Messiah Red Screens

[cougar689]

Greetings one and all,

I'm probably going to get a lecture here but I'll ask any way...!

Modded my kids PS2 with a Messiah chip last year and now only his orginals and PS1 backups work. All his PS2 backups give him a 'Red Screen' asking about a Format Disk.....Uuuuummmm....help....

[spedmetal]

what version is your ps2

[cougar689]

Hi Spedmetal,

The model number is : SCPH-30003 and its PAL. So Version 3.

Just been to your site and tried your laser test:

A PS2 with a good laser booting an original silver (PS2 game that is silver on the bottom and not a back-up) game boots like this.
1) When you turn on the PS2 and hit eject it will go to the 'browser/system configuration' screen
2) Put in the PS2 original silver hit reset, you will see the 'Sony Entertainment' screen, the electrons will swirl and go straight to the
3) Playstation 2 screen
4) Then a short black screen
5) Then the game boots


and it did exactly as above for, I assume, a good laser.

[cougar689]

Update....

Stripped down the PS2 to give it a good clean, especially the laser eye. When I put it back together I tried a couple of PS2 backups (DVDs) and it worked fine !!!!

But after 5 minutes of playing and trying to load another backup it went back to not accepting PS2 backups again.

Originals and PS1 backups are fine still.

What is going on ? Do I need to strip it and clean it all the time ?

The laser test tried above indicated that the laser was OK.

Please help !!!!!

[spedmetal]

The test is not a 100% sure thing. Just a good guide to go by.

It sounds to me as if your laser is starting to fade and either needs adjusting or replacement. I would try adjusting it first of course.

V3 PS2's have garbage for lasers. this also includes V1,V2 and V4 PS2's. With the age of these units as will its rare to come across one that will still read recordable media well.

[cougar689]

Thanks Spedmetal,

New 'laser kits' are being sold in the UK for around £40 on ebay. Is it worth just buying one and replacing the old one ? Or will adjusting the old one fix the problem for good ?

If so do you know of a link that will give me simple guide to adjusting the laser ?

Thanks

[Warlock]

Adjusting the laser is a temp fix. Like Spedmetal said earlier, the versions 1 thru 4 had crap lasers from the start. Fellow member Shadowknyght has a great adjustment guide located at http://www.cyber-mag.com/station/laser.html

[cougar689]

Hi Warlock,

Thanks for the link I will adjust the laser as described this weekend....hopefully we will get another year out of the laser as Shadowknyght describes.

Thanks

[cougar689]

OK, tried to tweak the laser but found I couldn't read the value of the 'pots' at all. So I ordered a new laser. Fitted it a couple of hours ago and guess what !!!.... We are still getting red screens on the PS2 Backups.

I have a dust free PS2 with a Messiah chip, a brand new laser and I am now stuck.
The model number is : SCPH-30003 and its PAL. Version 3. Both CD and DVD backups give me red screens.

Any ideas as to what to try next ? All other games are OK (PS2 originals and PS1 backups) as per previous posts......

Has anyone else come across this problem ?

[spedmetal]

Where did you purchase this "Brand new" laser from?

The laser in your V3 PS2 is a KHS-400B and not too good of a laser even when new. Also many many sites sell what they call "new" lasers when they are in fact just refurbished old used worn our pieces of crap them selves. Also it might actually be hard to find an actual "new" KHS-400B as I'm not even sure sony is makeing them anymore and you might only be able to find refurbished ones.

What did the packaging look like that your new laser came in?

You do realize that you cant just slap a new laser in your PS2 and expect to go, you may still need to adjust it.

[cougar689]

Hi Spedmetal,

I bought it from these guys.:

http://www.consoleparts.co.uk/ps2parts.htm

The one I got was the top one:'1 X KHS400B £23.98 Original SONY'.

The package is actually shown in the image at the above address. It was labelled as a KHS400B on a sticker on the side of the laser so it looked pretty good.

Is there a different type that I should have bought ?

[spedmetal]

I have seen that packageing before, and every time I have seen them they are refurbished lasers. Not sure if thats what your is , just my input.

The KHS-400B is the only laser that will work in your V3 unfortunately.

[cougar689]

I measured the CD and DVD 'pots' and they are both dialled down to 718Ohms so it does look as though it is 'refurbished'. Is there anywhere I 'can' buy a new 400B ? Or will I just have to put up with refurbished items ?

Do you think that the a refurbished laser would still give me the same problem ?

With all the other disks.. when I put one in it spins continuosly until the game starts. But with the PS2 backups the disk goes in, spins for a couple of seconds, stops spinning then the dreaded 'Red Screen' appears. It appears as though (I haven't seen this) this is what would happen on an unchipped machine, ie the machine doesn't recognise the disk so fires up the red screen. Can the 'Chips' fail to work with one type of disk (PS2) ? yet still work with others (PS1 Backups) ? Or could this indicate a specific problem on the chip ? or a wire ?

[cougar689]

It's all gone quiet .......

Is there anywhere that I can buy a NEW laser from, for this V3 console, if what I have been sold is a pish refurbished laser ?

Someone out there must be able to help .. or I'm going to have have to shut my whining 9 year in the cupboard until he stops !!!!!!!


(...pish ? Scottish for useless)