PlayStation 3

Clock battery

The clock battery sits inside the console, so this job requires partial disassembly. Never short the battery terminals or use a non-matching cell. Unplug the console and discharge yourself of static before reaching the board.

Why the clock battery matters

The PS3 keeps a small coin-cell battery on the motherboard to power its internal clock while the console is unplugged. When this cell dies, the system loses track of date and time whenever it is disconnected from mains power. That can break trophy timestamps, confuse some games, and force you to re-enter the time on every cold start. Swapping in a fresh cell restores accurate timekeeping.

Symptoms of a dead cell

Time resets every time the console is unplugged.
Wrong timestamps on saves and trophies.
Repeated clock prompts at startup.

Open the console
Remove the shell and any shielding needed to reach the coin cell on the board.
Locate the battery
Find the coin-cell holder on the motherboard and note the cell type and orientation.
Swap the cell
Ease out the old battery and snap in a fresh matching one with the same polarity.
Reassemble and set the clock
Close the console, power on, and set the date and time once.

Good pairing job

Since you already have the console open, consider refreshing the thermal paste and cleaning the fan in the same session.

battery clock