Hobbies And Interests
Game Crash
Your PS3's power problem could simply be a major error in a game. Some games are more prone to this than others, but sometimes a game may freeze and eventually cause your PS3 to reset. Typically this is a one-time error, but if your game continues to freeze, the game's save file may be corrupt. You can create a new save file and use that one instead, or you may need to load an old save and use that one instead of the corrupted file. Fortunately this issue is rare.
Overheating
The PS3 console does a tremendous amount of computing, and it has to use fans to keep its circuitry from overheating. The harder the console has to "think" about something, like a complicated and detailed video game, the more its components will heat up -- in turn causing its fans to work harder to keep the system ventilated. If the PS3 can't keep itself cool enough, it will simply turn off to avoid overheating and permanently ruining its hardware. Usually the indicator light on the PS3 will blink red after it overheats. If this is the case for your console, you should make sure you keep it in an open location where it can stay ventilated, and you may want to clean the vents on the PS3 with a vacuum hose. Do not use compressed air to clean the console; that could damage the system.
Power Failure
The problem when your PS3 turns off may not be with your PS3 at all; it may be with the power supply. The PS3's cord may have fallen out of the outlet, or it may have come loose from the back of the console itself. Also check the power cord for damage. If you see any cuts or other damage to the cord, you should use extreme caution around it to avoid injury and get the power cord replaced as soon as possible. If the cord is undamaged, you may want to plug something else into the outlet, like a lamp, to see if the receptacle has any power at all. The circuit breaker may have tripped, or there may be a more serious problem that an electrician should look into.
"Yellow Light of Death"
On rare occasions PS3s experience what some users term the "yellow light of death." You'll know if this is the case for your system if the indicator light is yellow or if you see it alternate colors in this order: green, yellow, green, red, with red continuing to repeat. This indicates a serious error that should be repaired at a Sony service center or, if your warranty is still current, by the retailer from which you bought the console. There are many do-it-yourself guides online for fixing this problem, but you try them at your own risk. You may damage the PS3 even more if you open it up -- and if you do open it, any warranty that you did have will be void.