/vr/ - Retro Games

>>8629074
check the bios chip for bad joints, otherwise you may need to replace the bios chip.

>>8629078
I should also mention that I found some duct tape right here and assume it was someone disc swapping. Looking into it could this be a Fearful Harmony error and just have to resell this as parts?

One last photo

>>8629090
someone was running pirated/swapped games on it, open it up

>>8629108
So is the console dead or would I be able to use it with an xstation if I get one and solder it in? Is this fixable at all or a loss?

>>8629114
I did open it up and did not see anything soldered on the bottom of the motherboard.

>>8629121
Meant for >>8629108

>>8629114
can't guarantee it, but I think an xstation would work if it's at least booting games. It just seems like bios corruption.

>>8629128
Is there a fix for the bios or should I just resell it for parts?

>>8629131
replace the chip with a donor from the same motherboard, if that's the problem anyway. It could be damaged traces, simple damaged joints, whatever. If it's booting games and letting you manage memory cards no big deal.

>>8629137
It isn't booting games. My legit copies of crash and thps2 are not working and I get stuck on >>8629102 when the game attempts to start up. When I use a burnt CD of Ridge Racer Type 4 for the CD Player it refuses to see it.

With no disk in the system it boots to the memory card and cd player main menu and lets me go into the memory card menu. It seems like using any discs is what is causing the system to go error.

>>8629156
>>8629137
Simply formatted: It seems to let me manage memory cards by letting me into that menu and access the CD Player only when there is no disc inserted. Once a disc is inserted it will not play music files in the CD Player and gives the Fearful Harmony screen error.

I do thank you for the feedback and I don't mean to seem like I am rude.

>>8629171
5501's that don't read games are ideal candidates for an xstation, problem is figuring out if the BIOS is corrupted to the point it can't execute Playstation Executables.

>>8629175
Well it does show my memory card files at least. I'm hoping that is a good sign. If this console were modded and used the duct tape method. Should it be able to read actual discs or would I need to use the disk swap trick to get it to work?

>>8629195
drive is probably dead so it won't boot any discs. Only way to see if it boots anything would be install an xstation or something. Or use a donor drive.

>>8629195
ancient modchips work by forcing any disc to boot, which is how the Fearful Harmony error can be triggered by inserting a PC CD-ROM or Saturn disc or etc. The drive is probably just barely functional enough to get to that step. if you haven't yet, cleaning the laser lens might get you farther

>>8629217
Here is the bottom

>>8629237
Top

>>8629217
>>8629236
I probably should of tried that first. I do have a 9001 that works, but I fear I might break the ribbon on that if I didn't to so on this unknowingly.

>>8629240
I notice this yellowish thing here on the west side of the bronze sheet/east side of the steel shield.

>>8629240
I forgot to mention, the licensing text and logo are stored on the disc itself, so the probability of the BIOS itself being corrupted is low.

>>8629260
Ohh that would of been good to know haha. I guess I will take a chance and try my 9001 laser on this one and hope it is just a dead laser.

>>8629262
Never mind, my 9001 ribnon will not fit in the 5501 slot due to the ribnon being different.

>>8629312
Almost scared myself shitless because after putting that laser back into my 9001 model it wasn't reading crash 2. On the second and third try it does read it, so I guess I didn't have the disc fully in.

Cleaning the laser didn't work. Should I try adjusting the laser or is that too dangerous?

>>8629383
It’s not the laser
That is a failing bios screen, a fucked laser just wouldn’t boot where as that’s a messed up screen

>>8629260
>>8629236
Alright, so I took the laser reader from the 9001 and jerryrigged it into the 5501 model. Still brought up the SAME issue of fearful whatever error when the system tries to read a disc and fails like the error >>8629102.

The only thing I can think of is that somehow the bios is fucked and no matter what I can do it is more than I can handle. I'm going to just sell this for parts on ebay tomorrow since it seems like this poor thing is just dead when it comes to executing games. Thanks everyone here for your help but sadly I failed.

