# PS2 Disk read error? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps2-disk-read-error/315140 "2005-08-01T14:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hende](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/aca169/32.png) [@hende](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hende)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps2-disk-read-error/315140/1 "2005-08-01T14:52:49Z")
I have had a Playstation2 for a few years now. It has worked fine until about a month ago. Whenever I insert a game, it trys to read the disk and then comes up with an error on reading the disk. Its not the disks themselves because they work on other PS2’s. I bought a cleaning kit where you insert a special cd that is supposed to clean off the optical lense but that doesn’t seem to work. Every once in a while, like 1 in a 1000 tries it will load the game and work perfectly fine until I either turn the PS2 off or try to put a different game in. What is wrong with my gaming console? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps2-disk-read-error/315140/2 "2005-08-01T15:08:13Z")
Do you (or did you) use the console in the “upright” position? I heard rumors that doing so could ruin the PS2. Although I heard taht was related to the tray mechanism, not the lens… Regardless, I don’t think there’s anything you can do about it. Sony _might_ have a repair plan, but it would certainly cost money. It might just be worth it to get a new PS2, once you factor in having tocal them, box it up, send it out, wait a few weeks, then get it back, and maybe even havingp aid close to the price for a new one. ---
**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps2-disk-read-error/315140/3 "2005-08-01T19:16:01Z")
I had the same problem. After a little digging around the web, I found that this is a very, very common problem. Common enough, that Sony fixes it free… Even out of warranty. Call up their support, They’ll tell you to send it in. ---
**Author:** ![hende](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/aca169/32.png) [@hende](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hende)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps2-disk-read-error/315140/4 "2005-08-01T19:59:11Z")
Hmm, well what if i took it apart last night trying to fix it myself and broke the warranty seal? I didn’t do anything other than clean all the dust off the inside but still… ---
**Author:** ![buckgully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@buckgully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buckgully)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps2-disk-read-error/315140/5 "2005-08-01T20:13:14Z")
If you opened up the box then you’re out of luck on the free Sony fix. They won’t even look at boxes that the tamper evident seals broken. On the other hand, the fix is usually fairly simple for someone who can figure out how to get the box open. I used the following instructions from the X-play website when mine started doing it, and it’s been good for a while now: [http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/features/45797/PlayStation\_2\_Disc\_Read\_Error\_Fix.html](http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/features/45797/PlayStation_2_Disc_Read_Error_Fix.html)