PS2 Freezing

[Martin]

Anyone in here with knowledge/experience repairing Sony Playstation 2????

Looking for some help or advice from experience. I have searched the web
and found numerous hits on this subject, but it seems there is differing
opinions regarding the subject!

Regarding a PS2 console - SCPH-30002R. It was given to me after someone
blew up the power supply, but apparently it was working OK before this. I
have since replaced the power supply module and got the console working
again, however it is freezing during games (so far only tested it using two
PS2 DVD games).

I have dusted out the console and cleaned the laser lens, etc.

The console seems to work - but with the games I have tested it with it will
freeze at certain times, yet plays fine otherwise. It seems to freeze at
the same (or close to same) point each time, sometimes during play but
usually when loading the next scene.... The DVD's themselves are fairly
undamaged and clean (my first thought was the disc its-self).

Does any of this make sense? Anyone else had similar problems? There is no
disc read error showing up - it just gets to a certain point and freezes,
sometimes this is at the very start of a game, other times it is partway
through a game, but always in the same spots (i.e. I can restart the console
and get the same problem again at around the same spot in the game)....

I am wondering if this may be a faulty laser module or something else, but
naturally I don't want to part with $90 or so for a new laser just to find
out later that there is a known fault elsewhere!!

And before anyone suggests - I have posted this to PS2 newsgroups but so far
no reply, and there always seems to be so many knowledgable experts in here!

TIA

 

[ZForce]

"Martin" <invalid.vk2umj@invalid.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:419bdbbd$1_1@news.iprimus.com.au...

Anyone in here with knowledge/experience repairing Sony Playstation 2????

Looking for some help or advice from experience. I have searched the web
and found numerous hits on this subject, but it seems there is differing
opinions regarding the subject!

Regarding a PS2 console - SCPH-30002R. It was given to me after someone
blew up the power supply, but apparently it was working OK before this. I
have since replaced the power supply module and got the console working
again, however it is freezing during games (so far only tested it using
two
PS2 DVD games).

Try a PS2 or PS1 cd game. Usually the DVD laser is the first to go in PS2's.
The lasers are really only good for a few years and then they pack it in,
same with the XBOX as well. Cheaply made.


But one cause could be the laser drive gear setup, on the side of the laser
there is a little bit of white plastic, sometimes it looses tension on the
worm gear it sits on and causes it to slip, you could try taking the laser
out, cleaning the underside of the plastic bit with metho, and bending the
white tab down a bit, its malleable plastic so you wont snap it unless your
very rough.



Does it make a tick tick tick sound when it locks up? Like the laser trying
to re focus?

Other than that, if you remove the laser, on the underside there are 2 pots,
one adjusts the CD laser power and the other adjusts the DVD laser power.
Turn the DVD one a fraction ( I believe its the one on the right, when you
have the ribbon connector facing towards you) , 1/8th of a turn or so, it
might solve the freezing issue. But be warned, the pots increase current to
the laser diode itself shortening its lifespan. Baby steps.

I have dusted out the console and cleaned the laser lens, etc.

The console seems to work - but with the games I have tested it with it
will
freeze at certain times, yet plays fine otherwise. It seems to freeze at
the same (or close to same) point each time, sometimes during play but
usually when loading the next scene.... The DVD's themselves are fairly
undamaged and clean (my first thought was the disc its-self).

Does any of this make sense? Anyone else had similar problems? There is
no
disc read error showing up - it just gets to a certain point and freezes,
sometimes this is at the very start of a game, other times it is partway
through a game, but always in the same spots (i.e. I can restart the
console
and get the same problem again at around the same spot in the game)....

I am wondering if this may be a faulty laser module or something else, but
naturally I don't want to part with $90 or so for a new laser just to find
out later that there is a known fault elsewhere!!

Be careful, each PS2 model had 2 different types of lasers in them and they
are not interchangeable.

 

[Martin]

"ZForce" <err@no> wrote in message
news:419c7958$0$25764$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

"Martin" <invalid.vk2umj@invalid.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:419bdbbd$1_1@news.iprimus.com.au...
Anyone in here with knowledge/experience repairing Sony Playstation 2????

Looking for some help or advice from experience. I have searched the web
and found numerous hits on this subject, but it seems there is differing
opinions regarding the subject!

Regarding a PS2 console - SCPH-30002R. It was given to me after someone
blew up the power supply, but apparently it was working OK before this.
I
have since replaced the power supply module and got the console working
again, however it is freezing during games (so far only tested it using
two
PS2 DVD games).


