backups of backups

[johnnybgood]

Okay, I read the forum rules, and I don't think this is against the rules considering the backups came from originals, but what I am wondering is: Okay, I got Resident Evil 4, and made a back up with it on a Ritek DVD-R, and it is working just fine, at least from what I have been able to see so far, but in the past, I made some backups of backups, like I used a grand theft auto san andreas backup to make a back up -- why you ask? because the San Andreas was on a dvd+r, and I wanted to put my games on DVD-r, plus the original isn't in the best of shape(why I make backups in the first place haha)...well, I put in the dvd-r, and it freezes alot. Now, the history of my PS2 is that I have used ritek dvd+r for quite a while, and just recently switched over to DVD-r, so what I'm wondering is -- is there some data lose when you switch from different brands of dvds if you are backing up a back up, or could it just be that my laser has worn due to the usuage of DVD+r for so long? Reason I need to know this is because I am wondering if I need to get a new laser? I made a straight backup of Sly 3 a while ago, a first backup from the original, and it did do some freezing, and my system has a history of doing the whole clicking noise, freeze thing. Anyways, this is quite long. Thanks for any help.

[Warlock]

It could be the media your making the backup from has degraded. All recordable media looses quality over time. If at all possible make a image from a original then burn to the dvd-r. I think you will have better results.

[johnnybgood]

Well, now I am just confused -- I made a backup from the original of my MVP baseball, and it skips and loads slow, and etc. I made the backup with a DVD-r. When I tried to make a backup from my DVD+r to a DVD-r, previously, it also did the same thing it's doing when I made my most recent copy which was a DVD-r from the original, yet Resident Evil 4 works just fine, which is what i don't get. My resident evil 4 copy is working great, yet my other games like Sly 3 and MVP baseball, when copied from the originals, skip and load slow. An example would be, a while ago when I used to play my MVP baseball 2005 dvd+r backup, it worked just the same as the original had, but now, when I have gotten a copy off of the original AND when I copied from the DVD+r, it skips and loads funny, and you can just tell something isn't right, because the other one, which was on a DVD+r, and was the first backup of the game I ever made, worked great -- too bad I threw it out for the DVD-r's. Now I am really starting to think it's the laser and that RE4 for some reason just so happens to work.

[Warlock]

Go to www.norcalmods.com and check out Speds "test your laser" thread,

[johnnybgood]

Well, I followed the directions, put in my Gran Turismo 3 original which has a silver back, and the first time I put it in, my system did the whole clicking noise, now loading at all thing, then I hit reset and it loaded just fine, but the fact that it stopped and made the clicking noise makes me wonder. Maybe the laser just needs to be cleaned, because I do have my PS2 inside an entertainment center, and at the back area alot of dust collects -- so maybe that one gear thing has alot of dust on it -- I've seen it mentioned that sometimes you might need to clean that little white gear thing. I haven't tried cleaning the laser yet, so maybe that is what I should do first before jumping to conclusions? Thanks for your time.

Oh yeah, do you know if the cleaning of the laser and that little white gear is hard to do?

[zellar]

Here is some info I found here for you http://www.cyber-mag.com/station/laserPS2.htm Be careful!!!!

[johnnybgood]

Well, I personally will not open the system -- my brother has opened my system before(before I got the mod)and he knows how to open the system without ruining it. I think I've asked this on here before, but I can't remember -- do you know if opening the system and the DVD drive in the ps2 will have anything to do with messing with the modchip? My brother knows how to open the system and all that. Thanks.

[Warlock]

Originally Posted by johnnybgood

I think I've asked this on here before, but I can't remember -- do you know if opening the system and the DVD drive in the ps2 will have anything to do with messing with the modchip? My brother knows how to open the system and all that. Thanks.

lol Well if he knows what he's doing it should be fine . I know if i installed the modchip and someone else opens the console the install warranty is void. Something like this is hard to answer , accidents can happen. Ya never know.

[johnnybgood]

Haha, hmm, that doesn't make me feel that much at ease about it haha. I'm kind of at a fork in the road I suppose -- I can either have my brother open it up and try to clean the laser, and then end up finding out that the laser is actually worn and it couldn't be saved -- or I can just see if the person who installed it, which on their site says they do repairs, will repair it and maybe I will need a new laser -- or I can just leave it alone, because it does kind of work, but it skips alot and the loading times for games seems off. In order for me to get it repaired though, I will have to wait until I finally land a job, to be able to pay for it. Damn jobs! and Damn money! haha.

Sorry for all this frustrating stuff -- when your PS2 doesn't work right, and you don't know what exactly is wrong, it just sucks! haha

[ottoman]

If yr gonna tinker with the laser don't dive straight for adjusting the pots!!

Great results can be achieved by adjusting the white cog (or cogs depending on yr ps2 model) which brings the laser slightly closer to the disc. Too many people dive straight on the pots and blow the laser when its not necessary.

The method I use is get an original dvd, Take off the ps2 lid and the dvd drive lid but keep the white magnetic disk off of the lid handy.

Pop a dvd on the drive and put the magnetic holder on and adjust the cog/ cogs onto their lowest setting/settings.

Turn ps2 on and see if it boots, if not turn off and adjust cog/cogs two clicks up and turn on and boot again and repeat process until dvd boots.

Keep a track of the number of clicks u have made from lower most setting.
when it boots keep on going, two clicks at a time until the dvd fails to boot again, you will have a bracket of about 12 clicks where a dvd boots ok.

Now go back to the topmost click where a dvd boots and replace the dvd for a dvd-r and again adjust down 2 clicks at a time until the dvd-r boots. Keep on going after it boots and you'll get a bracket of about 6 clicks where a dvd-r boots ok. Set it into the middle of the bracket and then check that CD/CDr still boot ok at that setting. Ifd it does problem solved. If it doesn't you have 3 clicks each way to get both cdr and dvd-r to boot.

If you cant get dvd-r to boot with any adjsutment of height then its time to look at VERY MINOR adjustments to the dvd pot.

Basically make the smallest adjustment that you possibly can with an Ohmeter monitoring the pot resistance. Try not to adjust it more than 5% of the original setting. On completion of the adjustment go back the the height adjusting proceedure and start again.

Hope this helps and all of this is done at your own risk.

Regards

[Warlock]

Nice work Ottoman

[johnnybgood]

Hey, thanks for the info, and after looking at what you wrote, I figure my best bet is to find someone who knows what they are doing to do it haha. Thanks again.

[BG]

One other thing you might want to try.....
Since you said the PS2 sits in a entertainment center and is fairly dusty (like mine is LOL) try getting a "cd/dvd lens cleaning disc"... It will have a very tiny brush on the bottom of the disc that cleans the laser as the disc spins.
Mine is setup just like yours and I run my cleaning disc through my PS2 about once every other week.

Who knows, it may help... and it definately won't hurt....and even if you have to get a new laser (or adjust your old one) at least you would have the disc for future maint. of your ps2....

Good luck!

[johnnybgood]

Thanks for the tip, and I will for sure look into that, any suggestions on a site to purchase one?