PS3 3.0 / 3.01 firmware update making Blu-ray drive unusable?
By Donald Melanson 
posted Sep 25th 2009 2:34PM
posted Sep 25th 2009 2:34PM
What could possibly cause nearly 700 comments on an official Sony blog post announcing the relatively minor 3.01 firmware update for the PS3? Plaudits? A Kanye meme gone awry? No, it's the age old problem of an update that apparently breaks more than it fixes. In this case, a sizable number of users are reporting that the 3.0 and/or 3.01 update caused their PS3's Blu-ray drive to be all but unusable for both games and Blu-ray movies (although some folks report that DVDs still work). Other users are also reporting intermittent problems like no sound, and some problems with specific games, but it does seem like the complaints are pretty widespread and, as of yet, Sony isn't saying much about them. Bitten by the upgrade bug yourself? Let us know in comments.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
peener vs pooner
i updated to 3.01 and played eternal sonata without a problem. it's an old game so maybe that had something to do with it.
Rocking the 80GB non-bc phat on 3.0, no problems.
Oddly it was Eternal Sonata that killed my machine mine a while back. Game still stuck the large paperweight to this day. Good news is, it is completely immune to firmware updates.
I noticed some audio differences -- that I wasn't getting any audio when playing MP3s on the hard drive or some Blu-ray discs -- but I corrected the settings in the System > Audio section and it works again.
Surprise, Sony broke something..again
Funny how these crap firmwares don't seem to break the Playstation store functionality. Meanwhile, i have my fingers crossed on my jesus-PS3 60gb....upgraded to 3.01 and it hasn't funked out yet.
I is scarred to turn mine on now-
LOL @ Papercutninja funneh.
@ simbr, if you search on google for 2.5 ps3 recovery mode because that paper weight as you so call it could potentially be brought back to "Life". How about that sir? At the very least you would get your game back....
I had zero problems with 3.0 and 3.01, maybe that's because both updates (as much as I hate to admit it) did literately nothing to enhance my PS3 experience.
seriously though, i updated and didnt play last night I hope my system works when i get home :(
Good job on the lowest ranked hat trick!
That's Engadget's polite way of telling you to stop living.
A hat trick is 3, he was low ranked twice, thanks for trying, do come again Daniel XD
Low ranked twice above, I see another below but close but no cigar
I have an xbox 360 so I got other problems, thank you...
Lolz.
heh, I've got one too, and mines a 2008 version with HDMI... and the RROD, microsoft refuses to fix it saying it's out of warranty. It would be nice if all I had to worry about was a firmware update to fix the issues. And on a side note, I thought they said they had a 3 year warranty?
My update is working fine - so far. And +1 to your comment, Spiffster. Almost choked on coffee :)
That 3 o clock cup of coffee saves lives.
There is a three year warranty. Try doing it on-line instead of phoning up.
Count down to RRoD 3........2...........1........
Yeah, I work evenings at the office, so it gets me through the afternoon :)
"heh, I've got one too, and mines a 2008 version with HDMI... and the RROD, microsoft refuses to fix it saying it's out of warranty. It would be nice if all I had to worry about was a firmware update to fix the issues. And on a side note, I thought they said they had a 3 year warranty?"
-MS 3 year warranty is for RROD only you must be very specific when you call in or use their return system... anyother issues will max at 90days I believe
Love my Xbox but can't deny they break XD. Made me laugh.
I picked up a PS3 slim a couple weeks ago, no problems for me.
It's funny but it seems I get more problems on my Wii (when I "was" using it) than on my PS3 or 360. Actually never had a problem with my PS3 nor 360. I several disc reading err on my Wii when Mario Galaxy came out.
Mine works fine. Heard it mostly affects Uncharted, but haven't heard any other games affected (doesn't seem widespread).
Warhawk
Batman: Arkham Asylum. Ripped it from it's wrapper, popped it in the PS3, noticed the 3.0 firmware update, installed it, started game, game was glitching on the title screen, started game, continued glitching, and eventually froze the entire system. Happens every time I pop it in, but sometimes worse than others. When I found out 3.01 was released I ran and updated, only to find that nothing changed.
I can play it fine in my friends PS3 (both 60GB launch systems) that is running the same update. I don't know why it screws up some systems and not others. I luckily do not have the audio issues or issues playing my Blu-Rays (that I have noticed).
I wish they would fix it already...
I have a slim and it was fine. I updated to 3.01 and it seems like my NHL10 freezes once in a while.
...which is the contraction for "should have".
@OnlyShawn ??? Don't get it.
