Hello. First post here. I don’t want to have to sell it for parts and I’m willing to learn soldering as i want to get into it anyway and start fixing consoles.
Model: ps3 slim cech 3001a
Issue: Disc spins then slows multiple times then clicks. Name of game shows on screen, tries to load, error starting.
Internal: With top of cd unit off, when i flick the bottom right lever to activate laser with no cd in, the laser moves smoothly on the rail downward, sits there and whirs, does not move or come on. Same issue with replacement laser. Thought maybe it needed a relube but it moves smoothly then stops, so I don’t think that’s the problem.
Old laser (original): kem 450eaa
New laser: kem 450daa (ebay used. Said to be compatible. Another one on Amazon also said compatible. Chatgpt says it’s not. “Different electrically”. Don’t know if it’s lying)
Multimeter test of what i believe to be fuses that control laser: (Harbor freight cheapo multimeter) In ohm 200 setting. (Continuity) Display of “1” is open. Shows a jump to a high number then back to 1. In ohm 2000, it shows around 1000, in continuity mode it shows around 900. Chatgpt says that’s a bad fuse. Again not sure if it’s lying. Couldn’t find any info.
Ribbon looks ok and i don’t have a microscope to test every wire in it. There is a tiny bend in one part but there doesn’t look to be any damage.
At this point i think it’s either a bad fuse, the new laser is bad or somehow the ribbon is bad. I don’t know how to test all of these. Doesn’t seem to be much online about it. Going by the readings on the multimeter the fuses seem to be bad as they are reading open/infinite from what i can tell. Still learning how to use a multimeter.
I don’t want to buy a new drive as i plan to sell the ps3 and would like the experience of fixing it.
Anyone else experience this issue or know of any videos that address it?
Fuses i’m testing are black squares in the area of where the ribbon cable meets the motherboard. I assume they’re the right things to test. Again, I’m using chatgpt and factchecking online with 0 circuitboard experience.
edit: Apparently it won’t let me post “media items”. Guess it only accepts links to pics. Until i figure out how to do that I’ll leave the post picless.