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It looks like my laser has burnt out in my PS3...

I'm going to try buying a refurbed laser online and see if I can fix this thing... It's an original 60GB unit, and it suddenly just stopped reading disks.

Very odd indeed.

Not sure if anyone else here has attempted it, but anyone know of good sources for the KES-400A laser?

I really don't want to pay sony $150USD to fix it -- I'd rather buy a new unit with a full warranty for just double the cost.
When you say "blind" is it both DVD's & Blu Ray discs that the system can't read?

Well, best of luck in trying the repair yourself but I would personally let Sony or a local authorized repair shop do it and swallow the difference seeing as you have one of the more desirable Sony units out there (60GB launch unit with full BC)

There is an authorized Sony repair shop in Etobicoke (Where I got the lamp for my TV) you might want to contact them and see what they would want to fix it (and it would save you the shipping issues too)

NefCanuck
there is a place out here in whitby that fixes them.... i think it was just under $200 with tax
or they sell the slim for $260 taxes in with a game....

i had my 60GB fixed and then sold it, they are prone to breakage.

sounds like your blue-ray laser is shot, but there are 2 lasers 1 for blu-ray and one for DVD
thanks for the tip Dan.. I hadn't really thought about that.

Unfortunately, the drive died on me Monday night. I was watching blurays while doing some of my doc, and after Terminator 2, it would load a new disk, but wouldn't see anything. So the machine knows there's a disk in there, the blue light comes on, but the machine doesn't do anything with it (no disc icon shows up in the XMB for DVD, BD, or Games).

I tried a filesystem restore, and that didn't help, and I may back it up and try a system restore, but all indications are that the laser diode went *poof* (kinda like my summer)...

So I ordered in a new laser with tray for $70, and will attempt the swap myself. If I can build computers, I should be able to do this. And if not, then I'll refer the machine to a service center.

And then consider selling it once it's fixed for a newer machine with a hopefully better longevity.
Only problem is if the seal is broken some shops won't work on it

when i took mine in the $200 covered everything... as i thought it was just a power supply issue and it turned out the mother board was fried too and they replace everything with new parts as far as i know

MTC in whitby is where i had it done and back with in a week
I'm surprised a shop won't work on it if the warranty sticker is broken... Hell, it's not under warranty, that's why I'd be bringing it to a shop...

There's a local game shop that'll take back anything for a trade-in, so if I really futz it up, I can at least get a deal on a new one anyways.

I'm sure it'll go smoothly, I'll post more on the process once I get it going.
Operation is a success!

I have to be honest, when it comes to taking my toys apart, I'm usually more successful at the apart, than the 'back together' part. But I actually pulled it off.

Umpteen screws later, I swapped out the entire laser/drive assembly..
[Image: 34605_10150216173195174_845970173_137333...4789_n.jpg]

and my PS3 can now see again.

Total cost - $110.

I don't think my fingers are small enough to work the assembly line tho --.
Gah...

Looking at that convinces me more than ever, should my laser crap out it goes off to a Sony authorized shop. Too many little things in there for me to go "Whoops.... #$$@%@"

NefCanuck
Hey Dan,

It took me about 45 minutes to do it, and that was because I freaked out when I saw the different lengths on all the inner case screws (long story, childhood trauma)...

That being said, the swap can be done in under half an hour now that I know what goes where.

another interesting tidbit - I was able to remove the warranty void sticker and reapply without any issues either. I was amazed the sticker came off so easy -- tho I didn't bother replacing it, because, let's be honest, no PS3 the age of mine has warranty anyways.

I'm actually rather proud of myself
Pacific mall.
Problem solved.

LOL.
(07-23-2010, 01:02 AM)ANTHONYD Wrote: [ -> ]Pacific mall.
Problem solved.

LOL.

haha, I was willing to pay a little extra for REAL parts.
(07-23-2010, 12:50 AM)darkpuppet Wrote: [ -> ]Hey Dan,

It took me about 45 minutes to do it, and that was because I freaked out when I saw the different lengths on all the inner case screws (long story, childhood trauma)...

That being said, the swap can be done in under half an hour now that I know what goes where.

another interesting tidbit - I was able to remove the warranty void sticker and reapply without any issues either. I was amazed the sticker came off so easy -- tho I didn't bother replacing it, because, let's be honest, no PS3 the age of mine has warranty anyways.

I'm actually rather proud of myself

Cool Smile and I'm guessing the reason that the sticker went on & off so well is basically the age of the console and the heating / cooling cycles that turned the adhesive to dust Tongue

I'm still waiting for SSD drives to drop a bit further and then I'm gonna dump one into my PS3, the HDD access times on the stock 60GB unit are pathetic Undecided

NefCanuck
you can speed it up by slapping in a 7000 RPM drive, but the SSDs might be pretty good. My only concern is the read/write cycles that SSDs can support. They do have a limited lifespan, and the more you write to them, the less they last. You won't see any SSDs in DB servers.
Only issue with the 7,000RPM drives is heat (which is a killer for the PS3 too)

As to the limited read/write cycles, I'd probably be eyeing a PS4 by the time the SSD drive was ready to expire Wink

NefCanuck