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

[shooter556]

I finally found why my attempts are failing.
Till I found this video:

At least you need to use wood carving knife and a car repair solder iron to remove those tokin capacitors.

 

[Pacorretaco]

Hi again!
I've managed to boot into the xmb menu of my CECH-2004B by temporarily solder a 440uF tantalum cap as @Pacorretaco suggested in page 178 before removing the original TOKIN. I then wanted to access via syscon UART connection to some diagnostic info but as the syscon tutorial implies, that's not possible. Is there any way to extract info from syscon via the python script now or must I install the PS3 Advanced tools? The console isn'jailbroken yet.

Hello, I have been away for a while but I am glad you got it working.

However, what Syscon tutorial says your board is not possible? All are very possible. Here is a video for example, including your same board I think.

Lastly if your machine is working now, for curiosity you could also check with software yes. Even from Official firmware is possible thanks to the updated bguervile toolset.

Cheers

 

[olokos]

Well it's good practice for you. There is some useful information we could use for the forum. becount will tell us how much use the console had before this happened. That'll help us figure out how long these consoles last before the BGA craps out. So I would encourage you to do it.

But yeah, this console needs reballed for sure. Your errorlog is telling the whole story. You initially had DVE (802022) and CPU VRM instability (801001). That's common when the RSX_VDDIO balls are affected. You can confirm this by pressing on that corner of the chip (pressure test) and the console boots. It doesn't alway work, but doesn't mean it's not a BGA defect if it doesn't boot.

Thank you very very much. Instead of replacing the capacitors that I have already ordered I went to some professional company which specialises in console repairs and after a reball the console works perfectly again.

Thanks a lot for your help, saved me the hassle of replacing the capacitors which wouldn't help at all.

There's only one thing that bothers me a little.

When I gave the CECHC04 for the reball, I gave them the disassembled console with rs232 still soldered to the test points.

I did mention that and they said this won't be a problem.

Turned out that the guy decided that they won't be touching this rs232 soldered to test points at all, just reballed and reassembled the console with rs232 still soldered to the mobo.

The console itself fully works without any issues now.

Is there any risk of keeping the rs232 soldered to the mobo test points?

IIRC the rs232 is on the opposite side of the cooling system, so it shouldn't affect temperatures too much, but maybe it will affect something else?

 

[ProtossGP32]

Hello, I have been away for a while but I am glad you got it working.

However, what Syscon tutorial says your board is not possible? All are very possible. Here is a video for example, including your same board I think.

Lastly if your machine is working now, for curiosity you could also check with software yes. Even from Official firmware is possible thanks to the updated bguervile toolset.

Cheers

Hi @Pacorretaco, thanks for your reply! I'm not saying that it's not possible to access syscon errlogs on my PS3 Slim (in fact I already connected to it when the console didn't boot and I could verify that it was indeed a capacitor's problem); what I was trying to say is that now, with a working unit, I wasn't able to use the same UART connection procedure to check the syscon logs, and that as the syscon tutorial implied, when dealing with a working unit one can access the same info by using extra software instead (nowhere in the tutorial says that in this working scenario you can connect via UART, it's just this what I'm pointing out).

 

[RIP-Felix]

Thank you very very much. Instead of replacing the capacitors that I have already ordered I went to some professional company which specialises in console repairs and after a reball the console works perfectly again.

Thanks a lot for your help, saved me the hassle of replacing the capacitors which wouldn't help at all.

There's only one thing that bothers me a little.

When I gave the CECHC04 for the reball, I gave them the disassembled console with rs232 still soldered to the test points.

I did mention that and they said this won't be a problem.

Turned out that the guy decided that they won't be touching this rs232 soldered to test points at all, just reballed and reassembled the console with rs232 still soldered to the mobo.

The console itself fully works without any issues now.

Is there any risk of keeping the rs232 soldered to the mobo test points?

IIRC the rs232 is on the opposite side of the cooling system, so it shouldn't affect temperatures too much, but maybe it will affect something else?

What's an rs232? I've never used one, so this it new to me. A quick google search just said it's some kind of Telecommunications standard, which didn't sound like the same thing.

IDK if whatever you did there is needed anymore. I magine not, since the console is working.

