Syscon Error Codes

Description

Syscon memory contains a table of size 0x100 bytes intended to store error codes, every error code is composed by 4 bytes + another 4 bytes for its timestamp, in total the table can store 32 errors. When the table is full of errors and a new error needs to be stored syscon deletes the oldest
The timestamps are in UTC format (number of elapsed seconds since 2000)

How to get the syscon error log

If the PS3 still boots up to the XMB and is able to install and run apps you can use programs like the ones mentioned at top of Platform ID page
If the PS3 doesnt boots is still posible to retrieve the syscon error log by connecting a PC to syscon UART port using a "USB to TTL UART adapter" and running the command errlog. There is also the command clearerrlog to empty the error table (handy to prevent confusions with old error codes that could be cummulated along the months/years and not related with the actual problem)

Error code format

The error codes follows the format: ARSSCEEE, where:

A (Fixed)
- A = unknown
R (Reserved)
- 0-E = Unknown
- F = Frequent error
SS (Step)
- 00-7F = Step of the power on sequence where the error happened
- 80 = The error happened when the PS3 was powered on
- 90 = The error happened when the PS3 was powered off
- A0 = The error happened after a syscon reset
C (Category)
- 1 = System
- 2 = Fatal
- 3 = Boot
- 4 = Data
EEE (Error)
- Any number in hex

The list below only includes the last 4 numbers (category + error)

Error codes

System

1001

Cell Vram Power

Speculation:
1001 errors happen when the system encounters an unexpected shutdown. They often occur in testing, when the console is turned on/off a lot, instead of graceful shutdown. They have been associated with other errors, but there doesn't appear to be any single cause.

1002

RSX Vram Power

This error has been associated with insufficient Filtering on RSX_VDDC. There is a range of voltage ripple/noise that will cause this error before it gets so bad it causes an RSX_VDDC Power Failure (3004). 1002's cause YLOD's that range in duration from 2 seconds to only occuring during intense games.

There are numerous SMD components involved in filtering, but the main concern are the NEC/TOKIN Proadlizers (capacitors). 1002 errors are the fingerprint of bad tokins.

1004

PSU Power

1103

Thermal

1200

CELL BE Thermal Error

CPU Overheat. This is a common error. The usual culprit is failed Thermal Interface Material (TIM). As the material ages it "dries" allowing air inside. Air is a heat insulator, reducing the TIM's ability to transfer enough heat away from the processor. The system fan will steadily get louder over time until it cannot keep up. Once the processor approaches it's Thermal Shutdown Temperature a Yellow LED begins flashing on the console (Early Phat Models). Once it reaches the Thermal Shutdown Temperature the console will beep three times and hard shutdown, flashing red until the console is unplugged and the error state reset. Error 1200 is generated in the SYSCON errorlog.

First be sure the system fan is working. If so, apply new TIM Between the Internal Heat Spreader (IHS) and Heatsink (HS). If that does not resolve the problem, carefully remove the IHS (Delid) and replace the TIM between the IHS and processor DIE.

If that still doesn't work, it could be an issue with the temperature monitor chip (IC1101). Beyond that, some users have noted that dead CPU's can throw error 1200. However, that's the limit of our current understanding. It could be dead, or have another unexplained issue, but usually reflowing or reballing is the last ditch effort to revive such a console.

1201

RSX thermal

1203

Cell voltage regulators thermal

1204

Southbridge thermal

1205

EE/GS thermal

1301

Cell PLL

14FF

Check stop

1601

Cell livelock

1701

Cell attention

1802

RSX init

1900

RTC voltage

1901

RTC oscilator

1902

RTC access

Fatal

2001

Cell

2002

RSX

2003

Southbridge

2010

Clock 1

2011

Clock 3

2012

Clock 2

2013

Clock 4

2020

HDMI

2022

DVE

2030

Thermal sensor 1

2031

Thermal sensor 2

2033

Thermal sensor 3

2101

Cell

2102

RSX

2103

Southbridge

2110

Clock 1

2111

Clock 3

2112

Clock 2

2113

Clock 4

2120

HDMI

2122

DVE

2130

Thermal sensor 1

2131

Thermal sensor 2

2133

Thermal sensor 3

2203

Southbridge

Flash

Cell or RSX