The recently released PS3
firmware 3.41 seemed to just be a minor update that added a new "You May Like" section to the PlayStation Store, but it looks like it's been causing nothing but headaches for anyone trying to upgrade the hard drive in their console. As a 30-page strong thread on the official PlayStation forums reveals, folks upgrading their hard drive have been getting a "no applicable data" error after trying to install the update
, which has left them with a non-working PS3 and, in some cases, a corrupted original drive. According to CVG, the issue may have something to do with a newly discovered feature of the 3.41 update that allows for more incremental patches, which might also explain why the problem only seems to be affecting PS3s where the firmware is stored in on the hard drive instead of the system's memory. As for Sony, it hasn't offered an official explanation just yet, but all indications are that it's a bug and not an intentional blocking of hard drive upgrades -- at least we hope it is. Head on past the break for a video of the problem.
posted July 31st 2010 5:18AM
Every time it comes time update my PS3 it terrifies me that it will some how eff it up. Don't they test them?
@SNESimon There is always a flaw in everything whether it's major or not. Of course they test each change to ensure compatibility.
@SNESimon same here
@SNESimon
Agreed. It is really sad that I am scared about these updates. It honestly makes me not want to update my PS3 at all.
Why is it that Wii updates are infrequent and painless and 360 updates are nearly instant, but my PS3 chugs along painfully? Each firmware, I'm afraid I'll lose some feature or brick my system?
And if my backwards-compatible system ever dies, I'm scared It will be replaced by one that won't play my PS2 games.
PS3 - on borrowed time
@JayVe
If your system ever dies, it's not a big deal. Just open the thing and fix it yourself. I'm serious when I say I repaired my motherboard that got the YLOD simply by heating it in the oven. Of course, I completely eradicated any trace of dust on the thing, as well as re-pasted the CPU / GPU, but still... the heating trick does work.
Don't waste your money by sending it to Sony; if the home fix doesn't work, the least you're out is the time you spent trying to fix the thing in the first place.
@r34p3r
I would suggest a heat gun if you do try and open any console for a re-solder of the contact points...oven and towel tricks are really dangerous/uncontrolled.
@Warzone
I put it completely level @ 380 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, then turned the oven off and let it cool for about 20 without touching it.
Yes, the heat gun method is more tried-and-true, as well as most likely a safer bet, the oven trick is a good method for those who don't have a heat gun just lying around the house (me).
And as always, if you ever feel unsure about the procedure, no matter how little of an inkling of hesitation, don't do it. Me? I did enough Google / Youtube investigating over the course of a week before I attempted the oven fix.
@r34p3r
Sorry, I meant 390 F (or just about 200 degrees Celsius). I read about it first on Overclock.net's forums. There was a guy there who did with successful results:
http://www.overclock.net/playstation/588688-i-have-just-baked-ps3-mobo.html
@r34p3r
Corrupted firmware doesn't seperate the chips from the motherboard. -_-
If you are suffering from this 3.41 issue, cracking open your PS3 won't solve anything.
@DarkTwisted
This is purely for an instance where the PS3 fails via overheating, of course.
@JayVe
"Why is it that Wii updates are infrequent and painless and 360 updates are nearly instant, but my PS3 chugs along painfully? Each firmware, I'm afraid I'll lose some feature or brick my system?"
Wii firmware updates aren't that painless either. Nintendo tends to mess up with homebrew stuff every time it issues a new firmware (that's particularly true in the recent 4.2 and 4.3 updates since their sole purpose was to remove the Homebrew Channel). If you're running homebrew on your Wii then you definitely should be afraid of the Wii updates too!
@SNESimon Hasn't anyone learned yet? Don't update the PS3 in the first hours of a firmware update. If you rely on your PS3 every waking moment and have to update it right away then that's your fault. Maybe Sony is trying to tell you something?
@SNESimon I has a launch day 60 gig that chuggs away fine, rumor has it its only happening to Playstation Plus members...
@fikhl
If Nintendo's firmware messes up Homebrew, that does not have any effect on legit users with unmodded systems.
Compared to Sony's track record of system bricking and removing features, Nintendo looks damn near pristine.
@SNESimon do you think its another one of those problems that only affect the older models? because i don't think i could take the pain of my slim kicking the bucket
@JayVe While you are correct, there are plenty of legal uses to the homebrew channel, most useful of which is japanese import games (I had TvC imported the week it came out) and the dvd player.
the good thing is that the wii updates aren't required and games that do require them carry the update on the disc, so the homebrew scene will always continue to push out ways around it for as long as they can/care to.
long live wii homebrew, I'm pretty positive loading my games onto a HDD was about the most important/useful thing I could have ever done for my wii (yes, I buy my wii games...there aren't that many good ones anyways)
@SOOPERGOOMAN
I haven't run into any issues since the update & I'm a Plus runnin' with a launch day 60gb. However, I agree with SNES that I too am apprehensive when an update rolls out & the outcome of said update.