Thats sucks guess you should of bought an Xbox 360 :-)
Apart from the uselessness of your comment, "should have" was the phrase you were looking for.
actually, the phrase you're looking for is "should've"
...the more you know.
actually, should've is a conjunction of "should have". So you were both correct.
... the more you think you know.
Yep. 3.0 broke my blu-ray for everything, and Sony isn't doing a damn thing about it.
Looks like I won't be grabbing this update =b
It also seems it broke mine as well. But only for games. The blu-ray movies I tried still played fine but all PS3 games end up freezing and forcing a restart of the ps3 then being unreadable at all for awhile.
I'm in the same boat. Pulls them in, grinds, spins for a second, then stops.
You'd think in this job market we'd hire the people who know how to test firmware. Fired.
I just don't know why, but I'm getting a strange feeling that none of this is true...
Yeah, my Gran Turismo 5 Prologue BD worked fine after firmware update.
Rocking 250GB in a 20GB PS3. Woot!
same here. ps3 20 gig with a 320 gig HDD installed. updated to 3.1 and everything seems fine
Would you guys like some sort of aeward? It's a cheap/easy swap and not like you just saved the world with a loose-leaf notebook.
Aeward -e
500gb here, should take a while to fill that.
Updated mine a few days ago and have watched several blu-ray movies since. No issues here......knock on wood! Don't play any games on mine though either, so I can't comment on that.
lol what if the update causes permanent damage to the BD drive?
*inserts dramtic prairie dog*
:O
sony should be able to hot-fix this, just like the uncharted issue (well maybe not instantly)
I purchased my PS3 slim through Gamestop's website and when it arrived on the 1st of September, I updated to the 3.0. I tried to play their "Welcome" Blu-ray disc that came with the unit to no avail.
I emailed Sony about the problem and they said it was probably a defective disc. I purchased a a game, tried out another Blu-ray disc that I knew was fine and tried them out with the same results. Of course, it could play DVDs, PS1 games, and CDs but that didn't help.
Gamestop was much more helpful over the phone and emailing me a return label. The entire process of returning and replacing took just under two weeks.
Updated to 3.1... everything seems fine.
Wait what? You damaged your BD drive by inserting a dramtic prairie dog?!?! Sony won't cover that.
/Triple facepalm
In other news:
Now it may not play Crysis! O: (not that it could anyway)
In Soviet Russia BD-drive damages you!
OMFG OVER 9000!
...
ran the updates... mine works just fine.
Thats exactly it.....since 3.0 3.01 my 60gb has done nothing but mess up. Freezes halfway thru every madden game. Froze my blu-ray. Although my seinfeld season dvds seem to work. ...And during the madden game the announcer sounds and crowd go out, and then ten seconds later it freezes.
My blu ray laser broke on its own some time ago. I got a replacement online for 60 bux, replaced it, and it worked again for about a month. Now I have the same issue, it's out of warranty, and I have to decide to either shell out another 300 for a new system that I have games for or else get a different system (Xbox360) that is ALSO prone to breakage.
Difference being that the current 360 builds do not suffer from the abnornal failure rates and you will get 3 years of warranty coverage to protect you if it does fail. You won't be paying a couple hundred dollars a year in repair costs like you do with the PS3.
Yeah, dude I'm in the same boat as you. My blu-ray drive crashed a while back, so I've just been dloading games for the most of it. Where'd you score the second blu-ray drive from?
Yo Sony, I'm real happy for you and I'm gonna let you do your update, but Xbox 360 had one of the best updates of all time!
Yo marmot, im really happy for you, and imma let u finish, but that kanye joke has dried up for a long time.....a loooong time
Ya, if Leno uses the Kayne joke one more time, I'm tunin' out.
My slim is working great, too my belly just gets bigger and not slim playing it
You gotta work on your delivery, man.
I was busy eating a king size milky way sorry!
I've got 6 Milky ways right here.
Are they hot?
Works fine for me.
...
See...it's annoying when someone says something unconstructive like that isn't it?!?!?
Updated to 3.1 six months ago and absolutely no problems.
...
It's even more anoying when the poster clearly hasn't got a clue and just wants to post in this thread.
"Bitten by the upgrade bug yourself? Let us know in comments."
@chad - I'm pretty sure 3.1 is a NEW update... might consider that.
lmao
*whoosh*
(The sound of the joke flying over ^^^'s head)
@Matt
*shhh* don't anger the robot.
that happened to mine but since mine is an original I thought it just died and bought a new one.
I'm not 100% sure I have the newest update (is it within the last week or so?) but bluray discs (movies) still play on mine.
hello ...
i didn't experience any trouble with FW 3.0 & 3.01 ...
is it only with some models ...
cheers!
I have a 60gig and a 40gig and both work fine after the update, other than friends list being fugly now everything's good.
