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UMD DRIVE REPLACEMENT KITS :-
Assuming that a new UMD drive is actually needed most folks fall into either one of two categories concerning how to
deal with this type of thing. Type A has never touched anything electronic like this before and it hasn't crossed their
minds until now that fixing it themselves is even an option. Tybe B on the other hand immediately runs out to the
garage to find a wrench and a screwdriver and sets to prying the PSP apart and doesn't stop until it's in a thousand
pieces all over the dining room table. I'm assuming if you're here reading this though that you're more of a type A and
I completely understand your concerns. Please believe me though that it really isn't that big of a deal once you're in
there and taking things step-by-step.
You can look inside the UMD drive and see the four screws, one in each corner, that are holding it in there. Replacing
the UMD drive does require removing quite a few screws and paying carerful attention to what you're doing but if you
can handle that you'll do fine. I've had hundreds of previous kit customers successfully handle the job with no previous
electronics experience whatsoever. If you get half way through and decide you'd rather I handle the job for whatever
reason I'll be happy to do so and the original kit price will be taken off my standard repair fee just as if you sent it in to
me in the first place. This way there's really nothing to lose by trying it yourself first and there's an extremely good
chance you'll save time and money in the end. I have great confidence in my product and knowing that extremely few
people will have a problem with it enables me to make the offer. You also have the option to just send it all back for a
refund if it doesn't end up fixing the problem so it's a win-win situation all round.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Assuming that a new UMD drive is actually needed most folks fall into either one of two categories concerning how to
deal with this type of thing. Type A has never touched anything electronic like this before and it hasn't crossed their
minds until now that fixing it themselves is even an option. Tybe B on the other hand immediately runs out to the
garage to find a wrench and a screwdriver and sets to prying the PSP apart and doesn't stop until it's in a thousand
pieces all over the dining room table. I'm assuming if you're here reading this though that you're more of a type A and
I completely understand your concerns. Please believe me though that it really isn't that big of a deal once you're in
there and taking things step-by-step.
You can look inside the UMD drive and see the four screws, one in each corner, that are holding it in there. Replacing
the UMD drive does require removing quite a few screws and paying carerful attention to what you're doing but if you
can handle that you'll do fine. I've had hundreds of previous kit customers successfully handle the job with no previous
electronics experience whatsoever. If you get half way through and decide you'd rather I handle the job for whatever
reason I'll be happy to do so and the original kit price will be taken off my standard repair fee just as if you sent it in to
me in the first place. This way there's really nothing to lose by trying it yourself first and there's an extremely good
chance you'll save time and money in the end. I have great confidence in my product and knowing that extremely few
people will have a problem with it enables me to make the offer. You also have the option to just send it all back for a
refund if it doesn't end up fixing the problem so it's a win-win situation all round.
______________________________________________________________________________________
|
Listed below are the most common PSP problems I've encountered, what usually causes
them, and where possible what needs to be done to fix them. Please keep in mind though that
in all but the most obvious cases, like a cracked LCD screen, there's no way to know 100%
for sure which component might be causing a particular problem as they're all interconnected
and the real culprit may not be so obvious. Note also that water damage is something that
changes all the rules, one drop of water in the wrong place can cause any PSP component to
malfunction, not necessarily just the one that got wet.
them, and where possible what needs to be done to fix them. Please keep in mind though that
in all but the most obvious cases, like a cracked LCD screen, there's no way to know 100%
for sure which component might be causing a particular problem as they're all interconnected
and the real culprit may not be so obvious. Note also that water damage is something that
changes all the rules, one drop of water in the wrong place can cause any PSP component to
malfunction, not necessarily just the one that got wet.
GAME LOADING PROBLEMS
There are a few different things that can cause a PSP to not load a game and you can usually
tell which component's causing the problem by taking note of what exactly the PSP does
when you load a game :-
(1) IMMEDIATE "GAME CANNOT BE READ" MESSAGE or
THE LASER STARTS TRACKING ENDLESSLY WITH NO GAME IN THE DRIVE AT ALL
If the message pops up immediately when you put a game in or if the laser starts tracking all
on it's own any time you turn the PSP on it's pretty much guaranteed you need a new
motherboard unfortunately rather than a UMD drive.
(2) THE PSP DOESN'T RECOGNISE THERE'S A GAME IN THERE AT ALL
When a UMD game is loaded in a PSP a small spinning circle should pop up in the very bottom
right hand corner of the screen. This happens because the UMD disc case presses down on a
tiny plastic lever inside the drive area called the main trigger which tells the PSP that there's
a game loaded and to start trying to read it. There's one UMD trigger in a PSP-1001 model
and two in a PSP-2001 or 3001 model (see photos at left). The trigger in the top photo is the
"main trigger" which is a tiny black or white plastic lever sticking up out of the silver metal
drive tray just to the left of the center spindle, all PSP's have these. For 2001's and 3001's
there's also a secondary UMD trigger which is actuated by a tab on the UMD door rather than
by the UMD case. It's a tiny black plastic post sticking up out of a black or silver box in the
bottom right hand corner of the drive area. If either of these are broken or missing the PSP
won't try to load the game at all. They're are a part of the motherboard and therefore not a
good candidate for self-repair and it's $50 for me to replace one or both triggers - you can
find further information about mail-in repairs on the 'Repair Services" page.
There are a few different things that can cause a PSP to not load a game and you can usually
tell which component's causing the problem by taking note of what exactly the PSP does
when you load a game :-
(1) IMMEDIATE "GAME CANNOT BE READ" MESSAGE or
THE LASER STARTS TRACKING ENDLESSLY WITH NO GAME IN THE DRIVE AT ALL
If the message pops up immediately when you put a game in or if the laser starts tracking all
on it's own any time you turn the PSP on it's pretty much guaranteed you need a new
motherboard unfortunately rather than a UMD drive.
