if an update screws up with the boot why didnt anyone just force format the HDD? Heating the motherboard screws up the solder which could lead to massive issues.

all taking apart the PS3 did was allow you to remove the HDD... the completely wrong way making it so you can never send the system to Sony for proper repairs... idiots.

Wow, so many fanboys is utter disbelief that their "precious" console could EVER have a problem. Get over yourselves, all consoles break. Oh, and yes, and update could cause problems if it altered the way hardware processed things...which consequently, a lot of firmware updates do.

Now, this having been said, I would NOT suggest throwing your PS3 in the oven, this may temporarily fix it, however, the heat could cause components to "wear out" even faster, so next time, you may not be so lucky.

I would suggest finding a better method...like the X-clamp method for the 360. That is a permanent fix, and you can clean out the console as well as reapply heat paste.

The update does not screw with the boot. It is either causing the PS3 to run hotter, or it lowered the temp threshold.

Feel free to scoop up some valid facts on the 2.80 update bringing "alot", or even "many" ylods. This has nothing to do about fanboyism, its about a lier being called out and fails to respond. And since i've been awake for about 25 hrs straight, i find this very annoying and feel like hurting people!

If I were you, I would quickly back up all my save files and be expecting it to fail again.  I doubt it's going to last a lot longer. 

Out of curiosity was it full of dust when you took it apart?

Also, what is up with kiefer's sig.  Takes up most of my screen lol

The two major issues I covered in my last post. 1. The Oven. 2. Sony's back-up recovery system.

1. Like I said, heating solder joints can cause massive problems because it can screw up electrical flow and components. If a piece of hardware fails contact the manufacturer. Don't attempt to solve the issue unless you have proper knowledge and experience.

2. If you remove and install the HDD Sony has a back-up system where it will reformat the HDD back to original firmware.

"OV-HAN."

so ovens fix firmware now?
awesome.

Iv'e brought both of my PS3s back to life with the solder reflow trick. I would recommend using a heat gun to terget the gpu/cpu over using an oven, but both ways are temporary. Sadly the poor design of certain runs of certain models(ie: very few) cause the machine to heat up so much that the solder on the gpu or cpu disconnect from their socket connection to the motherboard. If this does happen to any vgcharter and you do the fix it is best to buy an independently powered ac adapter intercooler(one that has its own power supply, not one that pulls from the usb ports).

This trick also works on RROD xboxes, which is what the towel trick does......also the update most likely has nothing to do with the ylod, just bad luck for some PS3 owners.

I already told you how this was possible, stop being such a blowhard, whack a few, and hit the sack before you do yourself irreparable harm.

Now, I realize there is a differance here, but just for anctedotal evidence. My cellphone a LG Env2 (wish I could have waited for the Env3 to come out), when I first bought it, it had an older firmware version, it didn't get great battery life, didn't get great reception, and the music played quieter on it. when I reflashed my phone with the newest firmware, it got better battery life, better reception, and played music louder. Do you think that had anything to do with the firmware? Or was it just a fluke as you would suggest the YLOD is?

Firmware alters how the microprocessors work, this can create problems, or it can fix them. In this case, it either raised the heat threshhold for the console thus creating a situation where the console got too hot, or made the chips work harder and create more heat.

@ssj12, I was writing my post while you posted yours, I agree with your assesment.