Q&A for How to Reset a PS3

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Does the PS3 have a factory reset button?

Community Answer

No, the PlayStation 3 does not have a factory reset button.

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Question

What do I do if my PS3 freezes when starting up?

Community Answer

Unplug the power cable from the wall, wait for 30 seconds and plug it back in.

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Question

When I press the power button, it starts up and the light turns green, and another light turns blue - but then it powers off right away. What should I do?

Community Answer

That means your flashdrive is broken. Take it to a technician.

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Question

When I turn on my PS3, it says that I have to restore the file, but it stops at 47%. What should I do?

Community Answer

Go into safe mode and do what it says. That should work.

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Question

When I try to switch on my PS3, the power button turns green, to yellow, then red. How can I stop it from doing that?

Community Answer

You can't. Your PS3 is pretty much dead at this point, the yellow light to red means there's a hardware failure. Backup all data you have in the HDD and get a new PS3.

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Question

What should I do if my controller isn't doing anything when I start it in safe mode?

Community Answer

If your controller isn't working in safe mode, then a variety of problems could exist. First, try installing an XML file to purge the system of any possible viruses that might be on one of your games (especially if you purchased them from shady places). If that doesn't work, try upgrading to an XML file that sends an even stronger preglativity (resistance).

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Question

What if safe mode doesn't work?

Kaylyn Holmes

Community Answer

This most likely indicates physical damage. Sony advises to send it in, but you could repair it yourself. Be aware, however, opening your PS3 will void its warranty.

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Question

What should I do if my controller isn't working in safe mode?

Community Answer

When booting into safe mode, you must press the "PS" button. Try switching USB ports if your controller is wired. If it's wireless, try plugging it in via a microUSB. If you are using a 3rd party PS3 controller, the PS3 may not recognize it.

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Question

How can I back up games if my PS3 is having these issues? Is there any way to do this from safe mode? My PS3 freezes every user at boot up.

Community Answer

Remove the HDD create an image of the drive and back up the files to a new drive and/or SSD for extra space, faster speeds, and/or a fixed/working drive.

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Question

What should I do if a game isn't loading correctly?

Community Answer

Try cleaning out your system, or returning the game in exchange, for your money back, in-store credit, or the same game.

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Question

What do I do if I have a PS3 game that freezes?

Community Answer

Take the disk out and rub mint toothpaste on it. Leave the toothpaste on for five minutes, then wipe it off with a cotton cloth. Then try the disk again.

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Question

If I do restore a PS3, will the games be erased?

Community Answer

Yes. Everything will be removed, including saves, games, login information, etc. Make sure to backup anything you would like to keep with Sony's built-in tools and a USB. After resetting, you can log back in, re-download your games, and restore your saves.

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Question

How do I get my PS3 off of restore mode?

Community Answer

Hold the power button until you hear a beep. Wait until the right light turns solid red and then turn the device back on like normal.

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Question

How do I remove a user from a PS3 without doing a factory reset?

Community Answer

Go into their profile and press delete in order to delete their profile.

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Question

How do I get out of safe mode?

Community Answer

Hold the power button until you hear a beep. Then, let go of the power button and wait until it is a solid red.

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Question

What do I do if my PS3 keeps freezing as soon as I turn it on?

Community Answer

Turn on safemode. Check files or reinstall the system. If it doesn't work, take it to a technician for repair.

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Question

What do I do if restoring my PS3 causes it to freeze or get a black screen?

Community Answer

You may have to send your PS3 in for repair in that case. Try restarting the PS3 first, though, to see if that works.

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Question

What should I do if my PlayStation 3 says system update installing, but stops at 99%?

Community Answer

If the console hasn't frozen, keep waiting. If it has, however, restart it and try again. If the problem persists, it might be a good time to reset your console.

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Question

How do I move forward on my PlayStation 3 that is not able to connect to my WiFi?

Community Answer

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "moving forward", but you can check your internet connection and router to see if there's something wrong with them and try again. Or, you can switch to wired internet instead, which is a lot better than a wireless connection.

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Question

What do I do if my PS3 turns on but won't display on my TV?

Community Answer

Check to ensure that your TV is on the proper input source (some have multiple HDMI inputs, so be sure to try each!). If that fails, try a different HDMI cable.

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Question

If I delete everything off the hard drive, does it also delete the account that was previously on the PS3? And does it also reset the "restriction level" to zero?

Community Answer

It will not delete your account; however, it will sign you out. Once your PS3 is reset, go to the PSN icon, then go to Sign Up. Press X. After doing that, a new screen will show. Scroll down and go to "Sign in as an existing user." Type in your username and password and hit Enter. It will then show you an ad for the Playstation Store. Press the circle button. Then select Sign In from the XMB menu and sign in to PSN.

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