(2) THE PSP DOESN'T RECOGNISE THERE'S A GAME IN THERE AT ALL
When a UMD game is loaded in a PSP a small spinning circle should pop up in the very bottom
right hand corner of the screen. This happens because the UMD disc case presses down on a
tiny plastic lever inside the drive area called the main trigger which tells the PSP that there's
a game loaded and to start trying to read it. There's one UMD trigger in a PSP-1001 model
and two in a PSP-2001 or 3001 model (see photos at left). The trigger in the top photo is the
"main trigger" which is a tiny black or white plastic lever sticking up out of the silver metal
drive tray just to the left of the center spindle, all PSP's have these. For 2001's and 3001's
there's also a secondary UMD trigger which is actuated by a tab on the UMD door rather than
by the UMD case. It's a tiny black plastic post sticking up out of a black or silver box in the
bottom right hand corner of the drive area. If either of these are broken or missing the PSP
won't try to load the game at all. They're are a part of the motherboard and therefore not a
good candidate for self-repair and it's $50 for me to replace one or both triggers - you can
find further information about mail-in repairs on the 'Repair Services" page.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UMD DRIVE PROBLEMS - GAME WON'T LOAD AT ALL
When there's a problem with the UMD drive you can load a game and hold the console up to your ear and usually hear
a tapping noise, a scraping sound, buzzing, or the sound of the laser endlessly passing back and forth. Ideal game
loading is usually three full laser passes and then the UMD starts up. Right at the beginning you can usually also hear
the UMD spindle whir to life (this is the center "spinner" that spins the disc around for the laser eye to read). The
whirring sound is perfectly normal but if you notice dead silence whewn you load a game that's another clue as to
what might be wrong in there. All sorts of things can cause a UMD drive problem as they're a fairly complicated
components with several different things to malfunction or break. They do wear out with a lot of use and a bunch of
gunk in the drive area will definitely cause problems sooner or later. This is why I make such a big deal of cleaning it
out properly as a part of every repair I do. The good news here though is that replacing the whole drive will almost
certainly solve the problem which is a huge savings as compared to buying a new console. I have do-it-yourself UMD
drive replacement kits available for $32-$40 on the "PSP Repair Kits" page for 1001's and 2001's or I'll be happy to
handle the job myself if you'd prefer to send it in. UMD drive replacements are currently $50 for a PSP-1001 and $60
for a PSP-2001 or 3001 and all the relevant info is on the "Repair Services" page.
NOTE: There are a few things you can check before declaring it an (almost) definite UMD drive problem. Occasionally
there will be a motherboard malfunction that causes the laser eye to not light up at all but otherwise operate (and
sound) like it's supposed to. The lasers do sometimes conk out completely which would give you the same complete
lack of light but it's rare (the laser should shine bright red - you can't miss it). Another common motherboard
malfunction will cause the center spindle to jerk around rather than spin smoothly, this is always a motherboard
problem as far as I've ever seen. To check for 'no-light-laser' or a 'jerky spindle' you'll need to actuate the UMD drive
with the door open so you can see inside. In a PSP-1001 you can turn the PSP on and just stick your finger or a pencil
or something inside the drive and press the main trigger manually to see what happens (the main UMD trigger presses
down towards you rather than back). For a 2001 or 3001 though you also have the secondary trigger which needs to
be pressed at the same time to do this test. This isn't so easy and you do want to be extra careful with it, the
secondary trigger presses straight down only and once you locate it you can see the tab on the outer UMD door that
presses it down when the door's closed. For any PSP the center spindle should start spinning smoothly and the laser
should light up bright red. When there's a game loaded the laser will track side-to-side as well as light up but with no
game in it'll normally stay in the one place. The tracking is usually what makes the odd sounds mentioned above but
even if the laser's jammed in one place you'll still usually be able to hear a tapping sound which is the laser eye going
up and down. If there's no light it doesn't necessarily mean a motherboard problem but it's definitely a possibility so
you might want to just send it in rather than try a DIY kit.
Quite often a UMD drive problem will only crop up intermittently - it'll not load a game at all for a week and then work
fine for a day or an hour and back again. Some only act up when they're hot - like after they've been played for hours,
and some will only work when the LCD screen isn't installed. Unfortunately with any electronic device there's always
going to be variables no matter which component you're working with but this info should allow you to narrow it down
to the UMD drive itself probably 95% of the time at least.
When there's a problem with the UMD drive you can load a game and hold the console up to your ear and usually hear
a tapping noise, a scraping sound, buzzing, or the sound of the laser endlessly passing back and forth. Ideal game
loading is usually three full laser passes and then the UMD starts up. Right at the beginning you can usually also hear
the UMD spindle whir to life (this is the center "spinner" that spins the disc around for the laser eye to read). The
whirring sound is perfectly normal but if you notice dead silence whewn you load a game that's another clue as to
what might be wrong in there. All sorts of things can cause a UMD drive problem as they're a fairly complicated
components with several different things to malfunction or break. They do wear out with a lot of use and a bunch of
gunk in the drive area will definitely cause problems sooner or later. This is why I make such a big deal of cleaning it
out properly as a part of every repair I do. The good news here though is that replacing the whole drive will almost
certainly solve the problem which is a huge savings as compared to buying a new console. I have do-it-yourself UMD
drive replacement kits available for $32-$40 on the "PSP Repair Kits" page for 1001's and 2001's or I'll be happy to
handle the job myself if you'd prefer to send it in. UMD drive replacements are currently $50 for a PSP-1001 and $60
for a PSP-2001 or 3001 and all the relevant info is on the "Repair Services" page.