I guess that after this I shouldn't have to hear sony fan boys about RROD on the xbox, because as we can see all products can fail, the ps3 isn't perfect!
Nope, we still can. XBox 360s fail a hell of a lot more often, and this could potentially be fixed with another firmware update.
I tried playing a DVD yesterday and had no sound
It wasn't this DVD was it?
http://www.mimeovermatter.com/dvd.html
(if the first two comments I tried to post automagically show up just pretend they aren't there)
I have been noticing that the speech and lip movement on DVD's and BD's seems out of synch
Uh, that's because you are watching Fists of Fury.
I have a ps3 slim and have not had a problem with bs movies, DVD, or even my uncharted disk. Seems lime everything with the ps3 slim is working smoothly.
No problems with bs movies? Are those movies like White Chicks?
Can not stream DVD's from computer to PS# any more.
My 60 GB Cadillac is fine after the update.
it haz firmware update? i wuz oogling christine lee last night with the pulse 9/24 episode lolz
Hi,
I spoke with a sony rep and a supervisor after the issue was happening for a few days after 3.01 was released, explained my problem exactly to them and they said it was not firmware related. The supervisor said that sony "stands behind its products" but I was past my 1 yr warranty and that my only option was to send in the system for repair. He then said that was $149 and the refurbished unit came with a 90 day warranty. I asked him why Sony only "stands behind" their own repairs of their own products for only 90 days. He said that was their policy. I dont think he liked me much after that. I made it clear that I was either getting a ps3 slim or selling all my ps3 related things and he re-iterated that it in no way was the firmware.
If it turns out to be the firmware, I'm going to be very annoyed that I spent $300 on a slim as a replacement. I have a 60gb backwards compatible ps3 by the way and the ps3 now freezes after playing blu-ray games for 5-10 minutes.
Yeah same thing here! I had no idea it could've been caused by the firmware update either. But I do love the quiet of the Slim I bought.
Are you on an 80gb early 08 model by chance?
Michael, you should try to remember when exactly you called sony, the date and time, and sue sony for breaking you PS3 with the new FW update and not owning for its own mistakes.
You should even make then give your money back for the ps3 slim you bought because of the misinformation the representative gave you.
just buy a super Nintendo, never had a god damn problem with it and it lasted until I got bored of it, which was like 10 years after. =D
it turned that ugly color
Not if your game dungeon is properly lit... which is to say, no light, besides the TV.
My system seems to be relegated to playing media on my network and PSN downloadable games only now. Sony... I hate you
This happened to my PS3 fat. Sony wanted $150 to fix it. =(
This happened before the 3.0 update though. I was able to play DVDs, but not games or BD's.
if you pay attention to the forums, every update has had 10-15 people whose PS3's laser has broken. Like how people say they got RROD from NXE.
I will admit my PS3 has been freezing alot more than usual ever since I installed 3.01, but my Bul-Ray drive has been fine.
Yup. 3.0.1 and I am the proud owner of a Bricked BR drive. Called and was on the phone for two hours. No warranty and guess what...150 bucks seems awfully close to the price point at which new PS3's are being sold. Conspiracy anyone?
You could wait for an update and see if that fixes it...
I just bought a PS3 right before the update. (fat 40gb) No problems so far.
Updated mine yesterday, and I've got no issues as of yet :x Fallout 3 still plays the same (buggy as hell), Fat princess seems fine, and we haven't had any real issues.
Were on a modified 40 gig.
On the other hand, I discovered a totally different type of issue albeit a very positive one after upgrading to 3.01. I have always had my PS3 connected to my Sony Bravia via HDMI but whenever I played Blu-Ray movies, there would be no sound from the TV along with a warning saying something to the effect "The audio format of this disc is not compatible with your TV". So I had the PS3 connected with my receiver via optical Audio.
Last night I played my first Blu-Ray movie since upgrading to 3.01 (no changes in hardware connections whatsoever) and whoa, the TV was blaring with sounds from the movie. I was quite shocked but didn't realize till I came across this article that it could have been the unexpected result of 3.01.
Don't know how many others have experienced this, or even if they ever had this "no audio via HDMI" problem to begin with.
I am happy either way.
3.0 firmware updated the AUDIO OUTPUT option. Now you can have audio output via Multi-connector (Red/White pins), HDMI and Optical Digital at the same time. Previously you can only choose 1 out of 3.
3.0 broke mine about a year ago, when it came out. Haven't had a PS3 since, and will never buy one again, because of Sony's attitude about the problem, which is, "you broke it, buy a new one". Now I HATE all that is sony! I love having hundreds of dollars in games and BR dvds that dont work anymore!
Thanks SONY!