Neoseeker : PlayStation 3 Hardware : PlayStation 3 Hardware FAQs : PlayStation 3 Troubleshooting Guide

PlayStation 3 Troubleshooting Guide

by Nepherael   Updated to v0.12 on
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Updates

5/2/14 Added notes to a few processes, added digital game section

Introduction

If you are having an issue with your PS3 and would like assistance or advice check the Contact section. I will expand this guide with tutorials to solve any issues that I can accurately describe and solve.

Hello, Nepherael here. If you see that username anywhere you can be fairly confident it's me. This is my first shot at any sort of FAQ or guide. I decided to make this one specifically because I've helped many people on game boards having issues with their console freezing and stuttering and I wanted people to have a direct resource on Gamefaqs with some things to try if they're experiencing game freezes or hangups.

In this guide I am going to try to help you do everything in your power to solve problems you are having with your PS3 without having to contact Sony, send your console in, or buy a new one. Some solutions are elementary for many of us but will be mentioned because they are important to try before going further and messing with your file system.

I am interested in any feedback associated with this FAQ whether good or bad as I would like to improve as much as I can. This being my first FAQ, it's definitely a learning process for me but I'm really enjoying myself and I would like to continue if I can ever find another console (or maybe even a game) to write for so your feedback is greatly appreciated. Refer to the Contact section to get a hold of me.

Disclaimer

Use this FAQ and any technniques contained herein at your own risk. Using this FAQ correctly leaves almost no room for complications. However, I am not responsible for any damage you cause to your system or any lost data. You have been warned.

Safe Mode Explained

I have obtained information directly from Sony's support page describing safe mode for the purposes of this FAQ. Here are direct links to their page

Short Link: http://bit.ly/RU8Tfh

Long Link: https://support.us.playstation.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1488/~/safe-mode-on-ps3

What Is Safe Mode

Safe mode on the PS3 is just like safe mode on your PC. It will start the system with the least amount of functionality necessary and offer some options for fixing errors in the operating system and on the HDD (hard drive). This is a sensitive menu to be in. Don't go choosing options all willy nilly or you could end up losing everything on your system, including your game saves!

I will recommend the use of some of these options in most, if not all, of the solutions I cover in this FAQ. I will not explain what the option does each time I tell you to use it so familiarize yourself with their function and refer back here if I tell you to use one of these options and you want to know for sure how you are going to affect your console.

How To Boot Into Safe Mode

When I activate safe mode, I hold the power button, while the console is on, for about 30 seconds or until safe mode pops up, then connect my controller with a cable if necessary. Just in case I'm being hard on my system I will tell you to use this approach at your own risk and I will instead detail Sony's official way of booting into safe mode. This is taken directly from their support page (links above).

  1. Turn off the PS3
  2. Hold the power button for 10-15 seconds. During this time you will hear 3 separate beeps (about every 5 seconds) and then the system will power off.
  3. Hold the power but for 10-15 seconds again. You will hear the first 2 beeps about 5 seconds apart and then a double beep after another 5 seconds.
  4. At this point you might see a screen asking you to connect your controller via USB. Connect the controller then press the PS button and you will now be in the safe mode menu

Safe Mode Options

  • Restart System: This option restarts the system normally. No changes are made.
  • Restore Default Settings: Resets all settings to their default values just like the same option in the settings area of the XMB but ALSO deletes all SEN (Sony Entertainment Network)/PSN (Playstation Network) accounts from the system.
  • Restore File System: This is where it gets interesting. This option runs a repair utility that will scan the HDD and look for corrupted data. When it finds this data it will attempt to repair and salvage it. If it is unable to do so this data will be deleted. If you are dealing with corrupted game data this option is what you want and (in my opinion) it's good to use it any time you are using other options in safe mode because if you have corrupted data it's just cluttering up your HDD anyway and could possibly cause errors later. (Note: I have been told that when you use this option it will always state that there have been errors found and repair them. Just let it do its thing and you'll be good to go. Thanks to Mad_Cauliflower)
  • Rebuild Database: This option does quite a few things. It deletes messages stored on the console and deletes any customization such as photo trims, playlists, Video resumes and play history. Unless you have specific messages you would like to save this option will not delete any pertinent game data or saves so it is generally a safe option.
  • Restore PS3 System: This is Armageddon! Your entire PS3 will be returned to its factory default condition. All data will be deleted, your hard drive will be formatted, and nothing can be recovered. Use with caution and ALWAYS back up any important game saves or data before going near this option (see Backing Up Data And Saves)
  • System Update: Exactly what it says. This option will update the firmware of your PS3 though it will only do so if you have a firmware on the HDD or a USB stick.

Basic Maintenance

Before going any further the most important (and easiest) thing to do is make sure your PS3 is free of dust and debris and has decent airflow.

  • If your console is in an enclosed space (such as a shelf in an entertainment center) start by pulling it out and setting it up in an area with free flow. Constricted airflow can cause a lot of hangups in games because of overheating.
  • Clean any dust from the vents. It is recommended to use a static resistant vaccum (Credit to chasempayne for mentioning a static resistant vacuum) to avoid any static shocks to the system. However, the risk of damage is very low and I always just use a good ol' can of air. Get those vents blown out good and make sure there's no blockages.

The Fan Trick

Note: There have been many reports of this trick being very hard on your console. It is an operation designed by Sony to be there and be used but I don't recommend using this trick regularly, or at all, if you can avoid it. As long as you have a can of air or a vacuum with a hose attachment, just use that.

First off, major credit to GundamFanT for explaining this trick. He was walked through this process over the phone by Sony support.

This technique (I was told) was originally designed to try and expel a disc that is stuck in your PS3 (I tested it with a disk in the system and it did not eject the disk but the disk wasn't stuck so I don't know if that is true) but it seems to work wonders on blowing dust out of the vent slots. What this technique does is power up the fans in the PS3 at high speed. It should assist in expelling any dust chunks and might save you a trip to the store to pick up a can of air if you don't have one handy. Here's how we do it:

  1. Switch off or unplug your PS3 console
  2. Press and hold the eject button
  3. While holding the eject button flip the power switch on the back of the PS3 (or plug in the plug if using a newer model with no power switch)

At that point the PS3 will power up with the fans running at full blast for about 30 seconds and then power down. I thought it was super cool!

Backing Up Data And Saves

It's generally good practice to regularly backup your saves but if you are going to use any safe mode operations it is absolutely essential. Nowadays we have PS Plus and can backup our saves to the cloud. Backing up to the cloud is acceptable when dealing with data and will not be deleted if your hard drive is formatted or corrupted. However, when doing safe mode operations and trying to get a specific game functioning I recommend using a USB stick to backup saves. It saves time because you don't have to connect to the `` internet and download your save from PS Plus, you can just transfer it right back to your PS3 as soon as you are ready.

The PS3 does have a backup utility in the settings tab of the XMB. This option will allow you to fully backup all the data contained on your HDD. For the purposes of this FAQ the backup utility is not necessary. We are really only worried about game saves and important picture, video, or movie files.

If Your PS3 Does Not Detect Your USB Stick

First try restarting your PS3 with the USB stick inserted. Sometimes the drive must be inserted at startup to be detected. If that does not help...

Make sure it is formatted correctly. Your USB stick must be formatted in the FAT32 file system.

  • On your PC go to Start > Computer and your USB stick will be displayed there as a removable drive.
  • Right click and choose properties. You will see the file system

If the stick is formatted in anything but FAT32 (NTFS, FAT, etc.) then we will need to format it. If it is in FAT32 but is still not being detected by the PS3 it is possible that it has a partition. Some USB sticks with partitions will not be detected. In this case we still have to format it.

To format your USB stick right click on it in the computer window (where we went to check the properties) and choose the format option. Make sure to change the file system to FAT32 and UNcheck the quick format option. Feel free to name the drive if you desire then click format. Once it is done you should be good to go.

If, at this point, your PS3 still won't detect your USB drive there are other options but these options go beyond the current scope of this FAQ. Check out Google or, for a faster alternative, just try a different USB stick.

How To Backup Your Saves To A USB Stick

Getting your saves on a USB stick is fairly straightforward.

