Well...  I've had it since 2007, and haven't had much of a problem until two weeks ago when I went to play Uncharted 3 Free Multiplayer (So I don't have to get up and put the disc in.)

And, well, today, it crapped out on me.

I know what you're probably thinking.  But, it's not the Yellow Light, and I can still access the safe-mode menu.  But, the PS3 itself will not boot.

When I try to re-build the data-base, it fails.  When I try to do anything in safe mode, the action cannot be complete.  What I think is the hard drive.  It makes a clicking noise.  It's not the PS3's original HDD, and I don't have any more spares to test it... I just sold my last spare last week....

The disc drive is fine... I popped Tekken 6 into the bluray drive just to test.  It didn't make any weird noises, and responded normally.  Pushed the eject button and got my disc out.  It's just Tekken 6, so I don't care if that gets stuck.  But, the moment my PS3 crapped out, I made sure I took TTT2 out of it.

So, anyway.  PS3 turns on with green light, and is able to safe mode.  Bluray player works absolutly fine.  8 times out of 10, I keep it dusted, and I checked for dust in the hard drive, and it was clean.  I really think it was a hard drive failure, as it was previously in a Laptop that had broken due to a hard falling.

I just want to ask another opinion before I get a new hard drive, only to find out it's the motherboard, or something stupid like that.  But, I don't think it's the motherboard, because it doesn't yellow light and goes into safe mode.  I'm only going to spend so much money, knowing a new model PS3 is coming, AND PS4 coming in november.... -___-

Damn dude...My first PS3 crapped out on me too back in 2010. First it was the Hard drive (got that replaced), then the lens, and finally the YLOD.

everytime I hear a story like this I fear it will happen to my 60GB baby :(

Dude, don't freaggin' Jinx it, damn!

However, since I play Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 a lot, I don't use the disc drive too much.  The only time I really do is for Tekken Tag Tournament 2.  And, I'm planning to get back into Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown again, so I'm really not likely to need the disc drive, so it's not like it's been used as much as other people's PS3 disc drives.

Don't hardly ever use my PS3 for disc movies.  Happens about 3-5 times a year.  TTT2 is the only game I've been playing on disc in recent memory, and even-still, been switching between it and Tekken Revolution.  Which I quit taking seriously today, due to the brokeness of that game.  I'll take bound moves over over-powered attacks any day.  Ran into someone with a power of 128.  Must have lost around 80 points of damage from a single grab.  Screw that.

Anyway, I game mostly on my HDD, not bluray drive

My son broke mine months ago, so I had to get a new one. Sucks big time.

another launch phat model (is about to) bite the dust, RIP old soldier, you have served with honour. *edited after additional information*

It wasn't launch, I got it in 2007...  Also, it's down, but not out just yet.  C'mon, people....

I didn't have any more spare SATA hard drives!!  But, I found this...

A hard drive from an old launch 360...  It was only 20GB.  But, my PS3 is fixed now!  Eventhough now, I only have a 20GB PS3 (serious downgrade from 300GB)  I'm glad I found it, because now, I can wait before spending money on the PS3.

The only useful part for a RRoD Xbox 360 console.  Finally came in handy.  So glad I didn't throw it away with the rest of the old 360.  I was considering just gaming on 360 for a while...  Just playing Virtua Fighter 5:FS, which I would have had to buy.  Now, I can play all the VF5FS I want on PS3...

I'm only going to be able to play about 6 gamees now, though....  :(  I'll update later.  I'm happy my PS3 works, even if it's only 20GB.  I wish MS gave out bigger hard drives back then, but, whatever.