How to Reset a PS3

There are many different reasons why you may need to reset your Play Station 3 (PS3). If a game or video freezes, a quick reset will resolve the issue. When changing TVs or cables, you must also reset the video input settings. If your computer 'hangs' often or you have problems with XMB files, you need to use the hard drive tool in Safe Mode.

Reset a frozen PS3

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Press and hold the Power button on the PS3. If your PS3 freezes, you can perform a manual reset. You need to do this on the console because the game controller may also freeze.

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Press and hold the Power button for about 30 seconds. After making three quick 'beeps', the PS3 will turn off automatically.

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Wait a few seconds, then press the Power button to turn the device back on. Do not use a game controller as the device may not recognize the PS3.

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Allows the system to check for errors. The PS3 will automatically check for errors on the disc. This process may take a while or complete very quickly depending on the error condition.

Reset video input settings

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You need to make sure your PS3 is turned off. The front power light will light red.

If after switching your TV or HDMI cable, you turn on your PS3 and there is nothing on the screen, proceed with this setup process.

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Disconnect the PS3 and TV from the power source.

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You need to make sure that the PS3 is connected to the TV using an HDMI cable.

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Plug the PS3 and TV back in.

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Switch to the HDMI input on the TV.

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Hold down the power button on your PS3 until you hear a second 'beep'. This process takes about 5 seconds.

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Use the PS3 game controller to complete the HDMI image setup process. You may need to press the PS button on your controller to open the preset menu.

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Navigate to "Settings" → "Display Settings". You can set the appropriate resolution here.

Start Safe Mode

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You need to know when Safe Mode is necessary. Safe Mode on PS3 gives you access to a number of diagnostic and repair tools that can fix frequent freezes or glitches. You can use Safe Mode to reset the file system or return your PS3 to factory settings.

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Back up game files on your device. Before attempting any troubleshooting operations with your PS3's file system, you should back up your data just in case. You can back up data to USB, most saved games are around 5-20 MB.

Plug the USB into the PS3.

Open the Game menu and select "Saved Data Utility".

Navigate to the first game you want to backup.

Press the △ button and select "Copy".

Select the USB drive and copy the file. You can repeat this operation with all game data on your device that you want to back up.

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Turn off PS3. To access Safe Mode, you need to power off your PS3 first.

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Press and hold the Power button. The first 'beep' will sound.

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Continue holding down the power button until you hear the second and third 'beep'. The system will power off and the light will turn red.

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Press and hold the Power button again. You will hear two 'beeps' again like before.

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Continue holding the Power button until you hear two consecutive 'beeps'. The message "Connect the controller using USB and then press the PS button" will appear.

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Connect the game controller and start it up. You cannot use the wireless game controller in Safe Mode.

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Use Safe Mode to reset PS3. There are many different options you can choose from to try and fix the problem your PS3 is having. If an option doesn't work, continue with the next option.

Restore File System - This option will attempt to repair damaged files on the hard drive.

Rebuild Database - This option will repair the database information on the hard drive. The messages, notifications and folders you created will be deleted, only the files will be retained.

Restore PS3 System - This option will restore your PS3 to factory settings and erase all data on the hard drive. You need to make sure that the necessary content has been backed up before proceeding with this method.