what method is best????

[kabzy mabzy]

i have 2 ps2's

one is working fine and is a version 4
the other i presume has a laser problem and doesnt work and is a verision 5 or 6.

what i wanna do is get the v 5/6 goin, ive heard of the hard drive method which eliminates the need for the laser but theres so many different views, im confused.

Can you kind peeps pls inform of what i should do, i have basic soldering skills but am pretty good with software issues, so what do u think????

cheers

Kabzy

 

[Gary Jackson]

I prefere the modchip, but many ppl will dissagree i expect, the hard drive method is more user friendly in respect of the games load alot faster and no wear and tear on the laser, well except for the hard drive loader cd, then again not all games can be loaded from the hard drive. So its a bit of swings and roundabouts in my estimation, again i prefere the good old chip.

 

[inerita]

you wil;l still need to replace the laser in it, because you need to boot off the HDloader CD , i can recommend doing this and adding a ahrd drive though, makes it a lot faster.

 

[Bstard]

Kabzy....big question.....wot do u want to spend to get it up n running ? U can get spare lasers online but they are pretty costly....u would need to find out the version of laser u have....What are your symptoms ? sometimes the white plastic arm wears out...this then doesnt drive the laser....so it fails to read the disk....much cheaper than a full laser replacement
I would try the old laser clean first....remove lid of PS2 and remove the cover over the laser and give it a good old clean....then u can monitor wot the laser is doing if it is driving etc.....if then u know it is the laser then u have 2 options get laser replaced or contact Sony for an out of warranty replacement...which I believe they still do ..they collect the old machine and give u a full refurb machine with a 3month warranty...not sure how much it is these days...
Then u can get urself a flip lid a set of boot disks ? HD Loader if u can find it....think a few sites still sell it or get ur iron out and have a go modding it...the V5/6s are not too bad.
decisions.....decisions......it all comes back to ££ in the end.

 

[kabzy mabzy]

cheers lads for all your help, from what ive read gotta get the laser goin first so will give it a clean, do i need to use summat with high alcohol content, what about some white spirit or turp subtitute??

cheers

 

[Gary Jackson]

I just use a cotton bud with some cd cleaner fluid, wipe the lens a few times with the wet bud then get a few dry ones to soak up any residue. Make sure its really dry tho before you put it all together again.

 

[kabzy mabzy]

cheers Gary, will do so and get back to u guys.

thanks again.

 

[zab]

Hi just to add to the topic, I got a V3 PS2, had it for almost 5 years and belive me when I say it has had a right bashing, I replaced the laser about 3 years ago and have not looked back since. I also installed a messiah chip back then as well and it has to be the mutts nutts. even today it will handle nearly 99.9% of the games I throw at it, it just doesnt like cdr's too much but neather do I so that doesnt really matter.
All I am saying is if you can get a replacement laser get it, fit it and forget it for the next 5 or so years.

 

[kabzy mabzy]

thanks 4 the advice zab, will let u know how it goes.