NOTE: There are a few things you can check before declaring it an (almost) definite UMD drive problem. Occasionally
there will be a motherboard malfunction that causes the laser eye to not light up at all but otherwise operate (and
sound) like it's supposed to. The lasers do sometimes conk out completely which would give you the same complete
lack of light but it's rare (the laser should shine bright red - you can't miss it). Another common motherboard
malfunction will cause the center spindle to jerk around rather than spin smoothly, this is always a motherboard
problem as far as I've ever seen. To check for 'no-light-laser' or a 'jerky spindle' you'll need to actuate the UMD drive
with the door open so you can see inside. In a PSP-1001 you can turn the PSP on and just stick your finger or a pencil
or something inside the drive and press the main trigger manually to see what happens (the main UMD trigger presses
down towards you rather than back). For a 2001 or 3001 though you also have the secondary trigger which needs to
be pressed at the same time to do this test. This isn't so easy and you do want to be extra careful with it, the
secondary trigger presses straight down only and once you locate it you can see the tab on the outer UMD door that
presses it down when the door's closed. For any PSP the center spindle should start spinning smoothly and the laser
should light up bright red. When there's a game loaded the laser will track side-to-side as well as light up but with no
game in it'll normally stay in the one place. The tracking is usually what makes the odd sounds mentioned above but
even if the laser's jammed in one place you'll still usually be able to hear a tapping sound which is the laser eye going
up and down. If there's no light it doesn't necessarily mean a motherboard problem but it's definitely a possibility so
you might want to just send it in rather than try a DIY kit.
Quite often a UMD drive problem will only crop up intermittently - it'll not load a game at all for a week and then work
fine for a day or an hour and back again. Some only act up when they're hot - like after they've been played for hours,
and some will only work when the LCD screen isn't installed. Unfortunately with any electronic device there's always
going to be variables no matter which component you're working with but this info should allow you to narrow it down
to the UMD drive itself probably 95% of the time at least.
(3) LONG LOAD TIME THEN THE "GAME CANNOT BE READ" MESSAGE or
LONG LOAD TIME AND THE UMD ICON NEVER POPS UP ON THE MAIN MENU or
THE UMD ICON POPS UP AND THE GAME STARTS TO LOAD AND THEN FREEZES or
GAME PLAYS FINE THEN FREEZES (frozen screen, not "do you want to quit the game")
If you put a game in and it at least tries to load for a while it's almost always going to be a
problem with the UMD drive or the UMD game itself. The #1 cause by far though is a problem
with the UMD game rather than the PSP so it's important to rule that out first...
LONG LOAD TIME AND THE UMD ICON NEVER POPS UP ON THE MAIN MENU or
THE UMD ICON POPS UP AND THE GAME STARTS TO LOAD AND THEN FREEZES or
GAME PLAYS FINE THEN FREEZES (frozen screen, not "do you want to quit the game")
If you put a game in and it at least tries to load for a while it's almost always going to be a
problem with the UMD drive or the UMD game itself. The #1 cause by far though is a problem
with the UMD game rather than the PSP so it's important to rule that out first...
POWERING ON PROBLEMS
There are a lot of different things that can cause a PSP power problem and most people assume it's the power switch
PCB but the most common cause by far is a plain old dead battery. The battery in a PSP is rechargeable but sooner or
later they'll all stop taking a charge just like normal batteries and the chargers can stop working too. If your PSP has
no power to it - no lights at all - borrowing some else's battery and charger is the ideal place to start as you can just
swap them out and see what happens. If that's not possible though I usually have them available on the "PSP parts"
page and you can always return for refund if needed so you'll only be out for the postage. Sometimes you can take it to
a Gamestop and they'll let you use one of their batteries and chargers for a few minutes but call first to check.
(1) NO GREEN LIGHT AT ALL - NO SCREEN - NO MUSIC - NO ORANGE LIGHT WHEN YOU PLUG IT INTO A CHARGER
Assuming you know for sure the battery and charger are OK this usually means there's a blown fuse (or fuses) on the
motherboard. When you first turn a PSP on the power light should come on green and it should glow orange whenever
you have it plugged into the charger. Soldering fuses on the motherboard definitely isn't a job for beginners but I'll be
happy to take care of it myself if you'd like to send it in and it's $49 total including return postage and everything.
A completely dead PSP can also mean water damage and occasionally a malfunctioning or damaged power switch PCB
or main cable though this is rare. If there's any chance that it got wet recently it's important to have it looked at and
completely disassembled and cleaned up as quickly as possible before corrosion sets in. Many PSP's that have been
completely soaked have come up good as new with just a good clean up so it's well worth a shot. Even if it's been
sitting for a while it may be that only a minor component actually got wet and needs to be replaced so at $60 or so it's
much better than popping for a whole new console.
(2) GREEN LIGHT FOR A SPLIT SECOND BUT NO OTHER SIGNS OF LIFE
This means there's an internal short somewhere but there's no way I can say which part is shorting out without seeing
it for myself and usually swapping out parts until I find the culprit. That said though most of time it's a cracked LCD
screen causing the short and if your PSP got dropped right before it stopped working that's pretty much guaranteed to
be it. Usually a cracked LCD screen will have the "spiderweb" look but sometimes they break in just such a way that it
shorts out the whole console before it has a chance to light up at all. Any component can cause a short though and even
in a fall it's possible that the screen survived intact but something else took the damage or even with a known broken
LCD screen there might be additional damage too. No matter what though diagnosis is a free service and I'll be happy
to go over it and give you a free quote if you'd like to send it in. Mail-in repair and quote info is on the "Repair
services" page as is the pricing for various LCD screen replacements. I also have do-it-yourself LCD screen
replacement kits available for PSP-1001's and PSP-2001's on the "PSP repair kits" page.
(3) GREEN LIGHT COMES ON FOR 15-20 SECONDS ONLY - NO SIGNS OF LIFE EXCEPT ORANGE CHARGE LIGHT
PCB but the most common cause by far is a plain old dead battery. The battery in a PSP is rechargeable but sooner or
later they'll all stop taking a charge just like normal batteries and the chargers can stop working too. If your PSP has
no power to it - no lights at all - borrowing some else's battery and charger is the ideal place to start as you can just
swap them out and see what happens. If that's not possible though I usually have them available on the "PSP parts"
page and you can always return for refund if needed so you'll only be out for the postage. Sometimes you can take it to
a Gamestop and they'll let you use one of their batteries and chargers for a few minutes but call first to check.
(1) NO GREEN LIGHT AT ALL - NO SCREEN - NO MUSIC - NO ORANGE LIGHT WHEN YOU PLUG IT INTO A CHARGER
Assuming you know for sure the battery and charger are OK this usually means there's a blown fuse (or fuses) on the
motherboard. When you first turn a PSP on the power light should come on green and it should glow orange whenever
you have it plugged into the charger. Soldering fuses on the motherboard definitely isn't a job for beginners but I'll be
happy to take care of it myself if you'd like to send it in and it's $49 total including return postage and everything.
