How To: Rescue a disc from PS4

Sometimes no amount of pouring medicine into your PS4 can save it. And with the disc eject button only operational if the console’s on, a dead PS4 might appear to take a game or Bluray with it. Not true we know a way…

STEP 1
remove the glossy part of the console’s shell
This is the part of the job this doc never gets used to: sometimes thankfully very rarely a PS4 dies. No matter how hard you try to pound its heart back into beating, black plastic shattering in all directions, it slips away. Then, just as you’re scrubbing up and wondering how to deliver the news to its DualShocks, it hits you. “Oh no,” you think in terror. “My Patch Adams bonus materials DVD!”

Thankfully Sony designed a fail-safe, warranty-friendly method for retrieving discs from PS4s that won’t turn on, and all you’ll need is a small Phillips head screwdriver and ideally a torch or spotlight. First things first, though: grab your console so that the PS logo faces you. With your fingers wrapped around the edge of the glossy panel, push with your palms to slide it off sideways and reveal the parts beneath.

STEP 2
locate the manual eject screw
Here’s where that flashlight comes in handy you’re looking for a tiny screw along the side of the console, in between the similarly tiny plastic vents you just uncovered. Look for the first of the more pronounced vents, nearest to the disc drive itself, and you’ll see the screw just next to it. Got it? Are you sure? Because the other screw along that side wipes your bank account and slaps your spouse, so it’s best to be certain.

Now the screw’s located, you’re going to need to get that small Phillips head screwdriver in there, and it’s at this point you’ll figure out whether the tool you chose is the right size or not. The screw’s thread is actually quite big, but the access to it is severely restricted so you’ll need a long, thin screwdriver to get in there. Christmas cracker specials are too small for the job, sadly.

STEP 3
unscrew your disc free from the drive
It really couldn't be simpler from this point: turn the screwdriver anti-clockwise a few times (you shouldn't need to make more than six full rotations), and you’ll see your disc emerge slowly and gratefully from the drive. You don’t need to turn the screw the other way or anything, the job’s done. If you’re planning on repairing your console, pop the glossy cover back on by sliding it back over those plastic catches and clicking it into place.

If you’ve ever had to do this with a PS3 you’ll know the process is basically the same, the difference being that the manual eject screw is placed differently and is now a bit trickier to reach. For both consoles this is a Sony-approved method, so don’t worry about invalidating anything. Sadly, the same can’t be said for the aggressive CPR you administered back at the start…