How to fix a PlayStation 2

So I did give it a stab, trying to fix my PlayStation 2 after the earlier mishap.
It started badly, I couldn’t even open up the ps. This article about adjusting the ps2 laser came very handy. It showed both how to open the ps2 up and how to open up the DVD-rom.
All it took was unscrewing some 18 screws, readjusting the DVD tray and putting all back (in correct order). When I turned on the PS2 next time, that happy Team Soho log greeted me and The Getaway was loaded 25 seconds later.

inside ps2

And that… is how it’s done!
Update 28/01/04
The comments are now closed. Please post any new questions in the forum.

69 thoughts on “How to fix a PlayStation 2”

  1. Our PS2 refuses to read purple backed discs. It is the most frustrating thing ever. Not only can I not play my copy of The Sims, but we just bought Risk and it doesn’t work. A friend of ours is having the same problem. Damn these old Playstations!!!

  3. when i open my ps2 the green screen comes.games work but in green screen. please anybody help me.

  4. Hey Rameez,
    This is probably due to the fact that you have connected your console to the TV using a SCART (RGB) lead, and selected the ‘Component Video Out’ setting under the ‘System Configuration’ to ‘Y Cb / Pb Cr / Pr’.
    If using the SCART lead ensure the ‘Component Video Out’ option is set back to the default ‘RGB’ setting.
    Due to a limitation, DVD playback will always be in ‘Y Cb / Pb Cr / Pr’ so your movies will be Green.
    To fix this get a cable that supports green screen removal or DVD Region X software.

  5. I took my ps2 apart to fix it with a q-tip and that little silver power thing fell out and i dont know where or how do put it back in. sum 1 help me out if u can

  6. i am realy surprise by the fact that you replied,
    but still can you be in more detailed, please help me i mean you can save me some money. and try to tell x software about the dvd thing.

  7. Im having the same problem as Brad Chamberlain my little silver wire came out and I dont know where to put it back.

  8. I found out where the little silver wire that makes the power turn on and the tray come out goes, under the tray is a little white slot, its located between two wires that look like the wire you have. you have to go on the other end of the PS2 and unscrew the two brass colored screws and take the bottom off the PS2, once this is done you can now reach the little slot, it was very hard for me to put the wire back in even while using tweasers though.

  9. when you fix your ps2 and get to the part to turn that white spindle or circle do you have to have the ps2 on or off

  10. Hey I have a big PROBLEM. My ps2 fan does not turn on and I get no picture my playstaion can turn on and can eject the disc tray. I think
    it has to do with its wires can you help me figure it out?

  12. Hey Trotman,
    this is the problem I had as well after my ps2 came down crashing. In my case the tray was jammed.
    How did this problem start for you?
    By opening my ps2 and the CD-ROM I was able to readjust the tray so it started opening again.
    I don’t recommend doing this unless you feel confortable with it. Consider taking it to service

  14. I’m having the same problem as Trotman. My Ps2 fell now the disc tray won’t close at all. How exactly should I go about readjusting the tray, I dont want to damage the Ps2 any more.

  15. My friend accidentaly dropped my ps2 on the fround while we were going to his house(on grass) and the middle of the ps2 broke, but not in any way to affect the parts, some parts fell out onto the ground and I was able to salvage them, can you help me to put them back together. thanks.

  16. Reggie,
    there is no “exact” way of fixing the non-closing disc tray. I was just lucky that taking it apart and putting it back again fixed the problem.
    Once again, if you don’t feel comfartable taking electronic things apart then it’s better taking the ps2 to a service shop.
    PS I have been taking things apart since I was 6 years old (with varying results) 🙂

  17. hey guys…I need help…my ps2 is inverting colors (green appears like blue, blue like red and red like green) and he vertical and horizontal syncronization are wrong (all I can see is coloured lines)…this happens when I turn on the ps2 and when I am playing games, but if I play an movie dvd the image appears normal, with no errors…anyone knows how i fix it?
    PS: I have an mod-chip in my ps2 (is a magic, and my videogame is and V4)…

  18. my daughter has a playstation2 and she can no longer save in slot one,cause some require u to save in this slot.anyone knows how to fix this,it would be helpful.

  20. Russel, you prolem is on the laser cannon. take it to an technical assistance so they can fix or change it for a new one.
    And anyone please help me with my problem:
    hey guys…I need help…my ps2 is inverting colors (green appears like blue, blue like red and red like green) and he vertical and horizontal syncronization are wrong (all I can see is coloured lines)…this happens when I turn on the ps2 and when I am playing games, but if I play an movie dvd the image appears normal, with no errors…anyone knows how i fix it?
    PS: I have an mod-chip in my ps2 (is a magic, and my videogame is and V4)…

  21. I dropped my son’s ps2 with a disk inside, needless to say, the tray won’t open. HELP!! How do I get it open?
    Any help would be grateful.
    Thanks!
    Mom In Trouble

  22. hello, I need your help I have had my ps2 for two years and over the last few months my sound has went out. Its all static. It has never been dropped and i keep it clean, I have checked all the cables and they seem to be o.k. do you think you can help? i would be very greatfull. thank you.