A completely dead PSP can also mean water damage and occasionally a malfunctioning or damaged power switch PCB
or main cable though this is rare. If there's any chance that it got wet recently it's important to have it looked at and
completely disassembled and cleaned up as quickly as possible before corrosion sets in. Many PSP's that have been
completely soaked have come up good as new with just a good clean up so it's well worth a shot. Even if it's been
sitting for a while it may be that only a minor component actually got wet and needs to be replaced so at $60 or so it's
much better than popping for a whole new console.
(2) GREEN LIGHT FOR A SPLIT SECOND BUT NO OTHER SIGNS OF LIFE
This means there's an internal short somewhere but there's no way I can say which part is shorting out without seeing
it for myself and usually swapping out parts until I find the culprit. That said though most of time it's a cracked LCD
screen causing the short and if your PSP got dropped right before it stopped working that's pretty much guaranteed to
be it. Usually a cracked LCD screen will have the "spiderweb" look but sometimes they break in just such a way that it
shorts out the whole console before it has a chance to light up at all. Any component can cause a short though and even
in a fall it's possible that the screen survived intact but something else took the damage or even with a known broken
LCD screen there might be additional damage too. No matter what though diagnosis is a free service and I'll be happy
to go over it and give you a free quote if you'd like to send it in. Mail-in repair and quote info is on the "Repair
services" page as is the pricing for various LCD screen replacements. I also have do-it-yourself LCD screen
replacement kits available for PSP-1001's and PSP-2001's on the "PSP repair kits" page.
(3) GREEN LIGHT COMES ON FOR 15-20 SECONDS ONLY - NO SIGNS OF LIFE EXCEPT ORANGE CHARGE LIGHT
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The most common "power" problem I see is "bricked" firmware which basically means the operating system or the
"brains" of the PSP have somehow been corrupted or deleted. When this happens the green light will usually come on
for about 15-20 seconds and go back off by itself. There's rarely any other signs of life other than the light will turn
orange if you plug it into the charger. Bricking a PSP is usually caused by a version update being interrupted in some
way though I have seen a few PSP's with physical motherboard damage display the same symptoms.
Sony puts out a new firmware version every few months and you have to update your PSP's firmware to play the
newest UMD games put on the market at the time. Children in particular have a hard time with this - updating isn't a
complicated thing but it does have to be done exactly right and completely which takes time. Kids just want to play
their new game and when the screen comes up asking them to update before they can play they'll often press a few
buttons and give up which leaves you with a bricked PSP. By the way the term "bricked" came along I believe because
a bricked PSP is about as much fun as an actual brick - very apt.
The good news here though is that a bricked PSP can often be revived good as new for a relatively small amount of
money, $49 altogether in my case. You can look into unbricking the PSP firmware yourself using the relevant hacks
available on the Internet and the one I use myself required me buying a modded Pandora battery and memory stick.
For un-brickable PSP's sent in to me I replace the original PSP firmware as it was when you bought it brand new as
well as performing the proper internal maintenance clean-up I do with all repairs. Once I have it in hand allow 2-3
days for the repair and you'll have it back good as new in no time.
Do keep in mind though that not all PSP's are un-brickable and those that aren't would need a whole new motherboard
installed to get them going again ($69-$89 in my case). Almost all PSP-1001's, most 2001's but no 3001's (as of
yet) will just need the firmware re-flash/un-bricking though to give you an idea. I can't say 100% for sure up front
whether any particular PSP will successfully take a firmware re-flash or not, I can say though that it doesn't cost
anything to find out under the "free diagnosis" service. I also buy bricked PSP's all the time for the used parts section
so at worst that'd at least be something to put towards a new one if that's what you decide to do at the time.
(4) EVERYTHING COMES ON AND WORKS BUT THE SCREEN STAYS BLACK
Once again an LCD screen can break in just such a way that it stays all black rather than showing "spiderwebs" or
shorting out altogether as per #2 above. It's also possible that the backlight fuse on the motherboard is blown or that a
malfunction with the motherboard itself is causing the screen problem. Click here for pricing on the various part
replacements and to arrange a mail-in quote. As always diagnosis is free so it won't cost anything other than postage
to find out whether it's worth fixing or not.
"brains" of the PSP have somehow been corrupted or deleted. When this happens the green light will usually come on
for about 15-20 seconds and go back off by itself. There's rarely any other signs of life other than the light will turn
orange if you plug it into the charger. Bricking a PSP is usually caused by a version update being interrupted in some
way though I have seen a few PSP's with physical motherboard damage display the same symptoms.
Sony puts out a new firmware version every few months and you have to update your PSP's firmware to play the
newest UMD games put on the market at the time. Children in particular have a hard time with this - updating isn't a
complicated thing but it does have to be done exactly right and completely which takes time. Kids just want to play
their new game and when the screen comes up asking them to update before they can play they'll often press a few
buttons and give up which leaves you with a bricked PSP. By the way the term "bricked" came along I believe because
a bricked PSP is about as much fun as an actual brick - very apt.
The good news here though is that a bricked PSP can often be revived good as new for a relatively small amount of
money, $49 altogether in my case. You can look into unbricking the PSP firmware yourself using the relevant hacks
available on the Internet and the one I use myself required me buying a modded Pandora battery and memory stick.
For un-brickable PSP's sent in to me I replace the original PSP firmware as it was when you bought it brand new as
well as performing the proper internal maintenance clean-up I do with all repairs. Once I have it in hand allow 2-3
days for the repair and you'll have it back good as new in no time.
Do keep in mind though that not all PSP's are un-brickable and those that aren't would need a whole new motherboard
installed to get them going again ($69-$89 in my case). Almost all PSP-1001's, most 2001's but no 3001's (as of
yet) will just need the firmware re-flash/un-bricking though to give you an idea. I can't say 100% for sure up front
whether any particular PSP will successfully take a firmware re-flash or not, I can say though that it doesn't cost
anything to find out under the "free diagnosis" service. I also buy bricked PSP's all the time for the used parts section
so at worst that'd at least be something to put towards a new one if that's what you decide to do at the time.
