How to Replace a PS3 Laser

The PlayStation 3 (PS3) has a Blu-ray drive instead of a DVD drive for playing games and watching movies. A defective Blu-ray laser diode will render the Blu-ray drive inoperable and must be replaced if the PS3 is to be fully utilized. You can install a replacement Blu-ray laser diode yourself, saving the cost and time of having to send the game console to a service center. You will need a few hardware tools but no special electronics expertise.

Things You'll Need

• Bath towel
• Phillips jeweler's screwdriver
• Torx screwdriver
• Compressed air
• Tweezers
• Replacement Blu-ray laser diode

Instructions

1. Put the bath towel on a table. Remove all of the cables connected to the PS3. Remove any game controllers and USB memory cards connected to the PS3. Place the PS3 horizontally on the bath towel with the disc slot facing you.

2. Remove the hard drive compartment lid on the side of the PS3 with your fingers. Remove the blue screw at the top upper edge inside of the hard drive with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver.

3. Pull the metal latch inside of the hard drive compartment to the right. Pull the hard drive compartment cage open. Pull the hard drive out of the hard drive compartment.

4. Remove the two screws from the bottom right side of the PS3 with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver. Slide the top of the PS3 to the right and off the PS3 using your fingers.

5. Remove the screws from around the inside protective lid of the PS3 with the Torx screwdriver.

6. Pull the inside protective lid and up away from the front of the PS3. Remove the cable connector attached to the inside protective lid from the motherboard using the tweezers.

7. Remove the inside protective lid. Remove the screws from around the Blu-ray drive using the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver.

8. Pull out the two cables attached to the back of the Blu-ray player using your fingers. Pull the Blu-ray drive out of the PS3.

9. Put the Blu-ray drive on the bath towel with the yellow sticker facing up. Remove the screws from both sides of the Blu-ray drive with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver. Slide the Blu-ray drive’s case off the Blu-ray drive.

10. Remove the exposed screws on the Blu-ray drive from the inner case with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver. Remove the screws surrounding the exposed laser assembly board next to the inner case with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver.

11. Release the tabs on the inner case next to the laser assembly board with the tip of the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver.

12. Pull the cables attached to the laser assembly out of the motherboard next to the inner case with the tweezers.

13. Pull the laser assembly off the Blu-ray drive. Put the laser assembly on the bath towel

14. Remove the “L” shaped metal bracket at the center of the laser assembly with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver. Pull out the Blu-ray laser diode beneath the “L” shaped metal bracket with the tweezers. Discard the Blu-ray laser diode in the trash.

15. Clean the laser assembly with compressed air.

16. Hold the replacement Blu-ray laser diode by the base above the two attached pins with the tweezers. Insert the two pins of the replacement Blu-ray laser diode into the holes formerly occupied by the original laser diode. Push the replacement laser diode into the holes so that they are well-seated.

17. Clean the laser assembly with compressed air.

18. Reattach the “L” metal bracket to the laser assembly. Put the laser assembly back into its original position on the Blu-ray drive. Reattach the cables. Reattach the screws surrounding the laser assembly and the inner case.

19. Put the case back onto the Blu-ray drive. Reattach the screws.

20. Put the Blu-ray drive back into its original position on the PS3. Reattach the cables to the Blu-ray drive. Reattach the screws.

21. Reverse the disassembly process to put the PS3 back together and the hard drive back into the hard drive compartment. Reattach the cables to the PS3. Plug the game controllers and USB memory cards back into the PS3.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear an anti-static strap to avoid static electricity damaging the internal components of the PS3.

• Opening the PS3 voids the Sony warranty.

References

• YouTube: How To Repair A PlayStation 3 Laser

Resources

• Console Shop: PS3--Parts and Repair