• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

PS4 randomly turning off or losing power on standby, becoming more frequent

As it says in the title, my PS4 is randomly losing power and the problem is becoming more frequent. In the last two weeks, it has happened twice now. It is on a surge protector and none of the other electronics on it are experiencing issues, and I've switched the plugs around to make sure it wasn't just a faulty outlet on the surge protector, and it still happened. The PS4 is in standby when this happens, and on startup after it happens, I get the frightening screen warning me about how it could damage the system.

Is anyone else experiencing such an issue? And, since this isn't really a repeatable problem but is getting worse, I assume I just have to ride it out until it either improves or finally dies?
 

nelchaar

Member
Send it out for repairs/replacement.

My PS4 was having the continuous disk eject problem. I sent it out to Sony, got it back in around 10 days. Actually, I didn't get the same PS4; I got a new one.
 

TrueGrime

Member
Send it out for repairs/replacement.

My PS4 was having the continuous disk eject problem. I sent it out to Sony, got it back in around 10 days. Actually, I didn't get the same PS4; I got a new one.

Brand new? Refurbished? Awesome if they replaced it with a brand new one.
 

Jigolo

Member
Yup send it in before warranty runs out.


I do that with all my products that I buy day one - replace it for a brand new one before the warranty is up. Even if the product has no problems.
 
would it be worth bypassing the powerboard and plugging directly into the point to see if that changes anything?
I can't really do this for an extended period of time without making a mess, and since I don't know if it will even happen again, this really won't work.

I guess I'll go the warranty replacement option. If bought on launch day, how long is the warranty good for? A year? And has anyone already had to do this for a PS4? I never had to do this with the Ps3 or 360, but I remember during the red ring fiasco, Microsoft sent people boxes postage paid. Does Sony do something similar? Will it be a new system or a perfect refurbish? (My system has no blemishes and I've seen enough photos of other people's electronics to know that they attract smudges and scratches, something I do not want in a replacement) And what is the usual turn around time?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for the help!
 

foxuzamaki

Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
Are you sure your just arent accidentally stepping on your power chord or inadvertently moving the chord when you sit down or whatever?
 

Epcott

Member
I thought I had this problem. When I change the channel and change it back (or sometimes when I turn the console on) the screen remains blank.

But I realize now it's just an HDMI issue, not a power issue.
 

GribbleGrunger

Dreams in Digital
Go into safe mode and 'rebuild database'. I had the same problem and it worked for me.

I also reinstalled the latest firmware after I did that just for extra insurance.
 

Mikey Jr.

Member
Wouldn't be surprised if someone is plugging or unplugging something that is on the same circuit as the ps4 and its fucking it up.

Do a test. Grab an extension cord and plug it into an outlet that is as far away from the one you are using. See if it still happena then.
 

Wereroku

Member
Surge protectors are worthless you should have it on a backup battery I have noticed that the ps4 is super sensitive to power outages. If the power drops even a little it will shut off from standby. Also the ups will regulate the voltage so you won't get weird spikes or dips.
 

Bellina

Neo Member
I guess I'll go the warranty replacement option. If bought on launch day, how long is the warranty good for? A year? And has anyone already had to do this for a PS4? I never had to do this with the Ps3 or 360, but I remember during the red ring fiasco, Microsoft sent people boxes postage paid. Does Sony do something similar? Will it be a new system or a perfect refurbish?

The warranty is good for a year from the date of purchase. I had to replace mine a week after launch for a faulty disc drive (it sounded like a dot matrix printer), and Sony sent me a prepaid shipping box to send it back. I did get a brand new console back, but I'm not sure if they're still doing that. Even so, I'd still go the warranty route.
 
The warranty is good for a year from the date of purchase. I had to replace mine a week after launch for a faulty disc drive (it sounded like a dot matrix printer), and Sony sent me a prepaid shipping box to send it back. I did get a brand new console back, but I'm not sure if they're still doing that. Even so, I'd still go the warranty route.