(4) EVERYTHING COMES ON AND WORKS BUT THE SCREEN STAYS BLACK
Once again an LCD screen can break in just such a way that it stays all black rather than showing "spiderwebs" or
shorting out altogether as per #2 above. It's also possible that the backlight fuse on the motherboard is blown or that a
malfunction with the motherboard itself is causing the screen problem. Click here for pricing on the various part
replacements and to arrange a mail-in quote. As always diagnosis is free so it won't cost anything other than postage
to find out whether it's worth fixing or not.
(5) NO POWER AT ALL AND THE SLIDING POWER SWITCH FEELS LOOSE
If the external sliding switch feels loose, like it's not making contact with anything inside it's a broken power switch
PCB. This is a fairly common problem and it's $59 total including return postage and everything for me to replace the
broken PCB and go through with a good clean-up as well. I also have do-it-yourself power switch PCB replacement
kits available on the "PSP repair kits" page.
Replacing this PCB in a PSP-2001 or PSP-3001 is a simple job and perfect for beginners. PSP-1001's have a
completely different internal set up and you do have to do quite a bit of dis-assembly but it's still very do-able.
If the external sliding switch feels loose, like it's not making contact with anything inside it's a broken power switch
PCB. This is a fairly common problem and it's $59 total including return postage and everything for me to replace the
broken PCB and go through with a good clean-up as well. I also have do-it-yourself power switch PCB replacement
kits available on the "PSP repair kits" page.
Replacing this PCB in a PSP-2001 or PSP-3001 is a simple job and perfect for beginners. PSP-1001's have a
completely different internal set up and you do have to do quite a bit of dis-assembly but it's still very do-able.
BUTTON AND CHARACTER MOVEMENT PROBLEMS
WI-FI - SOUND - MEMORY CARD PROBLEMS
CAN'T CONNECT TO THE INTERNET/ROUTER OR OTHER PSP'S
CAN'T READ THE MEMORY CARD
DOESN'T RECOGNISE THERE'S A MEMORY CARD INSERTED
NO SOUND THROUGH THE HEADPHONE JACK, SPEAKERS, OR BOTH
These are all lumped together as they're all functions of the one "Wi-Fi PCB" in a PSP-1001 model. If you're having
any of the above problems with a 1001 this is almost certainly what you'll need. They're all the way at the bottom
though buried underneath all the other PSP components so not a good candidate for the DIY kits but it's $59 for me to
put one in which includes return postage and everything. The 1001's also have different motherboard models all of
which have to have their own particular model Wi-Fi PCB in order to work properly. A few are interchangeable but
most aren't and if you put the wrong one in there you won't get any sound or something along those lines.
For a PSP-2001 the memory card slot and Wi-fi are part of the motherboard. A physically damaged memory card slot
or one with something stuck in it is usually fixable ($59-$69), but anything other than that probably means you'll need
a new motherboard which is the most important and most expensive part of a PSP. I install new motherboards for
between $69 and $99 though so it's still much cheaper than buying a new one. The headphone jack in a 2001 is a
separate component and like the 1001's if you're not getting any sound out of the external speakers and/or the
headphone jack chances are you just need one of these which is $59 including return postage. Mail-in repair
information and shipping instructions are on the PSP repair services page.
For a PSP-3001 all of these items are a part of the motherboard. I can still usually fix physical damage to the memory
card slot or get stuck items out of it and I can often fix a broken headphone jack depending on how bad the damage is.
For memory card reading problems it's also quite possible the problem's with the card rather than the PSP. It needs to
be formatted before it will work at all which is an option under "system settings" and you also have to follow the
instructions in the owner's manual on putting music or other information on the card. Everything has to be in the right
file in the right place or it won't work. Another problem is phony memory cards that are cheaply made and sold all over
the Internet - with "Sony Pro-duo" and everything printed on it just like the real one's - so it's hard to tell the
difference until you put them side to side and compare printing quality. The fakes are often complete duds and the
genuine ones made by Sony, San-disk and Lexar that normally work fine can still be damaged or have corrupted info
which will cause the same no-read problems. Before sending a PSP in for repair or ordering any new parts it's best to
try your card in someone else's PSP just to be sure you're not wasting your time and money. Another problem I've
come across is a firmware glitch in certain PSP-2001's that won't let them read any memory card over 2GB's. These
same memory cards will work perfectly in any other PSP and the PSP itself will read any 2GB card or smaller so check
for this also if you're testing your card in another PSP. Lastly, the gold contacts on the card have to be clean in order to
make proper contact with the motherboard pins - a Q-tip and alcohol is always worth a shot before giving up on it. If
filth is definitely a problem the internal pins might have gunk on them too. They're too deep in there to be able to clean
them but you can very carefully scrape the top 'contact' edge of the pins with a plain thin brown and beige emery
board. Look in there first with a flashlight so you can see where they are and what you're aiming at- just jamming
something in there blindly will almost certainly bend or break a pin which isn't always fixable. This also works well for
DS lites and i's that won't read the games as they work with the same pin-and-contact set up.
CAN'T READ THE MEMORY CARD
DOESN'T RECOGNISE THERE'S A MEMORY CARD INSERTED
NO SOUND THROUGH THE HEADPHONE JACK, SPEAKERS, OR BOTH
These are all lumped together as they're all functions of the one "Wi-Fi PCB" in a PSP-1001 model. If you're having
any of the above problems with a 1001 this is almost certainly what you'll need. They're all the way at the bottom
though buried underneath all the other PSP components so not a good candidate for the DIY kits but it's $59 for me to
put one in which includes return postage and everything. The 1001's also have different motherboard models all of
which have to have their own particular model Wi-Fi PCB in order to work properly. A few are interchangeable but
most aren't and if you put the wrong one in there you won't get any sound or something along those lines.
