Step 2 - Repairs

Getting into the repairs. Using my original example, you should have purchased a ps3 with a broken optical drive (won't read discs) and one with some other issue (won't power on, screen freezes, etc.). If the systems are the same model, no problem swap the components and you are on your way. If the systems are not the same model things become a little trickier. If swapping the blu-ray drive, the drive has a controller board on it. The controller board must be the one from the destination system NOT the source system. That is you must take the board off of the broken blu-ray drive and place it on the working blu-ray drive. Apparently, the ps3 checks the firmware/revision of the hardware components and if it doesn't match the system will not boot. Once the drive is swapped, seal everything back up and power the system on. You should now have a working ps3. Feel free to do some testing with it, then you decide keep the ps3 at a discounted cost or sell it and start the process all over again. The latter getting you to the point where you don't have to pay for your ps3.