So what have you guys done with the YLOD'd PS3? Sent in for repair?

For my case, it YLODs during the first few attempts to start the console. After that, it starts normally.

Any guesses on how long till it dies completely?

GOW3 really is graphics intensive. My PS3 can only survive the first controlled scene for a few seconds, then switches off. No GOW3 for me except for a few slashes in the first scene of course

For other games, it turns off after playing for quite some time but no specific pattern (sometimes after about 30 mins, sometimes after 1-2 hours). GOW3 is special case, always at the same spot. I reckon it's the GPU getting too hot.

Just curious. Mine YLODed several times for the past 1-2 months. But I kept on trying to turn it on. Normally, it will turn on successfully after close to 10 times of turning on and auto-shutdown (immediately after it's on).

Today, no more red LED but the power is still there. Green light still lights up when I switch it on (after trying several times like starting an old car).

Looks like I wont get YLOD after this coz the RED LED is busted (the YLOD comes from the combination of RED + GREEN LED)

I just realized the red LED connection on my PS3 is loose. I tried to put it back in place but ended up losing it coz it's too small for my fingers to handle No more YLOD for me coz no more red LED to get the yellow light combination (red + green = yellow)

I saw US retailers selling the PS3 fan speed controller. Anyone tried this before? Basically it lets you control the fan speed, so when you're going into intensive gaming, you have the option to turn the fan speed all the way up or to a speed you think is sufficient, after feeling the temperature of the air coming out from the back aof your PS3.

The downside is your PS3 gets really loud and sucks in more juice from TNB. Might have other effects also but havent read any on the web.

Just an opinion, probably another type of YLOD. That's something new. Do share once you found the answer to that symptom.

Thanks.

When I first got RLOD, it was actually YLOD. I just didn't notice the single flash of yellow when it shut down by itself.

Some ppl used a fan speed controller to manually control the speed of the internal fan. So far, havent heard of the guy designing the circuit reporting YLOD on his 40GB launch PS3 yet. It's worth a try.

I have the module but too late since in my case the MOBO rosak dy.

I've tried the hair dryer method with circuit board stripped out from the console. Didn't work as I think the heat wasn't high enuf.

I believe the one that works is where you wrap the console in a towel or enclose it in the retail box and blow the hair dryer into the back grille? I'm too scared to try that method. Not until I xfer all my data into a new unit.

Just to add on top of what cloudstrifes said, all the hassle is involved ONLY IF you need to claim warranty. Otherwise, relax and enjoy the PS3 during the warranty period

Just to share my findings last night.

I got a slim CECH-3006B last week, and I was concern on preventing YLOD to this fella (after that happened to my fat). The first few days, it laid flat on the TV bench. After 1-2 hours of GOW3, the bottom rear left of the console was hot!

Added some modification to the setup. Placed 4 mineral water bottle caps underneath the console and placed a USB fan to blow underneath it. Played GOW3 for 2 hours, felt the bottom of the console after that, it was barely warm!

Just thought someone could benefit from this.

Two reasons I'm putting mine horizontally:

1) Old fat was vertical since day one. When I changed the thermal paste 4 years later, I can see that some of the original paste had spilled out of CPU surface. I suspect it's the gravity pulling it down when the viscosity decreased when it got so hot.

2) I have the Uncharted 3 faceplate on, so when it's on vertical, it's a bit senget (vulnerable to falling down)

If you have the budget, I'd recommend it. But nothing beats a stand fan, seriously.

No problem. I bought 4 small Pepsi bottles the other day. I'm not a fan of sodas so when my wife found them in the shopping cart, I had to return them.

At home, she gave me substitute caps from her vanilla flavoring bottles