The PS3 Slim is a neat little gaming gizmo which unfortunately suffers from a few technical issues. This article tells you about some common PS3 Slim problems. Learning to fix these issues yourself will save you a lot of time and money.
The Sony PlayStation 3 Slim was released in September 2009, and the advantage of this console is that you can get enhanced memory of 120 GB, 160 GB, 250 GB, or 320 GB. The device is 36% lighter than the older model, and it is also 33% smaller. All this means that the console takes up far lesser space, but this does not mean that it is immune from certain issues.
The design of the console is something that has not gone down well with many people, and there is a discernible difference when you compare it with the older model, which undeniably looks far more classy. Moreover, the finish is also not as good as the glossy one on the old model. Instead, you get a dull looking matte finish.
If you have gone ahead and bought a new PS3 Slim, or are contemplating buying one, then there are a few common problems you need to be aware of. Some of these are minor issues that are faced by all video game consoles, whereas some are unique to this particular console. Getting a console repaired is not an easy task by any means, and it is certainly not an inexpensive matter either. To save you unnecessary trouble, in the following lines we show you how to solve some common issues associated with the PS3 slim.
Problems with the Sony PS3 Slim
Reading Disc
This PS3 problem may seem bizarre, but it is something that many users have been reporting: certain games just do not get read by the console! A system reboot may, or may not work, but you should definitely ensure that you are on the latest firmware update for the console. This can be acquired from the official PlayStation website. Try running some other games to see if the problem is with the particular disc or try putting that particular disc into another console, to see if the problem is with the console. You could also try pressing the eject button for a few seconds till the reader slot opens. Then clean the disc within and then try playing it again.
Overheating
Now this is one of the problems with PS3 that is not uncommon at all, and if your luck is down, there’s nothing much you can do about it. The PS3 Slim is designed to combat overheating as much as possible, but there are instances where this does happen. The result is that the console gets unbearably hot to touch, and the games start freezing on the screen. These freezing problems are thus, directly related to overheating. To prevent this issue, you must try to keep your console in an open place when it is running. If you keep it in a closed area, it will be afflicted by thermal runaway, which means that the hot air coming out from the back will be sucked right back in. This will cause the released air to be even hotter, and this will go on and on and your console might even overheat and be damaged.
Software Freezing
A common issue reported by many PS3 slim users is the freezing of its software. This issue however, can be quite easily resolved by pressing and holding the power button for around 10-15 seconds, which will cause your console to shut down and restart. This should make it work properly again.
Glowing Red Light
The glowing red light is associated with overheating of the console. If you are faced with this problem, the best solution is to allow the device to cool down by keeping it in an open area, away from other devices. In case this issue occurs repeatedly, it might be that the ventilation system of the device is clogged. It would be best then to seek professional help.
Distorted Video Output
Distortion of the video is a common issue in many PS3 slim devices. To address it, press and hold the power button immediately after starting the device. Wait till you hear two consecutive beeps and then release the button. This will cause a manual display to appear where you can choose the best video option for supporting the video format. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, then it is likely that there is a problem in your video card, which is usually caused by overheating. It is advisable in this situation to seek professional help.
XMB Loading
It might happen that your PS3 slim console has problem loading the XMB. To solve this problem, go to ‘Settings’ and then to ‘System Restore’ to restore the settings to the default values. If this doesn’t help then your hard drive might be corrupted. It is recommended that you have it replaced with any other PS3 slim compatible one.
Miscellaneous
Apart from the problems mentioned above, there are few other minor problems that may arise from time to time. If you have recently carried out a PS3 hard drive upgrade, you may face some upgrade problems. If you regularly play on the PlayStation Network, you may face some connection problems and may even have to deal with a PS3 DNS Error.
Most of the PS3 related problems can be solved at home if you know more about its troubleshooting. If however the problem you are facing is serious, and it persists for a prolonged period of time, it is best to take your console to an official PlayStation store.
