Pretty much this

Cleaned the old dried up stuff off of the contact surface of the chips.

The cell and RSX can not be removed.

Considering I've already lost one ps3 to ylod, my replacement is probably due for a cleaning by now. I clean out my pc dust filter regularly but I just don't think about consoles the way I think about PCs.

Thanks random canadian

Having seen the design of the heat distribution set up inside the ps3 I would say compressed air in a can would do little more

then make the outside look cleaner.

My ps3 has never been in a place with smoke or dust, it sits on a table with all sides wide open.  Im sure that no amount of compressed air (canned) would have removed what had built up inside and if you went with more power say 120 PSI (compressor)or 200+(compressed oxygen)

you would have an excellent chance of damaging or bending the fins inside and probably have all the dust jammed up in one place.

Np ameratsu

I did the same thing with my 60GB PS3. There was barely any thermal paste left on the processors (everything was at the sides and all dried up), so I guess it'd have died if I hadn't exchanged it.

Do you guys that had all the paste dry up by any chance use yours vertically? I would also add that the paste they use might appear dry when cold but when heated it becomes softer, hence why over time it can sag when the console is kept on its side.

I personally don't reccommend most people change the thermal paste, I would advise you open it up and clean the fans properly but don't seperate the cooling as it can induce a YLOD if you're not careful. If you do that then you'll probably find it lowers the fan speed sufficiently anyway.

For people that have more knowledge then the ultimate solution is obivously to change the thermal paste above and below the spreader plate. I'd advise a silicon based paste or one of the Artic Silver chipset compounds, basically something non electroconductive.

I don't have the guts to open up a PS3. I opened a Wii Remote once and a Fairy (my cousin still thinks it was a pixie) flew out of it, went out of an open window, and flew down the street. We were high, though.

@ slowmo )

I had it horizontal. My PS3 has almost no dust inside, but switching the thermal paste immediately made it as quiet as when it was new again.

You have to take into consideration that the processors are facing downwards if you have it horizontal, so the thermal paste can sag in that position as well.

By coincidence, I'm taking apart a 40GB SKU this weekend to clean out the heat sink and replace the TIM with AS5. Hoping that will fix the hardware error otherwise it looks like bro in law will be getting a new PS3 Slim. Don't think he'll want to be without MW2 for much more than the weekend, so the race is on.

I'm pretty much expecting to see a ton of dust/pet hair/etc. inside since the entertainment center doesn't seem to get dusted ever. The first time I did a fan cleaning cycle, a cloud of dust literally flew out the back.

I think the reality is, a lot of people simply aren't going to do any sort of preventive maintenance on PCs and certainly not consoles, particularly those who don't treat them like objects of affection like a lot of users on this site.

On the plus side, since there's no intention to have it refurbed/repaired through SCE, it doesn't matter whether the fix works or not; it's just an opportunity to pull a PS3 apart.

i'd say it is good to clean out dust,seems to be the electronics enemy,

what is thermal paste then?

haha,i knew there were little creatures in my consoles thanks for confirming,

i'm also high