How Will I Know If My PS3 Is Damaged?

Lights Flashing

• The PS3 will flash different color lights when the console is having problems. A flashing red light means the PS3 is overheating, which may be remedied by increasing airflow to the PS3. This is common if you place the PS3 on or near carpeting and other sources of dust. Refer to the PS3 manual or PlayStation website for a detailed description of other light meanings.

Beeping

• The PS3 will use beeps, as well as lights, when it's having a problem. Three beeps and a flashing red light suggest a hardware failure. Similar to a computer, the PS3 will beep when it is powered on, off or restarted. One beep is normal when turning the PS3 on or off. Holding the power button will cause multiple beeps, which vary in number depending on how long the button is held. The PS3 manual or PlayStation website has complete beep meanings.

Freezing

• The PS3 may turn on and behave normally until you open a game or application. Overheating may not happen immediately or a game may not freeze until a certain point. If the game freezes after a certain duration, the PS3 itself may not be at fault as the game data may be corrupted or the disc could be scratched.

Won't Read Disc

• The Blu-ray drive supports Blu-ray Discs, DVDs and CDs. When the drive begins to read only one type or no disc at all, the laser system is losing calibration. This is a common issue when the PS3 is shut down during a firmware update. In some cases, rebuilding the database from the Settings menu will fix the problem, though in most cases you'll need to send the PS3 in for repairs.