Perfect. Thanks! I will probably do this in a month or so to see if it happens again, and to play through Infamous.

Faulty power supply.

Surge protectors are worthless you should have it on a backup battery I have noticed that the ps4 is super sensitive to power outages. If the power drops even a little it will shut off from standby. Also the ups will regulate the voltage so you won't get weird spikes or dips.

Every other electronic device on this surge protector has not had a problem, and I've swapped the plugs around to test that it isn't just one of the plugs on the surge protector. I don't have a backup battery and I've never heard of electronics, nor had electronics, that are so picky to everyday current fluctuations. Which would you suggest or what advice can you give if I do go the battery backup route?

Wouldn't be surprised if someone is plugging or unplugging something that is on the same circuit as the ps4 and its fucking it up.

Do a test. Grab an extension cord and plug it into an outlet that is as far away from the one you are using. See if it still happena then.

I'll try this, but best I can do is another outlet in the same room, within the vicinity of 10 feet or so. I can't have a cord across multiple rooms.

Go into safe mode and 'rebuild database'. I had the same problem and it worked for me.

I also reinstalled the latest firmware after I did that just for extra insurance.

What does the PS4 do when it reboots from an outage? Is that the rebuild database?
 

Dr. Kaos

Banned
Yup send it in before warranty runs out.


I do that with all my products that I buy day one - replace it for a brand new one before the warranty is up. Even if the product has no problems.

Errr, how can you get a product replaced if it has no problems?

They would just send it back to you telling you (correctly) that it's just fine.
 
OP. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=96305201&postcount=3221

I would get it replaced asap. pos4 build quality is even worse than the launch x360.

Pos4. Clever. And certainly not hyperbolic at all.

OP, this had happened to me twice. (Maybe only once as my fiancé may have accidentally clicked off the surge protector one of those times.) I've had mine since launch. Don't know what caused it. I assumed it was software related though as I haven't had it happen again for months.
 

dukeoflegs

Member
Well shit mine just started doing this too, I thought it was something I did when I powered down the PS4 after playing.
 

Grinchy

Banned
As it says in the title, my PS4 is randomly losing power and the problem is becoming more frequent. In the last two weeks, it has happened twice now. It is on a surge protector and none of the other electronics on it are experiencing issues, and I've switched the plugs around to make sure it wasn't just a faulty outlet on the surge protector, and it still happened. The PS4 is in standby when this happens, and on startup after it happens, I get the frightening screen warning me about how it could damage the system.

Is anyone else experiencing such an issue? And, since this isn't really a repeatable problem but is getting worse, I assume I just have to ride it out until it either improves or finally dies?

My first PS4 had this issue. I'd put it in standby and then I'd notice later that it shut itself off. I'd get that warning message sometimes too.

I made a thread about it back in November and no one else really seemed to have the issue. A couple people said that Initializing it through Safe Mode would fix it, but that didn't do the trick for me. I tried initializing it 4 times (2 in safe mode, 2 through the OS).

People also thought it may be an electrical issue, but like you, I had no problems with any other device plugged into the same area. I ended up just returning it through Amazon. The next new one I got had the disc eject problem, but that's a conversation for another thread haha. The 3rd PS4 I got was directly from Sony and it has worked like a champ.
 

def sim

Member
My first console had this problem. I had to get it replaced.

Sony's customer service is pretty great if that's any consolation.
 
My first console had this problem. I had to get it replaced.

Sony's customer service is pretty great if that's any consolation.

The problem with them is they don't have a good amount of console avaible. My friend still waiting for a replacement after 3 full weeks :/ (Italy here)
 

def sim

Member
The problem with them is they don't have a good amount of console avaible. My friend still waiting for a replacement after 3 full weeks :/ (Italy here)

Is that so? They sent me one overnight for my first one and was a bit delayed for the second, but it was quicker than I would have expected. At least for something so supply constrained. I handled it late Dec/Early Jan and in the US if that makes a difference.
 
