Topic: does your ps2 do this?

[joeamis]

I've owned a PS2 now since March of 2001 and it ran fine for a couple months until
it started to refuse reading compact disks
I asked the guy at Gamestop.com retail store if it is a common problem and he said yes

so my PS2 has been unable to play cd games now for  over a year,
and will only let me play dvd games

the producer of Resident Evil was right when he said Sony intentionally created a product that
would fail and result in the consumer buying an entirely new system.

has anyone else had their cd drive or dvd drive for the PS2 stop working???

[PIAC]

i cant help think that any thread with a name like this is going to contain things like "SUXX0R LIKE A PRUSTITOOT" on with the helpers now

[Grey Ninja]

I rented a PS2 for a week once.  At the end of the week, it would no longer read DVDs.  My conclusion?  Soyn makes crappy lasers.  This happens to half the PS2 owners I know, and I am not making this crap up.  (god I hate this fscking censor)

[aoi tsuki]

From my experience, it's more common that PS2s will stop reading DVDs, not CDs. Working at Gamestop, i've seen at least fifty defective PS2s, the major issue being with reading DVDs.

Service from Sony usually runs $120. You may be able to get a replacement DVD-ROM drive from an online retailer (something along the lines of Lik Sang).

[Ymeegod]

Had mine over  a year now without a single problem other than it couldn't play my DVD of JPIII but that was due to scratches on the DVD it's self.

[rpglover]

its true
mine has not done it yet but 3 of my friend's ps2's will not play dvds or cds anymore
i dont know why that it- but all 3 did have launch day ps2s so that could factor into it
i guess sony did not check the system for any bugs such as that one  

[Locke Cole]

That sucks, my friends ps2 won't let him save old school ps1 games on a memory card.  It's really dumb, I don't know why Sony decided to make a system that breaks down so easily....

[Stex]

Bah I say.

I've never had an error with my PS2 whereas I've had 4 or 5 with my Cube.  Granted the first gen released had a slew of problems, but otherwise, the reason PS2 has this reputation is because there are so damn many of them.  More consoles = greater frequency of problems.

[Rion_Ukyo]

Yeah that happened to my ps2, i have a launch ps2 it is the laser lens the older models have really weak lenses  any amount of dust or anything really will mess it up, and ill tell you how to fix it (i would not put down the cash to buy a new one with out trying this first)

First off you must be brave enough to open up your ps2 or find some one who is, and don’t worry they are built pretty well except for the laser lens that is,. now i am trying to run down the disassembling process from memory so don’t get to freaked out if I am a little off well here goes.

1. Remove the little rubber squares from bottom of the machine (there are 4 rubber and 2 plastic I believe), you will see the screws under them.

2. Find a screw driver that will fit the screws they are pretty small, next unscrew all the screws and keep in mind that at least 2 of the screws are longer than the rest.

3. now gently remove the top part of the case there is a ribbon cable that goes to the power/reset buttons then to the other part of the case it is taped down so be gentle with it and you can get the tape to come up and you can separate the two parts of the case, this is really the only part were you can seriously screw up your ps2.

Now you should have the case open with a ribbon cable connecting both halfs

4. go over to the part were the cd drive is there is a cover there preventing access to then lens, time to remove that, there are several screws and if i remember correctly they are pretty small so don’t loose them. Now you can remove the cover and expose the lens.

5. Now time to clean the lens, what you need now is a Q-tip/Cotton swab  and there are several liquids you can use to clean it
Like alcohol, water and what not.. If you do use anything with alcohol in it make sure
You go over it again with water because the alcohol can leave a residue I have heard and could make things worse.

I got a good tip from a ps2 tech help board and this is what I used, get some hydrogen peroxide (also good if your ps2 has an infected wound) pour a little bit in the cap then dilute it with at least 2 times as much water mix it up, and also get some pure water handy that will come in to use after you apply the hydrogen peroxide, now get the Q-tip damp with your mixture of peroxide and water  damp not dripping wet jes enough to moisten the lens a bit.

now gently clean the lens with the with the Q-tip after you have done that get a fresh Q-tip get it damp with pure water and gently clean the lens agian, now let air dry and make sure to be in a low dust area wile its drying.

6. After you are content with the dryness of your lens button the case up  and you are done.  It should be good as new
mine has been going good for about 5 months now since I have done this and boy is sure as hell beats buying a new ps2 or getting it serviced by sony for some insane amount of cash (although i have heard storys of people calling up sony bitching at them and getting it fixed for free)
and it should  last quite a wile  depending on how much dust it is exposed to and how clean you keep your game discs.

