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

So i had received a fat ps3 cechhk with the same fault code

[POWERSEQ] Error : BitTraining BE:RRAC:RX0:GLOBAL1:RX_STATUS <---- southbridge having issues talking to the CELL
[SSM] state: 0104 -> 0304
[SSM] ssmCb_AfterBeOn2() called.
[SSM] PowSeq Fail : Detected !
[SSM] state: 0304 -> 0700
POWSEQ] AV Backend Letup
[SSM] Shutdown mode : syspm_stat=00000000/00000000
[ERROR]: 0xa0404401
[ERROR]: 0xa0403034 <---- RSX powerint pin not triggering
[POWSEQ] PowerSeq_Letup called.
[SSM] state: 0700 -> 0600
(PowerOff State) (Fatal)

So all of the voltages checked out except one, the timing chip, which lead back to the RSX powerint pin.

This board had two faults, the southbridge and rsx - both had poor bga connection, fixed by a reflow.

Check your syscon log, if you hit enter key after typing 'bringup' command in internal mode, this will show the boot process.

Hopefully for you it just needs a reflow or reball.
I haven't had much luck with bringup! All I ever got out of it was this

Code:
> bringup
bringup
Do nothing. (FatalOff State)

I was toying with syscon in another thread, and it was suggested that in order for me to power on the console, first I need to correct the checksum errors I'm getting, particularly the one on address 0x000039fe, as seen in this error (thread for reference -- https://www.psx-place.com/threads/fun-with-syscon-and-serial-commands.29913/#post-245664).
For the internal mode you need to execute "EEP SET 3961 01 00" in external mode, ground the diag pin of the syscon and reset.
If you want to power the console on, you also need to correct the eeprom checksum at 0x39FE as described around here: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/s...o-what-does-it-mean.26148/page-12#post-236929 .

Here's my eeprom checksum
Code:
> eepcsum
eepcsum
Addr:0x000032fe should be 0x52b7
Addr:0x000034fe should be 0x7115
sum:0x0100
Addr:0x000039fe should be 0x0f38
Addr:0x00003dfe should be 0x00ff
Addr:0x00003ffe should be 0x00ff


I don't quite understand what the correct values should be, though -- If i get the current value with
Code:
> EEP GET 39FE 01
00000000 38

I get back 38, but then that's what the checksum is telling me it should be. Do you know what the true value there is supposed to be?
 
So i had received a fat ps3 cechhk with the same fault code

[POWERSEQ] Error : BitTraining BE:RRAC:RX0:GLOBAL1:RX_STATUS <---- southbridge having issues talking to the CELL
[SSM] state: 0104 -> 0304
[SSM] ssmCb_AfterBeOn2() called.
[SSM] PowSeq Fail : Detected !
[SSM] state: 0304 -> 0700
POWSEQ] AV Backend Letup
[SSM] Shutdown mode : syspm_stat=00000000/00000000
[ERROR]: 0xa0404401
[ERROR]: 0xa0403034 <---- RSX powerint pin not triggering
[POWSEQ] PowerSeq_Letup called.
[SSM] state: 0700 -> 0600
(PowerOff State) (Fatal)

So all of the voltages checked out except one, the timing chip, which lead back to the RSX powerint pin.

This board had two faults, the southbridge and rsx - both had poor bga connection, fixed by a reflow.

Check your syscon log, if you hit enter key after typing 'bringup' command in internal mode, this will show the boot process.

Hopefully for you it just needs a reflow or reball.

When I get a A0101002 error, what it means?
 
I've done a new thread peeps

https://www.psx-place.com/threads/f...syscon-first-steps-and-error-reporting.30100/

So we can discuss these kind of issues further

I've shared my first draft syscon connection guide and usage - its in odf format so will need modern office or libreoffice to open

I haven't had much luck with bringup! All I ever got out of it was this

Code:
> bringup
bringup
Do nothing. (FatalOff State)

I was toying with syscon in another thread, and it was suggested that in order for me to power on the console, first I need to correct the checksum errors I'm getting, particularly the one on address 0x000039fe, as seen in this error (thread for reference -- https://www.psx-place.com/threads/fun-with-syscon-and-serial-commands.29913/#post-245664).


Here's my eeprom checksum
Code:
> eepcsum
eepcsum
Addr:0x000032fe should be 0x52b7
Addr:0x000034fe should be 0x7115
sum:0x0100
Addr:0x000039fe should be 0x0f38
Addr:0x00003dfe should be 0x00ff
Addr:0x00003ffe should be 0x00ff


I don't quite understand what the correct values should be, though -- If i get the current value with
Code:
> EEP GET 39FE 01
00000000 38

I get back 38, but then that's what the checksum is telling me it should be. Do you know what the true value there is supposed to be?
 
