PS2 blue disc issues: modern way to fix?

Hi all,

I remember when the PS2 was new, I "fixed" its issue with being unable to read blue discs by removing some sort of plastic or foam piece inside, and I think putting adhesive on it? I have a new PS2 since then that's not able to read blue discs, but I couldn't find anything online about this method. Everything seems to be suggesting you either replace the whole assembly, or put tape on the discs themselves.

Is there a commonly accepted practice nowadays for fixing this issue with PS2s?

 

Aren't blue disc CD based games? Maybe the CD laser coil is just burned out but dvd still works fine. Try a PS1 game, see if it boots

 

Definitely don't put tape on the discs

 

If it is the slipping disc problem clean the spindle and possibly replace the nylon clamp. Fixes all of them that aren’t due to the laser or physical abuse

 

Could clean the laser and try adjusting the potentiometer. Some PS2 drives have 2 pots - one for the CD and one for the DVD laser.

 

Most of the time i just replace the lasers in some cases spindel motor.

 

Which part is the nylon clamp? Is it the little white thing with the magnet? And where can you get replacements that aren't just salvaged from other PS2s with the same issue?

The round, white piece, in the middle of the square DVD tray cover on the left, in this image is what I'm referring to, btw: https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/1TOGym5InUQnnGNu.medium

 

yes, btw there at least 2 versions of it as well, I usually pull from other ps2 units.

 

So I have sort of an update on this.

I pried the magnet out of the disc clamp and flipped it over, and it helped a little. I was able to boot 1 blue disc game (Jurassic Park OG) though it didn't get past the loading screen, and 1 game worked fine (Marvel Vs Capcom 2). The slipping sound still is happening a little on startup but the game seems to spin much more consistently once it gets going.

I'm going to table this unless I get any other replies, but I thought this might be helpful for someone in the future. It seems to be largely related to the white disc clamp with the magnet.

 

Try this method explained in the video where you lift the lens up and clean under where the beam is at. Often dust gets caught down there. Ps2 uses a two piece laser so it can read both dvd and cd’s. Often people adjust the pots but don’t bother with this method as they’re not aware that the lens and laser are two different pieces. Tried it with my phat ps2 and it fixed the problem.

 

I had a PS2 that started having trouble reading Playstation games when it was flat horizontal, putting it vertical let them read. Eventually, I had to turn it completely upside down, and it still reads PS1 games just fine like that. Don't use it anymore, for obvious reasons. But, try upside down, if it works then your laser definitely needs adjusting/replacing.

 

If you're getting a scrapping noise with CD-Rs, maybe you can try making the disc thicker by putting layers of tape around the CD-ROM's hole.
The SCPH-39001 I owned, had no problems with pressed discs, but it gave that problem with CD-Rs. So I think there might be some physical difference between the discs.

On a side note, if you're having difficulties related to part wear and tear (not the disc slipping), you can also try turning on the "Diagnosis" option in the browser, before inserting your game disc. It will enable auto-gain adjustment and adjust the radial skew on the B-chassis (applicable to only SCPH-30001 GH-004/GH-005). The settings are not known to be permanently saved, however.
That might be the easiest official "fix" ever, if it can cover the hardware issue.