Working ps2 now has red screen with ps2 backups, help?

[RiFF]

A friend of mine who I installed a magic V chip (V5 ps2) for a couple years ago all of a sudden started getting the red screen when trying to boot ps2 backups. I got the ps2 from him to check it out and all ps1 backups work, ps1 originals, ps2 originals, but no ps2 backups (including rips onto cdr).

EDIT** Forgot to mention that the first thing I tried was cleaning the lens. This was no help.

I checked all the wiring and everything still looked pretty good. I resoldered a couple of wires that I thought could be a problem and made sure wires still ran parallel to each other and didn't cross over. Still the same problem. I didn't think the chip was bad but to eliminate that possibility I put in another magic V and got the exact same results with the new chip.

As another test I then ran a MC exploit and using cogswaploader i got it to boot a ps2 game (NHL 2004). The opening videos were very choppy however and the game booted very slowly.

Considering everything I've stated above, can I assume that the problem with the non-booting of ps2 games is due to a the laser dying? Should I be wasting time messing around with this thing or should I just get a new laser for it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

RiFF


** EDIT ** If someone can confirm that this is a laser problem should I adjust the POTS and see if it will run for awhile longer or would you recommend that I just get a new laser?

[messiahfan2003]

Probably a new laser. Make sure you have a small phillips head and check to see which one you have. v5's use a open face laser and 400c. You can put a 400C in a v5 with lenschanger or another trick where I forgot the link. I hope this helps.

[mikearama]

I would venture a guess that it's a chip/installation problem... the RSOD is an authentication error, not a disc read error. If it were a laser problem, you can expect either a "disc read error", or a "no data found" type error (can't remember the exact verbage).

RSOD's do not occur due to bad lasers. I would personally suggest swapping the chip for another, if you're convinced your install is mint.

[qortizone]

Actually, I remember in the V4/5 days, having some machines with bad lasers and magic chips. They would give a RSOD unless the laser was adjusted. I know it sounds illogical, but it did happen a few times. I think it was a case of the magic chip having only a certain amount of time to inject/patch the correct code, and by the time the weak laser got round to that point, it was too late, so the RSOD came up. Anyway, just my experience.

[RiFF]

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Mike, i already changed the chip to a brand new magic V and got the exact same result. Keep in mind this PS2 worked for well over a year with this chip in it, maybe 2 years even and had been flaky for the past week or so before completely deciding not to play ps2 backups anymore.

In addition, I had gotten ps2 backups to boot using a MC exploit and cogswaploader although it was very slow loading and choppy movies.

I think this points to a weakening laser and will do an adjustment tonight to see if it helps. I will post my results.

Thanks again,

RiFF

[dungbeetle46]

I have a V5 here at the moment that gives RSOD on pa2 dvd backups with with magic 3, changed laser, problem fixed so yes a laser can cause RSOD