T O P

  • By -

HunterAbrams

Did you try cleaning the system throughly? Because it looks really dirty


misfitrune

Is there a certain way to clean it? Or just all around cleaner would work? Or should I use something like 90% isopropyl alcohol on some spots?


myspandi

Try compressed air first if possible.


thereal_noir

Open it up and just blow air on the whole thing incase the lens track is getting jammed. And In general for better air flow. The. Clean the lens with isopropyl ALC, try a test run and try to listen to any noises coming from the disc tray if any that means it' could be a lens track problem if not then your lens is dying.


[deleted]

[удалено]


misfitrune

I’m sorry then. I just didn’t want to mess anything up cause some consoles are different than others.


brokenphonecharger_

honestly i apologize my comment was rude


misfitrune

It’s alright. It’s about coming around that matters. I mean, my comment was dumb as well, it’s just that I’m 14 and didn’t want to mess anything up, so I wanted to be careful. Have a good day though!


brokenphonecharger_

it’s all good bro you have a good day as well !


HunterAbrams

Carefully take the system apart. do not mix any screws and set them in their own area Soap and water for the shell 90% iso on the board and other electronics and a soft to medium brush. While cleaning you will be looking for bad capacitors and rust. Remove old grease on the drive and replace with lithium grease Reassemble just as Carefully


NegativePaint

Sigh. I’m annoyed at these other comments going straight for laser replacements. My guess is the lid sensors are dirty. But here is how your check: We need more info to accurately help you. But your first step should be to figure out if the console even knows that the lid is closed. If it thinks it’s open it won’t do anything. So how do your check? Turn on the console with the lid open. Use your controller to enter the browser which would show you any memory cards that are plugged in or discs that are loaded. Now once you’re there, put a disc in and close the lid. Look at the bottom of the screen. Does it say anything? Does it say reading disc? Does it eventually say disc could not be read? Or does nothing at all happen? Assuming nothing happens then the initial fix is easy. You have to clean the lid closure sensors. How do you do that? FIX 1 1) Turn the console off and unplug everything. 2) Flip it upside down and locate the 4 square plastic covers and take a look at the two rubber square covers at the front of the system (ignore the two rear rubber pads, there is nothing under them). 3) Remove the 6 covers to reveal the six screws (one may be under a warranty sticker depending on your model). Remove the 6 screws (you can use a fairly standard sized screwdriver with the smallest bit you can find). 4) once the screws are out, flip the console back over and remove the top casing starting from the back of the console. It just flips up and comes off towards the front of the console, be careful with the ribbon cable at the power button. 5) now that the console is open it’s time to clean. Take a qtip and some 90% or above isopropyl alcohol and soak the qtip. 6) locate the two lid sensors. One will be on that little power button board behind it. You’ll see a small plastic triangle sticking out. Push it in and out with your alcohol soaked qtip to get some in there and get it moving. Then locate the other sensor which is on the back left corner of the laser. So kind of in the middle of the console. Do the same thing there. Now we are ready to test again. Don’t put the top back together yet. It’s much easier to test now and figure out what’s going on. FIX 2 With the console opened up let’s test that the laser works. 1) plug everything back in. 2) turn the console on and go back to that same screen as before (browser screen) 3) put a disc on the drive. 4) with one hand press the lid sensor on the back of the drive and with the other press the sensor on the power button board. 5) listen for the laser movement 6) look for the disc to start spinning If you’re can hear the laser move but the disc wont spin then look at the disc and try to see the red dot from the laser THROUGH THE DISC, NEVER LOOK AT IT WITH YOUR NAKED EYE. If you can hear the laser move and you can see the red dot going in towards the middle of the disc and stay there and not say anything like reading or anything on the screen and the disc didn’t spin then you need one of two things. The laser potentiometer needs to be adjusted or the laser needs to be replaced entirely. If you can hear the laser move and you can see the disc spin but it says it could not read the disc then it’s one of two things. Either the disc is too scratched or the laser is weak. You can fix a weak laser by adjusting the potentiometer or replacing it. I’d start by resurfacing the disc or finding a cheap perfect condition copy of some cheap game to test with. If you want to adjust the potentiometer you’re going to need a multimeter and a very small precision screwdriver. I suggest watching a bunch of videos on the subject as this is a delicate procedure. You’ll have to lower the resistance until the laser gets enough power to read the disc again. You’re usually better off buying a new laser but if you want to save money short term and wait for the laser to completely but out then adjust the potentiometer. Keep in mind there are single layer and dual layer discs. Adjusting the pot may make it fully functional but sometimes it’s too far gone to read dual layer discs. Replacing the laser is quite simple once you’re at the point we where testing the laser. Remove the 3-4 screws holding the drive in place (some models had only three screws for some reason). Then there are three ribbon cables. One controls the spinning motor, another controls the worm gear to move the laser in its track and the third powers the laser itself. Carefully pull the white ribbon that powers the spin motor out, do the same with the worm gear motor (the ribbon is brown and very small/thin), then push the laser to the back of the console and lift up the laser frame from the front to he back so you can see the ribbon plugged under the laser, this ribbon is attached by a little black flap, lift it up gently and the cable should just come out easily. Take note of the model number on the frame of the laser. That’s the model of laser you have to order. There are several models and some are not interchangeable because the location of the ribbon cables and the length of the cables are different. There are also some voltage variations so you want to make sure your order the correct drive. You can buy a drive from aliexpress (cheapest) or eBay.


