Fuck it, I’m going to try to fix my PS4Pro’s noise problem. Tips and words of encouragement needed (Update: results are in)

[PintSizedSlasher]

So yeah, I'm pretty much done with the insane jet engine sounds coming from my PS4Pro. It's gotten so bad that even with headphones on it's still unbearably loud.

I've tried everything to fix it, except removing and replacing the thermal paste, something I'm very anxious about.
But fuck it, if I ruin it I'm even willing to buy the new version of the pro that's supposedly a lot more quiet, but for now I'm going to try and fix it.

Besides the thermal paste itself (I'm going to use Thermal Grizzly paste), what else am I going to need?
What's the best way to remove the old thermal paste?

Please share your thoughts/experiences/tips/helpful videos/words of encouragement and my eternal gratitude will be yours


Update 1:

So....today's D-Day....
Just took of the bottom cover and immediately was greeted by an army of dust 😅



To be continued......

Click to shrink...

Update 2:

Although I'm using the right tools I had some nasty security screws that wouldn't come out properly. But I managed to reach the inner core and this was the state of the thermal paste:




I'm not an expert, but that looks pretty horrible?

Click to shrink...

Update 3:

Ok, hat was easier than I thought it would be. I had the most trouble with removing some screws that were stuck, but other than that it was pretty straightforward.

I'm going to do some testing and maybe post a comparison video later, but here are some quick observations:

- My Pro still works! Didn't break anything and didn't have any parts left after reassembling.

- I loaded up my No Man's Sky save, the game the made my Pro go berserk the most, and the difference is huge. I'm going to test other games, but this is very promising.

- In total it took me about two hours. Posting on Era included.


Will share some more results later...

Click to shrink...

Update 4:

Comparison video

 

[Hanbei]

I have no tip, but I wish you good luck.

 

[Dreamboum]

Stay safe out there

 

[snail_maze]

I usually use alcohol (70% or higher) to remove old thermal paste and some sort of cloth. Paper towels and the like arent the best since they can leave paper residue behind but it can also be used in a pinch

 

[Deleted member 2474]

Don't be like me whose original PS4 will no longer boot for reasons I can't determine after I tried to clean it and reapply the thermal paste

 

[sweetmini]

Good luck !
This one uses the same thermal paste as you bought:

 

[Kuro]

Use 99% alcohol to clean off the old thermal paste. Make sure there is no lint or dust on chip before putting a pea sized dot of paste in the center.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

I couldn't even lift the entire cover, it is stuck on one end. Maybe it expanded due to the heat?

 

[Aunaste]

I did all of that, repasted and changed the thermal pads. This is after of course removing the almost non existent amount of dust with zero noise improvement. I bought a 7200 series and have no regrets.

 

[cakely]

Find a good trade-in for your existing PS4 Pro and buy a new model.

I had the same issue as you ... I disassembled my old noisy PS4 Pro, cleaned everything, and even tried an external fan. There was a slight improvement but it really wasn't worth it.

The New model made all the difference.

 

[Astral Lovelace]

Can you not just replace the fans with quieter ones?

 

[Plasma]

Duct tape over all the fan exhaust, that'll stop the noise leaking out of the machine.

 

[Deleted member 37233]

Do you have a cat?

 

[Footos22]

I thought mine was a really quiet one. Then I got the dreams early access for my 9 year old and I could hear that bastard howling from upstairs.

 

[Fliesen]

i guess you could follow this guide up until Step 13

PlayStation 4 Pro Fan Replacement

This guide will show the steps necessary to remove the fan from the PlayStation 4 Pro. There are many steps necessary to complete this, as well as...

www.ifixit.com

Here you'll also see which tools (screwdrivers) you'll be needing.

I can't recommend the iFixit Pro Tech toolkit enough - pretty much all the driver bits you'll ever need + a magnetic tray + spudgers and picks

Though, be aware - your PS4 Pro will never be 'quiet'. It might shift into higher gear on less occasions, though.

 

[Macross]

Do you have a cat?

Click to shrink...

Cat tongues are too abrasive to safely remove the paste.. so many lost CPUs

 

[Grimsen]

On my end, all I did was throughly clean the dust from the fan with alcohol and qitps, and it's been much quieter ever since. The difference is huge. I recommend trying hat before doing anything else.

 

[Stoffinator]

I couldn't even lift the entire cover, it is stuck on one end. Maybe it expanded due to the heat?

Click to shrink...

The first few times it is really hard to take the cover off.

 

[Deleted member 32374]

Do you have a cat?

Click to shrink...

There should be a cat lending service for these needed PS4Pro repairs.

 

[HoodedSoldier]

Don't F-up!

 

[linnus]

I did it. I replaced the thermal paste and thermal pads. My PS4 Pro is really quiet now. But the BD driver doesn't work properly anymore. So... be careful.

