PS3 (Research/Experimental) - NEC/TOKIN Capacitors Replacement - YLOD

RIP-Felix said:
I keep notes on my copy of the PDF that explains the codes...But its on my home computer and I won't be back for a few weeks. I'd have to go off memory and that ain't so good.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean! I'm still visiting the threads regularly, but I haven't been updating my notes, and I definitely don't trust my memory.

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "old fashioned way"? Straight on the ps3 board?
 
marciolsf said:
Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "old fashioned way"? Straight on the ps3 board?
Click to expand...
Yeah.

Im concerned about the strait edges of my previous design and the overcomplicated via/trace path. My new one is much simpler and rounds the edges, hopefully reducing ringing. Basically a strait path with lots of copper for the pos rail. Also it uses castillated slots on the edge, so the entire rail can be soldered much easier.
 
RIP-Felix said:
Yeah.

Im concerned about the strait edges of my previous design and the overcomplicated via/trace path. My new one is much simpler and rounds the edges, hopefully reducing ringing. Basically a strait path with lots of copper for the pos rail. Also it uses castillated slots on the edge, so the entire rail can be soldered much easier.
Click to expand...
How much is a set of Tantalizer boards though? Might be interested in getting one myself just in case.
 
truemaster said:
delit is needed but make sure you know what are you doing. especialy cell can be very hard. even a scratch on the substrate and is game over
Click to expand...
Precisely... I have a hair dryer and I'll be buying a painters knife because, apparently, it's pretty hard to scrape something with those. All it takes is patience and a gentle touch.
 
Well... I bought a FT232RL adapter to read the PS3 Syscon.
I got this error:

===================================
ERR 00: FFFFFFFF Magic
ERR 01: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 02: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 03: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 04: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 05: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 06: 00000000 A0093004 12B4671B
ERR 07: 00000000 A0093004 12B46717
ERR 08: 00000000 A0093004 12B46710
ERR 09: 00000000 A0093004 12B44196
ERR 10: 00000000 A0093004 12B383C3
ERR 11: 00000000 A0093004 12B383C0
ERR 12: 00000000 A0093004 12B383BD
ERR 13: 00000000 A0093004 12B383BA
ERR 14: 00000000 A0093004 12B383AF
ERR 15: 00000000 A0093004 12B38394
ERR 16: 00000000 A0093004 12B3838F
ERR 17: 00000000 A0093004 12B03012
ERR 18: 00000000 A0093004 12B0300D
ERR 19: 00000000 A0093004 12A88394
===================================

what could this be?
I know the error code list says: A0093004 = RSX_POW_FAIL poweroff state
but the thing is... I really don't know what this means lol :concern::glee:
 
swampy said:
Well... I bought a FT232RL adapter to read the PS3 Syscon.
I got this error:

===================================
ERR 00: FFFFFFFF Magic
ERR 01: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 02: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 03: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 04: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 05: 00000000 A0093004 FFFFFFFF
ERR 06: 00000000 A0093004 12B4671B
ERR 07: 00000000 A0093004 12B46717
ERR 08: 00000000 A0093004 12B46710
ERR 09: 00000000 A0093004 12B44196
ERR 10: 00000000 A0093004 12B383C3
ERR 11: 00000000 A0093004 12B383C0
ERR 12: 00000000 A0093004 12B383BD
ERR 13: 00000000 A0093004 12B383BA
ERR 14: 00000000 A0093004 12B383AF
ERR 15: 00000000 A0093004 12B38394
ERR 16: 00000000 A0093004 12B3838F
ERR 17: 00000000 A0093004 12B03012
ERR 18: 00000000 A0093004 12B0300D
ERR 19: 00000000 A0093004 12A88394
===================================

what could this be?
I know the error code list says: A0093004 = RSX_POW_FAIL poweroff state
but the thing is... I really don't know what this means lol :concern::glee:
Click to expand...
Model of board? Resistance measurement on vddc of rsx?
 
Take measurements on vddc to gnd
https://www.psdevwiki.com/ps3/index.php?curid=10453
On rsx pinout is only vdd. Please do more research if you start on electronic side.
Righ when is powered it should have 1.2v for short periods or 1v can't remember for 65nm, if measurements will show between 3.2~5 ohms it may work, if less than 2,7 may not work or glod. This condition is for 65nm rsx.
 
Last edited:
Should I SYSCON my PS3 when it comes in the mail? There isn't anything wrong with it but I'm assuming it could at least help for the cause. It's a CECHK, and I'm pretty sure it's in working condition. I have the intention of opening it already.
 
The bringup count and uptime is useful for the cause. Thanks. One of these days I need to sift through the threads and compile the bringup/shutdown, uptime, working (yes/no), YLOD/GLOD, etc. It might help us be confident with the timetables for failure. Its just there were a lot of revisions, so it's not going to be easy getting a representative sample for each model. And it'd be a snapshot in time, subject to change. But every little bit helps. THX.
 
hey guys surely its already asked but i cant find it, im interested on knowing whats the difference between using original nec/tokins replacements and tantalum ones, i can just buy brand new necs and replace the old 8 ones from my fat? i want to replace all of them but the bridge thing with tantalums get me a little lost

Im not expert i know how to do some electronic field work with my soldering station but i dont want to mess that much like doing the board scratching, the bridge between tantalums and that shit

i know, unlike tantalums probably the nec tokin replacements will fail in the future again, but i feel like it will be so much easier for me to do this repair that way, anyway im not looking for a permanent fix its an old ps3 fat where i stored family photos and videos and i really want to recover them without paying a reballing (in my country is like 100€)

on the other hand, the console was never delidded but i gived it nice thermal paste and good fan curves, also i always tried to keep the temps below 65ºcelsius degrees for rsx and cell despite making it a near permanent turbine and one day the ylod appeared while playing.
So im pretty sure its gonna be some kind of problem not directly related with rsx/xell BGA

Lets suppose i want to start replacing the top 4 nec tokins, this is right? because i have a lot of questions about it
If this is right, console refuses to boot and solders are right done, i just need to do the same thing on the other side of the mobo?
If its wrong then i guess the other side necs are doing the bridge thing? and its just needed if you replace all 8 necs with those tantalums?
and its needed on both sides or just one?

