subject: PS3 Red Light Blinks - 3 Tips For Correcting the Red Light of Death [print this page] PS3 Red Light Blinks - 3 Tips For Correcting the Red Light of Death
The PS3 has the tendency to crash particularly when there are a few things wrong with it. One would have thought that Sony would have taken the initiative to prevent this from happening. If your PS3 red light blinks when you turn it on and doesn't boot completely, then you have what is known as the red light of death. Here are three things you can do to get your PS3 console back up.
1. Dust the Console
If you haven't dusted your console since you bought it, this is the right time to start thinking of that. To do this, you would have to uncouple your PS3. Many people abhor or are scared of this step as they feel it might worsen the condition. To do it right, what you need is a cotton cloth to wipe the CPU and other compartments gently. If it is a dust related issue, doing this and turning the console back on should solve the problem.
2. Look for Broken Contacts
After wiping the console, look for broken contacts on the soldered points. Usually, this becomes more evident after cleaning the processor board. If there is, then you will have to use the hair dryer method. To do this, you would have to aim the hair dryer at the point of broken contact. This is to melt the solder and re-establish contact.
3. Change the Thermal Paste
Also, look to see if the thermal paste has melted. If it has, then you would need to change the thermal paste. This is the plastic or rubber paste that takes most of the heat in the console, thus protecting your HDD and cpu from going up in flames. After reapplying the thermal paste, allow the console cool and turn it back on.
