Sony is rolling out yet another minor update to its PlayStation 3 console, but this time it looks as though things aren’t going so smoothly.
A number of reports tell of the new update – version 4.45 – ‘bricking’ some users’ consoles. The update launched worldwide last night but has already racked up some 79 pages of complaints on the Sony PlayStation user forum.
“When I started up the PS3 Slim today, it reported that it required [an] update to 4.45 (the version that allows you to disable trophy notification during game play),” writes one gamer, ‘JadeTreeInWind’. “After the download and installation, the system rebooted. But after it displayed the PS3 logo, it went to the second screen (the flowing ribbon). It’s supposed to display XMB next. But it never goes there.”
It appears that Sony’s answer is to reboot your console and if that doesn’t work to format it, which seems to do the trick. Of course, that would mean losing your saved games, downloaded content and everything else stored on the console. One user, ‘FantastikNoob171’, formatted their console and resolved the issue;
“Update messed up my ps3 but I booted in safe mode and reformated. Works fine now and 4.45 update showing. Started to download everything again. Bought The Last of Us on psn, since best buy was out. That is what caused me to need the update…..next time test it before you release another update.”
However, some gamers have reported the problem getting worse after formatting, with the console then not even turning shortly after the format finishes – truly bricked.
Sony has removed mention of the update on its website and it appears it won’t be appearing on any consoles for the foreseeable future, but if you do see a message asking you to download the 4.45 update, don’t.
UPDATE: It would seem that around 90% of the users who reported their console failing to boot after the update had installed after market hard drives. Whilst it won’t give you access to your save games etc, if you simply must use your PS3 to game or download then a temporary fix is taking out the replacement hard drive and popping back in the original.