For a PSP-2001 the memory card slot and Wi-fi are part of the motherboard. A physically damaged memory card slot
or one with something stuck in it is usually fixable ($59-$69), but anything other than that probably means you'll need
a new motherboard which is the most important and most expensive part of a PSP. I install new motherboards for
between $69 and $99 though so it's still much cheaper than buying a new one. The headphone jack in a 2001 is a
separate component and like the 1001's if you're not getting any sound out of the external speakers and/or the
headphone jack chances are you just need one of these which is $59 including return postage. Mail-in repair
information and shipping instructions are on the PSP repair services page.
For a PSP-3001 all of these items are a part of the motherboard. I can still usually fix physical damage to the memory
card slot or get stuck items out of it and I can often fix a broken headphone jack depending on how bad the damage is.
For memory card reading problems it's also quite possible the problem's with the card rather than the PSP. It needs to
be formatted before it will work at all which is an option under "system settings" and you also have to follow the
instructions in the owner's manual on putting music or other information on the card. Everything has to be in the right
file in the right place or it won't work. Another problem is phony memory cards that are cheaply made and sold all over
the Internet - with "Sony Pro-duo" and everything printed on it just like the real one's - so it's hard to tell the
difference until you put them side to side and compare printing quality. The fakes are often complete duds and the
genuine ones made by Sony, San-disk and Lexar that normally work fine can still be damaged or have corrupted info
which will cause the same no-read problems. Before sending a PSP in for repair or ordering any new parts it's best to
try your card in someone else's PSP just to be sure you're not wasting your time and money. Another problem I've
come across is a firmware glitch in certain PSP-2001's that won't let them read any memory card over 2GB's. These
same memory cards will work perfectly in any other PSP and the PSP itself will read any 2GB card or smaller so check
for this also if you're testing your card in another PSP. Lastly, the gold contacts on the card have to be clean in order to
make proper contact with the motherboard pins - a Q-tip and alcohol is always worth a shot before giving up on it. If
filth is definitely a problem the internal pins might have gunk on them too. They're too deep in there to be able to clean
them but you can very carefully scrape the top 'contact' edge of the pins with a plain thin brown and beige emery
board. Look in there first with a flashlight so you can see where they are and what you're aiming at- just jamming
something in there blindly will almost certainly bend or break a pin which isn't always fixable. This also works well for
DS lites and i's that won't read the games as they work with the same pin-and-contact set up.
With the analog assembly having so many moving parts - machined just exactly right to give smooth control in all
different directions - the quality of the replacement part is very important. There are a ton of companies selling very
cheap non-Sony made analog assemblies for PSP's and how well they work, if at all, depends entirely on who made
them. I can buy these for about 50 cents each direct from China to give you an idea of just how cheap they are - this is
the lowest end of course and these are the one's that often don't work at all half the time and grate badly when they
do. The analog assemblies I use for my local and mail-in repairs are Sony originals that come out of PSP's purchased
specifically for parting out. This is the only way to get a genuine Sony PSP analog assembly and the durability and
smooth control that goes with it. These are becoming harder and harder to get though in many cases so I can no longer
provide them with the DIY kits but I have found some very good quality after-market or non-Sony assemblies that
come very close to the quality and specifications Sony themselves used.
For PSP-1001's the analog assembly is attached to the inside of the faceplate rather than inside the body of the
console with everything else. This means for a 1001 model if the faceplate screws aren't all in place and tightened
down just right it won't work properly. The 1001's and 2001's have clear rubber analog contacts that sit between the
assembly and the PSP motherboard and transmit the movement data between the two. If this contact is missing or not
making proper contact for some reason you'll get the same erratic character movements as you do with a broken or
worn out assembly.
As mentioned above I do have do-it-yourself replacement kits for the analog assemblies in a 1001 or 2001 model PSP
available here. A 3001 model though has an entirely different set-up and it takes a lot more dis-assembly to get to
them - some of which is very risky when you don't know what you're doing so I don't have kits for these at all.
ABXY BUTTONS
ANALOG
ASSEMBLY
ASSEMBLY
ANALOG ASSEMBLY - 'JOYSTICK' PROBLEMS
Character movements in a game are usually controlled by either the analog assembly and/or the directional (arrows)
pad. It's pretty obvious when there's a problem with one of them as the characters will run around by themselves or
sometimes not at all - either way the games are unplayable until the problem is fixed. Most of the time when the
analog conks out you can physically feel that it's grating inside or jammed in a certain spot and if so you know that's
what needs to be replaced. You can't always feel a difference in the stick though and when that happens it's hard to
tell which component is causing the problem - the analog or the directional pad. When I get them in like that I can just
swap out parts and see what happens but most people don't have that option and there's no other definite way to tell
that I know of unfortunately.
The analog assembly or "joystick" is one of the components in a PSP that will definitely wear out with normal use. It's
used constantly in almost every video game ever made and some people are rougher on theirs than others. The
assembly inside the PSP has a stem that sticks up through the front of the console and the round "thumbpad" is a
separate item that snaps down on the stem either internally or external to the console depending on the model. The
assembly itself is a small squarish box with several different internal moving parts and once they're worn out they're
not a fixable item as all the internal plastic parts grate on each other - literally wearing each other down in size and
shape. Replacing the analog assembly isn't an excessively complicated job and when I have stock available there are
do-it-yourself kits available for this on the 'PSP repair kits' page if you have a 1001 or 2001 model PSP. I always
keep stock on hand for my own repairs though and it's $59 for me to replace the analog assembly in any model PSP.
Mail-in repair information and an online submission form are on the PSP repair services page .
Character movements in a game are usually controlled by either the analog assembly and/or the directional (arrows)
pad. It's pretty obvious when there's a problem with one of them as the characters will run around by themselves or
sometimes not at all - either way the games are unplayable until the problem is fixed. Most of the time when the
analog conks out you can physically feel that it's grating inside or jammed in a certain spot and if so you know that's
what needs to be replaced. You can't always feel a difference in the stick though and when that happens it's hard to
tell which component is causing the problem - the analog or the directional pad. When I get them in like that I can just
swap out parts and see what happens but most people don't have that option and there's no other definite way to tell
that I know of unfortunately.
