PS3 Was the M model UK exclusive?

RIP-Felix

RIP-Felix

Senior Member
On the PS3 dev wiki the CECHMxx is listed as only having one region code (03 = UK/Ireland). I have only ever seen an M03. I've never seen an M04, M01, M00...etc. I searched on ebay and could only find M03. Dev wiki does say it was only released in this region, but says it contains DIA-001 in some regions. Which is contradictory.

I have several online friends that live in the UK and they found that the M03 contains the DIA-001 motherboard revision. Not the VER-001 the dev wiki has listed. The dev wiki says that some regions have the DIA-001, but there shouldn't be other regions. Meaning that the M model may only have the DIA-001 MB revision in it.

So my questions to you are...
  1. Has anyone ever seen a VER-001 MB revision in an M model PS3?
  2. Has anyone ever seen an M model PS3 from another region code other than 03 (UK/Ireland)?
 
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300 Bundle PS3 (CECHM03).jpg

This apparently only released in UK. Can anyone confirm if this was an M model?

EDIT: NVM it was a UK exclusive and contained the M03.
 
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RIP-Felix said:
On the PS3 dev wiki the CECHMxx is listed as only having one region code (03 = UK/Ireland). I have only ever seen an M03. I've never seen an M04, M01, M00...etc. I searched on ebay and could only find M03. Dev wiki does say it was only released in this region, but says it contains DIA-001 in some regions. Which is contradictory.

I have several online friends that live in the UK and they found that the M03 contains the DIA-001 motherboard revision. Not the VER-001 the dev wiki has listed. The dev wiki says that some regions have the DIA-001, but there shouldn't be other regions. Meaning that the M model may only have the DIA-001 MB revision in it.

So my questions to you are...
  1. Has anyone ever seen a VER-001 MB revision in an M model PS3?
  2. Has anyone ever seen an M model PS3 from another region code other than 03 (UK/Ireland)?
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It appears to be a marked exclusive region suffix 03 only so UK.
http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_Model_Differences
VER-001 Motherboard version
http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_Motherboard
 
I have just bought a M model. Haven't had a chance to open it yet but will be repasting it so will look. Yes I am in the UK.
 
RIP-Felix said:
View attachment 41480
This apparently only released in UK. Can anyone confirm if this was an M model?

EDIT: NVM it was a UK exclusive and contained the M03.
Click to expand...
Update on this. I was wrong. That listing was a scam...

Basically the 300 movie pack was supposed to contain an L03 model. It says so on the box, but that angle was missing from the listing. TL;DR is the console's Serial numbers didn't match box, it was missing items listed on box's contents, the seller was defensive and shady. Asking for personal details like bank account numbers. Which was the point I decided it was time to call ebay and ask for advice. Ebay CS refunded me and advised I report them for violating policy. So I got my money back and get to keep the console, apparently. Haven't heard anything from ebay or the seller since.

Interestingly from the comments, a few people said they've been collecting for a while and it was not uncommon for these movie packs and sleeved special release bundles to have a different model console in them than was listed on the sleeve. And if that's true that would be blatant false advertising. Especially in this case since it contains a DIA-001 (defective 90nm RSX) instead of the more reliable VER-001 (with a 65nm RSX). You buy a console that say's it's an L just to receive an M? That's not cool!

But that's not definitive proof that was done. These aren't exactly easy to find and especially not sealed or at least owned by the original person that bought it, with receipt. Like I would need proof that these were sold new with a different console inside than was advertised on the sleeve the customer would see.
 
I just placed an order on a pack consisting of a CECHM03 and a C04 right now. When I manage to get them I'm opening both up (the C04 needs a new case and I have one B00 case that is a perfect candidate for it) and will hopefully report back on what is in the M03. Seller reports that it powers on but no TV output (which, knowing how some of the classifieds sellers here are totally clueless, would probably be as little as doing a AV reset), though I'm not having the highest of expectations. (after paying a premium price for a CECHB00 that looked pristine on the outside, but totally F'd up mainboard, I really have expectations lower than a shipwreck.)

The M03 looks to be intact, with the C04 being the one missing case parts (reader flap and one of the bottom case clips - not sure how to put it but the whole front looks awry). The one I found isn't in a bundle (or a official box for that matter - both are just the consoles and absolutely nothing else) but rather just the unit itself. (same for the C04)
 
Could be, but I'm not gonna assume anything until it's here and I can diagnose it (and the C04) using the syscon.

(or bgtoolset if the issue is as simple as a video reset. The C04 has YLOD so at least I have a slight idea what to expect with that one)
 
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Update I guess, this evening I received not just TWO but three units. The two I've said before, and a G04 that will serve as "experimental" purposes (mainly testing a spare LSEB1226A1 in it, to see if it's a better replacement to the abysmal APS-231.)

I'm currently in the process of opening up the CECHM03 for cleanup - I can perfectly attest one thing - DIA-001 mainboard. It has the large ribbon cable for the DVD drive and the 3 pin APS-239 PSU. It did power on and gave signal over the recovery mode, but that's about it. I'm suspecting corrupt FW - I've had the same issues as this unit on a CECHL04 - it took me great amounts of voodoo to get a proper FW on it - it had a corrupt install of 4.50 OFW in that case.