 

[Deleted member 37233]

Cat tongues are too abrasive to safely remove the paste.. so many lost CPUs

Click to shrink...

No, no! The cat needs to knock over the PS4 to fix it!

 

[Rosol]

I had a noisy launch model. I opened it up redid the thermal paste and added some heat pads. It was very quiet for a short time, but after like a week the noise sort of seeped its way back. All in all though the noise is less than it was before and is more bearable, so it was worth the effort. (I also replaced the fan, with a same nidec, model though I don't think that did anything) -- As a side the note the heat paste Sony had put on was poorly done when I opened it up, so I think there are gains to be had there for most, just don't expect miracles.

 

[Punished Dan]

What makes the original Pro's so damn loud?
A bad design? Cheaper parts?

 

[SephiZack]

From what I remember, you need to have a cat knock the PS4 onto the floor to fix the noise.

 

[Toni]

Comrade, you need to snatch yourself one of the new Pro models that released into the wild when RDR2 released last year.

I have not had any fan noises in my Playstation Pros since making the jump. Current owner of the RDR2 PS4 Pro bundle.

 

[Piotrek]

Aside from the thermal paste buy some thermal pads and cut them down to size. The stock ones are small and shitty. Disassembling a Pro is really easy though. This thing is just an oversized lego set. Everything fits in nicely.
I have only two practical tips from experience:
1. Be careful when disconnecting the antenna cables. These go straight up and may require a bit of force the first time.
2. Start with disconnecting the PSU. It's accessible under the top cover (and under the aluminum shield). It's a real bitch to disconnect though. Get a tiny flat precision screwdriver and use it to wiggle the connector out from both sides. Unless yours comes off easier, don't force it or you'll break away the socket from the motherboard.

Also, black screws go into the metal frame and silver ones screw into the plastic in case you mix them up.

 

[sirap]

Replacing the TIM should do it. I went a step further and used liquid metal. My Pro was stationary so I wasn't too worried about spillage.

 

[Macross]

No, no! The cat needs to knock over the PS4 to fix it!

Click to shrink...

Must have been a translation error, the directions I got were in Catonese...
If the cat agreed to it, could you toss the cat to knock it over.. or does the cat need to do it naturally? What about if you use a laser pointer or a zucchini?

 

[Deleted member 37233]

Must have been a translation error, the directions I got were in Catonese...
If the cat agreed to it, could you toss the cat to knock it over.. or does the cat need to do it naturally? What about if you use a laser pointer or a zucchini?

Click to shrink...

That is a really good question! I think it would be more ethical to let the cat decide to fix your PS4. It's probably morally wrong to manipulate the furry fellow, or to force it.
Perhaps you could strike a deal with the cat. In exchange for this work the cat get's a treat.

 

[dm101]

So yeah, I'm pretty much done with the insane jet engine sounds coming from my PS4Pro. It's gotten so bad that even with headphones on it's still unbearably loud.

I've tried everything to fix it, except removing and replacing the thermal paste, something I'm very anxious about.
But fuck it, if I ruin it I'm even willing to buy the new version of the pro that's supposedly a lot more quiet, but for now I'm going to try and fix it.

Besides the thermal paste itself (I'm going to use Thermal Grizzly paste), what else am I going to need?
What's the best way to remove the old thermal paste?

Please share your thoughts/experiences/tips/helpful videos/words of encouragement and my eternal gratitude will be yours

Click to shrink...

Just don't do it on Fjell.

 

[Pillock]

The only paste I ever remove is with a toothbrush... so don't ask me!

 

[Hate]

 

[Macross]

That is a really good question! I think it would be more ethical to let the cat decide to fix your PS4. It's probably morally wrong to manipulate the furry fellow, or to force it.
Perhaps you could strike a deal with the cat. In exchange for this work the cat get's a treat.

Click to shrink...

That's a pretty good idea.. wish I had asked here before I tried to fix my last Pro. I lost the bottom half of my left index finger when I tried to bring a bushel of random cats in to fix my most recent system problems. I figured quantity would speed things up. It took only 3 days before I woke up with my finger missing. I don't know which of them did it, but I decided to send them all back and just buy a new one. Only can afford to lose so many fingers, sometimes you have to cut your losses. I just hope no small child adopted that finger eating feline ..... people should be warned

 

[Deleted member 23046]

- Be sure to have each screwdriver model required, DON'T DO IT without
- Use small containers or anything you want to sort each screw
- Buy proper thermal paste remover and preparations
- It's not hard, just be organized and cautious with ZIF connectors and antenna
- Be sure to have the "how to do it" plan from iFixit at disposal on a device or printed

What makes the original Pro's so damn loud?
A bad design? Cheaper parts?

Click to shrink...

For me it was dust on the passive cooler and badly spread thermal paste. I used metal paste and for two years now it's ok even with 35° outside,, some woosh here and there where framerate isn't locked but nothing that compared with the previous noise.

