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How to Clean Dust Out of a PS3 FAT Disk

Over time, dust fills up the PlayStation 3 (PS3) hard drive, which may slow the down console. Every PS3 has a fan that keeps the hard drive cool and prevents overheating, which will damage the console. Many PS3s have a "self-cleaning" feature that will spin the fans at high speed and expel the dust from inside. The dust flies out of the vents, completely cleaning out the hard drive. Not all PS3 models have this function, however. It works only with the 40 GB PS3 and newer models.

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off the PS3 by flipping the power switch on the back of console to the "Off" position. Do not turn it off by hitting the "Power" button on the front of the console; that just puts it on standby.
- 2
  Flip the power switch to the "On" position and press the "Eject" button at the exact same time. The "Eject" button is located directly in front of the disc slot on the front of the console.
- 3
  Hold down the "Eject" button until the fans begin to spin fast. It will be loud. Let go of the button and let the cleaning complete. Self-cleaning takes 10 seconds. Once this is complete, the PS3 will be in standby mode.

PlayStation 3