EDIT

My PS3 is dead. but she will rise again! i have decided to "reflow" my PS3. its cheaper then buying and new one and i want to see if i can fix it my self. its not like im going to break it any more then it already is. so wish me luck GB next my PS3 goes under the heat gun.

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So i was playing Dead Nation this evening and right at the end of the game the PS3 shuts it self off, beeps at me a few times and then starts flashing red. i turn it back on and about 30 mins later it does the same thing. Google tells me its either a overheating issues (which there are no fixes for) or the hard drive is going bad. for now im going to give it a little break. at the moment it will still turn on and boot to the XMB. i am hoping the system just got too hot and shut it self down. My PS3 is running extremely hot lately and its in a completely open area none of the vents are blocked. to be safe when i boot it up later im going to have a fan blowing directly on it while playing. Its an original 60 gig so i really dont want it to die. i hope its just a hick up and nothing more.

EDIT

sorry i should have put "MY" PS3 may be near death. reading the title sounds a little misleading. whoops.

Man, that sucks even more being a 60GB, I lost my old 40GB one to a shitty firmware update that essentially botched my system from reading any blu rays, and the fix is more expensive than the console. As for the shutting down, I've heard as long as it's not a yellow light it shouldn't be too alarming.

I made the plunge to a slim PS3 from my 60gb PS3 a year or so ago. My 60g was getting loud. The new one is deathly silent and I'm quite happy with it. As long as you have decent airflow to the console, you should be alright about heating. Maybe give it a good air dusting just in case? Also, you aren't getting the YLOD so it sounds like you are okay.

Still...if you have the coin, consider replacing it. The larger hdd and the silent design of the new ones is worth it imo.

I also have an original 60 GB.  It's still going strong, but I am worried....

See my other thread on cleaning out my PS3 and re-applying new thermal paste to the CPU and RSX chips to avoid overheating due to clogged vents and poor thermal heat transfer due to old paste on the chips.

My 60GB was hitting the higher fan speed after 3-4 minutes of being on for any reason, now the highest fan setting never comes on and it takes 10-15 of gaming before the fan gets to a level where I even really hear it.

Definitely a worthwhile undertaking if you want to extend the life of your older PS3.

I least your 60gb has lasted as long as it has. Mine died in the first year. I have a slim now and don't miss the BC at all, but I miss the extra usb ports. 

@Krakn3Dfx said:

See my other thread on cleaning out my PS3 and re-applying new thermal paste to the CPU and RSX chips to avoid overheating due to clogged vents and poor thermal heat transfer due to old paste on the chips.

My 60GB was hitting the higher fan speed after 3-4 minutes of being on for any reason, now the highest fan setting never comes on and it takes 10-15 of gaming before the fan gets to a level where I even really hear it.

Definitely a worthwhile undertaking if you want to extend the life of your older PS3.

im going to have to look into that. if anything i need to take it apart to clean it. last night i did all i could with a bottle of compressed air from the outside, but really thats just blowing the dust back into the PS3 =/. I dont have a heat gun so applying new thermal paste is not an option right now.

@Jackel2072 said:

@Krakn3Dfx said:

See my other thread on cleaning out my PS3 and re-applying new thermal paste to the CPU and RSX chips to avoid overheating due to clogged vents and poor thermal heat transfer due to old paste on the chips.

My 60GB was hitting the higher fan speed after 3-4 minutes of being on for any reason, now the highest fan setting never comes on and it takes 10-15 of gaming before the fan gets to a level where I even really hear it.

Definitely a worthwhile undertaking if you want to extend the life of your older PS3.

im going to have to look into that. if anything i need to take it apart to clean it. last night i did all i could with a bottle of compressed air from the outside, but really thats just blowing the dust back into the PS3 =/. I dont have a heat gun so applying new thermal paste is not an option right now.

Don't need a heat gun, just a number 10 torx screw, a phillips screwdriver, a tube of Arctic Silver, some rubbing alcohol and paper towels, and probably 4-5 different containers to drop screws into and keep separate.

It will most likely break again after fixing it. Not saying it won't last a bit but it will probably go. If you have the money just buy a new one.

@Krakn3Dfx said:

@Jackel2072 said:

@Krakn3Dfx said:

See my other thread on cleaning out my PS3 and re-applying new thermal paste to the CPU and RSX chips to avoid overheating due to clogged vents and poor thermal heat transfer due to old paste on the chips.

My 60GB was hitting the higher fan speed after 3-4 minutes of being on for any reason, now the highest fan setting never comes on and it takes 10-15 of gaming before the fan gets to a level where I even really hear it.

Definitely a worthwhile undertaking if you want to extend the life of your older PS3.

im going to have to look into that. if anything i need to take it apart to clean it. last night i did all i could with a bottle of compressed air from the outside, but really thats just blowing the dust back into the PS3 =/. I dont have a heat gun so applying new thermal paste is not an option right now.

Don't need a heat gun, just a number 10 torx screw, a phillips screwdriver, a tube of Arctic Silver, some rubbing alcohol and paper towels, and probably 4-5 different containers to drop screws into and keep separate.

no i think i need the heat gun for the flux il be using

My PS3 is going strong, Launch 60gb version, Although its louder than i remember it, Its still not super loud and I cannot hear it while playing with sound so its all good, I bought A new 360s when they came out so probably because thats real quiet it makes my ps3 seem louder.
 
My old 360 launch system was like a rocket taking off I doubt the PS3 will ever hit that level, Even my 360 elite was quite a bit louder than ps3, My PS3 is a trooper considering the 360s is the third one I have bought this generation not to mention the 2 replacements for RROD.
 
I will buy a PS3 slim soon but will see how long the original lasts.

@yakov456 said:

It will most likely break again after fixing it. Not saying it won't last a bit but it will probably go. If you have the money just buy a new one.

yeah in a lot of places ive read its really treating the symptoms and not the problem. the RSX and CPU are damaged

right now i dont have the cash for a new one. im also curious if i can really fix it my self also see how long it lasts if successful.

I had to let mine go last year before the release of Heavy Rain poor guy's fan broke and he ran too hot for too long. I recommend cleaning out the dust and stuff from your PS3 monthly if you have a launch one like mine. Just power it down unplug it and use some compressed air into the vents to knock the crud loose then next time you turn it on it will all fly out.

My wimpy  40 gig launch system died not to long ago. the evil temptation of Gamestop got to me, they were doing a special where it was like an extra $50 on System trade ins, and they even take broken ones.  I was more than half way towards a new system with some games I traded in and I think it was less than $100 for my new (used) PS3 with a one year GS warranty. 

Good luck on your reflow job. Hope it goes better than mine did.

My PS3 is still going strong. My arcade 360, which is naturally just out of warranty, froze a couple of times on me yesterday. I don't know if it was just the games, or the system itself. God, I hope it was the games.