BluRay enclosure WITHOUT it's logic board, all cables were included but unconnected, in that case I used the former board and it revived the system completely, in the prior repair, the system was a 40 Gig, and I can't recall if the replacement drive was the exact same, but swapping the logic board didn't do any good, so it worked to have that board included with the eBay item.

 

It's best to have that available option, so if you buy without the original logic board, it may become an issue if like my earlier Playstation, a complete drive actually worked with a direct "drop in" plug and then play simplicity! It worked as I needed it to for both restorations.

 

I bought the second PS3 within the moment of finding it for offer of $30 dollars. When you consider here at least, used PS3s are now falling below $150 used since the release of PS4, in local pawnshops, items like the Kinnect unit for Xbox and the PSVita without successor are still falling in normal price they're offered for. Something to keep an eye on if you're a tech holdout for any reason, and most likely due to cost of a new system

[BlackListedB]

After a long pause, I wish to bump this with a update on my Xbox 15 dollar used system, an Elite or similar clad in black 360 sold as Non Reading drive, hoping to just find a way for gravity to aid use without opening it, I went online with GTA 5, crashed to black screen in an instant in several attempts, causing the system to reboot, once in the Dashboard firmware, I was told by prompt on screen to replace my GTA disc, since a read error occurred it was presumed by MS that again their hardware could never FAIL?!?!? Right?..., even if it was licensed from Lite On or Hitachi, or Toshiba, correct? Anywho, the verdict is the mechanicals are in need of a refurbing, in such cases, the Xbox CASE has to come apart. I advised before that MicroCenter offers a tool that inserts in the holes in the rear to push the tabs all at the same time, presuming the right pressure is applied, but you still have to pull top and bottom shells apart to do any servicing, and that requires 3 or 4 sets of hands! hahaha

Edited October 14, 2014 by BlackListedB