Very clean insides though, barely any speck of dust.

EDIT: Welp, apparently it was indeed opened, but the mainboard is 100% original to it. Delidded DIA-001, 90nm RSX and 65nm

20231128_184424.jpg 20231128_184445.jpg 20231128_184536.jpg 20231128_184603.jpg 20231128_184631.jpg

EDIT 2: Got it working perfectly after a repaste, though the OG 80GB HDD definitely needs replacing. Previous owner left some goodies on the drive! GT6, NFSMW 2012, Demon's Souls, Midnight Club LA NTSC (I have the PAL version) are a few to name. I'll be copying a few to my 2nd HDD (GT6 won't be saved unfortunately - that thing is just too big to fit on what little space I have left on that drive.)and then I'll swap in a 250 or 320GB drive. Tis' gonna be a great night overall.

20231128_203834.jpg
 
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Just came back to this with a few results:

- CECHM03 runs absolutely happy. A bit warm though (90nm RSX... nuff said.) but it's like a kitten, compared to my 65nm CECHK04.
- CECHG04 still YLODs, has had only the RSX delidded previously. As this one will purely be a "how far can I hammer this thing before it goes to meet the reaper" unit, I'll just stick some old tantalums on the topside from my first attempt of a NEC-Tokin swap - a withered as hell SEM-001 board that I tried to replace all Tokins on (mind you, this was a LONG time ago - a few years at best, when the tantalum mod was at its peak. I'm not investing much in it as it was the cheapest out of the bunch - I literally paid the price of a Lay's bag of chips for it (10 RON) off a old friend of mine.
-CECHC04 also YLODs, though this one was also previously delidded in the same fashion as the M03 above. For this one I'll try to get the SYSCON log before doing anything on it, considering it has had both CELL and RSX delidded. It'll end up as a replacement board to the B00 in my signature, which currently has a COK-002 with a completely dead HDMI port.
 
Raidmax said:
- CECHM03 runs absolutely happy. A bit warm though (90nm RSX... nuff said.)
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Please goto ps3toolset.com and retrieve the errorlog and uptime.

Also, I want to caution you againt getting your hopes up. Themomechanical solder joint fatigue is notorius for giving the illusion if having fixed a console after repasting, heating and etc. It's what led to hairdryer hotboxing, bolt mods, and etc. Let's see the codes and make a real diagnosis.
 
Done.


20231129_163928.jpg

20231129_163941.jpg


As far as bumpgate goes, I'm full aware of the 90nms being ticking bombs. This one goes into storage anyways - I mainly got it for the 410 deck and find out the board revision. If it dies, at least I won't feel guilty of robbing its 410 deck heh.

I'll likely take this one for a year-long spin to see if it dies along the way I suppose. If anything, I'm actually curious how a delidded system fares, regardless of its state - I never attempted delidding, especially with how many people killed their units in the process, so the two units (C04 and M03) having delids were a interesting sight nevertheless.

The G04 I absolutely have no hopes for it, seeing it was absolutely abused six ways to sunday (the BD drive doesn't even eject properly when put on another working machine) and the C04 will probably sit aside until I can get a physical 232 interface that works with the Syscon voltages.

(the only thing I have close to a serial interface is a PL2303HXA cable that has DB9 on one side and a USB plug in the other, and its drivers have lately proven to be a royal pain in the ass to get running, even for as little as resetting SMART on a Seagate 7200.11 drive.)
 
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Typical errorlog leading up to a 3034. My guess is it's in the early stages of GPU failure. Barring another more mundane cause, like software issues. The 14FF are more concerning than the 1601 as they are indicative of a HW issue, not typically from software crashes.
 
I suppose time will soon tell, then. The HDD was definitely bad though, as I hooked it up not long after copying a few games off it and... 9% health left. It was also making strange noises when idling (like random seek with no LED activity)

Wouldn't be the first failed PS3 HDD - the slim 2503B in my sig also has a bunch of 1701s and it turned out the original 160GB Hitachi it had failed so bad it wouldn't even spin up. I found out the HDD was swapped on that slim as the 80GB inside it was a HP spare.

Anyways, I'm glad I could give out some info on this M03, even if it's not the best. As I've probably said it - I'll try to run it for a year straight and see what happens.

Since I didn't pay too much on it, at the very least I have a BD-410 deck (which in my experience has worked far better than a original 400 deck, found in CECHA/B/C/E/G units) for spares out of it, and I guess a few other parts - the case looks in rather good shape, only missing the HDD bay cover.

I've been out of the loop on PS3 stuff for quite a while, ever since I've delved into 360 hardware and modding. This could very well be the point where I pull my stuff together and try to make my own database, collecting info on each consoles (not just PS3) I have.

(which is a grand total of 39 working units - 15 Xbox 360s, 6 PS3s, 6 PS2s, 4 phat PS1s, 2 PSone slim, 2 Wii and 4 OGXbox)
 
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