"disk read error" after installing Matrix modchip. CDs work though!

https://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?50478-ps2-modbo-4-0-not-booting-backups

 

That's pointing me in the right direction, it sounds like the A G H I and B points might have been the issue. Or there was indeed a issue with the board itself that was corrected when I did that bit of clean up. Or maybe it was that little bit of solder on the modchip. A mystery! We'll see if we can have a bit more luck when I try again.

 

Make sure that your soldering iron isn't hotter than it has to be and make sure you're using flux.

Oh, and yeah, use wire strippers this time.

 

Yeah, I had been worried about it bring too hot, so I had it as low as possible and you can see the results are those dull-looking joints. Since turning it up a bit, I'm now getting nice shiny joints. For stripping the wire, what's the recommended technique? One nice thing about stripping with the iron is you can solder one end, then cut the wire at the other end when it's the length you want, keeping the wire short. There's not always enough room to maneuver a stripper to do it the same way though.

 

Okay, I've re-done the modchip install. I think this was my neatest install yet, no bridges at no issues with wires detaching themselves. I'm still getting the red screen issue though! Audio CDs load, and unlike last time, games will load if I disable the modchip. Any idea what the cause of my issue might be? I left the G wire unsoldered since it doesn't appear on the install instructions, you think I should solder it anyway? I also notice I can't upgrade the firmware on the chip, I put the burned disk into the PS2 and reboot, but it goes to the Sony dash and tried to load it. Maybe there's an issue with the way I burned the CD or something?

 

I can't help you with the PS2 modchip, exactly, but Zer0-2k11 posted this on the site a few years ago, so I thought it might be helpful to you:

305ºC = Soldering to SMD Capacitors/Resistors
325ºC = For everything else
350ºC = Working with ground plains and desoldering braid

He also suggested using a 0.8mm bevel tip for SMD soldering.

 

Oh good, that's close to what I was doing anyway

I've soldered in the G wire and I've even tried specifically tidying up the I, H and G wires to avoid any crossing over (it's kind hard to avoid once it reaches the chip itself, there's a lot of other wires there) but it still gives me the red screen! Here's some install photos:



Any clues guys? I think my install looks pretty danged neat, so I'm hoping it's not an installation issue!

 

Problems highlighted below. While it might look tidy, its a pretty poor install. All of your wires pretty much have too much wire exposed and can easily be shorting out on nearby components and vias.

Focus less on how it looks, more on function. It looking "neat" doesnt matter when the soldering work is no good.

Its odd, because all your connections on the actual chip look fine - do that, but on the PS2 side too.

 

Cool, I'll try that. The reason why the soldering on the chip itself look different is because I'm just stripping the wire, melting the solder and shoving the wire in. For the board ones, between tinning the wire and trying to heat both the wire and the solder point, more of the wire gets exposed. Should I do a similar thing as what I'm doing with the modchip solder points? When you say "shorting" do you mean the current is jumping across a gap between the wire and something else? Because I'm pretty sure there's no shorts due to the wire physically touching another component. Mord.Fustang above said that that if you've got the Matrix logo, then the M, N, O, P, Q, T, U, V, R, W, CX, 3.3v and GND points are fine, so should I just clean up the A G H I B points? Or what if I just covered up the solder points with some hot glue, so should prevent any jumping too, right? Also, how realistic is the issue of problems due to overlapping wires? Should I be concerned about trying to prevent wires from crossing over each other?

 

I would avoid using any more glue and leave the gluing until it's working properly. It should be used to protect it, not fix the problem.

Try fixing up points a few at a time to start until it works. Also really, really check for any bridging. Often you can't even see it.

Also do a few tests to confirm that the system can in fact read your burned CDs and DVDs. If you're not sure if it's reading your burned media, burn a DVD movie on the same type of media or an ESR-patched game and use FMCB to boot it... just something to confirm that it's reading your media.

 

Okay, I'll start with the AGHIB points and see how it goes. It seems that avoiding exposed wire is a good idea, so I'll try stripping and wire, giving it a quick tin and doing the melt 'n' shove like I do for the modchip solder points. If I avoid heating the wire too much, that should prevent the sleeve from peeling back.

I have tried running a burned game, but I still got the red screen. Only way I could get anything to load is to play a game from my region with the modchip disabled.

 

If your connections are good you don't need glue.

 

Well, not so much to hold them in place, but more for preventing short circuits But yeah, redoing then with a focus on preventing the sleeve from peeling back (going to try the same technique I used on the modchip soldering side) and see where we go from there. No one's said I've soldered to the wrong points, so it seems like there's something else at play. Gonna give it another shot when I get off from work.

 

Okay, I've re-done the authentication points and made 'em short. Hasn't helped though, I'm STILL getting the red screen when I try to load a game! Here's some new photos:

 

You really should grab a continuity meter and check every point on the modchip for shorts. Then you should check for correct soldering on the ps2 mobo: i.e. you put one lead of your multimeter on point H on modchip, and another lead on point H on the motherboard. This way you will make shure that you didn't mix up your points and that wires are undamaged.

Oh, one more thing. Did you scrape protective layer from the points on Ps2 motherboard before soldering?

 

Shorts on the modchip itself? Like, check for continuity between say point A and point H? I've checked the GHI points, they are indeed soldered to the correct points on the modchip. For the protective layer, originally, no. Unsurprisingly, the wires would refuse to stick, so I went back later with flux. Seems to have done the trick, as now the wires hold firm and the solder takes on the shape of the pad.

 

Well it's just easier to check for shorts on the modchip side, because it can be almost impossible to check for shorts with a lot of small points all in one place (like on PS2 mobo).

Anaways, if you are sure that all points are soldered correctly and there is no shorts, there is really not much you can do. You could always try another modchip though (even another brand, because all the point on PS2 side are pretty much the same). Or you can try to play around with this install and figure out what works and what doesn't (i.e. modchip menu, dev-mode boot, DVD movies etc.).

 

Okay, I've tried re-doing everything, new board even a new modchip. SAME. FREAKIN'. PROBLEM! About ready to give up here! Anyways, here's some photos of the install:

 

You can try to re-route G H and I wires by turning to the other side of the mobo from the side and not through the hole. Also try another path for A.

 

Tried that just now, still getting the red screen.