I've been lucky enough to see it happen; just before I turned on the PS4, the lights flickered and I got the same PS4 warning about turning it off or unplugging the power. Seems the PS4 in standby doesn't tolerate any transient power interruptions. The power interruption was of such short duration that the Power supply caps couldn't have discharged so it must be a power off detect circuit being triggered and the software isn't handling it properly.

This problem will likely be fixed when the other power modes are implemented in firmware.
 

OSHAN

Member
Same thing happened to me a couple days ago.

I turned my PS4 on, and I was greeted with the message it wasn't powered off properly, which I thought was strange, since I always keep it on standby. I thought perhaps I lost power during the night, but nothing else in my house would indicate that.

I didn't think too much of it, but now your thread has me concerned. Thanks.
 

angrygnat

Member
I've been lucky enough to see it happen; just before I turned on the PS4, the lights flickered and I got the same PS4 warning about turning it off or unplugging the power. Seems the PS4 in standby doesn't tolerate any transient power interruptions. The power interruption was of such short duration that the Power supply caps couldn't have discharged so it must be a power off detect circuit being triggered and the software isn't handling it properly.

This problem will likely be fixed when the other power modes are implemented in firmware.
Sounds like we have a winner! Very astute.
 
I wonder if that's why I can no longer access my PS4 from remote play. Had someone back at the old house turn it on, and the following days I haven't been able to access it after putting it on standby.

Then again, snow storms out there may have knocked the power out. Will have to look into it.
 

SHADES

Member
OP. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=96305201&postcount=3221

I would get it replaced asap. pos4 build quality is even worse than the launch x360.

Hyperbole much? All mass produced consumer electrical goods will have a certain amount of failures it's the nature of the beast, but the X360 launch issues will go down in history as being one of the worst, lesser companies would not have survived that $1billion hit to the wallet, comparing PS4 build quality to that of the X360 is pure shit talking!
 
I had this happen a few of times not long after launch. After putting it on my Active PFC UPS (along side my PC), its been solid as a rock. My apartment is a converted historic building and the power provided to a lot of the outlets is pretty dirty/noisy.

I'd concur with jeff_rigby that it's possibly sensitive to changes/fluctuations in the power being provided while in a reduced power state.
 
don't do this if your scary person!!

BUY ONE FROM WALMART

RETURN IT 5 DAYS LATER!!


HAVE YOUR RECEIPT!! PUT YOUR OLD CONSOLE IN THE BOX!! RETURN IT


RETURN IT AND GET YOUR MONEY BACK
 

SHADES

Member
don't do this if your scary person!!

BUY ONE FROM WALMART

RETURN IT 5 DAYS LATER!!


HAVE YOUR RECEIPT!! PUT YOUR OLD CONSOLE IN THE BOX!! RETURN IT


RETURN IT AND GET YOUR MONEY BACK

Why go to the trouble when Sony will either repair or replace? Seems daft to down on the money of a new console even for a short time tbh.
 
Came home one night last week and noticed that my PS4, which is usually in standby, was shut off. My first thought was that maybe my kid was using it and turned it off all the way, but when I turned it back on all the accounts had been signed out. It's been back in standby since then, but this is something to keep an eye on I guess.
 

IvorB

Member
I really wonder why people who experience such an issue spend their time posting on GAF about it instead of phoning Sony for a replacement.
 
It's happened to me about 4 times in 4 months. Not enough to freak out, but it's definitely strange. It happened three times in the first week, but after the first big stability update it's only happened once since.
 

tirminyl

Member
This happened to me. I noticed one day while watching TV that my PS4 standby light wasn't on. I powered it on and then noticed there was a firmware update. I updated, it needed to restart the machine and when it did it never powered back on. Then after a while, it would boot up and finish installing the firmware then restart and not come up again.

I called Sony and their support was excellent. They shipped me a coffin and I should be getting a brand new PS4 today :-D
 
Top Bottom