Foster City (CA) - A mysterious Playstation 3 error has reporedly caused problems for some users during faulty firmware installations, but Sony has said it isn’t "aware of this issue."

The error could potentially cause fatal problems with the PS3 and corrupt the hard drive, according to media reports.

A handful of PS3 owners have reported receiving the error code 80010514, reports Game Revolver. The problem is apparently linked to a contamination in the hard drive and/or a faulty firmware installation.

Sony warns that any interruptions during a firmware upgrade or other processes related to the PS3 hard drive could cause serious problems.

However, there is some question to the validity of the claims. A Sony spokesperson told Eurogamer, "I’ve spoken to our Customer Services department and they aren’t aware of this issue with the PS3."

To prevent the kind of damage reported by this error code, Sony advises users to keep their PS3 in an open space to prevent overheating, and make sure the power connection is reliable.