How To Boot Into Recovery Menu On PS3 FAT/SLIM Console

The PS3 has a special recovery mode, also known as safe mode that is integrated into the operating system, which provides you with numerous tools and options to manage the system with full control. The recovery menu allows you to update system software firmware, repair corrupted files on the hard drive, restore the PS3 settings back to factory default, restart the system and much more. You can't access the recovery menu from the XMB menu, which is why you have probably not already discovered it already. There is a special method that Sony has created that only allows you to enter directly into it. 

1) When your PS3 console is in standby mode, the 'Red' led indicator is on, press the 'Power' button down, the system will automatically power on and you will hear a system beep. Keeping holding it down, you will hear second system beep because the video settings are being reset, followed by the third system beep when the console is powered off. Only then you can let go of the 'Power' button. Do not proceed onto the next step if step 1 is not successfully done the first time.

2) Press the 'Power' button and hold it down again, you will hear a system beep. Keep holding it down and you will now hear a second system beep, along with a very quick double system beep. Once you have heard all the system beeps cycles, you can let go of the 'Power' button.

3) Now obtain your 'DualShock 3' controller and connect into any of the available USB ports on the PS3 Console. This is by getting the USB lead and connecting the small end into the mini usb port found on the top part of the controller. Followed by connecting the remaining regular sized USB plug into a USB port, which is found on the front of the console.

4) The recovery menu will now be displayed on your television screen. You will be provided with a wide range of different options that allow you to manage what you would like to do with the system. Use the up and down arrows on the D-pad to navigate through the different options that are provided in the list and press 'X' to select them.