My PS2 just bit the dust, with awful timing

[DaGamingMonkey]

I was having issues with my ps2 having read errors. Manually and carefully cleaned the lens with a qtip works fine now.

Actually my Gamecube has been having issues as well and I did the same thing. Easier on the cube since you don't have to unscrew anything to get to the laser.

[Pulsar_t]

You're quite mistaken if you think your PS2 will last that long. My only word of advice is to get a phat PS2, a network adapter, a sizeable 3.5" HDD and the FreeMC exploit. If you get the adapter on the cheap the whole thing might cost you less than a PS2 drive replacement.

[Niode]

I temporarily fixed my fat PS2 from DREs by cleaning the laser with a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol. It stopped working a couple of months later though. It was enough time to softmod my PS2 with the liberty hack and then put freemcboot on it.

I'd try and fix the PS2 manually by cleaning laser before even considering buying a replacement or paying for it to be fixed.

Also, this should be in the technical help forum.

[17DaysOlderThanNES]

It died the day I got Chrono Cross in the mail. I ended up having to haul up an old PS1, and play it on that. My PS2 is having the DRE problem, and Sony wants $45 to fix it. I could get a used fatty at Gamestop for $5 less than that. I'm saving up for a PS3, so I don't want to blow up a portion of what I've collected on fixing my PS2, but I want it back so bad.
And what even worse is that my PS2 was the best version, version 7. They're supposed to have the best lasers. Not in my case, though.

How could you get a fat PS2 for $5 less? they say it's $70 on the website, go look.

I don't know WTF you mean by version 7 (FFS people, use the SCPH numbers), but the 3000 is the best. If it's a 5000, you might as well throw it out the window now as it's by far the worst model of PS2 to own.

Either pop the top and gentle clean the laser, or buy one of these:

I'm gonna have to buy a new PS2 myself, because it seems my memory card slots are acting up - but I'll get it a proper test before I blow cash.

NO! those disc cleaners are total bullshit and is a good way to scratch the lense. Gently cleaning the lens with alcohol on a q-tip (and then wiping it again with the dry side) and then spraying out the assembly with computer air duster is the proper way to clean a drive.

Your memory card slots (unless you did something to damage them), are probably just slightly oxidized. Unplug it, put some alcohol on the pins of a memory card with a q-tip, then insert and remove it a few times. If that doesn't work, you can put some cotton on a toothpick (twist it with your fingers till it stays) with rubbing alcohol and try swabbing the pins in the system with that. Again, unless you've bent one, it's strictly an oxidation/dirt thing. Worst case, the ribbon cable inside the system may need cleaning. If you think your system is ruined b/c of this, I'll take it .

You're quite mistaken if you think your PS2 will last that long. My only word of advice is to get a phat PS2, a network adapter, a sizeable 3.5" HDD and the FreeMC exploit. If you get the adapter on the cheap the whole thing might cost you less than a PS2 drive replacement.

My PS2 is from a year after launch and it works like new, thank you very much.

What method did you use to put FreeMC on a memory card? I don't mind buying a PC save device, in fact I want a way to interface a memory card with a computer to put saves from Gran Turismo, etc. on it, but I don't know which one is actually the best. It's important that it will be able to work on any PS2 (including the process to install it on the memory card) and be as simple/straightforward/reliable as possible, I don't want to spend 5 hours troubleshooting it before it works.

[gtmtnbiker]

What method did you use to put FreeMC on a memory card? I don't mind buying a PC save device, in fact I want a way to interface a memory card with a computer to put saves from Gran Turismo, etc. on it, but I don't know which one is actually the best. It's important that it will be able to work on any PS2 (including the process to install it on the memory card) and be as simple/straightforward/reliable as possible, I don't want to spend 5 hours troubleshooting it before it works.

Look at the installation tab at: http://bootleg.sksapps.com/tutorials/fmcb/

If you don't have one of the installation methods handy (Code Breaker, Memor32, Swap Magic, etc), you can send your card to someone who does installations. See the forums at psx-scene.com for the list of installers. I personally have done 7-8 installations for members in this forum. You just need to pay shipping both ways ($3 total max).

