Magic 2 v4 need soldering tips...

I am installing a Magic 2 chip on a v4 no gap, and am having serious problems with the 8 VIAs (aka extremely tiny rings) on the topside of the board. Is there any other place I can solder instead of the VIAs? I am super paranoid about over heating them, and I can't get it to stick. Even when I get somewhat of a hold, they always pop off. There is such small amount of metal to work with here. :(

The ones I am talking about are A-I, in this diagram:

http://www.china-magic.com/diagrams/..._v4nogap_r.jpg

The worst thing is, that when I flip it over, it is going to pop them all off, because it has to lay flush against the disk drive. Whoever has done one of these, what have you done?

I would take soldering 100 bios chip legs over these things anyday. You v5/v6 people should feel lucky you get pads to solder to. :P

daniel

Try scratching the varnish off the pads with a razor blade or PEN eraser be carefull with the blade though just enuff to remove the varnish then flux the pads and presolder the pads then connect the wires. One alterative is to solder straight to the controller (For Experts only)

I'm having the same problem so I scraped the varnish off with a razor blade and now things are much better. Thanks for the advice.

yeah... I went and did the other side last night, minus the S and Z connections. I am going to try the VIAs again in a few hours. I'll let you know if I find anything out. I think I have a better technique now that I have done the whole other side.

I have another 2 soldering questions.

1) With the S point, on the diagram, it just points to in between the two little chips or fuses. In pictures from other models, it seems to point to the upper fuse (black one). Do I just solder it to the bottom end of the black fuse? Or do I bridge the two and put it in between?

2) I am thinking about attaching a wire to Z on the motherboard, but not attaching it to the Magic 2, for possible future use. My reasoning is basically that I am going to mount my chip on the outside of the metal bracket, and don't want to have to open everything up again if I want to attach Z later. Just incase I have problems with GS or AR if I ever get one. Does anyone know if this could cause problems? Of course, I wouldn't have any bare wire on the other end. Is the Z connections definitely not needed for a V4 "R" with an R type magic 2 chip?

thanks... this board has been awesome help, on my first install.

peace,

daniel

LOD and alvette78: I am not talking about pads here... these are VIA's and they are not the bigger ones, but the REALLY small ones. The 32 awg wire barely even fits in the hole (doesn't go all the way in, just barely catches). You have to look at the diagram to know what I am talking about (see above).

If the VIA's were on the other side of the board, it wouldn't be much of a problem. Only people with experience with my board type are going to be able to offer suggestions, because it is a unique situation. Even with a solid connection, they aren't going to stay on. The reason is that the board sits FLUSH against the cdrom. Meaning even good connections, just pop off when it goes back together.

I've tried soldering the wires at all different angles, and even when they sit against the board, it is still popped off, because it sits so flush. Only thing I can think of is maybe adding a spacer of some sort, to prevent it from sitting so flush, but then I worry about it not fitting back together.

this is so damn frustrating... by far, the hardest part of the install. I don't know if I can find a solution to this. Going to bust out the the multimeter to find alternate points. If anyone knows alternate points, and has a diagram/picture, PLEASE fill me in. I would rather solder ANYWHERE else. I don't care what the other option is.

thanks,

daniel

use the razor balde technique and solder directly to the CD/DVD Controller taking care to observe my PS2 Soldering Tips.

can you point me to a diagram? I don't know where they match up.

I am using same guage, but enamel coated wires instead of plastic, and that seems to give them more flex, which means less pressure on the joint. Maybe this will work, but if you know of a diagram, I would much prefer to do it that way.

thanks,

daniel

Here is a universal ROM/CD DVD Controller guide in the works the v7 is not finished yet but it shows the connection to the cd/dvd controller-!!!! Use the (W) point indicated on the diagrams at the Magic 2 website!!!!!!

Well,

I had some problems the first time around (last weekend). So, I took a week off, and came back last night with a few new tools, including a new tip and pocket microscope.

I am now the happy owner of a modded PS2!!! The first try at modding, definitely was quite a ride... Bit off more than I knew. Now though, I could probably do one very quickly depending on model. But, I am looking forward to not having to see the inside of a PS2 for a while. I just want to play.

thanks for the help,

daniel