Try a PS2 or PS1 cd game. Usually the DVD laser is the first to go in
PS2's.
The lasers are really only good for a few years and then they pack it in,
same with the XBOX as well. Cheaply made.

Thanks for the response...

I've run a PS1 CD game through without any problems at all. I'll try a DVD
movie and see how that goes, but obviously it has something to do with the
DVD side of things....

But one cause could be the laser drive gear setup, on the side of the
laser
there is a little bit of white plastic, sometimes it looses tension on the
worm gear it sits on and causes it to slip, you could try taking the laser
out, cleaning the underside of the plastic bit with metho, and bending the
white tab down a bit, its malleable plastic so you wont snap it unless
your
very rough.



Does it make a tick tick tick sound when it locks up? Like the laser
trying
to re focus?

No, no such sound when it freezes. I'm actually wondering if it is freezing
when it transitions between the DVD layers - are PS2 DVD games using
multiple layers on the DVD?? It would explain a lot as it can play up to
certain points in some games, yet freezes trying to load the first part of
others. Even on the same game DVD - where you have multiple options at the
start which 'campaign' you wish to join, if you pick some it will play fine
to a point then freeze, yet if you pick others it will freeze loading the
first scenes... And, you can repeat the problem - reset and start again and
it will freeze in the exact same spot again..

Other than that, if you remove the laser, on the underside there are 2
pots,
one adjusts the CD laser power and the other adjusts the DVD laser power.
Turn the DVD one a fraction ( I believe its the one on the right, when you
have the ribbon connector facing towards you) , 1/8th of a turn or so, it
might solve the freezing issue. But be warned, the pots increase current
to
the laser diode itself shortening its lifespan. Baby steps.

Hmm, wonder if this will solve anything? It definately seems to be a
problem reading DVD's, yet not a total read error! Like I said earlier - as
if it faults when changing layers - like some older DVD players use to
briefly freeze at certain points in a movie, except the console freezes and
stays frozen...


[SNIP]

Be careful, each PS2 model had 2 different types of lasers in them and
they
are not interchangeable.

Hmm, I can get spare parts if I can ID the part needed - if I need a new
laser then I guess I'll have to try and determine the exact one I need
first!!! Thanks for the warning...

 

[pussynuts]

Martin, you have a V5 Model playstation.YThese came with three different
types of laser, the 400c(less troublesome) and two types of the sanyo open
face hd-7.
Your freezing trouble is most likely caused by the change in laser height to
disk power.This is common as the laser ages it looses power causing it to
have trouble reading some types of media.
If you take off the lid of the loading tray and the front of the tray facing
you,at the rear you will see a white geared wheel.This gear adjusts the
height of the loading/laser mechanism to the disk platter.Adjust the gear a
maximum of two teeth at a time in an anticlockwise direction.
This should fix the freezing problem.
Also the laser has two lenses not one.The top one is just the focusing lens
with the main laser lens underneath.Depending on the laser type,remove the
black shroud around the laser and with a small cotton bud wipe the lower
lens but be very careful not to damage the focus lens.
Hope this info helps.If you need anymore help let me know.
Cheers
Joe
"ZForce" <err@no> wrote in message
news:419c7958$0$25764$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

"Martin" <invalid.vk2umj@invalid.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:419bdbbd$1_1@news.iprimus.com.au...
Anyone in here with knowledge/experience repairing Sony Playstation
2????

Looking for some help or advice from experience. I have searched the
web
and found numerous hits on this subject, but it seems there is differing
opinions regarding the subject!

Regarding a PS2 console - SCPH-30002R. It was given to me after someone
blew up the power supply, but apparently it was working OK before this.
I
have since replaced the power supply module and got the console working
again, however it is freezing during games (so far only tested it using
two
PS2 DVD games).


Try a PS2 or PS1 cd game. Usually the DVD laser is the first to go in
PS2's.
The lasers are really only good for a few years and then they pack it in,
same with the XBOX as well. Cheaply made.


But one cause could be the laser drive gear setup, on the side of the
laser
there is a little bit of white plastic, sometimes it looses tension on the
worm gear it sits on and causes it to slip, you could try taking the laser
out, cleaning the underside of the plastic bit with metho, and bending the
white tab down a bit, its malleable plastic so you wont snap it unless
your
very rough.



Does it make a tick tick tick sound when it locks up? Like the laser
trying
to re focus?

