How to Repair Playstation 3 Consoles

The PlayStation 3 uses a Blu-ray drive to read game discs as well as play high-definition movies. The Blu-ray drives laser lens can become polluted from dirt and debris introduced to it by the discs and cause the laser to read discs in an erratic fashion. Repairing the Blu-ray drives lens is not complicated, although the steps needed to get to it inside of the PS3 can be daunting to those inexperienced in opening up an electronic device. Repairing the Blu-ray drive of the PlayStation 3 game console will avoid an expensive trip to a service center and return the PS3 to full working order.

Instructions

1

Put the towel down on the table. Remove all of the cables from the PS3 and put it down on the towel. Insert the flat-edged screwdriver into the seam of the hard drive compartment on the right side and pull the compartment out. Unscrew the blue screw inside with the Torx screwdriver. Lift the handle of the metal shield and turn it so that the metal shield comes out of the compartment. Pull the hard drive out of the compartment.

2

Turn the PS3 face down on the towel. Separate the rubber feet from the bottom case using the flat-edged screwdriver. Unscrew the screws below the rubber feet with the Phillips screwdriver. Return the PS3 face up on the towel.

3

Slide the outer shell up and off to the right to remove it from the bottom casing of the PS3. Remove the outer shell completely. Unscrew all of the exposed screws on the top with the Torx screwdriver. Slide the top shell up and toward the back panel of the PS3. Remove the USB connections (if this is a first-generation PS3) that are going to the circuit board by pulling them straight out. Remove the top shell completely.

4

Unscrew the Blu-ray drive from the bottom casing using the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Lift the Blu-ray drive up off the bottom casing and remove the two connectors from the back by pulling each one straight off. Put the Blu-ray drive down on the towel.

5

Remove the screws from the side and back panels of the Blu-ray drive using the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Turn the Blu-ray drive over and remove the screws from the bottom using the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Turn the Blu-ray drive face up and put it down on the towel. Pull the outer shell off of the Blu-ray drive.

6

Locate the laser lens in the middle of the laser assembly at the center of the circuit board inside of the Blu-ray drive. Carefully remove the laser assembly from the two rails that it is riding on by wiggling it free. Put the laser assembly down on the towel.

7

Blow off the laser lens on the laser assembly using the compressed air. Dip a cotton swab in the rubbing alcohol and gently rub it against the lens in a circular motion. Wipe the lens with a corner of the photographic lens tissue. Shine the flashlight on the lens to inspect it for dirt and debris. Repeat the process of wiping it with a moistened cotton swab and drying it off with a photographic lens tissue if needed. Blow off the laser assembly with the compressed air again.

8

Reattach the laser assembly to the rails inside of the Blu-ray drive. Reassemble the Blu-ray drive. Reattach the cable from inside of the PS3's bottom casing to the Blu-ray drive. Reattach the Blu-ray drive to the bottom casing. Reassemble the PS3.

9

Reattach all of the cables to the PS3. Turn the PS3 on and insert a game disc or a Blu-ray movie disc into the Blu-ray drive's slot at the front of the PS3. Play a game or watch a movie now that you have fixed the Blu-ray drive of the PlayStation 3 game console.