The analog assembly or "joystick" is one of the components in a PSP that will definitely wear out with normal use. It's
used constantly in almost every video game ever made and some people are rougher on theirs than others. The
assembly inside the PSP has a stem that sticks up through the front of the console and the round "thumbpad" is a
separate item that snaps down on the stem either internally or external to the console depending on the model. The
assembly itself is a small squarish box with several different internal moving parts and once they're worn out they're
not a fixable item as all the internal plastic parts grate on each other - literally wearing each other down in size and
shape. Replacing the analog assembly isn't an excessively complicated job and when I have stock available there are
do-it-yourself kits available for this on the 'PSP repair kits' page if you have a 1001 or 2001 model PSP. I always
keep stock on hand for my own repairs though and it's $59 for me to replace the analog assembly in any model PSP.
Mail-in repair information and an online submission form are on the PSP repair services page .
R-TRIGGER
DIRECTIONAL PAD &
L-TRIGGER
L-TRIGGER
BUTTON BAR
DIRECTIONAL PAD AND L-TRIGGER PROBLEMS
These two a grouped together as they're both a part of the same internal PSP component. No matter which model PSP
you have the "dir pad" and L-trigger pad are pressure sensitive data cables that are stuck to or fitted over a plastic
frame that screws down into the console. The outer buttons are completely separate items that have a rubber backing
to hold them in place and also make an electrical connection when pressed down onto the underlying pressure pads.
The buttons themselves are rarely a problem but the pressure pads (not the rubber contacts), can wear out with a lot
of use and they're also susceptible to water damage. For the directional pad part that means the characters might
move around on their own or won't go in a certain direction. A damaged dir pad can also cause all of the PSP buttons to
freeze up and not work at all.
For the L-trigger part of the cable it might get stuck as always on or won't work at all . PSP-1001's have rubber
contacts between the pad and the trigger itself and these can get fouled with a lot of use causing all the buttons to
freeze up or erratic trigger actions as mentioned above. The 1001 contacts can be cleaned as can the arrows part of
the directional pad in a 2001 or 3001 which will sometimes solve the problem if there's actually something on the pad
that's stopping the buttons from making contact.
I charge $59 including return postage and everything to replace the whole thing and there's a do-it-yourself kit for this
also on the PSP repair kits page.
These two a grouped together as they're both a part of the same internal PSP component. No matter which model PSP
you have the "dir pad" and L-trigger pad are pressure sensitive data cables that are stuck to or fitted over a plastic
frame that screws down into the console. The outer buttons are completely separate items that have a rubber backing
to hold them in place and also make an electrical connection when pressed down onto the underlying pressure pads.
The buttons themselves are rarely a problem but the pressure pads (not the rubber contacts), can wear out with a lot
of use and they're also susceptible to water damage. For the directional pad part that means the characters might
move around on their own or won't go in a certain direction. A damaged dir pad can also cause all of the PSP buttons to
freeze up and not work at all.
For the L-trigger part of the cable it might get stuck as always on or won't work at all . PSP-1001's have rubber
contacts between the pad and the trigger itself and these can get fouled with a lot of use causing all the buttons to
freeze up or erratic trigger actions as mentioned above. The 1001 contacts can be cleaned as can the arrows part of
the directional pad in a 2001 or 3001 which will sometimes solve the problem if there's actually something on the pad
that's stopping the buttons from making contact.
I charge $59 including return postage and everything to replace the whole thing and there's a do-it-yourself kit for this
also on the PSP repair kits page.
ABXY BUTTONS AND R-TRIGGER PROBLEMS
In a PSP-1001 the "ABXY" button pads are a part of the power switch PCB. The button pads almost never just wear
out but the PCB is susceptible to water damage. If one, two, or three of these buttons won't work when you press it
them it usually means you either need a new power switch PCB or a main cable which is what transfers the PCB data
to the motherboard. If all of the buttons won't work though it's likely there's a button pad/data cable problem but
unless there's visible physical damage there's no way to tell which one it is without disassembling the console and
swapping out parts until you find the culprit. The R-trigger pad in a 1001 is a part of the main cable. The clear outside
trigger presses down on a rubber contact that makes an electrical connection with the R-trigger part of the main cable
underneath. A fouled R-trigger contact can cause all the PSP buttons to freeze up, the R-trigger to act like it's always
pressed, or just not work at all.
For PSP-2001's and 3001's the ABXY button pressure pad and R-trigger pad are a part of the main cable rather than
the power switch PCB. They don't have a separate trigger contact to get fouled so if the R-trigger isn't working
properly you'll almost certainly need a new main cable. As above, these can cause all the PSP buttons to freeze up if
it's worn out or water damaged. The main cable in this instance is a solid sheet of plastic underneath the exterior
buttons so if there's a substance on top of it blocking the button contact from touching it cleaning it off might fix the
problem. A barely damp rag is fine for this but you do want to be extra careful not to let any water seep in around the
edges and you'll also need to clean the back of the button pads as well.
I charge $59 including return postage and everything to replace the whole thing and detailed mail-in repair
information is on the PSP repair services page. There's a do-it-yourself kit for this also on the 'PSP repair kits' page.
In a PSP-1001 the "ABXY" button pads are a part of the power switch PCB. The button pads almost never just wear
out but the PCB is susceptible to water damage. If one, two, or three of these buttons won't work when you press it
them it usually means you either need a new power switch PCB or a main cable which is what transfers the PCB data
to the motherboard. If all of the buttons won't work though it's likely there's a button pad/data cable problem but
unless there's visible physical damage there's no way to tell which one it is without disassembling the console and
swapping out parts until you find the culprit. The R-trigger pad in a 1001 is a part of the main cable. The clear outside
trigger presses down on a rubber contact that makes an electrical connection with the R-trigger part of the main cable
underneath. A fouled R-trigger contact can cause all the PSP buttons to freeze up, the R-trigger to act like it's always
pressed, or just not work at all.
