Will it work without a blu-ray drive?

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PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 (or commonly known as the PS3) is the third home computer entertainment system produced by Sony Computer Entertainment, and the successor to the PlayStation 2. It was released November 11, 2006

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Luis Correia @luiscorreia

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Posted: Dec 28, 2011

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Will it work without a blu-ray drive?

A friend has a console which was broken due to bad soldering on the chips and was stored somewhere.

Then a bright fellow decided he needed the motors on the bluray drive and has thrown everything else on the trash.

Now I think I've made the console bask to working shape, but since I have no drive, I can't figure out if it needs the drive to really work.

It currently powers up and down as it should, but I get no video at all.

If you could test on yours, just disconnect the flat cable and the white power cable. Let me know if you get image.

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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You should get an image. Try a different video cable, also attaching a controller to it. What ever you do don't let it update like that.

Dec 29, 2011 by ABCellars

As much as I apreciate all answers so far, no one has done what I humble asked for.

So, until someone tries it, I won't validate any answer.

Dec 30, 2011 by Luis Correia

Luis Correia, I do not think that this is a humble request. Nobody is going to tear their console apart and disconnect a cable, to answer your question. The goal on here is to assist others, not to get validated answers, so you are not harming anyone by not validating. I do wish you the best of luck.

Dec 30, 2011 by oldturkey03

I have a ps3 that my dickhead brother had decided to throw onto the tile floor everything but the blue ray drive works I have removed the blue ray drive and can still use everything but the discs

Sep 7, 2015 by Tshep

I know it's been like 5 year but I tried it now, it will turn on and all but if have multiman or webman (to play your backups) it will just freeze and show you a black screen. Anything else seems to work

Jul 8, 2016 by Don Dan

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Phillip Takahashi @philliptak35704

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Posted: Dec 28, 2011

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Luis,

I don't have a console to test with myself, but I searched around the net and the consensus is that the PS3 will work without the BDR installed. You do however need to have the driver board installed.

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Yes, I am now aware that the console must be 'married' with its blu-ray drive.

But I still want to know if it produces any image without it connected.

As simple as that!

Dec 29, 2011 by Luis Correia

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You should get an image. Try a different video cable, also attaching a controller to it. What ever you do don't let it update like that. — ABCellars
As much as I apreciate all answers so far, no one has done what I humble asked for.

So, until someone tries it, I won't validate any answer. — Luis Correia
Luis Correia, I do not think that this is a humble request. Nobody is going to tear their console apart and disconnect a cable, to answer your question. The goal on here is to assist others, not to get validated answers, so you are not harming anyone by not validating. I do wish you the best of luck. — oldturkey03
I have a ps3 that my dickhead brother had decided to throw onto the tile floor everything but the blue ray drive works I have removed the blue ray drive and can still use everything but the discs — Tshep
I know it's been like 5 year but I tried it now, it will turn on and all but if have multiman or webman (to play your backups) it will just freeze and show you a black screen. Anything else seems to work — Don Dan
Yes, I am now aware that the console must be 'married' with its blu-ray drive.

But I still want to know if it produces any image without it connected.

As simple as that! — Luis Correia

Cameron Phillips @cameronphillips Rep: 1 1 · Answer 1 · 2011-12-31T08:17:49-07:00

Cameron Phillips @cameronphillips

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Posted: Dec 31, 2011

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Wish I could help, but mine doesn't even power up or down. Have you tried connecting the RCA cables and booting in Safe Mode? That would tell you if the video is coming through your video cable or not.

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Nicy @nicy Rep: 1 · Answer 2 · 2012-01-18T22:50:37-07:00

Nicy @nicy

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Posted: Jan 18, 2012

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Has a ps3 bluray drive, problems solved.

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the optical drive is not related to the question asked.

Jan 19, 2012 by oldturkey03

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David @badgerfromhell Rep: 921 5 2 · Answer 3 · 2012-01-19T12:16:29-07:00

David @badgerfromhell

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Posted: Jan 19, 2012

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Have two ps3's..one up on the repair agenda, so thought why not. It works without a blue ray drive, video 'n all.

But if you want to fix the problem of not having a blue ray drive, visit ebay for some cheap replacements.

Might add also, if you press and hold the power on button untill you hear a second beep it should search for alternative videosource, might be why you're not getting any video at all.

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Thank you David.

With your feedback, I can now continue to search for the root cause of the problem, as the bluray drive not existing is not a problem.

Jan 20, 2012 by Luis Correia

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wellithastobe @wellithastobe Rep: 1 1 · Answer 4 · 2012-04-05T05:09:58-07:00

wellithastobe @wellithastobe

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Posted: Apr 5, 2012

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My fat model ps3 works without a blu ray drive. I'm currently repairing it.

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lapusan gabriel @lapusangabriel Rep: 1 · Answer 5 · 2013-12-07T09:28:21-07:00

lapusan gabriel @lapusangabriel

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Posted: Dec 7, 2013

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ps3 works without blu ray drive ,shows xmb and you can play with menu icons but nothing else

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edvinboguckis @edvinboguckis Rep: 1 · Answer 6 · 2014-10-30T07:49:27-07:00

edvinboguckis @edvinboguckis

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Posted: Oct 30, 2014

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CECHG-03 works and plays games from HDD without blu-ray drive perfectly :D

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kris @microfear24 Rep: 1 · Answer 7 · 2017-03-29T15:12:00-07:00

kris @microfear24

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Posted: Mar 29, 2017

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ribbon cable from bluray to motherbord if its not good thats what happende im trying to find a work around will let u know if i find something out

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1 Comment:

I'm not 100% sure the guy who posted this 6 years ago will still require your input.

Mar 29, 2017 by Conor Bailey

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Psyops Matter @psyopsmatter Rep: 1 · Answer 8 · 2018-09-13T19:59:06-07:00

Psyops Matter @psyopsmatter

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Posted: Sep 13, 2018

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if your on a cfw and CEX ++https://www.psxhax.com/threads/bobbydown... Overflow 4.82 v5 cobra cex NoBd edition lets you update with out a blueray drive and its the latest firmware 4.82

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Andre @andre29193 Rep: 37 2 · Answer 9 · 2019-01-20T00:41:40-07:00

Andre @andre29193

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Posted: Jan 20, 2019

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Hi I too have this problem. In my case wanted to make a small cluster and shockingly this one is linux capable. Fortunately the original owner broke it just before the new fw came out so may try it with just pcb connected to see what it does.

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PlayStation 3

Will it work without a blu-ray drive?

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