PS1 more broken then ever.

A couple years back I picked up a PS1 at a thrift store for $5, unfortunately the disc doesn't spin, and the laser doesn't even attempt to move. It also will never go to the bios, takes a long time to boot, and has no sound. Any ideas on what the hell happened?

 

What model is it? The PS1 is a complicated machine, don't bother trying to fix it.

 

Buy a working one for $5. Easier and cheaper than attempting to resurrect the one you have.

 

I'd hate to insult you but thats wussy talk. I've literally brought PS's back from the depths of hell. It just needs a little hard work

 

They can be brought back to life, not that hard. Around here people practically throw them away. I'll go to garage sales and inquire about them when I see them and they tell me to take them have the time. They are generally so dusty it is ridiculous but a little fiddling around and I got them to work.

 

I have about a trillion working ones, I just like to fiddle.

 

I guess you've already tried this, but try swapping out the PSU from an identical (working) machine, and see what happens.

 

Oh boy. I figured it out.
It started when I followed the above suggestion, and decided to swap PSUs with a working one. Turns out, both of them work, but I did uncover that the motherboard layout changed, so I took a quick picture.

Then, I noticed something strange about the PS on the left (the one giving me issues). You might notice the tons of blue wires running all over the mainboard. Could it be? Did they really?

YEP! Turns out, the previous owner tried to breath some life into their aging PS by installing a mod chip, and botching it horribly. Notice the lovely solder blob on one of the connections, giving it a chance not only to short on the connection next to it, but on the chip below it as well. :banghead:I mean, holy shit, did they not think to use electrical tape or something to keep it from not only moving about the inside, but to keep it from shorting on every single goddamn thing?! URGH!

So, any idea on how to fix this short of ripping out the chip? The solder blob has been separated from its next door neighbor, and the mod chip is now floating in the air, but it still won't boot.

 

What do you mean won't boot? You see nothing on screen or discs won't boot? If discs won't boot, cut off the modchip by cutting the wires near the chip and tape the ends with electrical tape and see if that helps. The modchip itself may have been damaged. Also it looks like he stripped waaaaay too much insulation off the wires on both ends. Near the ends that contact the board you should put electrical tape or just go ahead and carefully snip or desolder the wires.

But that seems like the thing to do first as there is no reason to assume the modchip ever worked or was even installed properly and if it wasn't it can prevent discs from booting. Check for any more screw ups after all that if it still won't work.

 

It boots to the SONY splash screen, then won't do anything. It won't make any sound while doing so.

 

Remove modchip completely, clean all contacts, go from there.

 

Modchip has been removed, wires are still in(covered in electrical tape), same problem. Should removing the wires be the next course of action?

 

Wires removed, same problem. Motherboard is probably fubar. Thanks for all the help anyways.

 

Have you checked the fuses ? These black squares with makings on the motherboard "PS" with numbers on top are fuses.

 

How do I check them? Just the squares with numbers on top?

 

I assume you'd check continuity between both ends of the fuse. If there is none then the fuse blew and the components its intended to protect no longer receive power and hopefully survived the incident.

 

Because nothing looks bad doesntmake it okay get out a voltage meter and checkthe fuses caps and psu

 

ps1

hi there if no sound ic 732 is spu sound processor unit replace it or check this out open google type psx repair procedure download doc pdf and save file to pc
then see all trouble shooting in it .