Chosen Solution

My PS4 had been having issues updating the software. It has no trouble downloading the install file, but when it tries to restart itself, it shuts down instead. I have nothing valuable on it so I downloaded the 6.20 update on the Sony website and tried to initialize in safe mode using USB. That made it worse. At first, it looked normal. But when it came time to restart the system, it shut itself off again. Now it’s stuck in safe mode with only “7. Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software)” option available, and nothing else. I’m literally unable to select any other option. Of course, if you select that, you get stuck in the same shutdown problem. I’m at wit’s end here. The main problem seems to lie with its inability to restart itself. And now the PS4 behaves as if it’s totally bricked.

So from what you said it sounds like the PS4 can read the update file you’ve put on the USB (assuming it’s the full update one for re-initializing the PS4 and not just updating it) but after it attempt to reboot itself to perform an update it just gets stuck on Safe Mode instead of installing the update. That is a big indicator of a bad hard drive in most cases. You can take out the hard drive and plug it into a desktop computer (before plugging it in make sure the computer is turned off) if you have one to check the health of the hard drive. You can alternatively plug the 2.5” PS4 hard drive into a portable 2.5” drive enclosure to check the health using the program explained below. You can use a program called Hard Disk Sentinel which you can download here to check the health of the hard drive. If it reports bad, weak sectors or data transfer errors or any other relevant health problems the hard drive needs to be replaced + PS4 - re-initialized with new hard drive to fix the problem.

I as well recently been having a very similar issue… On initial start up of the PS4 I would get a system error indicating “Cannot Start PS4. Connect a controller and press the PS button”. I messed around in Safe Mode multiple times trying the different settings and even after a couple times choosing option #7 “System Initialization” the PS4 would then work properly for about a week before returning to this cycle of errors. Finally I pulled the hard drive out and plugged it into my desktop PC and it did report some bad sectors, I wiped it and reformatted it (exFAT) and it reported “good” condition but still overall no luck. Lastly I used a different hard drive entirely and this is where I am stuck. Upon booting into Safe Mode the only option I get is #7 which is a full system initialization. I have verified the correct file I put on the USB key which is the full system file and not just the update file (version 7.51). The PS4 reads the file, asks if I wish to continue because everything will be deleted and I proceed.

  1. Step one, it does get to 100% full system initialization.
  2. Then proceeds to do a system file update which succeeds (safe mode window)
  3. then it displays PS4 graphics screen and does a second system file update and succeeds
  4. then it reboots and does a system storage install which actually takes a bit of time to complete.
  5. It’s then after it completes the system storage like building the database where it does a final reboot and then it displayed the PS logo but then just sits on a black/dark blue screen. The “blue” system light is continually pulsing if but will just sit there as long as you let it. I have pressed all the buttons and so on only thing left it to turn it off. Upon turning it back on I get the “checking system storage”, it gets stuck at 24% and then other errors again about not able to start. If I go back into Safe Mode at this point I am back at square one with only option #7 as my choice as if it didn’t actually load anything we just saw as successful. I will try a brand new store bought drive to eliminate the possibility of a bad drive but after this without dismantling the entire PS4 I have no idea how else to fix this PS4.

Yeah you have a bad hard drive. So, you need replace your hard drive and then reinstall the system software on to it. Then, your PS4 will be able to start up normally.

You need to purchase a new hard drive for your PS4 because the one you currently have now is damaged. After you take out the old hard drive and insert the new hard drive, you need to install the latest system software onto a USB drive.

Try to install the whole software and put it on USB drive formatted as FAT32, be sure that the SSD or the HDD is FAT32 or exFAT file systems and it well work https://www.playstation.com/en-us/suppor…