About 20 minutes ago I went to turn on my PS3 which I bought on the 12th of September 2009 (6 months, 2 days ago) and it presented me with the blindly bright red screen detailing (in multiple languages) that a serious error had occurred and I needed to contact Sony's technical support line. 
 
Let me just emphasise that this machine is less than a year old and it has died on me already without warning signs or anything indicating there was a problem with the system. Searching the internet I have found out there seems to be no way for me to fix it myself, or even an explanation about what causes it, so it looks like I will have to return it to either Sony or the retailer I bought the product from. Guess I'll have a few phone calls to make on Monday to find out who to send it back too for repair / replacement. 
 
Don't suppose there is any way for me to try and backup my save games? In fact does anyone have any useful tips or info on what to do when your PS3 may need repairing or replacing. Anything I should know or do to help ease the process?

I did not know this could happen? Hopefully you bought a warranty so you can get it fixed without question... Gotta love those warranty's.
 
EDIT: You could try and back up your save games and whatnot i believe. Take a look here and see if you will be able to do this.

well that sucks for you hopefully you can get a new ps3 by Tuesday when GOD OF WAR 3 comes out. good luck with Sony.

I think the only way to back up the drive, when your ps3 is totally fucked, is to connect it to a computer and use some backup software to back it up.

I don't believe there is any way to backup if you're unable to boot the PS3. The console comes with a one year manufacturer's warranty, so it should at least be free to have fixed. I would recommend asking any questions you have to the person from Sony technical support. As long as they repair and not replace it, your data should be safe. Otherwise, it's lost since the hard drive is tied to that system.

That really sucks - hope it either works out or you get it repaired without much hassle. 
Not much information about it around it seems - just lots of whiny kids. Have you tried booting it in safe mode? Even if you can't fix it from there you can at least try to back up your save games/do a factory reset.

Great that you had the warranty and if your problem is so rare cna you post pictures or something about it?

" @TheBeast: It does indeed seem to be really rare as not even Sony's very own technical support have heard of it! The lady I got on the other end of the phone hadn't heard of it and thought I was lying. After putting her supervisor on not even he had heard of it either but he did at least understand the system had 6 months left on the warranty so I'm getting a replacement system. It gets picked up this coming Wednesday. Sadly safe mode didn't work. The moment the PS3 starts up, either normally or in safe mod, it immediately boots to this red screen error. Seems like a game breaker of a glitch. Annoying thing is that it's a 'phat' 80gig model that survived the recent Apocalyps3 without a hitch at all and now it's soul is claimed by this error :( "

" @Hamz said:

" @TheBeast: It does indeed seem to be really rare as not even Sony's very own technical support have heard of it! The lady I got on the other end of the phone hadn't heard of it and thought I was lying. After putting her supervisor on not even he had heard of it either but he did at least understand the system had 6 months left on the warranty so I'm getting a replacement system. It gets picked up this coming Wednesday. Sadly safe mode didn't work. The moment the PS3 starts up, either normally or in safe mod, it immediately boots to this red screen error. Seems like a game breaker of a glitch. Annoying thing is that it's a 'phat' 80gig model that survived the recent Apocalyps3 without a hitch at all and now it's soul is claimed by this error :( "

As someone had already brought up... if you really want to 'save' your game saves, take out the PS3's HDD and connect it to a computer and use some back-up software. "

RSOD - Rat Shit, Oh Dear. 
 
Still, at least it isn't a 360  ^-^ 
I hope this is an isolated problem as I do tend to state how good the quality of the PS3 is.  Sorry to hear your tale of woe.

Well It seems your Ps3 has been possessed by Satan. 
 
Good luck

I wish we could go back to the days when video game systems NEVER broke.

" I wish we could go back to the days when video game systems NEVER broke. "

Shit man, that really sucks. How could a Slim that is less than a year old break so fast?