That was the first corrective action I took.

Started up with two different HDDs in or out of the console. The blinking red light will occur before the HDD even has a chance to access, meaning terminal hardware failure.

You can hear the PSU click off immediately before the red blinking lights start (may indicate a blown PSU).

Yellow light actually means HDD failure, and it should show up where the HDD access light is near the USB ports rather than the power up LEDs.

If its within 2 years of purchase, you should try the warranty extension provided by your credit card, assuming you have platinum-equivalent card.

Oh and please post a picture if you still have the unit, I've never seen this before.

You'd need a video to see how the error sequence goes. You can find them on Youtube. Once that happens, it won't even try to boot up the OS without a hardware reset.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVXzN7jCcRA

I could try the whole warranty extension through Visa, but I don't want a refund/new replacement; I'd only be interested in getting a refurbed 60GB unit, and that's only going to happen through the Sony service department (or if I find a working MoBo and PSU on Ebay, since I don't know which is the burnt out part and replace it myself).

Eesh. When the heck is that new PS3 going to be delivered, anyway?!

It's actually kind of painful when you realize how much you were using a piece of consumer electronics that you really start to notice its absence after less than a week.

Man, I am still waiting for my cardboard coffin to arrive. Hopefully, it will be on my doorstop when I get home.

In the meantime, I bought one of the new 80 GB PS3 to hold me over. This system makes practically zero noise in comparison to the 60 GB Launch PS3s. Its very nice in that regard, but I am missing my backwards compatibility.

That MGS4 bundle I ordered should be in my hands Friday.

I was kind of torn. I know the current 80GB model uses less power and generates less heat than the old 40GB, but... when I saw the MGS4 LE bundles on Amazon for $399, practically the day my 60GB went tits up, I took it as a sign.

I tried to buy multiple LE bundles off Ebay months ago, but the bids went higher than I was willing to pay. So now I have one for $400 instead. Cha-ching.

My brother has a 40GB unit and I was impressed at how much quieter it ran than the 60GB, so... good enough until Sony releases a SFF PS3 in another two years or so.