Other than that, if you remove the laser, on the underside there are 2
pots,
one adjusts the CD laser power and the other adjusts the DVD laser power.
Turn the DVD one a fraction ( I believe its the one on the right, when you
have the ribbon connector facing towards you) , 1/8th of a turn or so, it
might solve the freezing issue. But be warned, the pots increase current
to
the laser diode itself shortening its lifespan. Baby steps.


I have dusted out the console and cleaned the laser lens, etc.

The console seems to work - but with the games I have tested it with it
will
freeze at certain times, yet plays fine otherwise. It seems to freeze
at
the same (or close to same) point each time, sometimes during play but
usually when loading the next scene.... The DVD's themselves are fairly
undamaged and clean (my first thought was the disc its-self).

Does any of this make sense? Anyone else had similar problems? There
is
no
disc read error showing up - it just gets to a certain point and
freezes,
sometimes this is at the very start of a game, other times it is partway
through a game, but always in the same spots (i.e. I can restart the
console
and get the same problem again at around the same spot in the game)....

I am wondering if this may be a faulty laser module or something else,
but
naturally I don't want to part with $90 or so for a new laser just to
find
out later that there is a known fault elsewhere!!



Be careful, each PS2 model had 2 different types of lasers in them and
they
are not interchangeable.

 

[Martin]

Just an update here - I've run a couple of DVD movies through the console
without problems. I would've thought that if the DVD laser was at fault
there would also be errors playing a DVD movie??

So, to summarise the problems so far:

PS1 CD games play fine.

DVD movies play fine.

PS2 DVD games will sometimes play OK but will freeze & lockup at certain
points. Sometimes this will be part way through a game, other times in
games that allow you tp select different start scenario's it will start OK
on some selections, yet freeze on other selections.

Problem can be reproduced time after time, freezing in about the same spot
each time.

Any thoughts or suggestions??? Does this still sound like the DVD laser, or
alignment, or maybe even a driver problem?

TIA

---

To reply direct by e-mail:
Remove "invalid." from the e-mail address.



"Martin" <invalid.vk2umj@invalid.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:419bdbbd$1_1@news.iprimus.com.au...

Anyone in here with knowledge/experience repairing Sony Playstation 2????

Looking for some help or advice from experience. I have searched the web
and found numerous hits on this subject, but it seems there is differing
opinions regarding the subject!

Regarding a PS2 console - SCPH-30002R. It was given to me after someone
blew up the power supply, but apparently it was working OK before this. I
have since replaced the power supply module and got the console working
again, however it is freezing during games (so far only tested it using
two
PS2 DVD games).

I have dusted out the console and cleaned the laser lens, etc.

The console seems to work - but with the games I have tested it with it
will
freeze at certain times, yet plays fine otherwise. It seems to freeze at
the same (or close to same) point each time, sometimes during play but
usually when loading the next scene.... The DVD's themselves are fairly
undamaged and clean (my first thought was the disc its-self).

Does any of this make sense? Anyone else had similar problems? There is
no
disc read error showing up - it just gets to a certain point and freezes,
sometimes this is at the very start of a game, other times it is partway
through a game, but always in the same spots (i.e. I can restart the
console and get the same problem again at around the same spot in the
game)....

I am wondering if this may be a faulty laser module or something else, but
naturally I don't want to part with $90 or so for a new laser just to find
out later that there is a known fault elsewhere!!

And before anyone suggests - I have posted this to PS2 newsgroups but so
far no reply, and there always seems to be so many knowledgable experts in
here!

TIA

 

[ZForce]

"Martin" <invalid.vk2umj@invalid.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:30561uF2rfkcoU1@uni-berlin.de...

Just an update here - I've run a couple of DVD movies through the console
without problems. I would've thought that if the DVD laser was at fault
there would also be errors playing a DVD movie??

So, to summarise the problems so far:

PS1 CD games play fine.

DVD movies play fine.

PS2 DVD games will sometimes play OK but will freeze & lockup at certain
points. Sometimes this will be part way through a game, other times in
games that allow you tp select different start scenario's it will start OK
on some selections, yet freeze on other selections.

The data is read of the DVD at a higher speed than a video DVD, therefore
more prone to errors.

Problem can be reproduced time after time, freezing in about the same spot
each time.

Tried different games? also the platinum games are absolute crap, they are
hard to read at the best of times, so make sure your not testing with one of
those type of game disks.

It sounds like its reading quite well actually, i have seen far worse, so if
your using a platinum game, change it for something else, apart from that,
it sounds like a laser tweak is in order. Alignment or power, or maybe both.

Any thoughts or suggestions??? Does this still sound like the DVD laser,
or
alignment, or maybe even a driver problem?

TIA