PS3 not reading your disc???

Wow, I thought the PS3 was not as vulnerable as the XBOX 360 and its red lights, but luckily (or unluckily for that matter) I found a problem with this big box.  I say that since I'm a 360 fan, I use my PS3 as a media player mainly, and to play such games which are exclusive like MGS4 and Little Big Planet.  Of course its a great console, but I just like to play hardcore games on the 360.


OK here is the problem, whenever I put in a disc in the bluray drive, nothing is happening!  Its as if the PS3 didn't realize that there was a disc inserted.  I tried everything, put in a DVD, a VCD, formatting (I wish I didn't I lost my MGS4 saved games and my Linux patition), etc.  Nothing was working.  I honestly think this issue is very weird in my case, since I rarely use my PS3 to play games (I only own around 10 titles or less), and its been with me for about 14 months only.  When I googled this problem I found many users who are having the same problem, some of them have a slightly different symptoms when they put in the disc.  Then I read somewhere that someone tried to put the PS3 on its side.  I did that, putting it on its side, with the bluray drive facing up (this is the way it should be if you like your PS3 in the vertical position), then put in a game disc, and nothing happened as well.  Finally I tried the other side with the drive facing down, and suddenly all hell broke loose!  The fan noise, started getting louder, and louder and LOUDER until there was like white smoke going out of the console, I panicked and I removed the electricity cable from the back a quickly as I could.  I thought I had fried my PS3!

When I was out of my shock, I restored the cable, turned the PS3 back to its horizontal position and decided to turn it on.  And believe it or not, it was working again, the game disc was loading!!  I realized later that the white smoke, was actually dust, so nothing in the interior hopefully got damaged.  But I have to say that the DVD drive was getting a little noisy after that stunt when it was being read or spinning.  I think it might be really the case of a drive that is nearing its end. But its working now, and I will just keep on using it till it fully dies on me.  Maybe then I will just grab myself a slimmer PS3 :)

Remark: Please do note that if you do perform the above you might lose your warranty or destroy you PS3, so do it at your own risk.