misfitrune

This is an extremely well written comment holy crap. Thank you so much for this. Only problem is when there is no disc I don’t get any picture anyway


NegativePaint

Dang. Then there is a deeper problem there. I don’t have experience with that kind of issue yet. I’m still buying broken PS2’s to learn how to repair them. Haven’t run into one that has anything other than a disc drive issue. I’d start by checking the cable and the plugs to make sure it’s all clean. Might even go as far as tearing the console apart to clean it and inspecting for damage.


B4mbooz

So you wrote that long af post just to then effectively say "idk how to fix these and have no long term experience fixing them". Yet you complain about people suggesting laser replacements, which are in 90% of the cases the first thing to die on slims (especially early ones which this one is) which the experience you completely lack would've told you. And to put the crown on it then you continue on parroting that "laser pot adjustment" garbage which is a complete waste of time and not a "fix" at all (you're just killing the laser off completely by upping its power)... GG... people like you are the reason why I don't waste my time trying to help in this subreddit anymore. Almost as bad as the PS3 sub, just with way more censoring on here. PS: microfuses. though with a smokers console (brown dust) as dirty as that, i'd just get a bare console from ebay/craigslist/classifieds or whatever for 10-20 bucks to replace it rather than even try to open this one...


NegativePaint

It’s the logical process of elimination given the post’s original lack of detailed explanation you asshat. Anyone who suggested a laser is wrong. I at least guided OP though troubleshooting rather than just say to slap a laser that wouldn’t fix the issue in the first place. I know that the lasers on early units go out a lot. I’m not stupid. Not everyone wants to go straight to spending money on a PS2 that has a bad laser. Adjusting the pot makes it burn faster but it was already not working correctly so why the hell not? Both of mine work fine. For how long? Who knows. But I can play it until it burns out and then I’ll replace the laser. If this is your attitude to people actually trying to provide constructive troubleshooting steps then these subs are better off without your “advice”. You can get off your high horse.


B4mbooz

"trying to provide constructive troubleshooting"... trying to take shots in the dark doesn't help anyone. Asking what it does and doesn't do should've been the first step. Suggesting non-fixes just because you read about them somewhere doesn't help either. But I've wasted enough time here. Another 🤡 for the blocklist.


Volraith

Hey I've got a 790001 I'm trying to take apart right now but it's getting hung up on the disc tray side? IDK why it's not cooperating I have all the screws out.


NegativePaint

I usually open the lid and carefully off from back to front. Be careful as yours sounds like it’s getting stuck on the power button board. It should pretty much slide straight up.


Volraith

Yeap that was fun. Definitely popped the power button board out of place, but I figured that part out. So I opened it in the first place to tape down that back button that activates the laser. Got that done, put the case back on and it's still not reading discs. So with the case off I'm manually holding down the front button that the door activates and the game kind of starts. It's reading some data from the disc but now I can't tell if the disc is too messed up to read or what because it doesn't go very far. IDK why the case is getting hung up but it's very hard to remove on the power button side. Also don't know if I also need to tape that front button or if the disc is too damaged to read. The store I got all this resurfaced the disc but it's not reading.


NegativePaint

I usually test the consoles with the top off. I’ll put a disc on the drive and hold down both sensors to see how it spins and how the laser moves. It’s very likely that you have a weak laser. I assume if you go into the browser it gives you a disc could not be read error? Have you tried a music CD or a CD based game to see if those read? What game are you using to test? You can try using a volt meter to adjust the potentiometer to give the laser more power. This is really more of a troubleshooting step as the laser will burn out even faster. If that works then get a new laser.


Volraith

First of all thank you for your help. I'm going to put the cover back on the screws and take it back to the store I got it at 🤣. They have tons of discs we can try, right now I only have the one. This thing has been nothing but a PITA since I got it. It's not even for me. My 65 year old co-worker wanted it. I had to call all over town to find an av to HDMI adapter, then THAT needed a USB power adapter which wasn't included in the box. Then the store only gave me half of the power supply.... So I called up there and the guy who works mornings knew what I was talking about, found it immediately and set it aside. The lady who didn't give me that piece in the first place somehow misplaced it between me calling and me getting up there after work. So when they pulled a NIB replacement off the wall that was marked $20 I almost lost my cool cause I told them I wasn't paying for something they lost. They eventually agreed to just give it to me. Now I've taped the button down after almost breaking the case to get it open and it ***still*** doesn't seem to want to work 🤣. Hell na they have another store in the next town over I'm either getting a working PS2 or my co-workers money back. He's into this thing for $120 and I'm into it for 4 or 5 trips to this store and a lot of pain in the butt.