BTW what professional service did you use and how much did they charge? I'm curious, because AFAIK very few people have used professional rework services, besides your @Computer Booter, ACE Console Repair, and @vyktormvmpay25 's of the world. Besides them, I wouldn't know who to trust with customer repairs. No offense @Shawn Shakir or @squeept. I know you do good work, but AFAIK they/you don't offer reballs as a service to customers.

 

[squeept]

What's an rs232?

No offense @Shawn Shakir or @squeept. I know you do good work, but AFAIK they/you don't offer reballs as a service to customers.

In the 90's, RS232 was pretty much interchangeable with using the word "serial" and it's carried over for a lot of "old timers" I'm sure.

Also, yes, and it is sometimes difficult to operate a business when one hates having customers.

edit: wait, F%$#, I'm the old timer.

 

[kenkenken]

I have a COK-001 fat PS3. It's giving me the RLOD (not YLOD). Could this be the tokins? Syscon results are below. Thank you.

===================================
ERR 00: 00000000 A0403034 289FB4DA
ERR 01: 00000000 A0403034 289FB4AF
ERR 02: 00000000 A0403034 289FB4A5
ERR 03: 00000000 A0403034 288F71E3
ERR 04: 00000000 A0403034 288F7035
ERR 05: 00000000 A0403034 288F7014
ERR 06: 00000000 A0403034 1C376D10
ERR 07: 00000000 A0403034 19013BA9
ERR 08: 00000000 A0902120 18EABAC8
ERR 09: 00000000 A0403034 18EABAC8
ERR 10: 00000000 A0801601 18E592E8
ERR 11: 00000000 A0801701 18E592E8
ERR 12: 00000000 A0801001 18E2D3F7
ERR 13: 00000000 A0801001 18DECEB7
ERR 14: 00000000 A0801001 18D2F46C
ERR 15: 00000000 A0801001 1887E7A9
ERR 16: 00000000 A0801001 185A3B1F
ERR 17: 00000000 A0801001 176BFCC3
ERR 18: 00000000 A0801001 175A9ADF
ERR 19: 00000000 A0801001 16FF1A1C
===================================

 

[RIP-Felix]

I created a Poll here in case anyone has had a personal experience reballing the 90nm RSX. Please tell us how long the console lasted.

 

[kenkenken]

RIP-Felix any thoughts on my syscon codes?

I have a COK-001 fat PS3. It's giving me the RLOD (not YLOD). Could this be the tokins? Syscon results are below. Thank you.

===================================
ERR 00: 00000000 A0403034 289FB4DA
ERR 01: 00000000 A0403034 289FB4AF
ERR 02: 00000000 A0403034 289FB4A5
ERR 03: 00000000 A0403034 288F71E3
ERR 04: 00000000 A0403034 288F7035
ERR 05: 00000000 A0403034 288F7014
ERR 06: 00000000 A0403034 1C376D10
ERR 07: 00000000 A0403034 19013BA9
ERR 08: 00000000 A0902120 18EABAC8
ERR 09: 00000000 A0403034 18EABAC8
ERR 10: 00000000 A0801601 18E592E8
ERR 11: 00000000 A0801701 18E592E8
ERR 12: 00000000 A0801001 18E2D3F7
ERR 13: 00000000 A0801001 18DECEB7
ERR 14: 00000000 A0801001 18D2F46C
ERR 15: 00000000 A0801001 1887E7A9
ERR 16: 00000000 A0801001 185A3B1F
ERR 17: 00000000 A0801001 176BFCC3
ERR 18: 00000000 A0801001 175A9ADF
ERR 19: 00000000 A0801001 16FF1A1C
===================================

 

[RIP-Felix]

RIP-Felix any thoughts on my syscon codes?

Yeah, your current errors are most likely due to an RSX issue. Like BGA defect, bump defect, internal delamination, etc. A reball might work if it's the BGA, but a replacment with 65nm or 40nm would be best, to rule out the other causes (which may result from a defective 90nm design).

 

[squeept]

Yo, I finally found a new bad set of CPU TOKIN caps to get a better image for my signature. Only took a hundred or so....

So RSX bad caps are 100 mVpp funky signal, and CPU bad caps are a 50 mVpp funky signal.

edit: anything other than a nearly straight line with like under 20 mVpp noise while idling is probably bad. These are just the typical examples of the failures I've seen on mostly COK-001 boards (this one is actually COK-002, but shut up) in like 8 total examples.

