What is Safe Mode and how to access it on a PS3.

What is Safe Mode?
Safe mode is a feature for starting the PS3™ system with the "minimum required functionality" if the system is no longer able to start up normally due to an action was taken (such as turning off the system's MAIN POWER switch while data was being written to the hard disk drive). By starting up the system in safe mode then executing a menu option, you may be able to eliminate the symptom. Please note there is a chance that safe mode options will not fix the problem and you system will require service.

NOTE:
I do not recommend using the options in Safe Mode unless you are experiencing issues with the PLAYSTATION 3.  Some of these options could result in loss of data.

If you choose to perform one of the Safe Mode options, please back up your data before attempting to enter safe mode (when possible). Safe Mode is only available to PS3's with system software 2.60 or greater installed.

When to Use Safe Mode?

Execute safe mode when the PS3™ is experiencing the following symptoms:

• When the PS3™ system is started up, the XMB™ menu is not displayed (only the wave screen background appears)
• When the PS3™ system is started up, nothing appears on the screen
• When the PS3™ system is started up, a message stating is displayed > > Restore operation > Restart
  Original message is displayed again or the system stops during restoration.
• When the PS3™ system is started up, a message stating is displayed > > Rebuild > Failure > System stops while formatting hard disk drive.
• The system stops while restarting after a PS3™ system update or while updating or rebuilding the database. The situation does not improve even when the system is restarted.

Safe Mode Options

In Safe Mode, you will have the following options:

1. Restart System - Ends safe mode and starts up the PLAYSTATION 3 normally.
2. Restore Default Settings - Performs the same operations as on the XMB™, and also deletes PlayStation®Network account information from the system.
3. Restore File System - Attempts to repair all areas on the hard disk drive where files can be saved. Corrupted data may be erased if it cannot be recovered.
4. Rebuild Database - Deletes messages, playlists, changes made on screens, trimming information for pictures in , video thumbnails, video playback history and video resume information.
   This operation may take a long time depending on the type and number of data items.
5. Restore PS3 System - IMPORTANT: All data will be lost by performing this step.
   This will reformat the hard drive on the PLAYSTATION 3, deleting all data and restoring it to as if it just came out of the box. This is the same as on the XMB.
6. System Update - Updates the PS3 system software. This can only be done with an update file already saved on an external storage media.

Activating Safe Mode

Step 1: Turn off the PLAYSTATION 3 by holding the Power button on the front of the unit till the Power light is red.

Step 2:

1. Touch and hold the Power button, you will hear the first beep, meaning the PLAYSTATION 3 is powering on.
2. Continue to hold the Power button and after about 5 seconds, you will hear a second beep, indicating the video reset.
3. Continue to hold the Power button and after about another 5 seconds you will hear a third beep and the system will power off (Power light is red).

Step 3:

1. Touch and hold the Power button, you will hear the first beep, again for the PLAYSTATION 3 to power on.
2. Continue to hold the Power button and after about 5 seconds, you will hear a second beep for video reset.
3. Continue to hold the Power button and after about another 5 seconds you will hear a quick double beep.  At that point release the Power button.  If you succeeded in activating Safe Mode, you will see a message on the screen saying, "Connect the controller using a USB cable and then press the PS button."
   
   
   
4. Connect a USB cable to the controller and the PLAYSTATION 3 and press the PS button to enter Safe Mode.
5. Then you will see the Safe Mode menu.
   
   
   

Step 4: I recommending performing the safe mode options in the following order until one of the options works for you. If one of the options work, do not continue onto the other options.

1. Restore Default Settings
2. Restore File System
3. Rebuild Database
4. Restore PS3 System

PS3: Red and yellow lights of death

Yellow light of DEATH:
If you are the proud owner of a Playstation3, at one time or another you will experience the yellow light. The ps3 yellow light of death, is not as bad as it seems.  Before rushing off to the repair shop, check the unit out. There are basically three reasons why you will get this yellow light, faulty power supply, hard drive error or unit overheated.  Unplug the unit from the wall and from all other connections and let it sit. Most of the times the yellow light will go out when it is plugged back in. If the light is still on try replacing the power supply and finally the hard drive. If the ps3 yellow light of death does not reset, you can try fixing it yourself following this well made tutorial.

