Hard Drive Blue Screw

Yes I know there are threads on this, yes after I managed to strip the head of the blue screw I read some people laughing about how such 'idiots' should have used the correct screwdriver that isn't specified in any (including the official) guide. This isn't a whine, or a tale of how I managed to drill it out or turn it into a flat head.

No I did something those posting didn't seem to try - I contacted Sony.

They're picking up my PS3 and replacing the screw free of charge and no it's not still under warranty it's coming up to two years old.

Now sure I may just end up back where I started from; however the reason for my post isn't just offering a solution it was because the guy at the other end had never heard of this happening to anyone else. Oh sure they have lots of calls for replacement screws and the occasional caddy problem, but not this.

So folks if this happens to you don't fudge it open and simply request replacement screws, give Sony a call and tell them exactly what went wrong because if you don't they won't know they might have a problem on their hands.

i never bothered with a screwdriver on the blue screw when i was swapping out my HD i just used pliers on it, didnt wanna run the risk of stripping the screw as its seems to be made of a very soft metal.

2.5" SATA. Apparently the current ones are 5400rpm and there's some debate over whether a 720rpm will generate too much heat. Either way I picked up a 320Gb 5400rpm for £90 from Maplin, which of course is still sitting in its box.

I just ordered a new drive for mine, guess I'll be extra carefull

first time i replaced my hdd, i shaved all those screws. but on my 2nd ps3, i was really careful and so i didnt, it was easy.

Searching around apparently you're supposed to use a Size 1 Phillips screwdriver which would have been handy to know if Sony had added that information to the Tech Guide rather than "use the correct screwdriver". I only spotted that because someone added it as a comment to someone else's guide because they hadn't bothered to mention it either.

Anyway knowing my luck it'll come back as was and I'll strip the screw again despite using the "correct screwdriver" :P

Sony's customer support is awesome! I called them while trying to get my WiFi to work and told them my wired port stopped working right after I installed YD Linux on it. They told me if I wanted to send it in they would fix it for free although it is 2.5 years old with no warranty. They told me that PS3s only used WEP security and that fixed the prob with my WiFi.

What type hard drive does the ps3 take??famz_1

2.5 inch SATA 5400 rpm HDD. They sell 500gb ones for like $90 at www.supermediastore.com

Just a quick word on the final resolution of this problem. Sony picked up my console on the 3rd September (a day late because Head Office hadn't been told) and returned it on the 24th (a day late because Head Office hadn't been told; oo deja vu).

It came back intact with the blue screw having been removed from the hard drive caddy, and as a bonus came with a little packet contained two blue screws, four caddy screws and a spare caddy; all for free.

It was a piece of cake to add my new HD to the spare caddy and switch them over and I gently added the blue screw without difficulty.

So yays to Sony.