For PSP-2001's and 3001's the ABXY button pressure pad and R-trigger pad are a part of the main cable rather than
the power switch PCB. They don't have a separate trigger contact to get fouled so if the R-trigger isn't working
properly you'll almost certainly need a new main cable. As above, these can cause all the PSP buttons to freeze up if
it's worn out or water damaged. The main cable in this instance is a solid sheet of plastic underneath the exterior
buttons so if there's a substance on top of it blocking the button contact from touching it cleaning it off might fix the
problem. A barely damp rag is fine for this but you do want to be extra careful not to let any water seep in around the
edges and you'll also need to clean the back of the button pads as well.
I charge $59 including return postage and everything to replace the whole thing and detailed mail-in repair
information is on the PSP repair services page. There's a do-it-yourself kit for this also on the 'PSP repair kits' page.
BUTTON BAR PROBLEMS OR THE "HOME" "Do you want to quit the game?" MESSAGE POPS UP ON IT'S OWN
These wear out all the time and can cause all sorts of problems including causing all the PSP buttons to freeze up. The
volume buttons are on this and if your PSP is stuck on a certain volume replacing the button bar will almost certainly
take care of it. If you have no speaker sound at all though it's more likely a headphone jack problem as shown below.
The button bar also has the "start" button on it, "select", mute, and the backlight control - if any of these don't work a
new button bar will almost always take care of it. The "Home" button is usually the one to go first though and it's not
always so easy to tell what you need when the PSP acts like the "home" button is being pressed when it's not. If the
"home" button just doesn't work when you press it chances are it's the button bar causing the problem but if it's
activating by itself it could also be a damaged/fouled UMD trigger mechanism which will also give the same "home"
message screen asking "Do you want to quit the game?".
It's $59 total for me to replace the button bar or UMD trigger so if you're mailing it in for repair you don't have to try
to figure it out either way as there's no easy way to do so. For plain old button bar problems there's also a
do-it-yourself kit available for this on the PSP repair kits page.
These wear out all the time and can cause all sorts of problems including causing all the PSP buttons to freeze up. The
volume buttons are on this and if your PSP is stuck on a certain volume replacing the button bar will almost certainly
take care of it. If you have no speaker sound at all though it's more likely a headphone jack problem as shown below.
The button bar also has the "start" button on it, "select", mute, and the backlight control - if any of these don't work a
new button bar will almost always take care of it. The "Home" button is usually the one to go first though and it's not
always so easy to tell what you need when the PSP acts like the "home" button is being pressed when it's not. If the
"home" button just doesn't work when you press it chances are it's the button bar causing the problem but if it's
activating by itself it could also be a damaged/fouled UMD trigger mechanism which will also give the same "home"
message screen asking "Do you want to quit the game?".
It's $59 total for me to replace the button bar or UMD trigger so if you're mailing it in for repair you don't have to try
to figure it out either way as there's no easy way to do so. For plain old button bar problems there's also a
do-it-yourself kit available for this on the PSP repair kits page.
CHARGING PROBLEMS
This is common and almost always fixable without having to install a new motherboard. All PSP models have the same
the outside that the inner pin is broken off or something's jammed in there the socket isn't the problem but if it is there
are do-it-yourself charger socket replacement kits on the PSP repair kit page or it's $59 if I do it.
PSP batteries are rechargeable but eventually they'll wear out and won't be able to take a charge anymore just from
age and use. The PSP chargers can conk out too so it's important with any charging problem to try somebody else's
battery and charger first to be sure the PSP is actually the cause of the problem. I have official Sony brand chargers
and batteries available on the 'PSP parts' page too if you need one. In both cases there are other companies that make
and sell PSP "compatible" batteries and chargers, often for an amazingly low price. The quality of these items varies
greatly, usually depending on price like everything else - some work great and some not at all so don't assume it's the
PSP just because your new battery or charger doesn't work either.
Ruling those two out it's common for PSP fuses to blow from a power surge, if they're just been plugged in too long, or
plugged in with no battery installed. If you know your battery and charger are good but the orange charge light doesn't
come on when you plug the PSP into the charger it's usually a blown fuse (or fuses). Occasionally the orange light will
work and it still won't charge but that's rare. The fuses are tiny items soldered to the motherboard so fixing them isn't
a good job for a beginner at all but I charge $59 if you'd like to mail it in.
the outside that the inner pin is broken off or something's jammed in there the socket isn't the problem but if it is there
are do-it-yourself charger socket replacement kits on the PSP repair kit page or it's $59 if I do it.
PSP batteries are rechargeable but eventually they'll wear out and won't be able to take a charge anymore just from
age and use. The PSP chargers can conk out too so it's important with any charging problem to try somebody else's
battery and charger first to be sure the PSP is actually the cause of the problem. I have official Sony brand chargers
and batteries available on the 'PSP parts' page too if you need one. In both cases there are other companies that make
and sell PSP "compatible" batteries and chargers, often for an amazingly low price. The quality of these items varies
greatly, usually depending on price like everything else - some work great and some not at all so don't assume it's the
PSP just because your new battery or charger doesn't work either.
Ruling those two out it's common for PSP fuses to blow from a power surge, if they're just been plugged in too long, or
plugged in with no battery installed. If you know your battery and charger are good but the orange charge light doesn't
come on when you plug the PSP into the charger it's usually a blown fuse (or fuses). Occasionally the orange light will
work and it still won't charge but that's rare. The fuses are tiny items soldered to the motherboard so fixing them isn't
a good job for a beginner at all but I charge $59 if you'd like to mail it in.
I've tried to cover all the most common problems here and I'll be adding
more information if I forgot something or as time allows.
In many of the above instances I have do-it-yourself PSP repair kits made
up that will fix the problem and no matter what it's doing I can always
figure it out and give you a proper quote if you'd like to mail it in.
Links are below if you need them and if you want to ask a question you're
welcome to email any time and I'll try to help. Thank you, Lynn Brown
more information if I forgot something or as time allows.
In many of the above instances I have do-it-yourself PSP repair kits made
up that will fix the problem and no matter what it's doing I can always
figure it out and give you a proper quote if you'd like to mail it in.
Links are below if you need them and if you want to ask a question you're
welcome to email any time and I'll try to help. Thank you, Lynn Brown