Time to mod the ol' PS2! (installing a mod chip)

The eject problem is caused by the connection of the drive to the power button.

The newer PS2s use a flat ribbon. Older units use plastic connectors and crimped wires. The connectors sometimes oxidize and the PS2 stops powering on or ejecting. Disassembling the unit completely (pay extreme attention to the two ribbons that connect the PS2 motherboard to the drive, they have a right side (due to it's shielding) if you invert them the PS2 will stop working.

Disconnect and reconnect the wires that go from the drive board to the power/eject button assembly (that PS2 is the only model where the power and eject wires come from the driveboard, btw ...).

 

Are you sure that's the problem? I cleaned the ribbon cable, and it was working fine until it suddenly stopped working after I left the console running for about half an hour. It's just really weird that it stopped working and I hadn't done anything to it to cause it. Coincidentally, at the same time the eject button stopped working, I also got a disk read error.

 

If the blue light no longer lits, then the modchip caused the coils to fry. And that in turn blows the driver chip which finally blows a fuse, disabling the DVD drive completely. (It's designed to fail that way so you have no option but take it to the service center...)

But then if that happened you would be getting a black screen on trying to boot up the unit.

 

The light still works, and... Wait, what? The drive is working again? :suspicion: I have no idea what to make of this. Probably best to replace it, since it's kinda temperamental. You wanted a GH-007 board didn't ya l_oliveira?

 

Yeah I do but I could buy the whole thing from you, no ?

I don't have any consoles from Australia.

 

I was gonna use the rest of it for possible spare parts, but I don't think I'll be doing much in the way of PS2 work in the future, aside from doing up a mod-chipped one for myself, so you'd probably get more out of it than me. Will let you know!

 

You can keep the optical pickup if it's working so you have a spare for your next unit (you said you want to get a V3, right ?).

 

I'd be keeping that anyway, since it's a brand-new replacement one I wanted to get either a V3 or V4, yeah.

 

I'd recommend a V4 since it's easier to do maintenance and it can use both B and C lasers (due to the design of the tray mechanism)...

 

I'll see if I can find on one, but so far I've been finding V3s. What is it about the V4s that makes maintenance easier?

 

Easier to open, single motherboard, less parts, less screws, less complexity, etc etc etc ...

 

Ah, I see.

 

Okay, so it turns out the V3 PS3 I was looking has already been modchipped. Is there anything I should be worried about? I know laser burn-out is a possible problem (I'm going to assume they've been playing burnt disks on it), but I already have a replacement laser. If the modchip that was used isn't a very good one (i.e doesn't have stealth features for PS1 games) would I be able to remove it and install my Modbo 4.0 without any ill effects?

*EDIT* The seller says that a messiah mod chip was used, do you guys have any opinions on them?

 

Okay, I ended up getting a different PS2. Wasn't able to find a single V4 (all the 8 screw 3002 I found were all V5), so I've ordered a V3. Once it arrives, I'll make the arrangements to send my old V3 to l_oliveira

Now then, what's the best way to go about removing the lacquer from points I want to solder to? Is scratching it off best, or would the flux be able to remove it? What about the little legs on the chip I need to solder to, are they normally covered in lacquer too, or is that just the board itself? Also, there's still the issue as to why I wasn't able to find the CX solder point on my PS2...

 

Ha, pretty sure I've got a chipped v4 here somewhere. Needs a new laser though.

Personally I scratch the solder resist off gently but I'm quite experienced with this and experience says it is damned easy to take off a trace completely when you need practice. A fiberglass pen works well too and it is a lot easier to remove solder resist without taking the trace with it.

 

I've been using a craft knife to scratch the lacquer off, will this do the trick? Again, are the legs of the chip covered in lacquer too? That might explain part of the trouble I was having, though most of it would be due to crappy tools

 

No, legs are not covered in anything.

 

I think you meant the through hole vias/pads. If that's the case, some high grit sand paper works perfectly. Just fold the paper into a fine point and sand it carefully. Use this wire to solder to them and the modchip.
For the power lines on the modchip, use something a little thicker. You can get 12 sheets of the sand paper from Bunnings for $0.98

 

Cool, thanks Bad_Ad!

Ha, that's the exact same Kynar wire I have!

 

Okay, I've got my new PS2, time to try again! Strangely enough, the board is a GH-006! I didn't think these existed in Australia! Back to CX solder point problem, here's a photo of the side of the mainboard that I'm suppose to be able to find the CX solder point:


Here's where I'm suppose to be soldering to:


And here's the closest area I can find that looks like this:


I've been advised to use the CX point from the V4 instructions, but I can't find anywhere on the board that looks like this:


Mostly because the V3 and V4 boards looks so different :\

Little help guys?