The PlayStation 3 is a remarkable machine, enabling users to get lost in action packed video game adventures for hours at a time. Usually this process goes off without a hitch, but occasionally a PlayStation owner’s worst nightmare pops up: the yellow light of death.

The yellow light of death also known as YLOD, aptly named after the Xbox’s red ring of death, is a major problem for owners of the PlayStation 3. When the yellow light of death pops up on the PlayStation console, the machine is no longer usable. According to Sony, the yellow light of death indicates some sort of hardware failure.

Usually the YLOD appears when the machine is about 2 years old, well past the one year warranty provided by Sony. Owners musts either pay for a refurbished machine, buy a new one, or figure out a fix to the dreaded yellow light of death. Users can have this fixed in one of two ways: they can attempt to fix it themselves, or they can pay Sony to fix it for them.

Many people try to fix the YLOD themselves, or have a friend do it for them. If the individual knows what they are doing, this can be great. No shelling out heaps of cash for a machine you’ve already paid for, and no dealing with annoying customer service and shipping charges. On the other hand, if the person or their buddy has no clue about any type of electronic, and they try to miraculously fix the YLOD, they can run into some big problems.

Firstly, attempting to fix the yellow light yourself completely ruins whatever warranty you might have had from Sony. They will no longer let you purchase a cheaper refurbished machine, and they won’t fix yours. Instead, if your attempts at fixing it go awry, you will be forced to start all over, shelling out hundreds of dollars for a brand new machine. Secondly, you can really screw up your PlayStation. Since the YLOD doesn’t specify what the problem is, you don’t know what to fix. Just playing around expecting something to work may not be too successful.

Whether you choose to buy new, buy refurbished, or have your machine repaired, don’t fret. Most said less than 1% of PlayStation 3 consoles ever see the YLOD, so the odds of it happening again are minimal, unlike with the Xbox 360, with 33% of consoles getting the red ring of death. Don’t think it’s the end of the world when you see the yellow light of death. Chances are, for a price, Sony can easily fix your console for you.