Mike

I've heard repairing PS2s is usually not worth the cost.

Whenever I insert a game or any other CD into my PS2, it goes to the very first set of menus (Explorer, etc.). Nothing loads up. After I wait a while and select Explorer, I get a DISC READ ERROR, and that's that. If I restart my system about 20-40 times, it will eventually work.

I have tried tilting it sideways, backwards, and upside down. None of these seem to help much.

Anyone else experienced this problem, and what did you do about it.

Thanks!
- Mike

fujishig

Looks like it's shot... I have a similar question, though, for people with similar experiences.

I've noticed lately that games take longer to load than they did before... games used to load automatically, so that I never saw the menu screen if a game was in the system. Lately, I've realized that the PS2 menu screen comes up first, and then a few seconds later the game loads fine. Is that the beginning of the end? Or do the newer games just take longer to load? Is that the kind of behavior that you experienced before it stopped working altogether, Mike?

Shawn

I thought I've heard that Sony usually replaces PS2 parts for cheap/free? So call them. It's worth a shot, at least. Maybe I'm wrong, but hopefully I'm right. Good luck!

Shawn

Lord Crumb

I hope you're right too, Shawn, because I'm experiencing the same problem that Mike is. I received my PS2 for Christmas two years ago, and it's been slowly deteriorating since. Mind if I ask how long you've had your PS2, Mike?

About 6 months after I got mine, it stopped playing DVDs. Since I have a stand alone DVD Player, and a DVD-ROM on my computer, I wasn't too worried. From then on, things have just gotten worse and worse with it. Now, it actually scratches and ruins the games I put in it. I received GTA: VC for this year's Christmas, and it was subsequently mauled and rendered useless by my PS2.

I'm not sure what to do. Buying a new one seems like a waste; it would probably solve the problem, but I'm not sure I feel like going through such a seemingly exorbitant solution. I guess I may have to, though.

drbuns

The going rate is $120 to get a PS2 fixed. I had to call 2 weeks ago. I got a new one...

menaz

I can do PS2 repair. Laser adjustment is $35, and I only charge it if I was able to repair it. Laser replacement, which is putting a working laser in the unit runs $70.00. Most problems of the PS2 I am able to repair. If anyone is interested, let me know, I have tons of credibility on ebay (350 positives, 0 negatives and have sold a few movies on the DVD forum.

Lord Crumb

What's your Ebay handle, Menaz? Is it the same one that you use here?

I'm fairly sure it is, but I want to be certain.

menaz

I have emailed you my ebay handle Lord Crumb, if anyone else is interested, let me know. Thank you

Lord Crumb

Thanks for dropping me a line, Menaz. I briefly glanced over your Ebay feedback, and it's certainly impressive.

I'll probably e-mail you through Ebay later on today or tomorrow with a few questions.

Thanks again.

oytoy

That's exactly how my problems started some months back fujishig. I'd start up a game and the ps2 would go into the menu first and then work fine after a few seconds. Then I started noticing longer load times and periodic disc read errors. Finally last month, it stopped playing dvd's, cd's, playstation discs, and about half of my ps2 games entirely. I got my ps2 a few months after release, so warranty certainly wasn't an option, so I started looking online for quick and easy solutions. This is the page that saved me from paying for repairs or buying a new ps2.

http://stormpages.com/lee/1ps2clean.html

After opening things up, I noticed a thin, white film of dust covering the lens. It blew right off with the compressed air, and so I didn't even bother with the rubbing alcohol. After blowing air throughout the rest of the interior to clear out some more dust, I closed things up, and now everything seems to be working fine.

If you don't feel comfortable opening up your ps2, or your ps2 is still under warranty, you can try ejecting the disc tray and blowing the compressed air into the drive. If your lens isn't too dirty, that might do the trick.

Hope that helps and good luck!

paul dd

My PS2 just started acting up last week. It would load and read the game fine. Its just that the video appears distorted on the TV. Some images can actually be made out. But at times it can be to the point where its unplayable (NBA Live). The sound is fine. I tried it on 2 TVs so I'm positive its not the TV. It also does it on all games, some games worse than others. It even does it on the browser config screen when booting with no disc loaded. I bought this on ebay 2 months ago. Anyone heard of this problem?

