ESR wont boot - Unknown media in drive

[Nakahira]

Hi!

Okay, so I recently installed FMCB on my memory card and I read up on instructions and forum posts on how to play burned back-up disks. Problem is, they don't work. I was hoping someone in this forum could give me some assistance to get this working. Here's some information first:

• PS2 Version: SCPH-35001 v4 unmodded
• Has a hard-drive installed if that makes a difference.
• Blank DVDs: Verbatim DVD-R/Also tried COMPUSA DVD-R just for kicks
• Game: Final Fantasy XII NTSC
• Also tried Final Fantasy X-2 NTSC
• FMCB: Installed the Newbie Package
• ESR Version: ESR Beta 9b, used the version that came with Newbie Package and all three versions in the original download, none worked.
• Ripped ISO using IMGBurn
• Patched ISO using ESR Disc Patcher GUI v0.24a
• Used IsoBuster to check if ISO was properly patched. ISO files and UDF files don't match, UDF does contain AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS, I believe it was properly patched.
• Burned DVD using IMGBurn
• Burn Speed: Auto, probably around 4x
• Status in ESR GUI Version says "unknown media in drive"
• Thought problem could have been dirty laser, cleaned multiple times with rubbing alcohol and without.
• Attempted to boot on sister's ps2 with FMCB and ESR, worked great, not so great on mine.
• My sister was too lazy to check what version her ps2 is, said it was the last ones before the slim line was released. If you need to know her ps2 version, just ask and I'll try and find it myself.

I read up on a lot of forum posts relating to back-up discs not working and I didn't find anything helpful. Any ideas? If more information is needed, please ask. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advanced!

[TehJawknee]

If these backups are working on your sister's console, it could be that your laser is going out. Try different media, Sony DVD-R has yet to fail me with ESR.

[Nakahira]

My original disks are still working though, if my laser was going out, wouldn't my original disks not work?

[TehJawknee]

My original disks are still working though, if my laser was going out, wouldn't my original disks not work?

That's not necessarily the case. If your laser is starting to go bad, the first thing it would stop reading would be backups on cheap media, then backups on good media, then finally, originals.

You said your sister's console was newer, hence it's going to read backups better than an older console whose laser is wearing down.

[Nakahira]

I see, that definitely makes sense haha.

I actually installed FMCB through a disk swap of a game that had online capabilities. After ripping the game, I replaced the in game ELF file with uLaunchELF in order to move the necessary files from my flashdrive to the memorycard. My ps2 was able to use that burned disk fine through the ps2 game swap method to install FMCB.

Is there anyway I can check if it's a ps2 laser problem?

[shadovraven]

I see, that definitely makes sense haha.

I actually installed FMCB through a disk swap of a game that had online capabilities. After ripping the game, I replaced the in game ELF file with uLaunchELF in order to move the necessary files from my flashdrive to the memorycard. My ps2 was able to use that burned disk fine through the ps2 game swap method to install FMCB.

Is there anyway I can check if it's a ps2 laser problem?

Yes you can, there's few ways to do that:

- You can check coil resistance with measurer. ( Proper value for KHS 400B/C laser lens is between 4,8 - 5,2 Ohms. )
- You can record laser sounds during disc booting. ( laser ticking )
- You can change resistancy using potentiometer ( you need further explanation for this method )
- If your laser have problems reading DVD5 good quality media discs it will also have problems while reading original / burned DVD9 discs. ( this should be easy and I think it's best way as for now. ) Game examples that use dual layer discs ( DVD9 ): God of War ( not platinium one ), God of War 2, Gran Turismo 4, Wild Arms: Alter Code F, Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Kessen III.

[Nakahira]

Just to make sure, Verbatim DVD-R is a good quality media disc right?

- If your laser have problems reading DVD5 good quality media discs it will also have problems while reading original / burned DVD9 discs. ( this should be easy and I think it's best way as for now. ) Game examples that use dual layer discs ( DVD9 ): God of War ( not platinium one ), God of War 2, Gran Turismo 4, Wild Arms: Alter Code F, Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Kessen III.

Okay, so I tried to run an original DVD9 disc, Wild Arms: Alter Code F, and it seems to be reading that just fine and I believe I do hear some laser ticking from when it's booting the disc. I would try the other ways of checking my ps2 laser... but I don't know how to do half of that.

Any other ideas?

[dlanor]

Just to make sure, Verbatim DVD-R is a good quality media disc right?

Yes, they are very good. I always use "Verbatim AZO 16x DVD-R" discs myself, of the kind with product ID MCC03RG20 (as identified by ImgBurn or "DVD Decrypter" etc)

That's for single-layer discs of course, but for dual-layer I use "Verbatim AZO 8x DVD+R DL", with product ID MKM-003-00. But I use such very sparingly.

Best regards: dlanor

[shadovraven]

Just to make sure, Verbatim DVD-R is a good quality media disc right?


Okay, so I tried to run an original DVD9 disc, Wild Arms: Alter Code F, and it seems to be reading that just fine and I believe I do hear some laser ticking from when it's booting the disc. I would try the other ways of checking my ps2 laser... but I don't know how to do half of that.

Any other ideas?

EDIT: You could try burning your games onto DVD+R discs instead of DVD-R ( just in case ) Could you also record that ticking noise?

I had same problem as you, most of games wasn't reconized by ESR it was caused by poor condition of my laser ( it wasn't booting DVD9 discs )
but cleaning mirror and adjusting laser helped me for few months. If your laser does boot DVD9 discs it's at least in medium condition. The problem with esr you're currently encountering may be caused by dirty mirror ( let's call it a bigger lens which is placed under small lens you've cleared, people usualy don't clean it because they don't know about it ) or laser starting to wore out ( since if laser is in good condition there shouldn't be clicking / ticking noise, it means that laser have problems while reading data and locks up on data reading retries ) We can fix it by adjusting your laser a bit. It's not hard, you just need some manual skills, time and patience along with few tools as well. I've found a good tutorial which cover all of things I've mention above.

http://www.tweak3d.net/articles/ps2repair/4.shtml

[Nakahira]

Perhaps I misunderstood the ticking problem. Should the ticking noises be really loud where it's extremely noticeable or just a subtle sound that you may hear if you actually try to listen to it? I thought by "ticking sound" you meant just the sound of the laser moving. I do hear something from the laser when it's trying to boot up, but that's just the normal sound you would hear from any ps2 if you were to listen close enough - the laser moving back and forth. And by record the ticking sound, you mean like recording through a microphone right? What causes this ticking sound?

I've cleaned the ps2 lens before but I didn't know about the mirror below that. I followed the directions, cleaned it with a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and it started to read burned discs just great!

Thank you guys so much!