Sony Releases PS3 4.46 Firmware Update With Fix For Consoles Affected By Version 4.45 Bug

Sony (NYSE:SNE) has released a firmware update for the PlayStation 3, or PS3, on Wednesday, taking the software version to 4.46. The company claims that the new firmware update fixes the issue with the 4.45 firmware version, which affected some PS3 units last week

The recently released 4.45 firmware update prevented some PS3 systems from rebooting after the upgrade. The users, who successfully installed the update, complained later that they faced NAT and "IP fragment issues.” The new PS3 firmware update apparently fixes all these issues.

“If you updated your PlayStation 3 software to version 4.45 and the XMB [XrossMediaBar] menu is not displayed, please follow the steps below to manually update your PS3's software and restore your system's functionality,” an official post on the company’s support page reads.

The manual installation process includes a series of steps. But, before going ahead with the process, users of affected PS3 systems are required to have a USB memory stick with at least 168MB of space.

Take a look at the simplified manual installation process here:

Step 1: Get a USB flash stick with sufficient free space. If your PS3 is either CECHA00/CECHB00 series model, you can also use a memory stick, SD memory card and CompactFlash.

Step 2: Create a folder named “PS3” on the storage media or USB device.

Step 3: Within the PS3 folder, create a folder named "UPDATE."

Step 4: Download the system software 4.46.

Step 5: Save the downloaded file “PS3UPDAT.PUP” in the "UPDATE" folder.

Step 6: Now activate Safe Mode. To do this, perform the following steps:

- With the PS3 off (power light should be red), touch and hold the power button. You will hear the first beep indicating that the PS3 is powering on.

- Continue to hold the power button, and, after approximately 5 seconds, you will hear a second beep.

- Continue to hold the Power button, and, after 5 more seconds, you'll hear a third beep, and the system will power off (power light goes red).

- Release power button.

- Touch and hold the Power button, and you will hear the first beep, again to power on the PS3.

- Continue to hold, and, after approximately 5 seconds, you will hear the second beep for video reset.

- Continue to hold, and, after 5 seconds, you will hear a quick double beep. At that point, release the power button.

- If you have succeeded in activating Safe Mode, you will see a message on the screen saying, "Connect the controller using a USB cable and then press the PS button."

- Connect a controller to the PS3 with a USB cable.

Step 7: Connect your USB stick/storage media to PS3 system.

Step 8: Select System Update and Press X button on your controller.

Step 9: Press Start and Select buttons together.

Step 10: The system will restart and will recognize the update file on the storage media.

Step 11: Follow on-screen instructions to install the update. After a successful update, the PS3 will restart automatically.