Repairing an older ps2

[erehwon]

I just got a ps2 from a garage sale for $5. I think it might be a version 1 model. It's giving me disc read errors. So far I've tried a ps1 game and a ps2 gameshark disk that was out( can't get to the rest of my ps2 games at the moment). I'm wanting to get this running to atleast get ps1 games to load. I was reading about an exploit that requires a ps1 game to load. With the exploit, I could better manage my saves, including backing up both ps1 and 2 saves to a usb drive. I need to get a ps1 save to a computer.

I've tried cleaning the lens. That didn't help. I've also looked at some other guides about fixing ps2's, which mention adjusting a white gear. I marked the starting spot where the white gear touched a bronze colored one. I've tried adjusting this. I'm not quite sure if I'm doing it right. The white knob seems to move back to where it had been originally set after I test it.

I'm really hoping I can get this running. I'd like to put a modchip in this someday for imports. Want to keep my slimline ps2 stock.

[Candycab]

I just got a ps2 from a garage sale for $5. I think it might be a version 1 model. It's giving me disc read errors. So far I've tried a ps1 game and a ps2 gameshark disk that was out( can't get to the rest of my ps2 games at the moment). I'm wanting to get this running to atleast get ps1 games to load. I was reading about an exploit that requires a ps1 game to load. With the exploit, I could better manage my saves, including backing up both ps1 and 2 saves to a usb drive. I need to get a ps1 save to a computer.

I've tried cleaning the lens. That didn't help. I've also looked at some other guides about fixing ps2's, which mention adjusting a white gear. I marked the starting spot where the white gear touched a bronze colored one. I've tried adjusting this. I'm not quite sure if I'm doing it right. The white knob seems to move back to where it had been originally set after I test it.

I'm really hoping I can get this running. I'd like to put a modchip in this someday for imports. Want to keep my slimline ps2 stock.


This may interest you for the slim PS2 ?

No hacking envoled and doubles as an Action Replay, there is also another they offer that works off of a standalone hard drive which would be rather easy to make out of any old hd.

http://www.modchip.com/ps2/magickeys38order.php

As for youre PS2 the Laser is probably fried, Sony used some very poor optics on the majority of PS2's. No real suprise if you look at individual components in any of their TV's.

Replacement optics were something like $30 - 40.00 last time I looked.

[erehwon]

Honestly, I was hoping I could get this to work. The main reason I picked this up was to use that exploit. I need it to get a save to my computer to use with an emulator and be able to finish a hard to find game that had a bad disk 2. I've been trying to find the cheapest way to do this. If I could get it to work long enough to do what I want, it would be worth the $5.

[omnedon]

If it doesn't even read PS1 games, it's fried bad. You likely have somebody elses failed repair reject there.

[erehwon]

If it doesn't even read PS1 games, it's fried bad. You likely have somebody elses failed repair reject there.
I'm guessing that means that I would likely have to replace the laser then.

[omnedon]

More than likely. Most crapped out PS2's can still read PS1 games. They just can't read DVD discs (95% of the PS2 library). If it won't even read PS1 games, it's worse than the more than 100 junker systems I have here for parts at OSG.

[erehwon]

More than likely. Most crapped out PS2's can still read PS1 games. They just can't read DVD discs (95% of the PS2 library). If it won't even read PS1 games, it's worse than the more than 100 junker systems I have here for parts at OSG.
Thanks for info. I guess I'll likely just keep it around for parts or something else. I'm sure I might find some use for it someday.

[Psyleid]

There's a simple fix I did that worked for one of my friends ps2s which had been dropped.

You just put four pieces of eletrical tape on the top of the disc, around the central circle.

Kind of like this... But more exact :P.
__
|O|
--

|, -, _ = Tape
O = Central circle

It's supposed to work because it balances the disc on the spindle.

You never know, might work.

BTW, my friends ps2 didn't read anything either, just because it doesn't read any discs doesn't mean it's fried... Some things are simple to fix.

[Psyleid]

You said the white cog had returned to it's original position after you moved it right?

It's likely (being a ver. 1) that the ps2 has the built in motor that realigns the white cog if it's been moved. You can remove it pretty simply, it's just a pain in the ass to get to.

Here's a portion of an article that explains how to deactivate this motor.

http://www.tweak3d.net/joomla/tutorials/hardware-repair/playstation-2-repair_5

Here's the beginning to that article.

http://www.tweak3d.net/joomla/tutorials/hardware-repair/playstation-2-repair

Another possibility of why your ps2 doesn't read discs (less likely) is because it needs the voltage adjusted.

Here's a FAQ I found helpful...

http://faqs.ign.com/articles/387/387912p1.html

Good luck.

[omnedon]

Laser tweaks on a version 1,2,3 are a waste of time. That tape 'fix' (I feel dirty calling something like that a fix) only helps if the cause of the CDrom DRE is slippage, which is obvious by the loud grinding noise you would hear if it was occurring.

It's tough when you don't know if all that stuff hasn't been already tried prior to it being sold to you. A version 1, 2 or 3 PS2, which cannot read CDroms (with no grinding noise) is bad news. I have more than 250 'busted' PS2's that work far better than that, and they are junk.

However, you have nothing to lose by trying everything. It's your time. =)

[Psyleid]

The ps2 I tried the tape 'fix' on didn't make any noise other than the laser clicking trying to recognize the disc.

[omnedon]

I'm out.

[erehwon]

I have to agree that the tape thing doesn't sound like a very good idea. My last question on this is, is it worth it to get a replacement laser? I'm thinking since a laser would cost $50, I might be better off trying to find another ps2. I could probably get another one for less than $50 from a garage sale. I'm mainly looking for one of these older models to mod. I'd like to play some imports. I'm not wanting to mess with my working slim model ps2. It'd be a little more difficult to do a modchip for my slim.


I would like to thank everyone for their advice.

[MonoTekETeA]

Yeah, I would wait. The systems are going to get cheaper every where. Just look out for one that is broken with a broken tray and swap the lasers. That or you can try and sucker the local video game store. :wink 2: