PS2 not spinning up disks (dead motor?)

I received a replacement PS2 today (it's a, Australian 10 screw 30002, so it should be a v3), come to find it won't load games up. I tried many different games, but all wouldn't work, so I think it's the console. I've opened it up, cleaned the laser, and while I was doing so, I decided to try loading up a game with the cover off so I could get a look at what it was doing. The disk shuddered a little, but didn't spin up. Is the drive motor dead? In that case, where would you guys recommend I buy a replacement from? Thought I had found one on eBay, but it was for a Slim. Damn. How about this? Is this what I would need? And would this be a good website to buy from, or would there be somewhere better?

 

blown fuse.

 

You mean the glass fuse on the PSU? I'm assuming that's OK, since the console starts up no problem Or does the spindle motor have a separate fuse?

 

Okay, I'm trying to get the PS2 disassembled, and I've gotten stuck. I'm trying to take the two "halves" of the mainboard apart, it would appear that what's currently holding them together is this white connector:


I'm pretty sure I've got all the screws I can find out, and it "feels" like the resistance is coming from the region of this white connector. However, when I try to get them apart, I can hear the sound of bending silicon, so I'm not too keen to press on. Any advice?

*EDIT* Got it apart, the resistance wasn't coming from that white connector, it was coming from the really long PSU pins that I hadn't noticed

 

Check ALL fuses on motherboard. Of course spindle motor have its fuse.

 

I'd detach the expansion bay ribbon cable from the mobo, just pry it off with your fingernail.
Edit: you think that is bad, on v1/2 those 4 pins are soldered in on both sides, took me 2 days to separate those things.

 

Ah, so that cable does come off does it? So you're saying the cable comes out and away from the board, rather than sliding out like the other cables? I thought this was the case, but it didn't feel like the cable was coming loose.

Ah, so there's more than just that glass fuse then? I'll go hunt down the other then, thanks for the tip!

Okay I've found the glass fuse as well as "F1" and "F2", all are fine. Are there any I've missed?

 

Yes, the ones labelled PS**:

 

I've talked about motherboard fuses, not power supply fuses
BTW bad have already linked the image to test it

If i'm not wrong fuses must be PS3 and PS4. BTW check all

 

Those things are fuses too? I'll check them as well

 

Just tested those 5 other fuses I'd missed (PS1-PS5), they all appear to be functional (I was getting a current on my multimeter anyway ). What next?

 

Those connectors do give a fair amount of resistance the first time but they are fairly durable. Just use your fingernail to pry it off starting at the ends, once you are experienced these come off in about half a second.

 

Ah, I see, I'll give that a shot! Thanks!

Just to confirm, if I were having laser issues (i.e dead laser or needs adjusting) the disk would still spin up when inserted right? I just thought I'd try an narrow down the source of the problem.

 

Any clues guys? We've eliminated the fuses, so what's next? Has the spindle motor given up the ghost after all?

*EDIT* The laser appears to be ok, it moves back and fourth, as well as up and down. If you ask me, the spindle motor seems to be the issue, but I'm not too sure, which is why I'm asking you guys

*EDIT* I've been playing with that little white adjustment gear, it doesn't seem to make any difference.

 

From a great repair guide:
http://forums.gamewinners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=513070
"The laser must first home before it’ll initiate the reading of a disc. Next, the focus coils are energized, causing the focus lens to move up and down, finding optimal focus. The spindle motor usually begins to spin as soon as the assembly recognized the presence of a disc."

Basically, the process on a working machine is:
1. The laser assembly homes
2. The laser flashes quickly for maybe <0.3 s, a brief vertical movement and a flash of red light
If there is no disk:
3. Done (no attempt to spin the spindle motor)
If there is a disk:
3. The disk is spun at low speed (~ that of a regular audio CD player) while moving lens vertically up and down while flashing the laser (focusing the light against the disc), for a few seconds on healthy machine and good disc, for longer time on worn machine or bad disk
4. The disk accelerates, the laser assembly starts moving around, actually reading the content of disc

How does this compare with your machine? You mentioned a shrudder - is this at step 3, just after the brief flash from the laser? Does the laser keep trying to get a focus or while the disk is "stuck" (as if the machine thinks the disc is spinning)? For how long?

If the laser keeps trying despite the disc not spinning - it doesn't hurt to try, is there any change in behaviour from the laser if you spin the disc with your finger?

 

Well, I know step one is being completed, since if I move the laser away from the spindle (while it's off naturally), it moves to the spindle when I turn it on. I *think* step two is being completed, I see the laser bounce up and down (not along the track, the laser lens itself moves closer and away from the disk). I haven't seen a red light, since I'm not too keen to be looking at the laser To answer your questions:
1) I suspect that it is step 3, though I'd have to try and get a look at the laser while it's doing this to see if I can see a red light, if the laser going in and out doesn't mean anything.
2) The laser seems to give up pretty quickly, it moves to the spindle, goes in and out, then does nothing more. I'll try spinning the disk with my finger and see what happens

*EDIT* I've tried to get a good look at the laser when I close the door and it moves around. Didn't see any red light. Spinning the disk didn't change the way it behaved. I also tried cleaning the second laser lens, but that didn't change anything.

*EDIT* Something else I noticed, when there's a disk on the spindle, it's only able to rotate it about 1/4 (the "jerk" I mentioned before), but if there's no disk on the spindle, it's able do a complete revolution. This is making me suspect the spindle motor again, as it seems like it's not strong enough to handle the weight of the disk.

 

The red laser should fire first, the PS2 uses that to do a reflect test. It seems you may have a dead laser diode.
Edit: Could be a bad ribbon cable too

 

Should the red laser be really obvious? I opened and closed the drive multiple times (without the disk) and I didn't notice any red lights. As to the ribbon cable, how would it go bad? It was doing this before I opened up the console and I was the first to open it. I've made sure the cable is firmly in the slot, I've even cleaned the contacts on the cable itself.

Am I up for a new laser you think? What would I need to get and where would you suggest I get it? Something like this maybe?

 

Yes the red is VERY obvious, you can even see it through the disc.

 

Oh. Well in that case, I guess my laser is bad Again, what would you suggest? I've noticed on eBay there's a bunch of lasers that look just like the one at the store I posted for much cheaper. While I don't want to buy a cheaply-made Chinese bootleg, I also don't want to overpay if that guy on that website is putting a huge markup on his lasers. Suggestions?