Disc drive not working after removal, help is appreciated!

jperryss · Post by **jperryss** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 7:28 pm

Well, I opened up my PS1 yesterday to install a modchip. I put it back together and the disc drive isn't spinning anymore. I opened it back up, inspected the ribbon cable, and reseated it nice and tight. Still nothing. I opened it up again and verified all of my solder connections, still nothing. Finally, I cut the six wires running to the chip (just in case the chip was bad) and booted it up again. STILL nothing. It powers up, I get the first Sony splash screen (white) but then just sits there, and never goes to the second (black) one.

So apparently, I screwed something up. It really seems like the unit is not communicating with the disc drive. The chip is out completely now, so I don't think that it's to blame.

Has anyone here had this happen to them? Any help or suggestions are appreciated. I do have one theory (other than the ribbon cable being damaged) but I won't be able to test it out until tomorrow. Until then, any thoughts?

jperryss · Post by **jperryss** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 4:27 pm

Well, I opened it up again today just to verify my solder connections, everything looks OK. One of them was extremely tiny and I was a little iffy about it, so I desoldered that one (ended up doing the other five too).

Unfortunately, I'm still having the same problem. It boots up, the drive doesn't spin, and it hangs at the first (white) splash screen.

My only other thought is the ribbon cable, and I'm not about to shell out $25 for another drive when I can get another PS1 for that much.

Any other ideas? I think I'm SOL at this point, but I really ain't got much to lose.

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 5:00 pm

With modchips it's VERY easy to mess things up.

It could be the ribbon cable wasn't seated properly ad it shorted out the laser cicuitry.

Aslo just one wire wrong on the odchip can fry an IC and cause the PS1 not to boot.

It's really hard to tell, but if it's still not working with the modchip back out then it's probably a safe bet to say you need a new Ps1.

jperryss · Post by **jperryss** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:13 pm

That's kinda what I was thinking. I'm skeptical about the ribbon cable, and of course powering it up with a damaged cable could've damaged other components also. I did have a hard time seating it back in the first time.

Thanks for the advice.

Rellizate · Post by **Rellizate** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:40 pm

Hmm, you have almost certinaly fried it. Make sure you put the CD access plug in the right way round, and no pins are bent.

jperryss · Post by **jperryss** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:15 am

Rellizate wrote:Hmm, you have almost certinaly fried it. Make sure you put the CD access plug in the right way round, and no pins are bent.

Is that the 4-wire (non-ribbon) plug? Yep, it's in right. It actually only fits in one way.

Rellizate · Post by **Rellizate** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:20 am

Ok. It could be the ribbon cable then. How did you remove the cable from its plug in the first place?

jperryss · Post by **jperryss** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:02 pm

Rellizate wrote:Ok. It could be the ribbon cable then. How did you remove the cable from its plug in the first place?

The first time I grabbed the top edge of the card thingy with my fingertips and wiggled it out. The second time (right before I installed the chip) I grabbed the left edge vertically with a pair of needlenose pliers, making sure the part I was grabbing was to the side of the wires so I wouldn't pinch them, and carefully pulled it up a bit, then did the same thing on the right side until it popped out. I tried to be very careful with it, but I heard it's very fragile.

Rellizate · Post by **Rellizate** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:22 pm

Ok. You might have damaged the cable with the pliers. I protect mine with sticky-back paper on each side, and using pliers to wiggle it out.

Also make sure the ribbon cable is in the right way round as well.

demonofaj · Post by **demonofaj** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:34 pm

Hmm, I think I *may know* what the problem is. OK, on the PSONE, on the right of the four pin cable, is a black 'switch/box thing', right? OK, on top is a button, press and hold it, and then turn on the unit...see if it works. Hmmm, a pic would be good....

jperryss · Post by **jperryss** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:07 pm

demonofaj wrote:Hmm, I think I *may know* what the problem is. OK, on the PSONE, on the right of the four pin cable, is a black 'switch/box thing', right? OK, on top is a button, press and hold it, and then turn on the unit...see if it works. Hmmm, a pic would be good....

Thanks, but I already checked the door switch.