Friday 7 January 2011

Update on my slim YLOD

I'm sure you'll recall my November post about my 10 month old 12oGB slim going the way of the YLOD, time for an update and hoping some of you have advice...

The PS3 has been fine once started, the YLOD is definitely from cold - at first I had to start in a few times, after 40-45 seconds it would YLOD and I'd have to try again. This degraded to the point where it takes half an hour of restarts to get it going. Once up, it stays up, and once warm it can be switched off for a few mins and still starts first time. So I've put up with that, I've taken to leaving it on 24-7. Need to get it sorted though.

Now last night I was watching ITV player when I got a BLUE SCREEN. I'd never heard of this, a Google does report a few people who have seen this, but I can't find an image of it which matches what I thought I saw. It was gone in an instant (I may have pressed something - probably why noone has captured it) and on reboot I had to set up HDMI, date etc. then hit an option to restore all user profiles.

After this, all is well except the primary account MrJimmy is now called User1 and the PSN accounts are gone for all users. I logged in again on my MrJimmy one, but games from other accounts require those accounts to be re-entered too.

Big Question: does all this use up one of the five activations, or is it smart enough to know it's the same PS3?

No idea if this Blue Screen of Death / BSOD is a HW or SW fail, but it's a prime ball-ache - you don't want one. If I go all user-accounty with it, then if my HW fix requires another re-entry, I could be eating up account uses like crazy. Have to make sure I deactivate if I can get it started before HW fix attempts.

Pissed off - I can't find the receipt and don't want to go without my main DVD/Blueray/Game machine for months with Sony anyway (if it's true they take a long time). Really gutted.

UPDATE: OK I've some massive backtracking to do here:

I dug out my bank statement which had the Toys R Us transaction on it for Feb last year, then I tracked down the well hidden support number for Playstation (it's 01923 476426, thanks saynoto0870.com) and made the call...

Call answered quickly, I explained the YLOD and the chap said this is no problem and a like for like (i.e. same age and model) refurbished unit will be couriered out on Monday for an 8am-6pm swap. I have to watch the courier open seals and give him my unit

I confirmed the serial number and place/date of purchase, this was all good enough, no fuss no bother - just a cheerful 'thanks thats fine'.

This is EXCELLENT SERVICE - really really impressed. He talked me though what I need to do, I kind of knew this anyway, so being Friday I've the following to do for Monday:

1 - get the sod started as is!

2 - run a backup of everything on there

3 - de-authorise my accounts so my limit of 5 is kept down.

4 - swap my hard-disk out and put back the original

5 - entertain my family on Sunday, they're all over for lasagne.!

Also regarding the 5 user limit, he mentioned that they can only address the limit if it is exceeded, so if I do have a problem getting this started I can call back, should my limit be reached. He mentioned gamesharing as a problem, fair do's.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY: I paid way too much attention to hearsay on forums about Sony needing the receipts, sitting on repairs for months etc. whereas they now have a very efficient swap out service - well done Sony.

6 comments:

  1. I never had a receipt any of the times I sent my Sony products for repair.

    My Ps3 came back to me with in a week in what was a busy period as stated by the Sony employe.

    So send it off, true you go with out for a week or two. But I'm sure you'll want your £250 machine fixed and ready for the amazing games coming out this year!

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  2. @E-Role - cheers, check my update above - they now swap refurbs at your door, way better IMHO.

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  3. Ah, also I discussed the blue screen problem, he said it is very rare but he had heard of it, never seen it, curious.

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  4. wow, that's quality customer service.

    +100

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  5. Excellent! Sony at it's best.

    Good as new ps3 and lasagna, what else could a man want?

    Oh yea, http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_X2sjPjJJdH8/SLRfWoUNR9I/AAAAAAAAGJg/MtmZrcd1tsY/s400/Denise-Milani-busty-bikini-1.jpg

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