Sin título.png
 
Last edited:
You could use my Tantalizer for that. Although I'm working on an update thats better. Use 3x 470uF TaPol caps for each tokin replaced. Use bridge wires if removing more than 2 tokins per side (cpu or rsx). Choose low esr caps, less than 9mOhms. I would try piggybacking a couple first. Just scratch some soldermask away next to the GND and positive plane to attach the tantalums to, without removing tokins.

But, If all you want to do is retrieve pictures and files you could try the pressure test. Press down firm over the RSX and attempt to power on. If you have a BGA defect it might boot. If it does you definitely have a bga defect, but once the console boots it might stay on long enough to retrieve your data. The heat should keep it connected until shutdown.

Otherwise you could try just heating the RSX. Thermomechanical reconnection of BGA defects is often why this works (temporarily).

If you really care, you should diagnose the issue with the SYSCON error codes. But as you say, its just to retrieve data, which is why I'm telling you these dirty little hacks.

If you actually have bad tokins neither will work and you loose nothing.
 
damn but its a LOT of data and usb 2.0 / FTP transfer speed kinda sucks, i already recovered something with a succesfull reflow but ylod appeared again while i was backing up the files, so, thats another reason to give this trick a chance i guess
i mean if its a BGA problem why its happening on XMB with nice temps, i checked psu and seems fine to me so time ago i just left it abandoned
 
Not saying it is BGA, just saying if it is you can try pressure test. I find FTP is pretty fast if over LAN, but fast is relative. If we're talking hundreds of Gigs its still hours of transfers that need babysitting. So on a precarious console I get the aprehension.

What we really need is a ps3 HDD tool for PC that can mount SONYs filesystem. Something like Linux file system for windows does for ext2/3/4. @M4j0r does anything like that exist? Wasn't there something like that for OG x-box? Or am I mistaken? How difficult is that? I imagine it would be an issue if they were using encryption, but that slows access and is usually easily decrypted in a few years anyway. Seems like a technical challenge that would have been solved long ago for no other reason than to make transferring files faster.
 
Last edited:
you almost answered yourself if you got full access to hard drive you can maybe easily trick OFW to get homebrew loaded, or maybe "security issues" like sony says? lmfao

but you can explain better the pressure thing? i mean, i should press it with something and boot the thing or what? haha

anyway, a bunch of those capacitors is about 10$ on your favorite chinese provider and i got everything to try this shit, the worst case is getting a cechc04 ylod with tuned capacitors
if finally doesnt works i will try to find out someone on my country to do the frankestein 40mm thing lmfao
 
Last edited:
Okay, it works like this. Disassemble up to the blu-ray. Remove BR, and press down firmly on the back of the RSX leaf spring while powering on. If you press too hard the fan might grind so maybe ease off a bit. Try a few times and it might work. I've got this to work on several occasions.

Once on, the heat from the RSX often will keep the console booted. Just leave it and try not to look at it sideways while you FTP the shiz out of it! But you may be able to repeat it more than once if it does shut off on you.

If it doesn't work, that doesn't mean you don't have a bga defect. Sorry for the double negative, but its not an either or kinda test. If it works = bga or bump defect for sure. But it doesn't rule one out if it doesn't work.
 
drkm43 said:
... a bunch of those capacitors is about 10$ on your favorite chinese provider and i got everything to try this shit, the worst case is getting a cechc04 ylod with tuned capacitors
if finally doesnt works i will try to find out someone on my country to do the frankestein 40mm thing lmfao
Click to expand...
Which caps did you choose? This is kinda important. Low ESR is the problem with cheap caps and $10 seems too low. Usually a full set of 24x costs $30-50. But I always buy from mouser, digikey, or arrow. Ebay and ali express are selling low tier binned caps or leftover from large production runs. So they could be +/- 30% or as good as the guaranteed 10-20% caps you get from large distributors. Its a crap shoot. It's probably fine, just measure before installing to be sure it's near rated spec.

Of course, if your tokins are fine, you are more likely to do more damage than good. Be sure to have a good temperature controlled iron, not a RadioShack special. And a good thick tip. Otherwise put the board on a preheater. Alternatively you can use hot air to help drive the heat of you iron in. The PS3 ground plane will sink heat like crazy...IT'S NOJOKE! Not as easy as it looks! So I would only attempt it if you're sure its needed.

So before you actually go through with the tantalums instal, I would dump the SYSCON error codes to see if you have the tell tale 1002 of bad tokins or a 3034 indicating BGA. If BGA, just do the frankenstein before potentially hurting things with the tantalums. It's your console though, so light it on fire and roast a wieny in cancer smoke if you want to. Its your property...lol!
 
RIP-Felix said:
What we really need is a ps3 HDD tool for PC that can mount SONYs filesystem. Something like Linux file system for windows does for ext2/3/4. @M4j0r does anything like that exist? Wasn't there something like that for OG x-box? Or am I mistaken? How difficult is that? I imagine it would be an issue if they were using encryption, but that slows access and is usually easily decrypted in a few years anyway. Seems like a technical challenge that would have been solved long ago for no other reason than to make transferring files faster.
Click to expand...

There's the PS3 HDD Reader https://3141card.jimdofree.com/downloads/ made by @3141card .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Back
Top