I found this video by accident while looking up DVD laser replacement tutorials. Really absorbing, fascinating stuff! I salute your deermination to get your PS2 working again. Definitely worth a like, I think.

even if the ps2 stops reading games you can always just get a network adapter and a HDD and play your games off a HDD with much faster loading times

I'm not sure if 'll attempt this repair just yet, but this is easily one of the better repair instructional videos I've seen on youtube. Thanks for this

I've watched your repair guide on GameCube laser adjustment and I learned a lot. Now, I already repaired 4 GameCube consoles. What I like about your tutorials, is that you really explained it very well and so simple for us to be able to do it by ourselves. Also I liked that you tell us the default voltage or ohms or whatever, of the laser.

I wish I had seen this video before I started my PS2 fix endeavour! I managed to work this out myself fortunately. I was a bit precious about fixing it as it is my launch one from all those years ago. I can confirm that both the wheel fix and the voltage fix worked for me, but eventually the laser burnt out completely. I knew this as the laser simply didn't turn on. A simple sign of this is the disk NOT SPINNING. I assume the console checks an initial laser read before starting the spin cycle. This at first I thought was the motor worn out, but it turned out to be the laser. I ordered a £6 replacement from the US installed it and it worked! Another thing to check is to make sure that the screws attaching the laser rail are tight (the two metal rods). Mine were not and I thought my £6 were wasted. After tightening these it worked first time. Working launch PS2 for the win!

In the nicest way possible, I'm glad it wasn't as simple as cleaning the laser for you. It was extremely intriguing watching you adjust the amount of power the laser was getting. Thank you for the video

Great directions. I will be using this video to repair a few systems I picked up at garage sales and thrift stores over the last few months. Thanks!

This video was excellent Colin... you've saved my old PS2, which for many years now has just been kept in the loft as a sentimental brick ...or so I thought haha! I'm subscribed and looking forward to what other great videos you come up with :)

This is my first time watching a video from your channel and I have to say that you do a great job, both content and production wise. My FAT ps2 is currently struggling to read discs, I'll try out your recommended methods in due course. Thanks for the help! Achievement get: +1 subscriber

I'm really liking this guy and his channel. Almost everything I search games maintenance related his videos pop up.

Absolutely great video. Thank you for the detailed steps, I managed to get my PS2 working again.

One of the fixes worked for me! I cleaned the laser, and adjusted that disc drive gear by 1 click. Thank you!

spent 2 hours trying other youtube videos until I found this one. this video had all the right advice and got our system back to reading CDs again. thank you.

I’d like to say thank you so much for this breakdown tutorial. My PS2 stopped working a while back, but it has been moved about a bit. Now we are in lockdown, what better time to get fixing. Luckily I had all the tools. I had a rain storm when you said there are two lasers. So I tried ps1 games (CDs) and they worked. Ps2 games (DVD’s) didn’t. I got all the way to the cog part, took ages, but finally managed to get it to work! Amazing, I was losing hope. Be patient with the cog bit.

This video worked for me, I turned the cog back to the pin and it worked, I recently purchased Manhunt and the video playback was jittery, now it's incredibly smooth and games load as if the unit was brand new.

Thanks for this video! 5 clicks clockwise on the adjustment wheel made all the difference. I believe the plastic laser arm that sets against a worm gear is sagging over time, so this adjustment compensated for that.

This video is hands down the best I've seen for a ps2. Not everyone explains it so detailed. Thank you so much you are a life saver.🎉🎉 🎉

I love your videos, man. I coulda sworn I was already subbed, but now that's fixed. ONWARD, to replacing my PS2 Slim's optical drive!

Worked like a charm. The only confusing bit was related to the replacement laser I purchased from Amazon. The seller stated that there was a piece of solder they used for ESD protection and it needed to be removed before the laser would work. However, they didn't explicitly identify the location of the solder. I compared my old laser to the new laser and was able to identify where I needed to remove the solder.

Worked like a charm for me. The white gear you recommended to turn is what fixed it for me. Had to go counter clockwise one notch. But for some reason mine gear was different then yours. Mine had a Phillips head screw on the top but I just adjust the notch bye hand instead and it fixed my blue disc issue. Thanks a lot. Liked and subbed.

I like it! the keep it simple approach! Start with the most common solution and work your way up. This will come in handy for me soon as my brother has A PS2 that gives disc read error messages with DVD based games.

Thanks Colin, i adjusted the white plastic gear that changes the height of the laser, and now my ps2 works again! It now plays everything except dvd's but I can live with that😂

i cant thank u enough dude. out of every 10 CDs i bought at least 7 of them didnt load and i only cleaned the dust and the lens and i can play around 10 more of my old and new games thanks to u💚

You are a GOD mister! My PS2 FAT did not readed PS1 CD-s anymore so well, so I decided to open it and try a laser calibration. I was just looking for a video in HD and a clean workspace like your's. The laser calibration worked like a charm with the only differece that my model got two of them to adjust and my upper case had no cables atached from the buttons. In my model the buttons cables was hidden inside what made everything more easy! You really saved my day! Thank you so much and have a blessed life! :)

I often wondered what Bob Lazar was up to since quitting Area 51. Now I find him here back engineering PS2's! Thanks ;)

Sometimes I watch these videos because the music is BALLER! Love the music he has in his videos and I'm so glad he never changed his intro music.