@fikhl
Ummm if your system isn't modded its painless, Nintendo is under no requirement not to undermine Homebrew, and they do undermine it with these updates, they've admitted to intentionally making it hard for Homebrew and other mods to operate.
@SNESimon
WOW this is like when i updates my ps3 to 3.00 and then the blu ray drive stop working. then sony wanted $150 to fix it even though there update killed it. my ps3 lasted for 1 year and a month, my xbox lasted 3 years then got a new one, then after a year i sold it and got a xbox slim.
I find it funny how the console every one says that is unreliable lasted 3 times longer then the ps3. i still have my ps3 it runs fine as long as you dont want to use the dvd / blu ray drive.
@MichaelB PS3 repair is now up to $191( thats right $191!!!!!) including tax and shipping from Sony. I replaced my laser for $44 dollars and a lot of time and frustration which was mostly caused because the first replacement laser I got was defective.
@SNESimon
its a stupid mistake on sony's part
the reason that people are having problems on the newer ps3's is because the newest update is the first patch update
so anybody swapping out to a new hdd needs to have 3.40 but the ps3 might think it cant be used because the ps3 is already at 3.41
http://fus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/list/us/ps3-updatelist.txt
if you read that link one download is a patch 3.41 and the other 3.40 is the update file
@SOOPERGOOMAN
I also have an original 60gb PS3(upgraded to 320GB) and it works fine after the update. And i am not yet a PS Plus member.
@SNESimon Not new news, Sony updating ps3=fail
@JimmyBoy
can you direct me to were you got your replacement. because $191 is stupid the new xbox 360 4GB slim is $200 just $9 bucks more.
@SNESimon
im with you man. i have an original 60GB PS3 and i always wait a while before install the firmware updates for this exact reason. it's a shame that the updates are so bad on PS3. they are slow and dangerous. i just end up playing Xbox or my DS for a while if the PS3 needs an update.
Let the Xbox trolling commence...
@Diabolus in Musica
Xbox 360 sucks at not sucking.
@Saad
You're right; it doesn't suck, it blows. As in, blows like a jet engine on full output. :)
@Saad you are the very definition of your name.
@Saad
Uprank Saad out of oblivion!
@Saad Wow, never thought I'd see the day where people don't realize problems with there precious ps3. Give me 5 good reasons xbox sucks
And I really considered buying a PS3 yesterday..
@Kaboof I doubt it would if affected you if you had. Since who would put a new harddrive in a brand new ps3, still a lot of room on my 120 gb left. But if you planned to good job on saving yourself a headache.
Lol, my McAfee flag Engadget as inappropriate and spam. I can see why :0
@cdf74dc9
Because McAfee is crap?
@cdf74dc9
Are you using a Mac?
A bug? nahhh this is a typical Sony-type feature.
@DrzNight
Lmao they can do it like apple and consider a flaw a key feature
:)
@DrzNight
Playstation Drive Upgrade has always been crap
@FritzJ92 Maybe a bumper can fix it?
@Warlock234
Mine was a breeze dude and I've went from the 60 gb launch HDD, to an 80gb, to a 120gb. It was one screw and definitely not what i consider to be crap...
This seems to be a constant issue with PS3 firmware updates. Everytime Sony releases a PS3 firmware updates, there's always a chance it will brick your PS3. I don't get it. A console is a closed platform where things like this shouldn't happen. Sony is really sux at software.
@pika2000 Upgrading the firmware worked just fine for me. However, you cannot switch drives after you have the latest version because apparently to reinstall the firmware files on the hard drive, it requires a newer version than your current firmware.
The firmware is in two parts on new PS3's, the flash rom and the hard drive. Flash rom contains recovery and enough to boot from the hard drive.
I don't really think this is something new (having to upgrade firmware to upgrade hard drives) because of software but rather because instead of the firmware being fully in rom it's mostly on the hard drive. And you were never allowed to reinstall the same firmware version. So now it's become a problem and noticed.
@pika2000
What i wonder, is if people are updating them via Wifi and not connecting them via hard line. I've never had an issue with a firmware update with that said, i will go out and buy a new slim for the fear of turning on my fatty ps3.
Go with Geohot method!
I'm still pre-2.21...
@pankomputerek
he's already said he's not working on it any more.
@CakeBalls
I thought he was talking about iPhone jailbreaking, are you sure he was talking about his PS3 project?
Engadget Malware alert from Google!
@MatteoVega same here
on a side note, when is PS3 going to upgrade their web browser?
@Flintstone
Wouldn't it be awesome if the PS3 was running Chrome or Firefox?