Hiya All, success!! ...with Tantalums + MLCCs combination, only on bridge wire.

This is my original PS3 from before, i took off the "new" NEC/Tokins and tested this, and the PS3 works great.

Each NEC was replaced with the following:
- 4 x 470uF - 2.5V (Size B) Tantalums
- 4 x MLCC array:- 1 x 10uF, 1 x 1uF, 1 x 0.1uF, 1 x 0.01uF

The larger MLCCs are X7Rs, and the smaller ones are C0G/NP0 type.

The photo below shows the stage just before i soldered them to the PS3, some Kapton tape was used.

(There are 8 of these, 4 on each side of the board)
View attachment 26331

...and here below is the PS3 working, and i have tested it many times since, and it works great so far.

View attachment 26332

EDIT:- please forgive the 3 x reversed tantalums on the RSX i was absent minded when i did those ones lol. I will aim to fix that soon and add an extra 1 x 22uF MLCC to each array (like the NEC datasheet shows - see link below) and report back the results, all being well.

https://web.archive.org/web/2007121...-tokin.com/product/cap/proadlizer/test03.html
Hi..what is that frame you solder the caps on it?
 
Hi everyone, thanks to this thread I have managed to repair an old CECHC03 PS3!

Skip to the fix to avoid the backstory...

After the PS5 reveal I started looking at PS3's as my original BC model died from YLOD. I fixed it for a day after the ol' heat-gun treatment but it died after that. Instead of cooking the board anymore I bought a slim PS3, losing any BC, which at the time I accepted I would have to lose. Unfortunately that PS3 got dropped in a move so I ended up having to use my girlfriends Phat 40gb no BC; credit where it's due, it was an absolute trooper.

Then I came across this thread and a few reddit posts and read through to page 95 and thought 'I'm doing this'.

I went and found my old PS3, bought some caps from RS, and started work. I don't have a heatgun but I have a pretty decent soldering iron... Man, this board just absorbs heat so quickly it's unreal. Getting the Tokins off was a nightmare until I found a video showing a more mechanical way of removing them, which worked really well, until I slipped with my exacto knife and took of an SMD resistor behind the RSX chip! Not to be deterred I replace 1 Tokin at a time and tested. By the end I had replaced 2 RSX Tokins and 1 Cell Tokin and nothing; the YLOD was maybe quicker now but it was hard to tell. I was very annoyed with myself, even though I hadn't lost anything.

Then my brother said he'd sell my his working PS3 which was the same model as mine; CECHC03. So I took him up on the offer, checked it worked at his and got it home. It seemed ok but whenever turning off it would beep three times and flash red. When I got it home I found that it would occasionally YLOD on startup as well, taking maybe two or three tries before it would boot, then it would always YLOD on shutdown. So using the knowledge gained in this thread I went to work again, but wanted to be more cautious this time. I was hesistent to remove the Tokins completely as this was my brothers semi-working PS3, and I didn't want to ruin it. I saw a few users on here use the piggy-back method with some success..

-----The Fix----

I opened up the PS3 gave it a good clean, and piggy-backed 4 caps, 2 on the RSX side, and 2 on the Cell side. I did one at a time and tested each time. After the first one, it would YLOD on startup a lot less often, the second one stopped it YLOD on startup at all. After the first one on the Cell it would still YLOD on shutdown, after the second the problem went away. It starts up and shuts down perfectly!

I still need to give it a good stress test to see how well it holds up, and I know I'll probably have to open it up and keep one day replace the Tokins fully, but for now I'm happy with it.

Thanks to everyone in this thread, I can now enjoy all my PS1, PS2, and PS3 games
 
@Workz_777 , it would be interesting to see how much noise in comparison to og nec this setup makes here you have created. I still would like to know what you are using to make these. Maybe you and @squeept can get together somehow and he can recreate these to test on his scope. It would be cool to see how clean that setup is.
 
@Workz_777 , it would be interesting to see how much noise in comparison to og nec this setup makes here you have created. I still would like to know what you are using to make these. Maybe you and @squeept can get together somehow and he can recreate these to test on his scope. It would be cool to see how clean that setup is.

Finishing up this beast, then I'll get back to work in a few more days...
URou28m.jpg


I don't have many PS3 in the queue right now, but I'll make sure I grab some more when I'm done with the fence.
 
Hi everyone, thanks to this thread I have managed to repair an old CECHC03 PS3!

Skip to the fix to avoid the backstory...

After the PS5 reveal I started looking at PS3's as my original BC model died from YLOD. I fixed it for a day after the ol' heat-gun treatment but it died after that. Instead of cooking the board anymore I bought a slim PS3, losing any BC, which at the time I accepted I would have to lose. Unfortunately that PS3 got dropped in a move so I ended up having to use my girlfriends Phat 40gb no BC; credit where it's due, it was an absolute trooper.