  1. Insert the USB stick in the USB slot on your PS3.
  2. Navigate to the SAVE data folder on the game tab of your XMB.
  3. Find the save you want to backup and highlight it.
  4. Press triangle and choose copy. Your USB stick will be in the list of options.

This process works exactly the same for photos, videos, and music.

Note: to get the data back on the PS3 you should follow the process the same way but in the SAVE data folder you must navigate to the USB drive (should be right on top) then copy them back to the PS3 using the same triangle > copy funtion. If you are copying data besides saves back to the PS3 and the folder structure isn't correct on the USB drive you may not see your photos, videos, etc. In this case pressing triangle and selecting show all files will usually solve this problem.

Game Data And Save Data Folders

This will be short and sweet but is very important to understand. When trying to fix certain freezing issues we have to delete some data and I would hate for anyone to accidentally delete their saves because I didn't dedicate a simple paragraph to this.

  • The GAME data folder is where your games are installed and where game updates are saved. It is full of very large files (usually 2-8GB of data) used specifically to cut down on loading times and disk reading. When you play some of your PS3 games for the first time and they make you wait for them to install this is what they're installing. It's basically a huge cache. The data in this folder can be deleted at will with no negative effect on your saves. If you delete the game data for a certain game then the next time you try to play that game it will need to be installed again (as well as any game updates that were deleted with it)

Note: If you have a save from a game that has had a patch downloaded and you delete that patch with the game data usually that save cannot be used with the game until you patch it again. As long as you redownload any patches you delete (which you will be prompted to do on starting the game) then this is not a problem.

If you are ever short on free disk space feel free to peruse the game data folder and delete data for games you don't own/play anymore. (I don't even know how many times I've deleted and reinstalled Metal Gear Solid 4)

  • The SAVE data folder is where we need to be careful. Obviously it contains all your game saves and we don't want to mess around in here in any way except to backup and restore game saves. In my save data folder I press square and choose "group by content" and then all my saves are grouped together according to what game they're for. Every folder then says "X saves". That way I always have the word save in front of me so I don't ever get confused.

Don't confuse the GAME data and SAVE data folders. I've had a few people accidentally delete some important saves thinking that they were deleting their game data.

PS3 Freezing/Crashing/Stuttering

Now that you have just suffered through all that we can start to find a solution to your problem. I'll try and give you as much information as possible throughout so that you can better understand the nature of your problem and why I'm asking you to take certain steps. All of my explanation assumes that the problem is fixable but, in many cases, it could just be that your hardware is failing and you will need to get your console repaired.

If nothing here works and you are convinced you will need to repair your console, make sure you backup as much data as you can (this would be the time to use the backup utility in the settings tab of the XMB) and I wish you good luck.

I recommend going the kitchen sink method to make sure you have covered all your bases. If you are not concerned about learning what each option does and just want to fix your system skip to Game Freezing and use each step by step process for reinstalling your game, restoring your file system, and rebuilding your database. Once you have done each of those right in a row see how everything is working.

Note: some techniques will be listed more than once under different problem headers. I will try to make sure you don't have to go searching under different problems to find solutions that could work for your specific issue.

Game stutters

If your game is stuttering during cutscenes or regular play the most common causes are Basic Maintenance issues involving airflow and dust, the disc being dirty or scratched (even a miniscule scratch has been known to cause serious skips but this is not common), or the blu ray eye has dust on it. In this case follow the steps in the Basic Maintenance category and The Fan Trick, check your disc for smudges and scratches, and (if possible) find yourself an eye cleaner approved to work with the PS3.

If you are still having issues we can try reinstalling the game. Sometimes the cache data has issues and the drive is forced to read a data heavy cutscene directly from the disc. This can cause stuttering.

To reinstall the game:

  1. Navigate to the GAME data folder in the game tab of the XMB.
  2. Find the game that is giving you trouble and highlight it.
  3. Press triangle and choose delete.

If there are any patches installed you are not required to delete them but I do just to make sure every file related to the game is clean and fresh.

If Your Game Is Digital

You might be checking your game data folder and saying "WTF there's nothing here!". Well with digital games the process is slightly different. If you have a digital game you can follow along with all of these procedures. The only difference is that, instead of going to the game data folder, you will select your game as if you are going to play it, press triangle, and choose delete. This will delete the game from your console but WILL NOT delete your save. Just to be safe always check the game data folder for a system cache of your game's data but, usually with digital games, there will be nothing there.

