PS1/2 PS2 "phat" doesn't move laser or turn disc after modchip-install

[Fien]

Back in 2006 I bought a new PS2, SCPH-50004 I played it for less then 100 hours because games where expensive for a 16yo schoolgirl back then and the PS2 ended up being in the storage for more then 10 years

In 2021 I decided to try making it useful again and installed a Modbo 5.0 modchip My soldering experience with small stuff was limited and when doing the "romeo laser fix" I broke pin 17 off the LA6508 instead of lifting it The DVD was not working anymore then, even the tray didn't open. Because the modchip itself worked, I decided to left the LA6508, bought a network adapter and booted OPL/HDL from USB using the modchip to play games from hard disk.

Now, 2023, I'm a little bit more confident with soldering small stuff (although it's still not good ) and I decided to try fixing the LA6508. I scraped a little bit of the IC housing and had enough copper to solder a wire to it for the 5v

The tray now opens again and the laser flashes red for a moment when turning the PS2 on or when a disc is inserted. But it's reads nothing because the laser don't move and the disc spindle never spins If I move the laser by hand away from the starting point, it makes noise for 2 seconds at boot-up but not moving the laser. If it was already in the starting position, it stays silent at boot-up.

I already have checked the A, B, G and I points of the modchip. H should be not needed for PAL PS2's.

What can cause these symptoms? Will replacing the LA6508 have a chance to solve this issue?

 

[CoolMe]

The laser or spindle not moving can't be an issue with the modchip (or improper install of it), i'd say either the spindle, the laser, or the motor rod are dead, could be just one of them or all.

 

[master801]

Check if your laser died. Apparently when the LA6508 dies it has a chance of taking out the laser along with it.
https://playstationdev.wiki/ps2devwiki/Motherboards#GH-023

This might have some good information about the LA6508: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/info-about-la6805.29576/

It looks like Ebay sells replacement LA6508 ICs, but they're all outside of the USA and expensive ($20 an IC), so your only alternative is AliExpress where you can get 10 of them for the same price as the Ebay sellers ($20).

 

[Fien]

I've ordered a LA6508 from Germany (€19,- incl. shipping) which will arrive today or in the upcoming days.

I first ask because I saw that topic on psx-place earlier. That guy replaced the IC and it got worse (PS2 unusable at all) and the problem not solved in the end.

The fuses on the board are all checked with the multimeter and ok.

The DVD drive only played for less then 100 hours and never played backups or any burned disc. I suppose the laser/spindle motors should be ok? It was working before the modchip and breaking the leg of the LA6508.

Even the LA6508 was working before, it only stopped working when I broke pin 17, left it without supply voltage so I suppose it won't burn the laser? Now with pin 17 reconnected the tray works and the laser does turn on red for a flash at bootup. If it flashes, it's not burned?

 

[RAHelllord]

Have you already checked the other pins around the one you broke for continuity / shorts that you can't see? Depending on how exactly you broke it maybe one of the nearby pins also got some damage that isn't easily visible but might be the source of your problems.

 

[Fien]

The pins around (15, 16, 18) where bend when I broke 17, but yesterday I soldered them back and checked them with the multimeter, there are no shorts between them.

 

[Moowgly]

The pins around (15, 16, 18) where bend when I broke 17, but yesterday I soldered them back and checked them with the multimeter, there are no shorts between them.

I'm having the same issue here, the laser flashes but won't move. I tempered with the potentiometer though, so maybe the laser is dead? I don't think it's the worm motor, as it was working well before I touched the potentiometer.. Without a multimeter.