Thanks TDNC Man. I opened her up, and cleaned the lens with a alcohol pad and a baby Q-tip. My PS-2 works great now. Even found my old copy of San Andreas. today was a good day. Putting the top cover on, the power buttons ribbon cable can be a pain though.

Thanks a lot!! My PS2 was reading DVDs and DVD games fine, but nothing CD related worked until I did the "Wheel adjustment", and now every CD i put in works fine

I really appreciate this video, it gave me enough confidence to fix my ps2.

Thank you! Just got a PS2 at Goodwill. The gear thing was the issue. Adjusted it and it lives!

Good video.I like how you explain in your video, why something doesn't work properly,and what it takes to fix it.☺👍

Very good video! Thank you for putting this together. My model is an SCP 50004 with an HD7 laser but the concept is the mostly the same.

By far the best PS2 informational video I've ever seen.

Much thanks dude for. the info. Your video was the only one I could see and understand. My PS2 lives again. Keep up the good work. ✋👊🤘

You don't have to take out the whole assembly of the laser, just to get access on the potentiometer. Just take out the one screw on the right side rod that's holding the laser. By doing that, you can now lift that rod and adjust the laser.

That's what I did during the prime of PS1 before PS2 was launch by measuring the ohms of potentiometer like you did before I adjust it. My PS1 was already picky and after I adjusted it, the disc that don't work works again but some disc that still works don't work anymore so I adjusted the potentiometer back to its original resistance. Tilting the PS1 system 45 degrees helps read the disc. My PS2 still okay, though.

My compliments to Colin for this video, as this helped me fix my own PS2. Before, it worked fine with most DVDs and even PS1 games without a CD audio soundtrack, while most of the time it didn't like PS1 CDs with a CDDA soundtrack, PS2 CDs, and audio CDs. Before, if I try a bunch of times, use the Diagnosis mode, and with sheer luck, I could get it to work, but a lot of the time, it doesn't. Now, thanks to this video, it now consistently reads those CD formats. So, thank you for this video. 👍

I have been subscribed to you for a while. Currently I am fighting this with a PS2 I just picked up. Saw your video and smiled because, well, I subscribe to you and love your content. Great video.

You are a hero among men for posting this, gonna try it I have 6 ps2's with 5 of them being inoperable don't need that many paperweights. I just wish I could've had your warning about the power supply when I was a kid, instead I learned about that the hard way.

When I tried doing all this when I was younger, I ended up breaking the plastic bit that locks the controller ribbons in place. Let's just say I never tried again after all that happened.

Finally, a very clearly outlined video to troubleshoot disc reading problems on a PS2. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

Sir, you're the tops. Great video! My ps2 partially works, but the CD reader often grinds and freezes games when loading. I think the 1st tracking wheel tweak might do me.

I fix the grinding sound and disc error with this review. Thanks man.

I had no idea the optics were so easily accessed, got two of my phat systems (one failed the other marginal) back on line. The tip to try with a DVD and a CD was crucial. Thank you so much for getting me ready for an upcoming summer party with a game room with functional (albeit old) systems. Failed media drives happen so often on 90s era Sun Workstations, I'll have to try this technique my next opportunity.

Thank you. I got a PS2 from a bin, that wouldn't read game discs or DVD's, so I thought the drive was toast, but because of your video I found out that it was only the DVD laser that wasn't working. I'll try tweking it, and if that doesn't work, I guess I'll get a new laser. In any event, your video was very helpful!

very clear instruction dude, double thumbs up for you

The wheel adjustment is what worked for me. Although my model 50001 had two wheels to adjust. I was having trouble loading a certain part in Mega Man Legends and Okami had choppy audio in the intro. One turn in each wheel to the right did the trick. I would highly recommend against adjusting the potentiometer unless you know what you’re doing.

Thanks Jeffrey, I'm gonna try some of these tips and hope it works for me

Hi thanks. Really informative. I purchased a new laser online for $22 a us, but I had mucked around with it so much that I ended up breaking the laser data ribbon. Now I am waiting on that to arrive. Have to admit that yes I could.buy another one cheap but I am having fun with the repair, and at this point I have too much time invested in it, so it's like vendetta now. Really enjoyed your video. Thanks Glen in Australia

Hey ! I tried adjusting the gears with a hexagonnal screw, two clicks clockwise and now my ps2 read my disc very fast. Thank you !!!!

Yup, the laser was just stuck and Think I needed to clean the lens. You Are Awesome! Thanks, teacher!!!!!!