  23. Ok My friend has a PS2 and it plays Disk’s but only the scratched ones and old ones but the new ones we bought the ps2 wont read plz help

  24. hi there:)anyway i could play my divx movies and vcd’s on the PS2?you could with the ps1 so im sure there must be a way with the more advanced system???
    Chris

  25. hey i just bought my ps2 in march and a few weeks ago it started making a clicking noise…the noise comes from the tray and from where the system is reading the disc…it works fine sometimes but wont load some games like tony hawk pro skater 2…nobody i know has ever heard of this…any suggestions?

  27. my PS2 will not turn on not even the little lights that indicate that its on . i took it apart ,cleaned it up real well and the dam thing still wont turn on . Do you have a solution to help me get it started ,i’m about to drop one of my 45 pound weight plate on it.

  29. my ps2 messed up it was showing that dre stuff and now it doesnt even turn on anyone ever had this problem

  30. My ps2 will not play any new games, it just keeps sayind “Disc read error” Sumone please help

  31. While trying to take the top off of the ps2 my cat rubbed against the top of it and the silver strip connecting to the main unit and top cover got pulled out. Where do i put it back?????!!!

  33. Bob (monkey),
    detaching the silver strip is a no-no when opening your PS2. Unfortunately I do not know how or where yo put it back.

  34. when my son puts a disk into his ps2, only the 1st menu comes up (browser menu and configuration) when we go to ps2 disk, the exact same menu comes up please help!

  35. i need some help, i first needed to put ther silver wire back in my ps2 so i could turn it on and stuff and i know that you can calibrate the lens (i read the tech tv article) but its not working i was messing around with it for an hour and now my ps2 wont even read games somebody please help me and infomation appreated.

  37. Everytime i put a game in the ps2, it works fine for about 2 minutes until it starts loading something in the game (not the memory card). Then, it starts clicking and freezes. Now when I put discs in it says disc read error. Can u help me? Thanx.

  38. did not try to caliberate it yet because it will play older discs. do u know if a game gets played a lot then it won’t work? Because my newer games ive played sum for like 2 hours straight, and then won’t work. But ones i played for like 5 hours straight and have not played them for like a year seem to work. And some of my dvd’s will work. I don’t know whats wrong. Should I try to caliberate it or do sumthing else?

  39. Hey wats sup do you by any chance
    know a good CD repairer?
    I was thinkin the Game Dr. or the
    Memorex Cd repairer wat do u think?

  40. David, Man your awsome~!!!!
    I just got a new game and it kept sayin disk read error, so i tried my other games and it said the same, i read your thing and now it works perfect…..
    THANKS A BUNCH

  42. My playstaion 2 keeps saying disk error and i have tried new games ,old games, Dvd ,cd and even ps1 games it still does not work i really need help i am so angry

  44. ok guys, here is what i know and have figured out in about an hour of fudging with my ps2… First off, if the silver wire disconnects, you CAN put it back together, just take the bottom off, look under the cd tray(its in a small crack, hard to see without a flashlight) and you will find a little plug in that is just big enough for the silver wire. get it in there, blue side up(i think) and after this DO NO PULL ON IT WITH ANY FORCE, gently move it around so it will not fall out again, also you a pair of tweasers to push it in further, you will know if it is in far enough if you plug it in and turn it on and you have power to your eject and reset button. Secondly, to fix the problem reading new game, i turned that little white gear with the metal notch on it clockwise once(one little itty bitty notch), and it now will run my old games(like it always would) and my new PS2 games. calibrating it would help your problem for sure Jamez. for disk tray being jammed, its hard to explain, but you haave to set it back on the tracks correctly. luckily i had the face to my disk tray off so i could pull it open manually with a paperclip. if you have ANY questions i will try to help, but don’t e-mail me, IM me on Aol Instant Messenger at Phr33k4L1f3 once you get your ps2 fixed you will feel sooo much better, trust me, i only had mine apart for bout an hour too. oh one more thing, if you take the bottom off and your memory card and controller slots, or your power supply thing in the back fall off, they are attached and are meant to be removable, but ONLY a short distance, a few CM i would say is a good distance to stop because if you don’t, you will tear the littler of the cords and break your PS2 for good!

  45. Matt, that is some very good advice in one single comment.
    This article is growing out it’s intended size. I will try to set up a forum for this topic. Later…

  46. My Cd rom Tray Wont stay inside my Ps2
    It keep on coming out….
    I opened my ps2 and did everything that might do the trick but it no used
    Anyone can help me out???

