PS4 Should I replace the lens part only, or the whole drive?...

Recently bought a second hand PS4 that has trouble reading discs. Some games still work, others don't work at all and give an 'unrecognised disc' message after spinning for a while. I don't think it's the last update - a well known problem by now - that broke it, since none of the workarounds for that - unplugging and booting with controller etc. - seem to help...

You can hear the disc spinning while the spinning disc icon is in the top right corner. After a while you can hear the PS4 make a sound as if it's going to spit the disc out - but doesn't - after which it spins a little longer and then gives the 'unrecognised disc' message. Sometimes it says 'data corrupted' instead...

So my question is, should I replace the lens part only, or the whole optical drive?...

Any help would be appreciated... ^^

PS Already opened it up and cleaned the lens. To no avail unfortunately.

 

The PS3 Blue-Ray drive is strongly tied to it's motherboard by keys, so the PS4 drive should work the same i think. If you want to install the new drive you have to remarry it with motherboard, but no one know how to make it on PS4. Only Sony knows.

 

PS4 drive is also tied to the motherboard AFAIK. But I was under the impression I just had to swap out the boards and use the original drive's board with the new drive. Correct me if I'm wrong...

 

I very much don't like that they started ''tying'' the disc drive to the motherboard. That makes it very unserviceable. There are a ton of Xbox 360's and PS3's that need the disc drive replaced, but you can't do it without hacking the console and it requires a lot of work.

 

sounds to me your laser is dying, will probable fix it with a new replacement laser unit.

 

Thanks. That's what I also think.
I just wanted to be sure it wasn't a problem with the drive not alligning properly.

 

Try to clean softly the lens using cotton swabs (tick or fluff the cotton - don't know the right english word) with isopropyl alcohol. Try to blow away some dust from the laser. After that use the dry cotton swabs (also fluffed) to remove the alcohol traces and alcohol itself. If it will not help - remove the laser block if it possible. But I don't know if laser have or not any strong connections with drive and motherboard.

 

Exactly what I did. Cotton swab with 94% alcohol, dry with the other side, have a go at it with the Datavac duster. Didn't help.
Let's hope it works out. In that case I've got me a PS4 for €60 + the price of a new lens...

 

don't fix what ain't broke
Diagnose the reason for poor reading first
PS4 optical pickups are expensive on their own, let alone a whole drive!

 

I can have a lens for less than €40 shipped. So it's not that bad.
But tell me, as far as diagnostics go, what more can I do then?...