Home >> Internet Games >> PlayStation 3

How to Get Saves off of YLOD on a PS3

One of the most dire situations a PlayStation 3 owner can experience with his gaming console is the "Yellow Light of Death" or "YLOD." This refers to the yellow light that activates on the front of the console after the PS3 experiences some kind of crippling hardware problem that means it will need to be sent back to Sony for repairs or replaced entirely. All of the PS3 game data including saves are stored on the built-in hard drive, so a concerned gamer will want to back up this information before sending away their console.

Things You'll Need

Working PlayStation 3 console
Phillips-head screwdriver
USB flash drive

Instructions

- 1
  Unplug the power cable from both PS3 system. Remove the plastic panel that covers the hard drive. Remove the blue screw, flip the metal latch to release the hard drive, shift the drive to the right and slide it out of the console. Remove the hard drives from both consoles, but keep track of which one came from the working console.
- 2
  Insert the hard drive from the broken PS3 into the working PS3. Secure it with the blue screw. Plug the power cord back into the working PS3 and connect it to your TV. Turn it on. The PS3 will boot up and read the files on the old hard drive.
- 3
  Plug the USB flash drive into one of the USB slots on the front of the PS3. Navigate to the "Games" section of the PS3 XMB interface. Open the folder for the PS3 saved data.
- 4
  Highlight the data that you wish to copy. Press the triangle button to access more options and select "Copy." Select the USB drive to copy the save files. Repeat this with all game data you wish to save.
- 5
  Turn off the PS3, unplug the power cable, remove the hard drive and replace the original hard drive.

PlayStation 3