Game Freezing

Our games can freeze for any number of reasons. Most commonly it is a Basic Maintenance issue (The Fan Trick is good here), a corrupted cache/install, a corrupted save file (fairly uncommon but possible), or some other corrupted data in the system. It can freeze at a specific point in the game, after doing something specific (i.e. using a certain ability), or just randomly.

If you are seeing a pattern in your freezes that can lead you to which technique to try but if you can't nail it down just try each of these techniques in order. I will try to order them from least to most amount of effort involved.

Always start with Basic Maintenance (and maybe The Fan Trick), especially for random freezes that you can't see a pattern to.

If cleaning the console and freeing up airflow does not solve the problem the next step is to reinstall the game.

Note: The next few solutions will be described as if you are trying one at a time. However, I actually recommend doing all of them at once to limit the possibility of a recurring error that permeates throughout different systems. If you do all of these together you will guarantee yourself a fresh clean file for your game and will know for sure that you did it correctly but I don't expect you to so the process will not be listed that way.

To reinstall the game:

  1. Navigate to the GAME data folder in the game tab of the XMB.
  2. Find the game that is giving you trouble and highlight it.
  3. Press triangle and choose delete.

If there are any patches installed you are not required to delete them but I do just to make sure every file related to the game is clean.

Now we get to the fun stuff. If you are still having trouble with freezes we are now going to get into safe mode and try and repair your consoles hard drive. Now that we've refreshed your cache (reinstalling the game) we are going to restore your file system. Refer to Safe Mode Options for an overview of the effect of each choice. Restoring the file system should not make you lose any important data. It searches the drive for corrupted data and tries to repair it or deletes it if it cannot be repaired.

To restore your file system:

  1. Boot into safe mode How To Boot Into Safe Mode
  2. Choose "Restore File System"
  3. Read any prompts and accept your choice

Now that your file system is restored we are going to rebuild your database. Rebuilding your database will delete any messages and customization (playlists, picture crops, video resume points). It will not delete any game saves. Refer to Safe Mode Explained for more information.

To rebuild your database:

  1. Boot into safe mode How To Boot Into Safe Mode
  2. Choose "Rebuild Database"
  3. Read any prompts and accept your choice.

If Nothing Else Works

If none of these fixes are helping your specific situation you may be dealing with a hardware failure. However, we do have one more option. The FACTORY DEFAULT... Dun Dun Dun.

If you are convinced you have no other option except to do a factory default or send your console in, it's worth trying. The first thing you want to do is use the backup utility in the settings tab of your XMB. If requested I will cover the backup utility more in-depth in a future revision but, until then I will just be doing a basic overview.

  • Make sure you have a USB stick or external hard drive with a lot of room on it because the backup utility will back up the entire contents of your PS3 hard drive.
  • Access the backup utility and follow the prompts.

Once you have backed up your PS3 hard drive (if your hard drive is pretty full this could take hours), you are ready to restore to factory default

To restore to factory default:

  1. Boot into safe mode How To Boot Into Safe Mode
  2. Choose "Restore PS3 System"
  3. Read any prompts and accept your choice.

Once you have restored your console to factory default you can test the console and see if your issue is still there. If it is then it's time to call Sony. If your problem has been solved then use the backup utility to restore the backup you created earlier. If the problem returns then there is still an issue with some of your data and it would be smart to delete any data AND saves pertaining to the game in question.

Contact

I am really interested in expanding this guide and maybe moving on to another console so I would really like to hear from you. If you liked this guide (even if you didn't) feel free to let me know. I will work on any revisions I can to make this more readable and informative. Any issues you have that I can help solve will make it into this guide if they can be succinctly explained

My contact info: Nepherael (at) Gmail (dot) com

Credits

If you believe you were not credited for an idea or tip please let me know and I will review your claim.

I would like to thank all of you who read this guide. You are the reason I wrote it. Thanks!

This FAQ is currently only allowed to be displayed at GameFAQs.com. This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.

Copyright 2014 Computer & Technology Unlimited, Brandon Whitton

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