>>8629435
Haha, I just wrote >>8629438 and saw your message. In your opinion, should probably just junk this for parts? I only spent $27 from goodwill on it, so I'm sure I can most of the money back if I sell it for $25 on ebay and take the pay cut from it.

>>8629443
just check one more thing before you go that route, put a Audio CD in there and see if it plays with the original drive

>>8629467
It does! It's playing Franz Ferdinand perfectly.

>>8629467
>>8629512
To add since I was shocked at this part working: What on Earth could this mean?

>>8629467 #
>>8629512 (You) #
To add since I was shocked at this part working: What on Earth could this mean? It can't be the laser then since the issue of games not reading was still occuring on my working 9001 laser when plugged into the messed up 5501.

>this shit is starting to happen to old consoles
>emulation is starting to become increasingly necessary to play these old games
Feels bad man

>>8629534
More like I seem to have a very odd issue because it is working as a cd player, but not for game discs. Trying out the scarface cd I have also and that is playing perfectly too.

>>8629240
So you wanna give us a pic of the top without the shield covering most everything? Kinda hard to spot damage when over 70% of the board is covered.

>>8629590
Well the top of the steel shielding is soldered on.

>>8629534
The silicon in PS1's will outlive you. Capacitors might go bad but they can be replaced. CD drives are the only serious point failure and you can just install a new one. Only children emulate. Men use real hardware.

>>8629597
ODE's have become an increasingly desirable option I think, Shame the people who make them can't make enough.

>>8629590
Also I took a picture of >>8629257 under the bronze sheet and I do not see any signs of any wires used for a solder.

>>8629597
>Only children emulate. Men use real hardware.
I was with you until here

>>8629467
Please respond

>>8629597
>Only children emulate. Men use real hardware.

>>8629787
the only thing you can do is try some more games if you have any

>>8629815
Let's just assume that I tried all my legit games and it failed. Both crash 2 and thps2 work on my 9001 and psOne units.

>>8629823
Check here
http://www.psxdev.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=846

>>8629841
I actually read that earlier but it didn't seem like much to go on, at least for my level of expertise.

>>8629858
maybe sell it for junk then I guess, doesn't seem like it's worth the headache

>>8629945
I just hate to get rid of it, but I guess that may be the only option. I'll make another thread tomorrow too when it is more active for a second opinion. Thanks for your help diagnosing it!

>>8629074
>life of an original hardware cuck
LUUUUULLLLL

>>8629975
>Computers never have technical issues

>>8629975
It sucks, but I would like and try to save this console then sell it for parts.

>>8629531
bios corruption, so it probably can't launch ps exe's.

>>8630661
Any fix to it or should I just sell it off?

>>8630726
new bios chip from a donor, inspect for bad traces first

>>8630743
I'll just be selling the poor thing for parts then. Can't believe my odds of getting a broken BIOS Ps1 but oh well.

>>8629597
Based

Posting a new picture of under the bronze sheet. Should I just just the shielding off of the metal shield since I don't have a solder?

>>8630743
Looking at that photo, I notice this red dot is on my board. What could that of been from?

On second inspection, I notice that there was a ton of yellow goo looking all alone that backside back part of the board. I'm currently cleaning it up, but I did want to mention this if it helps.

I loaded up freepsxboot and it actually loaded into unirom. I don't know if it matters, but I figure that if I can boot into it then maybe the bios are not completely screwed.

Never mind it was just a waste of time.

Last ditch effort: I may be able to get into a BIOs editor in freepsxboot? Anything I might be able to fix in here?

>>8632496
this is why I said it would be a headache anon
If it's not the disc then unless you can diagnose the exact problem it's just a waste as it's not gonna a continuity problem, try you luck with a reflow of solder or just call it, not worth buying another board to replace parts i don't think
and seeing as it won't boot, I don't think it's capable of putting an ODE in

>>8632516
You are right. This is just too much for me to be able to handle sadly, so I'll just have to sell it as scrap. Thanks again for checking back in here and being honest.