Then I came across this thread and a few reddit posts and read through to page 95 and thought 'I'm doing this'.

I went and found my old PS3, bought some caps from RS, and started work. I don't have a heatgun but I have a pretty decent soldering iron... Man, this board just absorbs heat so quickly it's unreal. Getting the Tokins off was a nightmare until I found a video showing a more mechanical way of removing them, which worked really well, until I slipped with my exacto knife and took of an SMD resistor behind the RSX chip! Not to be deterred I replace 1 Tokin at a time and tested. By the end I had replaced 2 RSX Tokins and 1 Cell Tokin and nothing; the YLOD was maybe quicker now but it was hard to tell. I was very annoyed with myself, even though I hadn't lost anything.

Then my brother said he'd sell my his working PS3 which was the same model as mine; CECHC03. So I took him up on the offer, checked it worked at his and got it home. It seemed ok but whenever turning off it would beep three times and flash red. When I got it home I found that it would occasionally YLOD on startup as well, taking maybe two or three tries before it would boot, then it would always YLOD on shutdown. So using the knowledge gained in this thread I went to work again, but wanted to be more cautious this time. I was hesistent to remove the Tokins completely as this was my brothers semi-working PS3, and I didn't want to ruin it. I saw a few users on here use the piggy-back method with some success..

-----The Fix----

I opened up the PS3 gave it a good clean, and piggy-backed 4 caps, 2 on the RSX side, and 2 on the Cell side. I did one at a time and tested each time. After the first one, it would YLOD on startup a lot less often, the second one stopped it YLOD on startup at all. After the first one on the Cell it would still YLOD on shutdown, after the second the problem went away. It starts up and shuts down perfectly!

I still need to give it a good stress test to see how well it holds up, and I know I'll probably have to open it up and keep one day replace the Tokins fully, but for now I'm happy with it.

Thanks to everyone in this thread, I can now enjoy all my PS1, PS2, and PS3 games
Please upload a photo of your piggy back sample..
i search the internet but i dont find any sample of piggy back
 
Hiya All, success!! ...with Tantalums + MLCCs combination, only on bridge wire.

This is my original PS3 from before, i took off the "new" NEC/Tokins and tested this, and the PS3 works great.

Each NEC was replaced with the following:
- 4 x 470uF - 2.5V (Size B) Tantalums
- 4 x MLCC array:- 1 x 10uF, 1 x 1uF, 1 x 0.1uF, 1 x 0.01uF

The larger MLCCs are X7Rs, and the smaller ones are C0G/NP0 type.

The photo below shows the stage just before i soldered them to the PS3, some Kapton tape was used.

(There are 8 of these, 4 on each side of the board)
View attachment 26331

...and here below is the PS3 working, and i have tested it many times since, and it works great so far.

View attachment 26332

EDIT:- please forgive the 3 x reversed tantalums on the RSX i was absent minded when i did those ones lol. I will aim to fix that soon and add an extra 1 x 22uF MLCC to each array (like the NEC datasheet shows - see link below) and report back the results, all being well.

https://web.archive.org/web/2007121...-tokin.com/product/cap/proadlizer/test03.html
what is the name of that yellow frame u used tall us its name please
 
Please upload a photo of your piggy back sample..
i search the internet but i dont find any sample of piggy back

No problem, I'll get round to it over the next few days as I need to do a bit of work to the hard drive cage. If you want an explaination of what I did and how I did it I can go through it?

I did find this: https://www.reddit.com/r/PS3/comments/g309g0/fixed_my_ceche01_crashing_with_ylod_in_games_with/

Not me, but I think it's another user on here. He ended up removing the Tantlums on the side and keeping the ones at the bottom.

If you look at your nec caps, at the bottom and top there will be some vias holes; these are positive. Below that there will a line, and below that line is negative or ground. You can use a fiber pen or a very small flat head screwdriver if you have no other option to carefully scrape away the green finish, and solder to the metal it reveals. It looks very tidy.
I added one cap at a time until my issues disappeared.

Hope that helps?
 
Yeah you can use what's know as Kapton tape, heat resistant tape basically then stick copper tape to that and solder everything together.
 
Hello All,

Just made an account to comment on this. My phat PS3 is 12 years old and has never received love and care. Used to overheat but hadn't played it much post 2013 until this year. Last week I took it apart for the first time and replaced thermal paste and gave it a good clean out. Worked perfectly fine, cool and quiet for 3 days then suddenly died on me.

YLOD with a delay (so the fans come on), which led me here.

Problem is I don't have a soldering iron or much knowledge of electronics (first thing I ever took apart was the PS3 and controller last week lol!)

Is it possible to remove the NEC/TOKINs and put some new ones on without that equipment? Any help or tips is appreciated :encouragement:
 
Back
Top