  48. hey when i was fixing my laser in my ps2 my silver strip paper for the buttons came out. when i put it back in it wont play any more. some one please help me out.

  49. Hey i just bot a new ps2 and it plays all my discs fine, but it does not play blue discs like my action replay max (its a cheat devise) can you help me out thanks alot.

  50. The Action Replay MAX should be compatible with all PS2 out of the box! Maybe your PS2 has problems playing blue discs.
    Once again the article above describes what to do.
    You could also consider getting help from where you bought the AR since it should be compatible.

  51. When I put in a really scratched blue disk, it will work and will read in a few seconds. But whenever I put DVD’s or silver disks, it will spin for about 3 seconds and will just sit about 20-25 seconds and it will tell me “read disk error” and it is really frustrating. All of my silver disks are not scratched at all.
    PLEASE HELP!!!! I’m not good at these kind of things.
    Dazed and Confused

  52. Thank you for this site! I was able to follow the directions from the techtv site. Now my son’s purple backed disk is working great. I was also having a problem with it playing dvd’s, all works well now! Thanks! My kid sure is happy.

  53. Now it has gotten worse. The only things my PS2 will play is music CDd’s and PS1 games. No Playstation 2 game will work at all. It will sit for 1 minute and and spin at least twice and then it will sit for another 30 seconds. It will also not play any DVD’s either. It is really frustrating because I can’t play my PS2.

  54. Matt,
    I sounds like the laser of your PS2 is uncalibrated but if you have tried calibrating it already without success then there might a more serious problem.
    As some other person mentioned in the comments, the calibrating is a matter of adjusting the white wheel 1 or 2 tiny steps only.
    Last resort will probably taking the PS2 to service if you have run out of warranty.
    Good luck,
    David

  55. My PS2 plays all my games except two. They used to work fine, but then the system started to make noise while I was playing. I tried recalibrating the laser and it didn’t work. My other games load even better now that I recalibrated it, but the two still don’t work. What should I do?

  56. My ps2 will turn on and it will read the memory card. the problem is that when i put a game in it clicks twice and then stops, I go to the browser and put the game in once more same problem but when im on the browser screen the disk-read error shows up for about 2 seconds and then goes away. Ive read through a bunch of guides talkin about opening it up,can of compressed air vacuum cleaner clicking the gear in place, you name it ive probBLY DONE IT so give me some ideas of what to do cuz im clueless

  57. Yeah,i accidently dropped my Ps2, and now the cd tray wont open except for just a little way, i took the ps2 apart and when i hit the disc/open button it opened the same amount but i noticed that the “board” the laser sits on slants down when i hit open (i took the top of the disc drive off).i dont know if its supposed to slant down when i hit open or what(my first open ps2).
    PLEASE HELP,G

  58. i was also wondering if anyone knows if they have any adapters for a pc/Ps2 so i could hook up my ps2 to my pc.
    Anyone help on both of my messages please,G

  60. my ps2 makes like a grinding clicking noise when i put in any games and it doesn’t read disks… i need a little help

  61. I need help bad, i recently bought a new ps2 because my other one wouldent read anything and i tried recalbration the laser and cleaning it, my new ps2 started out fine but now when i play some games it will start then stop in the middle of loading something and just freeze, like when i started to play mobile suit gundam encounters in space i went to mission mode and the screen went back to load it (as usual) then i just stoped working the game froze and my ps2 is doing it with devil may cry as well, please someone help me (im gonna beat my ps2 with a basball bat)

  62. We keep getting a “controller unplugged” message and can’t do a damn thing. The analog light on the controller won’t come on (both ports) and yes, we’ve tried a new controller: same result. HELP

  63. I left my PS2 on for 2 days straight, and now when I try to play Madden 2004, it stops at the Michael Vick load screen, makes grindy/clicky noises and scratches my disc. Someone please help me, my Super Bowl Bound Arizona Cardinals are waiting for their coach!

  64. I should also mention this happens with every game/DVD. But Madden is just so addictive…..

  65. I have the same problem as Anquan
    I’m not so sure as whether the playstation scratches my disc but I have the same problem
    please help me
    P.S.
    even though I’m only in the off-season in madden i would still like to play

  66. My friend also has a PS2 and he took it to the service (after prior laser recalibrating) and they broke the tape to the eject/reset buttons. Even though it turns on, he has no power to these buttons. Do you know of any makeshift prouducts that will fill in for his tape? And where can they be found?

  67. Nick,
    It sounds like the problem is with the discs. Are they heavily scratched? Have you tried cleaning them.
    I find often that a soft cloth and moist from your exhale is enough. Start from the middle and clean outwards in straight (radial) lines.

  68. Morgan,
    Since you have tried with a new controller already, it looks as if the controller port on the PS2 itself is busted.
    I would not be able to advice you on how to repair that, consider taking the PS2 to service. Do you have any warranty left?

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