I have a launch PS3 with upgraded HD (Samsung 650gb 5,400rpm).

After playing Fallout New Vegas for some time, the game froze. As such, I attempted to power down the system using the front button. After nothing happened for a couple of minutes, I pressed the eject button too which seemed to do the trick and the machine powered down. On reboot, the system didn't recognise the game disk. I tried a number of other games, Bluray and DVD but it didn't recognise these too.

After a little research, I found the the laser must have died and I need a new part (KES400A). No problem, the system is getting on a bit so I think nothing of it and have the PS3 repaired. The system was tested - worked fine and I took it home looking forward to continuing my game.

I put the Fallout NV disk in - great, the system recognised the Bluray and I loaded the game. Started it up and played for 5mins, went to go into a house and the game froze again. As before, I reset the game by powering down and ejecting the disk. On system rebooted the PS3 failed to recognise the game disk. I again tried other disks - nothing.

For the second time in a day, I returned the PS3 to the local repair store and had the laser unit replaced. It's now working again but I'm loathed to play NV in case the same thing happens again - I've had almost 4 years of problem free PS3ing then this. I've always been in the camp that games cannot 'kill' a system but I'm second guessing myself. Can someone shed some light? Was it my shut down procedure, sheer bad luck or have others experienced the same?

It is impossible for a game to break hardware. If your drive keeps failing like that, then I would suggest replacing the whole drive and not just the laser.

I had the same thought Echonite until I had this double hit. I still believe that it's unlikely the software caused the problem and it's more probable that I'm either:
a ) Really unluck, or...
b ) Powering down the system incorrectly (pressing the power off on the front and then, when nothing happens, press the eject)

I just have this niggle that if the laser is trying to read and the game freezes, is there a guard against continual laser read/motor movement - if not and the head isn't parked at any point, could it damage the unit? On a PC, (in the early days) you could corrupt a HD and damage your CDR though similar bugs. Just a thought...

Has anyone had a similar experience or can recommend a work around?

There's your problem. That's one of the worst things you could do. If your game freezes and your PS3 won't turn off from the power button, HOLD the power Button. It's actually damaging to the system if you hit eject or flip the power switch in the back while it's trying to read data from a disc.

The problem is, if you have the older model of PS3, the power button doesn't always work, so the only other option is to flip the back switch. Problem is, that can damage your system. That's why the Slim lacks that switch and features an always working power button. I got a Slim and played both Fallout 3: Game of the year and New Vegas with easily 300+ crashes, and my PS3 works like the day I bought it.

A-ha, that sounds logical. The power button didn't work hence me pressing eject after 5 minutes of nothing.

What should I have done instead? Simply press eject and wait or power down using the back switch?

In this case, the power switch in the back would be far less damaging. But at that point, it's really the lesser of two evils.

Thank you Tluav, I'll try that next time I experience the dreaded freeze and report back - watch this space.

Mate, I've had exactly the same problem too. I experienced the usual system freezes and bugs that seem to be the state of play for this game, but several days ago, the game froze my system, and so I had to do a hard shutdown of my console. When I turned the machine back on, it no longer recognised any Discs at all, be it BR or DVD.

Rather than indulge my initial instinct to sit and weep, I proceeded to back up my data to an external HDD. After waiting the 4 hours for this to complete, I went through the Safe Mode procedures of restoring File System, and Rebuilding database. This seemed to fix the problem. At first. I tested out the drive with another game, which launched successfully, but about 40mins in, the game crashed and I was back to square one.

I decided to try the restore steps again, and once again it worked again for about an hour, but the end result was the same. I then went through the process of completely reformatting the HDD (19 hours!!? Whaa?) and restoring my backup. Again, the Playstation seemed to work again, but soon enough, the Blu Ray drive stopped recognising discs.

I called Sony this evening to discuss it with them, making sure that I namechecked FNV, but the Customer Service Advisor assured me that it wasn't the game that caused the problem, but that the Blu Ray laser had given up the ghost. Of course I don't blame the game for the problems, I'm a reasonable guy, but it is an odd coincidence that we've both had the same problem which seems to be triggered by our playing the same game.

The gentleman at Sony informed me that they'd replace my machine for the princely sum of 135 of Her Majesty's finest quidpounds. I'm now in a quandry of whether or not I should go through the official lines, or perhaps pay for a new laser or Blu Ray drive? I'm thinking that I might as well go with Sony as at least I'll get a new warranty should the problem arise again.

Yes, it's a swift toe-punt to the testicles that I'm now without a Ps3 for a while, but I'd thought I'd post here to share my experience with you. It's a damned shame too, as I was loving New Vegas. It's plainly a tragedy that Bethesda/Obsidian should release a game that's clealy plagued by bugs and glitches.

Oh, and a word to the wise... don't be tempted to fill your Novac Motel Room with 1000 Dinky T-Rex statues. The game doesn't like it, and Boone certainly doesn't appreciate you trying to bury him in them and then throwing in a frag grenade, you know - just to see what'll happen? Your game crashes, that's what happens! lol. :cryvaultboy: