My PS2 is a SCPH-3004 model from around 2001, so pretty old, with a Magic 3 modchip.
I've taking it in for repairs twice when it failed to read games, just having a PCB fixed or the laser cleaned, that always seemed to work.
I've been playing it quite a bit now, and 2 games that worked fine a week ago (backups) now don't ever get past the browser screen. Sometimes it takes 10 or so resets before it does, but it seems now that it wont read the disc. All my other games seem to work (a mix of originals and backups) but I can't tell if the loading times are any longer.
Because of the high success rate of other games, I don't think the laser is totally done for.
I took it to repair shop today to be serviced and the technician told me there was no point in cleaning it because all the games he's tried work, albeit some with longer loading times, and if the laser is damaged, he can't get a replacement for such an old model. Which is pretty stupid, he could at least service it.
I reburnt the two backups at an extra low speed, and they seem to be reading now, although I cant understand why they were working fine a week ago and then suddenly not.
Should I just play the system out until it's finished, or should I take it to another console shop that will charge about $20 for a full service. I seem to think the laser is misaligned, because articles on the 'net about the problem list symptoms that seem to match mine.
The technician of the other place says he wont charge me if the service doesn't make a difference, but I don't really know how he can judge that. I'm sure most of the games he'll try will work fine, and I don't want to give him copies that don't to test. Should I just take it for a paid service to extend its life a bit more?
Suggestions?
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