The <!-- start ziffarticle //-->issue surfaced over the weekend<!-- end ziffarticle //-->, and Sony said it had begun addressing the problem. Users also discovered that the newer <!-- start ziffarticle //-->"slim PlayStation 3s<!-- end ziffarticle //--> were not affected, which Sony confirmed Monday.

But the bug may persist for up to 24 hours, Sony said, and Sony said warned users not to try and use the console because of the risk of losing data.

In a statement, Sony confirmed that customers have been unable to connect to the PSN, and that the issue "affects the models other than the new slim PS3," the company said.

"We believe we have identified that this problem is being caused by a bug in the clock functionality incorporated in the system," Sony said.

Associated errors may include the date of the PS3 system may be reset to Jan. 1, 2000.

Sony also warned that users may see a variety of error messages. When the user tries to sign-in to the PlayStation Network, the following message may appear on the screen: "An error has occurred. You have been signed out of PlayStation Network (8001050F)". A similar error code may appear when the user attempts to set the date and time via the Internet, Sony said.

The issue also affects the "trophy" achievements within the PS3. When the user tries to launch a game, Sony said, an error message may appear on the screen and the trophy data may disappear, Sony said. Th error message reads: "Failed to install trophies. Please exit your game."

Users may also not able to play back video downloaded from the PlayStation Store before the rental date expires. Earlier, PCMag.com editor Sean Carroll <!-- start ziffarticle //-->reported<!-- end ziffarticle //--> that the glitch had affected his ability to connect to the Netflix service via his PS3; neither Sony nor Netflix confirmed the bug at press time.

But Sony added that until the company could fix the problem, users should find another way of entertaining themselves. "We hope to resolve this problem within the next 24 hours," the company said. "In the meantime, if you have a model other than the new slim PS3, we advise that you do not use your PS3 system, as doing so may result in errors in some functionality, such as recording obtained trophies, and not being able to restore certain data."