Help reviving a dead PS2

[austin532]

So I'm on a mission to restore my dead 30001R PS2 to working condition again as long as it's not to costly and would appreciate any help fixing it. As of now I get the red standby light but when I press the Power or Eject button it won't turn on. Tried different power cables with no difference. The ribbon cable is a little bent and might even have a tiny tear in it but it still works strangely. The power supply board looks good with no leaking caps and the fuse shows no sign of being burnt. Any ideas of what it could be?

[ApolloBoy]

The ribbon cable is a little bent and might even have a tiny tear in it but it still works strangely.

That sounds like your problem right there. The ribbon cable for the power and eject buttons is really fragile and if it's bent or torn, it could potentially cause issues like the one you're experiencing.

[austin532]

Hmm, I suppose but how is it still getting electricity to the power LED? Is each pin on the 7 pin ribbon cable different? If so perhaps the damaged pin is the pin that just happens to turn on the system. Is it even worth it trying to jumpstart the system to know for sure that it's the ribbon? Even though they are cheap I would hate to buy one only to find out it's something else.

Pretty sure the laser is dead and needs to be replaced as well. It was giving me the typical reads CD's but not DVD's syndrome even after adjusting the cog.

[CkRtech]

Hmm, I suppose but how is it still getting electricity to the power LED? Is each pin on the 7 pin ribbon cable different?

Of course.

I assume the tear is most likely on the 6 and 7 side of the cable, and you at least have 1 through 4 (including power and ground) connected properly.

[austin532]

Yup. It looks like it runs across 4, 5, and 6. I assume Tray LED is the blue light on the eject button when the system is on? Replacement cable is on it's way.

It appears the laser has a small tear in the ribbon underneath as well. It's a KHS-400B. Before I order a new one I just want to make sure that the 400C lasers will work just fine with this model right?

[austin532]

Should I be worried about the thermal pad? It looks like it is still in great condition but it feels like there was once an oily substance on it that has dried up. Not sure what it could be except that maybe the rubber is breaking down. Also the EE chip is two toned which makes me wonder if the pad is absorbing heat correctly.

On average, how hot does the PS2 get?

[kamiboy]

You know, jumping the broken ribbon connection using a wire is an alternative to outright replacement.

[ApolloBoy]

You know, jumping the broken ribbon connection using a wire is a temporary alternative to outright replacement.

Fixed.

[austin532]

Eh? No need for that. I replaced the power/eject ribbon as well as the 30 pin laser ribbon cable. It had some scuffs to it as well as what looked like a burnt mark. The time it took the laser to read DVD's was always the same no matter what position it was it. I assume that burnt mark in the cable had something to do with it.