Spoiler: Picture

 

[Chamon]

I read that there are two types of fan for the pro, one of which is less noisy. Try to figure it out and in case you have the bad one look for the other one. I think it is a matter of pitch really, being the good one lower, so your ears are not so sensitive to it.

 

[Shoichi]

I mean...you can mod your PS4 to be water cooled if fan noise bothers you that much
Outside of that not much you can do other than replace your fans to see if that works or replace the thermal paste with something better or go as far as liquid metal which is much better but a bit more risky and requires yearly upkeep.

Good luck with whatever you try to do.

 

[ElOdyssey]

Do you have a cat?

Click to shrink...

I.... I understood this reference.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

The first few times it is really hard to take the cover off.

Click to shrink...

It wouldn't give at all and I was afraid to break it, so I just stopped trying.My intention was to remove dust from the fan.

 

[Praetorpwj]

Do what I do with all my AV gear. Shut it in an fan extracted cabinet.

 

[AegonSnake]

What makes the original Pro's so damn loud?
A bad design? Cheaper parts?

Click to shrink...

Bad Cerny.

 

[Baro08]

I changed the thermal paste first but it worked for a month and it wasn't that quiet.. Then, I repasted again with thermal grizzly kryonaut and change the thermal pads for some fuji pads. The difference is abismal. I only hear it with no volume and have played every game that made mine sound like a jet engine. In the end, I think that what made it quiet are the thermal pads. Before changing them, even going back to the dashboard without closing the game, made my pro go nuts.

Change those thermal pads and be careful with the cables.

 

[PintSizedSlasher]

I did all of that, repasted and changed the thermal pads. This is after of course removing the almost non existent amount of dust with zero noise improvement. I bought a 7200 series and have no regrets.

Click to shrink...

The New model made all the difference.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, that's plan B. It's one click away from being ordered, but only if plan A fails 😬

I thought mine was a really quiet one. Then I got the dreams early access for my 9 year old and I could hear that bastard howling from upstairs.

Click to shrink...

It used to be only a few games that made it go berserk, but now it's literally every game. Indie game to 4K AAA blockbuster...

On my end, all I did was throughly clean the dust from the fan with alcohol and qitps, and it's been much quieter ever since. The difference is huge. I recommend trying hat before doing anything else.

Click to shrink...

Did that last week and there was a lot of dust, but removing it made no difference other than a nice and clean fan

Just don't do it on Fjell.

Click to shrink...

No need to. Fjell is cool and cool.

- Be sure to have each screwdriver model required, DON'T DO IT without
- Use small containers or anything you want to sort each screw
- Buy proper thermal paste remover and preparations
- It's not hard, just be organized and cautious with ZIF connectors and antenna
- Be sure to have the "how to do it" plan from iFixit at disposal on a device or printed


For me it was dust on the passive cooler and badly spread thermal paste. I used metal paste and for two years now it's ok even with 35° outside,, some woosh here and there where framerate isn't locked but nothing that compared with the previous noise.

Spoiler: Picture

Click to shrink...

Those are some great tips! Thank you good sir.

 

[catpurrcat]

What makes the original Pro's so damn loud?
A bad design? Cheaper parts?

Click to shrink...

I always chime in these threads to note there are quiet original Pro's (I own one). Only time I even hear the fan is during a loading screen with no music. And even then it's quiet.

I read that there are two types of fan for the pro, one of which is less noisy. Try to figure it out and in case you have the bad one look for the other one. I think it is a matter of pitch really, being the good one lower, so your ears are not so sensitive to it.

Click to shrink...

^what he said

 

[Braag]

I took mine out of the TV shelf and bought a stand for it. That made it overheat A LOT less and it doesn't sound like an airplane any longer.

 

[HighspeedRefleX]

Not worth the risk imo. It's not like every game make the fans scream. Pretty sure it was like that with 360 but then again the 360's maximum noise wasn't as loud.

 

[thesaint08]

2. Start with disconnecting the PSU. It's accessible under the top cover (and under the aluminum shield). It's a real bitch to disconnect though. Get a tiny flat precision screwdriver and use it to wiggle the connector out from both sides. Unless yours comes off easier, don't force it or you'll break away the socket from the motherboard.

Click to shrink...

Wish someone told me this 48 hours ago.
Opened my friends sons Pro on Saturday. Fucking socket ripped off the motherboard. I now have to buy him another PS4 pro.

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[Buenoblue]

Yeah I run my day one pro with the top off and use plastic spacers to keep it half inch of the cabinet floor. Definitely not silent but it's an improvement and a lot easier and safer.

 

[henhowc]

haven't most people who reported that re-doing the thermal paste initially fixed the issue reported back saying that it noise came back months later?

 

[logash]

I'm living with it till PS5. Here's hoping Sony's get it together next gen when it comes to noise.