Matrix Infinity Acting Very Strange

[IamAFKalways]

I have the same problem as this guy, no one responded at the forums he posted at so I came here looking for help. Original : forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/415502

Firstly, here is pic of the chip:


Looks original to me.
There doesn't seem to be any loose wires and all the solder points look good.
It came with firmware v1.68, very soon after I updated to v1.82 without any prolems.

Anyway, I bought a 75001 ps2 modded with that chip and had absolutely no problems for about 4-5 months until now.

The problem: It suddenly won't load any copied ps2 games. This was not right after a firmware upgrade or anything, as i was running it on v1.82 for a few months now. When attempting to load a ps2 game it comes up with the red screen telling you to insert a ps or ps2 format disk.

Now the unusual symptoms:
It doesn't show the playstation 2 writing with the matrix logo and the version under it anymore, from power on it shows the big matrix logo
then the blue cloudy screen with the sony computer entertainment writing, then the red screen if a copied ps or ps2 game is inside.

It can play copied ps1 games if foced into ps1 mode (by holding down circle on boot) without any problems.

It can play dvd movies automatically, no problems there.

It cannot "fast boot" anymore.

If selected in the infinity configuration menu (or if "select" is held on boot), it will simply hang at the big matrix logo whether a disc is in it or not, or whether the lid is up or not.

The chip can still be disabled by holding down start until the writing "disabled" appears.

The big matrix logo doesn't show up and the chip is disabled if I hold reset/power for 2-3 seconds from standby (red light). And as such I can't go to the force firmware update thing, if it is indeed corrupted firmware. The chip gets enabled again after going to standby.

The firmware cannot be updated past v1.82, that is, i've tried updating to v1.88 and v1.91 but when it gets to the update screen it shows v1.82 instead.

It can be downgraded back to v1.68 however (and i assume v1.75 also). Changing firmware does absolutely nothing to remedy any of the issues stated.

I am not able to install infinity mager from the cd as it hangs at a black screen when forced to boot in ps1 mode (or else it would go to the red screen).

Well that's about it. I have searched for quite a while without finding anyone with a similar problem, part of, but not quite like mine.

The only thing i can think of is that the chip got damaged somehow, or it is a convincing clone. Also, is there any other way to force flash the firmware? like a cd that can clear/reset the chip and then reload whatever firmware on it? Any insight or help on this problem would be appreciated.

It now doesnt read ps2 originals or psx or psx backups

[LordFly]

I'm having this same problem, except that I just finished installing my Infinity, and it most all these problems (I haven't checked for all of the ones listed above). It will not boot any backups. It will play original PS2 games (I don't have any original PS1 or PS1 backups to try). Another odd thing is that it will not automatically boot the update cds. It will only load them when I hold circle to force a PS1 boot. And like the other guys, mine says version 1.82 when installing 1.91 or 1.93, but I can go back to 1.68. Which is a little strange because mine came with 1.91 on it.
My biggest problem though, is that it won't play backups, which is the whole reason I got the thing. Firmware version doesn't matter. It didn't do it with 1.91 that it came with. It wouldn't do it with "1.82" (1.93 according to what I burned to the CD). And it won't do it now with 1.68. Anyone got an answer?

[cletus_the_Red]

you could try recovering it to the previous FW and try upgrading it again, or is that what you mean by downgraded?

[LordFly]

Mine came with 1.91. I tried to upgrade to 1.93, but when I loaded the disc it says 1.82 instead of 1.93. I figured maybe someone had just gotten lazy with their coding and hadn't bothered to update the version number (which may be the case, I don't know), so I went ahead and when loading a game it said V1.82. So I tried to go back to 1.91, but when I loaded that disc it also said 1.82. So I went all the way back to 1.68, which the console listed as 1.68 on the screen. Then I tried to load the 1.91 disc again, but it still said 1.82. So I've basically downgraded myself from 1.91 to 1.68.
None of that really matters though, because my biggest problem is that I can't load backups, which is why I modded the thing in the first place. I just get the red screen telling me to insert a PS2 disc.

[LordFly]

I FOUND THE PROBLEM!!!

Check the G wire! Do a continuity test with a multimeter from point G on the Infinity chip to the legs of the main processor. One of them should give you a beep, or 0 ohms, whichever your multimeter does to let you know you have continuity. Testing from the mod chip to the legs of the processor tells you that your solder joint is good. I did this on mine and it turned out that my solder joint for G on the via was bad. I fixed it and it solved every problem I had (that and I added a very short, 14 gauge wire for my ground to stop it from hanging on the matrix logo). It plays burned games just fine, I've updated the firmware to 1.93, etc etc.

If you had all the problems I had CHECK YOUR G WIRE!!!

[rx-madjack]

Dang man thats the exact problem that ive been having, but it seems that none of my solder points are bad so i dont know what to do,

can i solder directly to the legs of the chip rather than those small hard to get at points?

[LordFly]

You can, but from my personal experience, if you can't solder to the via points that you're suppose to, soldering to the legs will be impossible. Check from point G on the mod chip the legs of the chip, make sure theres a connection. If not, solder the vias again.

[rx-madjack]

well i have used a multimeter and know that its making it to the chips legs, but my mod chip is not working, and ive tried everything else, so i feel like just soldering it to the freaking legs

[LordFly]

Well I just know that my problem was the G point. I would assume anyone else experiencing the exact same problems would have the exact same error, but maybe not.

If your multimeter says you've got continuity between the mod chip and the legs, then solding to the legs themselves won't help you any.

[EspeN]

Easy solutoin.

The error is located to the wires G,H,I or B
THe solder work can look all ok, but it isnt.
Remove G,H,I,B and resolder them.
This problem is ONLY because of these wires.

If matrix logo show on start, all bios wires is OK
Problem is located at g,h,i and b.

Remove, and resolder.