Sony publishes guide to troubleshoot PlayStation 4 flashing light issues

Shawn Knight

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Sony’s new PlayStation 4 may be off to a hot start but not everyone is happy with their new console. Some users have reported a blue light that continuously flashes on the front of the system which prevents gamers from playing. In response, Sony has published a troubleshooting guide designed to help those affected by this problem.

In a statement on the matter, Sony said the flashing blue light could be triggered by a number of different reasons ranging from a problem with the system’s power supply, hard drive or other hardware to a compatibility issue with the user’s television.

sony ps4 guide glitch playstation 4 blue light flashing light

The guide outlines steps that can be taken to check on multiple potential causes. For example, one cause could be the absence of an audio or video link to the TV which will cause the system to shut down. The obvious fix here is to make sure all of the connections are solid and power down the console to try again.

Another issue could be with the system’s 500GB hard drive not having a secure connection internally. The guide shows users how to open the HDD bay cover to check for a proper connection – steps that could also be useful should you want to upgrade the stock drive.

According to the company, less than 0.4 percent of units shipped to date are affected by issues. Sony is closely monitoring the situation but believes the reports thus far are little more than isolated incidents. Even still, less than 0.4 percent is within their expectation for a new product introduction. The vast majority of PS4 feedback thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, Sony said.

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Something tells me that the blue light is not the cause of them not being able to play the game, but it is a symptom.
 
Something tells me that the post from guest user is not the cause of them not being able to play the game, but it is a symptom.
 
Something tells me that the post from Trillionsin about a guest posting is not the cause of them not being able to play the game, but it is a symptom.
 
Pretty sure there was QC involved, albeit maybe they didn't test all the consoles but a small sample size...

But "compatibility issue with the user?s television" would have never occurred to me to be a possible problem. I really hate checking for compatibility...
 
Pretty sure there was QC involved, albeit maybe they didn't test all the consoles but a small sample size...
If QC was anything like the plants I have worked in, they only tested a few of each pallet, and if the first few check out the pallet is flagged good to go. They only check the whole pallet, if the first few units don't 100% pass inspection. It is a shortcut that doesn't always work.
 
I've read horrible news about PS4 which mostly comes from the Xbox users. Also on Microsoft-news.com they are posting that the PS4 is like the biggest failure ever. I no longer have a clue about whats true and whats not but I sure as hell know 1 thing. I'm going Wii U this winter.... :p
 
Some quick math that is 4000 consoles on launch day. Not a huge number but only 2 9s of reliable isn't very good.
 
Ours kept spitting the disk out as soon as it was inserted, then it kept trying to eject even though there was no disk in it. We called Sony and did some TS'ing but nothing worked so they said to send it in to them.

As pure luck would have it out local Target got some more in and my wife talked them into setting one aside so we could return the defective one.

The replacement has worked without a hitch so far.

Dave
 
Problem is, they say a number but it's another reality. XboX 360 had appaling failing numbers, but Microsoft always said that it was no more than 2-5%...

Anyway I would like to thank our guinea pigs for generously donating their money for science :)
 
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