How To: Open and Tear-Down a Playstation 3 Fat Console

In this tutorial, we will demonstrate how to Break Down a PS3 Console down to the Motherboard. You are going to need a few tools to get this going, A Small Philips Screw driver, A regular sizePhillips screwdriver and a Flat Head Screw Driver or a T-10 torque bit. If you like, you can skip to the bottom to watch our how-to video.

Let's Begin to Open up Our PlayStation 3 Fat Console

First Step:

Remove the screw from the side of the console and the warranty sticker. This is done with the small flat head screwdriver or security tamperproof T10 screwdriver.
Then slide the lid of the top of the console
Remove 7 Screws from top of console shell, and then pull upward.
With enough force, the shell of the console pop’s loose.

Removing the internal Components:

Remove the Disc Drive – remove two ribbon cables and a small connector cable.
Remove the Card Reader – remove the two screws holding this down.
Remove the Wi-Fi Board – remove the antenna cable, four screws and the ribbon cable.
Remove the Power Supply – remove five regular screws, and the ground screw. Then unplug the two connectors
Remove the Antenna – there is only one small screw for this.
Remove the Eject Board – this is the small board just in front of the disc-drive. Remove the four screws holding this down.
Take the Hard Drive Out – remove the black plastic door, and remove one screw with your small Philips screwdriver.

Keep in mind the above-mentioned items use smaller screws; this will help when you put the console back together.

Next Step:

Remove all the screws surrounding the Board – two of the screws will require the use of the small Philips screwdriver. It also depends on the model of the console.
Then take out the four screws in the middle of the board, holding the gpu & cpu in place.

Last Step:

Take the board and fan out of the console shell – Remove the plastic on the back of the console.
Next you can remove the top metal plate - easy
Then remove the fan, by unplugging the cable
Then remove the battery from the board – this is important, the battery will explode from the heat.
Remove two small screws that hold the Hard Drive holder to the board - with your small Philips screwdriver.
Now remove the metal plate

Here is a Youtube video we made on the Topic

Now you have just the board in your hands. If you need help with fixing a PS3, I have other videos on fixing a PS3 with the yellow light of death, and how to re-calibrate a ps3 disc drive.