Since we remarked on Friday’s BBC Watchdog feature that addressed PlayStation 3 fail rates, with reference to the Yellow Light of Death, we’ve received many comments and questions from site visitors via email, the PSN, and PS3Vault.com directly: what causes the Yellow Light of Death? How can it be fixed? Do we know of any preventative measures that can be taken?

It is our responsibility to hear your cries and respond to them accordingly. After a bit of browsing, we have found two websites which will (hopefully) educate the uneducated, explaining all you need to know about the YLoD condition and, most importantly, how to cure it. Thanks go to Dealspwn and HaxNetwork for publishing this information on the World Wide Web. Links to these sites can be viewed by clicking ‘Read more...’ below.

As far as PS3 repairs go, Google is your best bet: there are countless local third-party businesses to be found online that offer a host of professional services in this regard. For example, suffers in the UK might want to contact Creative IT, a company based in Central London that specialises in resolving Yellow Light of Death issues.

People have downloaded VidZone (why shouldn't they? It's impressively well done) and, after using it for a while and clicking one of the ads, which take you to the PSN store, have experienced a crash. After restarting, they have discovered that they have got the dreaded 'yellow light of death', which stops the PS3 from starting and must be sent off to be fixed, much like the 360's RRoD. Naturally, they blamed VidZone and complained on various forums.

However, the YLoD is only caused by over heating, meaning that the the application didn't do it. The only way to fight this is by doing what you should've been doing all along; keep you PS3 in a well ventilated space, with a few empty inches around it at all times. This should stop any overheating and the appearance of any deceptively coloured lights. So, go do that, then. Read more »