For a while now when i turn the system on in the front off the unit. The light goes from red to green then yellow and back to red it also beeps during this process. thats all i cant get it to do. There was never any trama to the unit.I do have a young daughter she may have jammed a cd in there at some point.

When you plug in your system with the power cable and turn the toggle switch (in the back) do you see the red stand by light?

The red and yellow light comes from 1 bulb and the green and blu light comes from another..

If you have the YLOD and your yellow/red light is out, you will only see the green light.

I am really interested in your problem.

Do this to check your status: If you can do this function below but not any other, chances are, you do have the YLOD. It can be fixed.

Power off the unit using the toggle switch on the back. Hold down the 'eject' button and turn the toggle switch back from off to on. This will run a fan test and should eject your disc. Remember, this will only work on the 20, 40g models. Not the backwards compatible units with the 4 usb port holes and the memory card slots.

This is due to your fan inside your ps3. It has failed, or is failing and is causing a system failure. Unfortunatly it cannot be fixed. it will need to be replaced.
Contact sony or your insurance company
Hope this helped you, have a great day!

1. Make sure the AV Cable is connected to the AV MULTI OUT port on the back of the PLAYSTATION 3 system. Connect the other end of the AV Cable into the yellow port for video, and into the white and red audio ports on the back of your TV.
   
2. While the PLAYSTATION 3 system is in standby mode (red light on the front of the system), hold down the touch-sensitive ON/OFF button on the front of the system until the system goes into standby mode again . (So the light cycle would go from: red light to --> green light --> then back to red light) This will ensure that you have held down the On/Off button long enough to reset the Video Output Settings.
   
3. Turn on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and once the system finishes powering up, the Video Output Settings will automatically be reset to the Standard Resolution (or detect the current display output settings of your TV/monitor).
   

This is an overheating problem.
Let it sit for about a day and then try it out.

Make sure it has ATLEAST 4 inches of open space all around it and is not near any heat-making devices, it makes enough heat on its own.
Also make sure it's not on carpet.



If it ever starts to immediately shut-off, blink green yellow and then repeating red with 3 beeps, you have the Yellow Light of Death.
This is a console killer.

Repost as a different question if it turns into the YLOD.

With your PS3 turned off, press and hold the Power button on the front of the PS3 for about 10 seconds (the system will beep as normal as it starts up but after 7-10 seconds it will beep again). The video settings should now be reverted. Doing this will also reset any theme settings. try this? seems to fix alot of issues.

This is the yellow light of death i got it some time ago and had to buy a new ps3 there is a way to fix it but i costs more than a new ps3 i had to buy a new one so your screw lol.

This is known as the YLOD.

Here is someone on eBay that does the repair. I have had a few fixed here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380166005639&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

system hard drive is corupt needs to get repaired. $$$$$

powersupply is bad. ebay has them for around 45.

follow this code:
Black-----------ground
Red------------12V Switched (ignition)
Yellow---------12V (constant)
Blue------------power antenna
Blue/white----Amp turn on
Orange--------dimmer
White----------Left front+
White/blk-----Left Front -
Gray-----------Right Front+
Gray/blk------Right front-
Green---------Left rear+
Green/blk----Left rear-
Purple---------Right rear+
Purple/blk----Right rear -
In a grand-am the radios yellow goes to the cars orange and the radios red goes to the cars yellow.

1998 Pontiac Grand Am Stereo Wiring Constant 12V+ Orange Switched 12V+ Yellow Ground Black Illumination Gray Dimmer Brown Antenna Trigger Pink Antenna Right Rear Front Speakers 4" x 6" Doors Left Front (+) Tan Left Front (-) Gray Right Front (+) Light Green Right Front (-) Dark Green Rear Speakers 6" x 9" Rear Deck Left Rear (+) Brown Left Rear (-) Yellow Right Rear (+) Dark Blue Right Rear (-) Light Blue