CECHP03 PS3 Different drive from all the rest?

[DejaVu]

Today I won an eBay auction for a job lot of PS3's with assorted problems and collected them this evening.Thought I'd go through them and try and get a couple working.

Managed to sort 1 out with no problem, but I've just opened up the next one that ID's itself as a CECHP03 and the Blu-Ray ribbon has a much smaller width than usual. About a 3rd of the size I'm used to.
This particular one has no drive. Everything else is there - including the Blu-Ray board that marries up to it and is different to all the ones I've done in the past.

It is definitely PAL, but how would I go about getting a replacement drive for this, especially knowing it's got a different board. I also noticed the CD Entry Sensor Board thingy's connector is a Ribbon as opposed to that silly annoying yellow 2 pin connector. I'll up a couple of pictures of the inside of this PS3 in a few minutes...

I apologies for the quality of these pictures. I only had my Samsung Galaxy S2 to hand.













If your impressed with these pictures as much as I am FROM A PHONE, check out this ORIGINAL macro shot!
I love this phone! If your thinking about getting a Sammy G S2. Just do it.

Anyway, back on topic -Any ideas where I maybe able to source the drive for this board/PS3?

Not that its obvious from the pictures or maybe even the model, but this PS3 is a PHAT version.

eBay seems to full of the 'normal' drives.

[riget]

I've seen these before, the only thing I found with them was having to remove the psu to remove the ribbon, as not enough room as with the bigger ribbons.
I've never had to get one but just make sure it's got the small ribbon connector, the rest will be ok as they use the same laser.

[Mario87]

They are from the KES-410A dual lens drives (newer ones). The other boards you are used to seeing will have the original KES-400A single lens drives. Make sure you buy the correct one to go with it. Plenty on eBay and you'll be fine.

These have a full metal plate on the bottom of the drive covering the board except the enterence for ribbon/power cables where as the older ones had the logic board exposed under the drive.

[riget]

It's not defined by the laser type, the 410's were in the other drives, I think these were only in 160gbs and maybe some 80's.

[Mario87]

I have seen these with 40GB consoles as well and have only ever seen them with KES-410A dual lens drives. I actually have a 40GB machine at home running old FW which has one of these drive boards.

60GB consoles have the older logic boards (obviously), 40GB can have both, depending when they were manufactured and newer machines (80GB onwards) all have these boards.

The KES-400A lasers were only used in the 60GB & early 40GB machines. When these newer logic boards were introduced the laser was also changed to a dual lens KES-410A.

[DejaVu]

Just had a surf around on eBay, when you say plenty, I cant find any.
They are either the usual type or the newer one with the larger ribbon. None seem to have this smaller ribbon.

These are the only obviously different ones, but still look wrong. The ribbon connection is on the wrong side.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180812744571
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220946993690
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320843359720
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130643720176

In fact, I cant find even a picture of the underside of this particular drive that looks like it will fit.
Turns out this PS3 is an Oct 2008 160Gb Fat Version. One of the newest before the Slim was released.

--EDIT
A little digging also brings this up.
http://www.semperthree.com/PS3-Specifications.html
It is a PAL version though.

This version is looking rarer and rarer...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/160GB-Limite.../dp/B001K3B39I

[Mario87]

Well this is what I can see, so a KEM-410ACA drive should fit your board. TBH the main thing is that your board fits into the drive housing, the size of the hole for the ribbon doesn't matter. Have a look at this....



You can buy a new drive from ConsoleParts4U here... http://www.consoleparts4u.co.uk/repl...type-399-p.asp

They are good and sort out any issues. So if you buy from them and your board does not fit the case they should sort you out. Or if you call them first to confirm, then buy. However, like I said, the main thing is the screw holes for the logic board line up and it is held in securely with all the ribbons connecting to the right place. The size of the main ribbon to the mobo doesn't matter, as long as it all lines up.

[riget]

That list is for the laser types, we know it's a 410 laser but the drive has a small ribbon, and it connects on the other side of the drive, that's why I said I have to remove the psu as it doesn't give you space to lift the drive.

It could be doable if you were to cut another opening in the bottom cover, if the logic board fitted the drive ok.

[DejaVu]

I emailed a place that redirected me to this -
http://ps3spares.com/index.php?page=...emart&Itemid=1
Which is the wrong image (generic maybe?)


Here's the only place I've found with a picture of the drive that will actually fit.
http://www.logictoyz.com/sony-ps3/so...d-bmd-021.html


The reason for all this caper is because of this -

On this Logic Board, there is nowhere for this to plug in. Does it not use one perhaps?

[riget]

I found a site showing the ribbon fitment, it's only the 160gb and some 80gb, as I thought, http://ps3spares.com/index.php?optio...d=51&Itemid=67

[Mario87]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ps3-Workin...item2c6253c3a1

Bing bang bosh, done! There you go, buy the above. However even the seller says to revert to a wide cable all you have to do is swap the bottom tray, so by that logic you could revert any KES-410A drive to a narrow ribbon drive by swapping out the bottom plate from your existing drive.

[DejaVu]

Nice one Herman.
Will get one of them Friday!!

Solved.

EDIT-
I think saying they are 'interchangeable' must be BS.
I have 5 PS3's here and this one is the only one that's different.

The Drive board for example only has 5 connections, the normal ones have 7.
The ones with less do not have the Lens Motor ribbon slot or the CD Draw Sensor slot. I reckon, for future reference. Make sure you buy the right drive for the right Blu Ray board.

Thanks for your help lads and awesome find Herman. I couldn't find the wood through the trees!