I made bricks out of two PS3's while I was away.

I know that! But I don't have a PS3 Forums now do I?
(Try not to be so rigid!)

I wanted to swap hard drives, So I did. I've done it before and came out on top!
But this time both machines decide they no longer work for Sony or me!

Neither of them will recognize the PS3 controllers. I get the format screen where I'm asked to let Sony format, I say yes!

But my controllers no longer speak Sony or PS3.
But I be a persistent kind of loser and often try the just plain stupid!

So I hooked up my USB keyboard.

Now this just really chaps my ass...
It worked!

I got it to format and reinstall PS3 soft ware even started and download of one of my games from Sony store.

BUT IT STILL WON'T SEE MY CONTROLLERS!!

As soon as I know my address, (in case I need a disk) I'll contact Sony and bug them.

Until then you can either rat me out to Sony for unauthorized insertion of keyboard into a wounded PS3,

Send me a hammer that speaks PS3 or, if your really bored, tell me how to get my boxes back under my control....I can sell one if I can bring her back up and into the PS3 wars once more.

I just thought of another option...You could send me a PS4. Then I could at lest see if My controllers work.

Your free men and women, I leave it up to you.

PS
I don't need no S*** about X boxes! ":O}

Sounds like the PS3 unregistered the controllers. Try this:

1) Turn off unit with its main power button
2) Plug in the controller in via USB
3) Turn unit on with the unit's power button
4) When it's booted up, press the PS3/Home button on the controller. It will register the controller.
5) Unplug the USB cable
6) Press PS3/Home button again

Thanks Gizmo...but no go.I'm stuck on a screen that reads "plug in your controller and press the PS button. I get this screen whenever I reboot now.
I've tried booting with it connected , without it connected. Tried keeping the PS button pressed while I boot.

Pretty much tried all combos. I formatted the drive on my PC: I used fat, would NTFS or a Linux format fair any better?
On the one box that I got up, updated and downloading from Sony, it Still would only respond to my keyboard, which is how I got it up.

I just can't seem to recall, but I think I got stuck on the register.controller screen trying to get it to register!
I realize that the first thing the PS3 wants is to format the drive. But I didn't have any trouble when I did this last! So yeah grasping at burning straws here.":O}

Dunno how reliable this is, but here's something I came across:

PS3 controllers have a memory, theres a tiny hole in the back of the controller which is a reset button. stick a paperclip in or something and then turn on ps3, put the usb in and press the ps button. should sync straight away

Give that a whirl.

thanks Gizmo, I'll try this straight away and et back to you.

This is a foreign land for me! I haven't touched a Playstation since 1999
Good Luck!

Darn! No go. There are two "holes" one tiny square and a tiny round one. But both seem to have a sealed bottom. Shallow enough to see bottom and shoving harder only bent my wire.

I don't know Boo... (and a fourth one(.) (To honor the Gizmo)
I'm practically a native and it hasn't helped me much...Hell I even have the Gizmo attachment and I'm still stuck!
Have ya got a spare controller? LOL