The way I do the installation is to boot up Free McBoot. I put in my USB memory stick that contains the Free McBoot installer. Click on the installer and run it. It installs itself to a memory card in slot 2. Done. Easy.

[BoringSupreez]

It died the day I got Chrono Cross in the mail. I ended up having to haul up an old PS1, and play it on that. My PS2 is having the DRE problem, and Sony wants $45 to fix it. I could get a used fatty at Gamestop for $5 less than that. I'm saving up for a PS3, so I don't want to blow up a portion of what I've collected on fixing my PS2, but I want it back so bad.
And what even worse is that my PS2 was the best version, version 7. They're supposed to have the best lasers. Not in my case, though.

How could you get a fat PS2 for $5 less? they say it's $70 on the website, go look.

I don't know WTF you mean by version 7 (FFS people, use the SCPH numbers), but the 3000 is the best. If it's a 5000, you might as well throw it out the window now as it's by far the worst model of PS2 to own.

As for version number, version 7 means the 30001 through 30009 series, so I do own the best model.
As for Gamestop price, there's one I go to occasionaly that has them for $40. I don't know why, they just do.
And as for what I'll do, I'll look at the websites suggested and try to fix it myself; I don't want to throw out a 30009 without a fight. If it's beyond help, I'll try Craigslist.

[CRTGAMER]

It died the day I got Chrono Cross in the mail. I ended up having to haul up an old PS1, and play it on that.

CD games on a PS2 are usually the first ones that stop working. Do PS2 DVD games still work? Cleaning the laser will definitely help.

[GSZX1337]

I guess I'll put my question here instead of making a new thread:
Will cleaning the laser help with my PSTwo problems or am I going to have to realign the laser or something more?

My problem is after a little bit (anywhere from 5mins to an hour I don't know what effects it) the console can't get data from the disc. Example: I play Metal Slug 3 on the Metal Slug Anthology, I go through the first stage everything's fine, music's playing, sound effects are in sync, the game plays like normal. (Because everything's loaded into the RAM) After I defeat the boss, nothing will happen. A loading screen sometimes pops up, but mostly it's like I'm waiting for something else to happen. I can usually get around the problem by popping the lid open and putting it back down. I also hear the drive spinning.

[Hobie-wan]

Will cleaning the laser help with my PSTwo problems or am I going to have to realign the laser or something more?

Its a definite maybe.

[17DaysOlderThanNES]

I guess I'll put my question here instead of making a new thread:
Will cleaning the laser help with my PSTwo problems or am I going to have to realign the laser or something more?

My problem is after a little bit (anywhere from 5mins to an hour I don't know what effects it) the console can't get data from the disc. Example: I play Metal Slug 3 on the Metal Slug Anthology, I go through the first stage everything's fine, music's playing, sound effects are in sync, the game plays like normal. (Because everything's loaded into the RAM) After I defeat the boss, nothing will happen. A loading screen sometimes pops up, but mostly it's like I'm waiting for something else to happen. I can usually get around the problem by popping the lid open and putting it back down. I also hear the drive spinning.

is the disc scratched? do you have problems with other games? is your PS2 on a solid surface (not carpet) with the vents unblocked (not crammed up against the wall of an entertainment center). Don't forget to clean the spindle as well, slipping spindles can definitely cause read errors. Clean both the lens and the spindle with alcohol on a q-tip and then dry it with the dry side (while it's off/unplugged, and not with the same q-tip of course). If it boots up a disc fine, you shouldn't need any adjustments.

This goes for you and everyone else with similar problems: DO NOT TOUCH THE POTENTIOMETERS (sometimes called "pots" or "weird screws" if it's a total noob) ON THE LASER UNLESS YOU HAVE EXHAUSTED EVERY OTHER OPTION, YOU CAN IRREVERSIBLY RUIN THE LASER AND THEN YOU WILL DEFINITELY HAVE TO REPLACE IT. For some asinine reason, it seems like every guide tells you to go straight to the pots, DON'T DO THAT.