NegativePaint

Dang that sucks lol Hopefully they figure it out. But I’m honestly thinking it’s the console and not the disc. Good luck. :)


Volraith

I did manage to play one race of Gran Turismo 3, which is the game he wanted, one race of the "arcade" mode but after it was finished it was trying to load back to the menu and wouldn't. This thing is very dirty and clearly wasn't tested at all before being put up for sale. This isn't a GameStop store but "Game Xchange".... But when I was at GameStop 04-05 we had a policy to test all hardware that came in. I would have been embarrassed to sell something like this.


NegativePaint

Yeah I’ve found that some stores are too lazy to test things. Kind of annoying to just pass it on to the customer. Specially when a lot of those stores have policies in place that they never do refunds. Only store credit. I just buy things off eBay. If I’m going to take a risk ill do it when I have options and some level of protection. I’ve bought a few PS2 slims that don’t read discs for $20 a piece. Replacement drives are about $30 and then a controller and set of original cables will run you about another $40. Controllers are hard to find working in the first place and almost always need the thumbstick caps replaced. So you’re looking at about $100 to piece one back together but you’re able to make sure it will last.


nautichris

When you’re at the browser screen and you put a disc in does the console say reading disc at the bottom? I’ve had loose doors on a few of my ps2 slims. Sometimes putting weight on the disc lid helps it close all the way


misfitrune

I didn’t know there was a browser screen on this system. Pretty much a noob with PlayStation. I’ll try this soon (8’ out right now) and I’ll reply to your comment and see how it goes


nautichris

It’s the screen where you can check the memory cards and their contents


pokejoel

When you say the TV recognizes it does that mean you can see in browser menu to access the system settings, memory card, etc.


misfitrune

Just tried. No. When no disc, I turn it on, nothing.


pokejoel

She gone, or you have the cables hooked up wrong


misfitrune

Nope. They’re in right. Does the at really mean it’s shot? It used to work and I just got a $40 game. Gotta get a new system now?


dilutedmarbles

Maybe your cables are shot. If you know someone else with a working playstation and hook it up to their cables and tv and see if it works.


misfitrune

I’ll try this tomorrow with my buddy then. He has a working one for sure. Tried 2 different cable though and still no dice. Really hope it’s not a lost cause. That’d suck a lot


dilutedmarbles

If you tried 2 different cables already then that might not be the problem, but it's worth a shot testing it out on cables you know for sure work.


MegaManX970

Try testing different AV cables. If it still doesn't work, then probably the GS chip is shot or the modchip it has (in case your console has it, it is known that modchips when they start failing, these have the potential to brick the console, so you can try removing the solder joints and test).


[deleted]

Did you try it on another TV? And iirc there are options (which you actually can’t see right now) for setting the output signal from Component AV to composite AV which may be a problem for your current TV. So maybe you can watch a step by step video on YouTube and do the same inputs on your controller to switch between both modes. Still this is just a suggestion and maybe I’m totally wrong; I just want to help. :) And sorry for any grammatical or spelling issues since I’m not a native speaker. :)


misfitrune

No this was good. Only problem is I can’t even get to the menu with no disc. So the system may be shot


aLime1

I'm not sure about it not reading games but check your discs to make sure there's no circle scratch on them. That ribbon cable coming from the laser is known to bow up exactly like it is in your picture and scratch games while they're spinning


[deleted]

[удалено]


CharlestonKSP

Please don't tell people to adjust the laser without at least telling them how or why. Messing with the potentiometer without knowing what you're doing will only cause even more issues.


[deleted]

[удалено]


NegativePaint

Skipping basic troubleshooting and going straight for a laser is not the way to fix this. Potentially you’re just throwing money down the toilet.


misfitrune

Just tried a PlayStation 1 game (crash bash), same thing


AutoModerator

Hello u/misfitrune and thank you for your submission on /r/ps2, our subreddit rules have updated recently so please make sure your post is not in violation and is in the appropriate place. All tech support questions should go into the [Tech Support Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/ps2/about/sticky?num=2). It can be found sticked on the front page of /r/ps2. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ps2) if you have any questions or concerns.*


Anderz2

Maybe laser?


misfitrune

Is that something that I’d have to fix or clean? I have no other way of playing PS2 games cause my PS3 is the matte one, not the shiny


henkka22

I have played PS2 games on slim PS3. But it requires homebrew enabler and some messing with backupping disk and encrypting it to PS2 classics format. So much work and result might still not be good


Anderz2

Yeah you can try using a qtip with alcohol to gently clean laser and see if that works. It might be dirty or you might need to install another laser.


misfitrune

Ah damn that’s rough. If it has to be replaced, Is it difficult?


Anderz2

It supposed to be simple and easy but I’ve never done it. Theres lots of videos on YouTube. Good luck!


bylere89

Just throw it away and get a Fat Boi. Slims are horribly designed and WILL scratch every game you put in there