H2o, v14?, acts as if no chip installed...

[mjh74]

Hey all,

I've just decided to try the H20 in a PStwo v14 and am not getting very far. I usually use Matrix Infinity but thought I'd see what the H2o can do seeing as I've had great success with them in v11 and below.

When the machine boots, it will load all originals ok but copies take it straight to an RSOD. It's acting as if the chip isn't installed.

The machine is a PAL v14 but it differs from the installation diagrams slightly, there is no chip to the right of point Z at all on this board, not sure if this is the problem but all joints are in the places stated on the drawing...

Any ideas anyone?

[T07N]

Not much we can suggest you to do with the symptoms you gave. Just try and reinstall the chip.

[mjh74]

Hmmm what are the lasers usually like on the v14, do they usually need any tweaking at all?

[kl1k]

afaik there's 2 versions of the h2o. the gold dot one only works in all versions. the silver dot works in v1-v13. check that you got the right one

[mjh74]

Ahhh thanks for that information! It looks like it has a gold stripe/blob on the edge of the chip.

I've also just done an alternate point check for A, I, B, G from the chip end to the sony chip alternative points and they check out fine, also checked them for shorts between each other and all is ok. I'm just wondering if the unit has had a hammering and wondered what the CD and DVD pots should be set to resistance wise? I've tried CD and various brands of DVD (i.e taiyo yunden, verbatim etc) and they all just go straight to a RSOD as if the unit wasn't chipped at all.

[aerofx]

Did you short the pin 8 and 9 on the H2O chip?

edit: nm, I think that's only for US machines.

[modicullus]

mjh74,... there was a thread awhile back regarding boot issues on v14s with H20 chips. I had a couple of machines that gave me this problem and was able to get about a 90% boot rate after trying this:

So here's what I found was giving me the best bootrate (on a v14):

1) Remove Z Connection
2) H (on modchip) to 5V
3) 1K Resistor between GND & PWR on modchip

Also,... here's a few threads worth reading:

http://www.psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42435
http://www.psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45165

[mjh74]

modicullus, MANY thanks for your information. I've just got back from my holidays so I will make a start and see if I can get this thing working.

[mjh74]

Ok modicullus,

I read the threads and did the following as you suggested...

1) Remove Z Connection
2) H (on modchip) to 5V
3) 1K Resistor between GND & PWR on modchip

All is working like a charm first time after powering up....

Many thanks mate.

[mjh74]

Ok, further to testing the machine, sometimes on reset I will just get a black screen but powering off and back on again (via power button) fixes this and the machine boots ok.


*UPDATE*
Ok instead of spamming I will just update this .
The machine likes it's black screens it seems. Each time I reboot about 1 in 5 is a black screen resulting in me having to power the machine off and back on again. A lot of the time if I hit reset and it boots, it will RSOD. When the machine gets into a booting "flow", it appears that it boots ok. I struggled getting a PSX backup going but now 3 in a row have worked flawlessly.

*UPDATE 2*
I have had the power removed from the machine, plugged it back in and powered the machine on and it even black screens from a cold boot, hitting reset then causes it to start to boot but RSOD. Putting back to standby and then powering on has allowed the game to boot but this is seriously skittish. Giving this back to *average Joe* is not an option in this state.

*UPDATE 3*
My install bothers me a bit as the 5v wire is so long, did someone say you can use a point of the USB port? Would this be safe?

*UPDATE 4*
Have been despirately clutching at straws, have cleaned the mod chip solder joints and all joints made on the PS2 board with PCB cleaner so they are all clean of flux. It's still utter poo, I plug the AV cable in, power pack, press the on button and nothing, a black screen. Reset and it then fires up with a RSOD. Power off and on at the button and it finally boots, will then boot a few DVD backups until a black screen again on power up and a few reboots to get it going again.

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/2...gh04133jz5.jpg