[charlie_ps2]

1/
Rip off the disk tray flap permanently to expose the works, allowing dust and crap to freely enter the unit and settle on the lens.

2/
Boot with one of the recommended disks like AR2 or GS2 and at the appropriate moment shove a knife into the guts of the PS2

3/
Twist the knife when you engage the release pin. Don't twist the knife if you engage the lens, the disk, the ribbon cable or anything else

4/
Swap your disk and push the tray in. Hope it works.

Anyone who does this is nuts.

I now await the fury of those who have been doing it successfully for the past whatever.