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution was by far my favorite PS2 game kudos for that disk.

oh my god... i totally fixed the DVD playback using your vid. the factory dvd pot on my scph-39001 was set to 1.373 ohms. i tried the hex adjustment first. it was way off. the hole did not line up with the notch from factory. bringing them in line did nothing. i adjusted the pot 1.246 then adjusted the notches.. nothing. second pot tweak to 1.014 then suddenly it started seeing the disc. i moved the notch one tooth at a time while turn the ps2 back on.. more success.. finally, 6 teeth off clockwise from "my factory setting" was the magic formula. Damn. thank you so much for your work on this. you really helped me out! :)

really helpful thanks! for me turning the hex 6 teeth counter clock wise did the trick

Interesting video and offers some ideas even if you weren't able to repair your PS2 here, thanks.

Great video. Exactly what I was looking for.

Hey thanks for the video! Was able to clear the error by cleaning the laser.

I fix game consoles on a daily basis and I can tell you that 99% of the time when a PS2 won't read a disc you can repair it simply by cleaning the surface of the lens with a q tip and alcohol as shown in this video... That being said, never jump a head in steps unless you know for certain that is not the issue.

Thank you for this video it helped me fix my PlayStation too I had to adjust the white gear 2 notches and boom it worked again thank you for the content!

thanks for whole step-wise amazing instruction, My PS2 oddly works great for movies DVD but fails to run games.

Hi Colin! I love the range of troubleshooting and repair vids you've got. Any chance you could also add one for the PS2 slim somewhere down the line?? ^^

That was very helpful I really appreciate your work... thanks

Thanks for the video, my ps2 came out of storage with an issue similar to yours. The lens alignment was off 6 clicks counterclockwise.

Thank you so much you helped me fix my ps2!!! It works just fine now

Thank you! This was awesome and I got mine up and running!!!

It seemed mine just needed a cleaning! Much appreciated tutorial!

hey Colin, it's going good man thanks for asking as always, awesome video !

Aye bro,I’ve had my fat ps2 since my dad got it at launch, tonight my roommate and I got to the part where you had to turn that white gear a notch, now we playing MK Armageddon, thought I lost my relic forever,thank you💪🏻

where can I buy Optical Lens replacements for the PS2 model 390001

Turing that calibration gear or whatever it's called REALLY WORKS! I had to turn mine passed 180 degrees clockwise before it worked. BUT IT WORKED!

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I got my ps2 to read dvds again!

Having the same problem right now. I just want to play my Romance of the three kingdoms games!!

Excellent work! Very nice indeed. Thank you

Thank you for making such a nice tutorial video 👍👍👍

I don't have the same problem as what is shown here, but the information you give is clear and precise. I have a problem with one of the consoles I have were the disc twitches, so i'm assuming that the ribbon cable that connects the tracking servo to the motherboard may have lost connection. The laser seems to be working fine, and there appears to be no scratches on the lens. I'll find out tomorrow.

Thx, this worked very well for me!

Hi Colin how's it going? The same thing happened with my PS2 Slim, the drive does not spin at all. Took it apart and the laser is clean and moved fine. Guess the motor's a gonner?

Tracking fixed mine! Many thanks

Thanks! Ohm at 1008 on DVD did the trick for me (CD was working, but not the DVD-rom nor DVD-video).

This helped me, thanks!

Just fixed my PS2. Thank you, sir!

Thank you for walking all the way through to the innards with common errors bookmarked! Incredibly helpful! Infuriating sifting through vids w singular problem/solutions

7 year old video saved me. Great instructions my issue was the Adjustment Wheel.

Great job with this video! Just got yourself another sub.

Thank you you helped me fix my ps 2

Dude, the dial fixed it, thanks a lot!

I've tried adjusting the lens angle and I can get it to work for DVD or I can adjust it some more and get it to work for CD. I can't find a sweet spot where it will work for both. There is a fairly large gap between the two points where it functions. Is this the point that you want to mess with potentiometers?

"Just pull the ribbon cable and it should come right out." Yeah, have fun spending the next three years trying to reconnect it, though.

This fixed my ps2 thank u so much!!

Great, as always !

Awesome tutorial thanks!

nice tutorial my friend so what did you do? do you buy a new laser lens ?

My disc tray opens slowly. What grease or lube do you recommend to use so that it would open normally?

Works with me. Thank you! :)

Thanks for this video! I will have to try some of these fixes. My console works sometimes and seems to work best with the console in a vertical position. Not sure what this means but maybe this will help someone else in their troubleshooting.

Hello. Is there a way to check if the problem is the laser or something else (like flat cables)? In other words: is there a way to check if the dvd drive is connected (and sending signals) to the board? My Ps2 lens moves, but it does not read.

Please, PLEASE, do a PS2 Slim Optical Disc Replacement video. It would help so many people out.

And the gear thing worked for me thank you so much

Cleaning the laser did the job for me. I was surprised, I expected it to be dead.

Two hot tips: 1; if you're having trouble taking the reset button out of the top, just leave it there. It doesn't make a difference. 2; if you're testing the laser carriage with the gear adjustment, you don't have to screw or unscrew anything every time you retry. I just held the disc tray in with my finger every time I tried spinning the disc.