Icculus

I've heard many times on the IGN boards that SOny is repairing PS2s with the Disc Read Error for free. You may have to talk to a supervisor but if your persistant you should get it fixed with no charge.

menaz

Its true, sometimes dust can cause these problems, though more often than not, its the laser. My ps2 is from the release date of the ps2 (yup, i stood inline at wal mart for 10hrs, was 3rd in line and it doesnt have a whole lot of use, mostly sits there and collects dust (literally) and it recently started giving me the first bad signs. I blame it on dust, BUT a couple weeks back I fixed a friends PS2, that was a version 4, had the disc read error, there is NO WAY anyone could blame it on dust. This ps2 was mint, I opened it and there wasnt a spec of dust inside, but for some reason it still decided to go bad.

Sony will sometimes waive the repair fee, but it is usually only if your PS2 just recently went out of warranty.

fujishig

Actually, just blew some compressed air into the cd drive, and voila, no more slow loading. At least for now. I am wary that the lens will break, since it happened to my PS1 and Sony has still not admitted their manufacturing mistake. It's why I got the 2 year Best Buy warranty when I first got my PS2, which has since expired...

tjr2mental

This is what I did to fix my brothers and his friends PS2's that were having the same problem.

Remove the 8 screws that are located on the bottom of the PS2, then remove the bottom half of the case. It will be attached to the board, so be careful not to yank it around when removing it. Once you do this you will see a black piece of plastic that has four small screws, remove those and now you are looking at the laser. Just take some alcohol and a Q-tip and claen off the laser really good. Replace the small cover (4 screw one, then replace the big cover (8 screw one) and power that bad boy up. The toal time that it should take you is about 10 minutes, so it is not like it is all that hard to do.

More then likely it will work fine now. Has for the two that I did for them, and a few others that I have done for some guys at work.

Good luck.

DAC

That's nice to know, because mine is behaving like Oytoy mentioned above. Mine just started a few weeks ago also. I got mine on release date.

Joshic

thanks for the link oytoy. My PS2 was working fine, except that when I started it up it would go to the browser and system config screen for a few seconds before starting a game. Plus I also noticed that games seemed to load a little slow.

I opened up my PS2 and cleaned it according to the instructions on that link. Very nice instructions btw. There was hardly any dust in my PS2 at all, and the lens didn't look very dirty either. But I blasted it with compressed air and cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol like the instructions said, and after it was all done, my PS2 is working like new. very glad I did this.

Mike

Thanks for the link and all the helpful advise.

My insane PS2 just started working again. I didn't kick it, clean it, or sleep with it, but it just started working just fine. Haven't had a problem in 2 weeks now.

Life is strange!

Gideon68

I've had problems with my PS2 not reading DVDs (movies and games) but it would read regular cds. Sony said it would need to be repaired, about $120 like "drbuns" wrote. I'm still deciding whether to send it in, buy a new one, or just forget about the PS2. The problem may eventually happen again no matter what I decide to do, and I don't want to keep throwing money to Sony.

The spindle on my original PS fell apart after about 3 years. I would have thought that Sony's PS2 would have been a more durable system.

Never had any problems with my Sega, Nintendo, and X-Box (hopefully) systems.

Trigger

just reporting that my roommate's PS2 has this same problem. He got one when they came out.

elias

I had the same problems. I called the Sony number in the back of the manual and told them the problem and that I had seen a news report saying that many others have been experiencing it as well (I didn't really see a news report!). They offered to fix it for free so I dropped it off at a nearby Sony facility and they shipped it back to me when complete. No hassles.

ottolam

how can I identify which version of PS2 that I have? From the serial number? I bought my PS2 with the GT3 bundle. I wonder if anyone is having problems with their PS2 with the GT3 bundle!

Trigger

called the support number 1-800-345-7669 and spoke with "kyle" who asked me a bunch of troubleshooting questions and then had me run the diagnostics... during which I got the same disc read error. He then gave me instructions on how to send it in for free repair.

Cat

Yesterday I noticed the first troubling problem wth my PS2. I was playing NBA Live and the screen would freeze and then it would start playing again. It was like the disc stopped spinning for a moment. This happened throughout the whole game, but mostly on the cut scenes. Then I played Ratchet & Clank and all of a sudden there would be no sound. Like NBA Live, it seemed to happen during the cut scenes.

Cat

Jose Q

One Word: Walmart.

Buy new PS2. Wait a few days. Pack old PS2. Take it back.

They usually send defective product back to the manufacturer anyways.