 

[squeept]

^ was currently presenting as A0403034 with 3 second YLOD, so I expect the previous owner murdered the TOKINs with a heatgun when they tried a back alley reflow on it. There was a single A0801001 in the log.

I'm sure everyone assumed this, but now it is documented: bad GPU and bad caps at the same time will only show the bad GPU in the error log. I'll post the sheet on this one here in this thread when I finish it since it's relevant.

edit: forgot to explain why this is confirmed - I chose to replace the caps first just to check if that assumption was correct. No change in error codes.

 

[Gus21]

I read via syscon from 3 devices 1 cechb01 and 2 cecha01.
All with tantalum 470uf 2.5v
Will I be able to make the 40nm mod?

Cechb01
===================================
ERR 00: 00000000 A0403034 0B489C61
ERR 01: 00000000 A0801200 0B489C47
ERR 02: 00000000 A0403034 0B488B1E
ERR 03: 00000000 A0231002 0B48894F
ERR 04: 00000000 A0902120 0B488943
ERR 05: 00000000 A0231002 0B488943
ERR 06: 00000000 A0801001 0B4888EB
ERR 07: 00000000 A0801001 0B488686
ERR 08: 00000000 A0902120 FFFFFFFF
ERR 09: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 10: 00000000 A0403034 0B488695
ERR 11: 00000000 A0801002 0B488680
ERR 12: 00000000 A0093003 FFFFFFFF
ERR 13: 00000000 A0093003 FFFFFFFF
ERR 14: 00000000 A0093003 FFFFFFFF
ERR 15: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 16: 00000000 A0503035 FFFFFFFF
ERR 17: 00000000 A0902120 0B89CA97
ERR 18: 00000000 A0403034 0B89CA97
ERR 19: 00000000 A0403034 0B89CA90
===================================

Cecha01

===================================
ERR 00: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 01: 00000000 A0A02031 FFFFFFFF
ERR 02: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 03: 00000000 A0A02031 FFFFFFFF
ERR 04: 00000000 A0902120 FFFFFFFF
ERR 05: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 06: 00000000 A0902120 FFFFFFFF
ERR 07: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 08: 00000000 A0902120 FFFFFFFF
ERR 09: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 10: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 11: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 12: 00000000 A0902120 FFFFFFFF
ERR 13: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 14: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 15: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 16: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 17: 00000000 A0902120 FFFFFFFF
ERR 18: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 19: 00000000 A0902120 FFFFFFFF
===================================


Cecha01 other

===================================
ERR 00: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 01: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 02: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 03: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 04: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 05: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 06: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 07: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 08: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 09: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 10: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 11: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 12: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 13: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 14: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 15: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 16: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 17: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 18: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
ERR 19: 00000000 A0403034 FFFFFFFF
===================================

 

[RIP-Felix]

I would say all 3 of those are in need of a reball or frankie. Yes

 

[Gus21]

I would say all 3 of those are in need of a reball or frankie. Yes

Thanks.

 

[puddii]

Hey all,

I got my hands on my first PS3 from my workplace about a month ago. It had a YLOD, full of dust bunnies and had no hard drive. At the time, I didn't know too much and so I tried the heat gun method and thought I would have to replace capacitors. After jumping down the rabbit hole of PS3 repair that are these forums, I found that it is far more intense than that haha.

Either way, the heatgun method worked and I've had a working PS3 for about 3 weeks now. I'm still setting it up as a retro gaming monster, so I haven't really put it under heavy strain yet. Here is the syscon dump for research purposes:

Model CECHH01
```
Firmware Version: 4.89 (50740)
Platform ID: CokD10
Hardware Config: 4E00FFFF0007BCBF
Syscon Fimware Version: 0DBF.0001000300030002 (0001000300030002)

Bringup Count: 6036, Shutdown Count: 5995
Runtime: 239 Days, 3 Hours, 25 Minutes, 26 Seconds

Error Log
01: A0403034 Wed Sep 28 01:15:44 2022
02: A0404402 Wed Sep 28 01:15:44 2022
03: A0403034 Wed Sep 28 01:15:29 2022
04: A0404402 Wed Sep 28 01:15:29 2022
05: A0403034 Wed Sep 28 01:15:15 2022
06: A0404402 Wed Sep 28 01:15:15 2022
07: A0403034 Thu Sep 22 17:04:51 2022
08: A0404402 Thu Sep 22 17:04:51 2022
09: A0403034 Thu Sep 22 17:04:21 2022
10: A0404402 Thu Sep 22 17:04:20 2022
11: A0403034 Thu Sep 22 17:03:33 2022
12: A0404402 Thu Sep 22 17:03:33 2022
13: A0403034 Thu Sep 22 17:03:12 2022
14: A0404402 Thu Sep 22 17:03:12 2022
15: A0403034 Sun Oct 17 20:35:59 2021
16: A0404402 Sun Oct 17 20:35:59 2021
17: A0403034 Tue May 17 22:23:51 2016
18: A0404402 Tue May 17 22:23:51 2016
19: A0403034 Tue May 17 22:22:04 2016
20: A0404402 Tue May 17 22:22:04 2016
21: A0403034 Mon May 16 22:58:54 2016
22: A0404402 Mon May 16 22:58:54 2016
23: A0403034 Sun May 15 22:54:17 2016
24: A0404402 Sun May 15 22:54:17 2016
25: A0403034 Sun May 15 22:07:31 2016
26: A0404402 Sun May 15 22:07:31 2016
27: A0403034 Sun May 15 03:30:22 2016
28: A0404402 Sun May 15 03:30:22 2016
29: A0403034 Sun May 15 00:55:28 2016
30: A0404402 Sun May 15 00:55:28 2016
31: A0403034 Sat May 14 22:03:32 2016
32: FFFFFFFF Sat May 14 22:03:32 2016
```

Looks like the chip may need a reball at some point, but I'll see how long that takes. I also bought an untested one from eBay, and it is working. Looks like someone opened it up before and replaced the thermal paste, so I have no idea the backstory of this one. I asked the seller and they said their cousin picked it up at a garage sale, so that was no help haha. Once I'm done with the setup on this one, I'm going to set up the other one and dump the syscon from there too, to see if there were any errors in the past. I'll dump that here too. Hopefully it's useful in some way.

 

[Nikolas-7]

Hi!
Got a question regarding the replacement of the capacitors.

So, I managed to remove the NEC/TOKIN capacitors and just before placing the new ones I wanted to check the board for any shorts, since I was verifying that the new caps are ok.
I did find out that between the + & - of the capacitors place on the board, there's continuity.

Is that due to the fact that I'm testing continuity on the board with components installed or it means that something was shorted to ground when I removed the NEC/TOKIN caps?

Thanks!

 

[medo mashakel]

i have a ps3 but it lagging n frezzzing even in the safe mode i cannot install the update so changing my nectokin caps should work or i have to reball
my necs doesnot have any physical damage

 

[RIP-Felix]

Hi!
Got a question regarding the replacement of the capacitors.

So, I managed to remove the NEC/TOKIN capacitors and just before placing the new ones I wanted to check the board for any shorts, since I was verifying that the new caps are ok.
I did find out that between the + & - of the capacitors place on the board, there's continuity.

Is that due to the fact that I'm testing continuity on the board with components installed or it means that something was shorted to ground when I removed the NEC/TOKIN caps?

Thanks!

the core is low impeedance and will typically measure between 2 and 4 ohms. Your multimeter will buzz in continuity mode. Check that the resistance isn't less than 0.5 ohms.

If it's short after removing all four tokins on each the line (either RSX or CELL side), then then which side is the short on? Processor or VRM? If Processor side, the core is shot and it needs replaced. If VRM side short, one of the buck regulators probably died. But it could be any of the SMDs in the area too.

 

[RIP-Felix]

i have a ps3 but it lagging n frezzzing even in the safe mode i cannot install the update so changing my nectokin caps should work or i have to reball
my necs doesnot have any physical damage

Freezing is not usually a tokins issue. Are you getting any YLODs? If so, can you dump the errorlogs? If your console is jailbroken you can used ps3 advanced toolset to dump them. But don't jailbreak in the state your console is now, it'll likely brick if it freezes diring the process. You'll have to use UART.