Red light of DEATH:
Playstation 3 problems including the red light are common. After a unit has been broke in, it is possible to get the red flashing light. This light means your unit is overheating. The overheating is coming from the CPU or the GPU. Oftentimes, turning off the system and resetting it will take care of the problem. However if this problem remains, you may want to consider attempting to fix it yourself following this guide which has proven to be a permanent fix for many.

How to update a PS3.

You can update the system software by any of the following methods:

System Update - If your PS3 is online, the most straightforward way to update the system software is using the PS3 itself. Go to Settings on the XMB Menu, select System Update and then Update via Internet and your PS3 will check if you have the latest version. If not, it will download and install it for you.

PC Update - Click here for the very latest version of the update data.

Use your PC to create a folder named PS3 on the storage media or USB device. Within the folder, create a folder named UPDATE (This folder name is case sensitive and must appear in all capital letters). Once the UPDATE folder has been created, download the PS3 system software update to this location.

Once the update data has been saved, disconnect the storage device and connect it to your PS3. Once connected, navigate to Settings on the XMB Menu, select System Update and then Update via Storage Media. Select the connected device and your PS3 will install the update data stored there.

What to do when a PS3 game freezes while loading.

Hey guys, today I'm gonna be showing you different methods to fix the game load problem for the PS3, (which Ive been having for the last 2 months). A lot of the answers I got on the web didn't quite work out for me, so I made my own solutions. If you get this problem the chances are that all your games will be affected ( I don't know why but Assassins Creed II works perfectly for me, but other games like Uncharted 3, Gran Turismo 5, Assassins Creed: Revelations, Sports Champion 2 don't). I use a PS3 Slim 320GB.

 SYMPTONS:

• The game disc icon doesn't come on the XMB menu.
• Game freezes while initial loading.
• All the attributes of the game doesn't come on screen (Once while I playing FIFA 12 all the surroundings disappeared and I was left with Rooney running around a white screen with an imaginary ball)    

 FIXES:
Method-1 :
This is like the first thing you will need to do if you ever have any problems with your PS3-

1. Unplug all the connections ( HDMI, Power, Chargers ..etc)
2. Keep in a well ventilated room for like 5-10 minutes.
3. Vacuum all the air holes and get it dust-free.

This might not be the solution to all your problems but it may help (there's no pain in trying right).
 
Method-2
Trying out different disk types may help-

1. First try inserting a regular CD. If it works go to the next step.
2. Try a DVD movie. If this works then continue.
3. Now try a BD disc or a Game disc. It should be working now.

If it still isn't working, it might be because the BD reader has burned out. (I don't recommend you trying to fix the BD reader on your own, send it to SONY they'll fix it for you)

Method-3
Some of the files on your Hard drive maybe damaged. To fix this you will need to enter into Safe Mode on the PS3 and restore the file system. To learn how to do this click here.

Method-4
This is the method I use for playing Uncharted 3 and Assassins Creed: Revelations. This one I figured out on my own and it has been working 100% -

Pressing the PS button at the initial loading of the game will make the XMB menu to show up and the game will continue loading and not freeze. When it finishes loading just press the PS button again to lose the menu.
All you have to do is to make sure that HDD indicator keeps blinking, if it stops while the game loads it means that the game has frozen.

 

If you found this helpful or if you have more solutions to this problem please tell me in the comments.

How to install themes on a PS3 via USB flash drive

For those new to a ps3 , installing a theme is very simple.
Just follow these steps exactly and you'll be an expert in no time.

Download theme to USB  a storage

1. Plug a USB flash drive into your PC
2. On the USB device, create a folder called PS3
3. Inside that PS3 folder create a new folder called THEME
4. Find a theme you want to download. Here’s the “Sample” theme  that comes with Sony’s P3T Compiler tool
5. Save the theme into the THEME folder on your USB device

Install theme on your PS3

1. Plug the USB device into your PS3
2. Go to the Settings XMB menu and choose Theme settings
3.  Choose Theme
4. Choose the Install option
5. Select the storage media (the USB device you plugged in)
6. You should now be shown a list of themes found on USB device. Choose the theme you want to install. Repeat the steps for multiple themes. If you get the message “There are no themes”, check that the theme is located in the correct folder on the device (see steps above)
7. The theme should now be available in the Theme options. Choose the theme’s Apply option
8. After a short pause the theme will be applied to the XMB!

Screenshots