PS3 Strip

So, the PS3's are here.  One is powering on but just black screen, I reckon its either a broken Blue-Ray or a bust HDD.  The other, three beeps and red flashing light.

So, I started with the £14 machine, this is a 60GB version, with the lift up flap expansion ports available, and it just powers on and sits there, having entered recovery mode it reports it can't access the HDD inside, so I swapped the HDD with the other machine, no dice.

I plan to test the drives for both and strip out an old HDD I have in a 2.5" caddy to replace into that one machine and give it another whirl.

Anyway, I set that machine a side.

Now, I'm sorry for no pictures here, I really need to get a camera in here, or sort something out because I used to take pictures all the time - check out my silent fan review and fitting series!

Anyway, I set that machine aside and set about the other... This was the first one I bid on, because it sounded like it needs the classic reseat of the CPU & GPU and new thermal paste job.  I stripped the machine down, and there was lots of dust inside, many dust bunnies and even a spider had made a home in one end.

This machine was a cheaper model.  A 60GB one to be precise without the front panel connectors.

With it stripped down I cleaned everything up, I've actually run out of isopropyl alcohol doing this... now the thermal paste inside was crusted to hell, it was just lumps all out the side of the chips and over the top of the CPU it was just an oily film with patchy coverage - so I'm pretty happy that this may just be the problem, and I need to reset everything.

I have cleaned it up, and put my order for some decent thermal paste in.

I'll get some more iso back from the father-in-law tomorrow and finish cleaning her up and then get the heat going on her.