PS3 3.0 / 3.01 firmware update making Blu-ray drive unusable?
By Donald Melanson 
posted September 25th 2009 2:34PM
posted September 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.