Any way hope this helps and it is worth a try if you ask me psh if only sony built the ps2 like the gc or the psone we would not have to go to such great lengths to clean the damn lens.
Why couldn’t my ps2 be like my trusty psx had it for ever even makes disturbing rattling sounds when you shake it still the thing wont die gotta love the psx.

And to Locke Cole "That sucks, my friends ps2 won't let him save old school ps1 games on a memory card. It's really dumb, I don't know why Sony decided to make a system that breaks down so easily...."

I trust your friend is not trying to save a psx game on a ps2 memory card every one should know by now that you can only save psx games on
psone memory cards.(Duh)

Anyway its late and i don’t know if what I wrote makes sense but i sure hope it helps
~Rion  
 

[Uncle Rich AiAi]

This is exactly why I avoid buying Sony products.  My family hasn't had a good run with them, and my parent's best friends has 2 Sony TVs, and they break all the time.

My friend who has both a PSOne and PS2, hasn't run into any problems, yet.  Lucky him!

[The Doc]

I am A+ certified and I build, upgrade and repair PC's in my spare time and in my opinion, consoles such as the GameCube, Xbox and PS2 are disposable systems and there is little or no reason to take them apart and repair them after the warranty has expired. The rubber pads on the bottom of the console are there for a reason! It is to prevent novices from trying to destroy their consoles! If Sony was smart they would use tamper proof screws for their systems instead of standard phillips head screws (You would need a special screw driver bit to unscrew tamper proof screws). If your console dies after the warranty just go and buy a new one and if you really want to take one apart then buy a used one that you wouldn't mind ruining in the process.

The Doc    

[RickPowers]

I've had my PS2 since launch.  Zero problems.  Lasers don't just "go bad".  It takes some jostling to get a laser to fall out of alignment or "go bad".  These things really weren't meant to be lugged around, save for the GameCube.

[Rion_Ukyo]

whats fun about buying a new consol doc why are you so agianst people fixing it them selfs, mr.A+ certified  why do you asume that any one besides you is an idiot and does not know what thay are doing.

"there is little or no reason to take them apart and repair them after the warranty has expired" actually that is the best reason to open it up and fix it.
not every one can jes go out and buy a new "disposable system" as you call them after thay break and the warranty expires.
and since you are so smart Mr.A+ certafied why do you beleve that consols are so easy to destroy by opening them up hmmm?
thay are jes like pcs and thay will not jess break unless you really want  to break it.

i have been screwing around with computers and consoles since i was a lil kid and ill be damned if i dont try to fix them  myself b4  buying a new one or haveing some one else fix it.

well im done ranting  
~Rion

[nintendofreak]

my ps2 did this after having it for a month or two and it started to make like, a type of grinding noise when ever i put a music CD or Compact Disc format game in there. I got so mad.... I uh, threw it against the wall, not like it helped any... And i uh took it in to gamestop to trade it in with all my games and get somew store cedit.  I didn't know they were gonna test it!! The put my copy of the sims game "Disc Read Error" Oh crap.... then they put in another blue disc game and it worked!!!! I do not advise you people that have a defective PS2 to throw it against a wall.  

[joeamis]

yea I believe that
my ps2 cd drive stopped playing cd games only to start working again
a few months later, only to stop working again about a month after that

i don't understand it

disc read error is all i get now though
           

[Infernal Monkey]

I've had my PS2 since launch, no major problems.

The motors for the disc tray are getting a bit tired, resulting in the disc tray popping out slowly, but yeah, it's nothing to cry over.
There was one time where it had alot of trouble reading DVD's, but that's a given, since dust is a huge problem in this house.

Seriously, a vaccum cleaner works wonders with the PS2.
Open the disc tray, then turn the unit off at the back, so it's stuck open. Don't JAM the vaccum cleaner hose right in the thing, just hover it outside the disc tray, it'll collect a crap-load of dust you never knew was in there.

That's why so many PS2's f*ck up. People don't clean the laser, and eventually it gathers so much dust it's impossible to read anything.

AND DON'T USE A CD CLEANER ON THE PS2!! Those things are a HUGE no-no.

[BlkPaladin]

The problem I found through trial and error is that the lense gets dirty and its anti-piracy protection gets touchy. You can try to clean it and it helps a bit but you may want to end up getting a new machine because around that time the laser will start to burn any discs you put in it. (Little wite marks on the DVDs that you will have to resurface because cleaning doesn't work.)

[Infernal Monkey]

Wow, I've never heard of the laser burning discs before. That sucks.

Anybody here experienced the deadly "PS2 THUD"?
Alot of older units, when dusty, begin to start scratching discs pretty bad.

Why?

The laser basically touches the disc in order for it to read it, because it has so much dust. It'll make a terrible "thud" noise, run the game fine, but take it out... Scratched up disc.

Remember, DUST ON LENS IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL!