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PS2 problem

T

tiagnan

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May 23, 2025
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I got a PS2 Slim 90000 not work and its cooler wouldn't spin. I replaced it with a new cooler and the console worked normally, but recently it sometimes turns off and the red LED on the power button flashes any seconds and stop in red light. How can I solve the problem? This only happens sometimes and is unpredictable.
 
tiagnan said:
its cooler wouldn't spin.
I replaced it with a new cooler
Click to expand...
There's a terminology issue here.

What exactly did you replace? Note "cooler" typically suggest a heatsink with an attached fan - often referred to as a "heatsink fan assembly" or "HSF".

To say the "cooler" wouldn't "spin" suggests the cooler's "fan" had failed and would no longer spin.

So when you say you replace it with a new cooler, what do you mean? Did you replace just the fan? Or did you replace the entire heatsink fan assembly?

If just the fan, is it an identical replacement with a fan that is rated to move the same (or more) amount of air (CFM - cubic feet per minute) at the same RPM (revolutions per minute)?

If the entire HSF assembly, is it an identical replacement or something better?

And if you removed the entire HSF assembly, did you properly clean the mating surfaces and properly apply a fresh, new layer of TIM (thermal interface material)? Old TIM must never be reused.

Note, if you only replaced the fan and not the heatsink too, "IF" you broke the cured bond of the old TIM between the heatsink and processor, you still need to pull the entire assembly, thoroughly clean away the old TIM, and properly apply a fresh new layer. Not doing this will result in inadequate transfer of heat.
 
I only replaced the cooler and didn't change anything else. The cooler I used is a replica of the original PS2 Slim 90K cooler purchased on Aliexpress The PS2 Slim 90K uses a thermal pad, but I don't have a thermal pad. I have silver thermal paste, but I think it's expired.
 
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tiagnan said:
but I don't have a thermal pad. I have silver thermal paste, but I think it's expired.
Click to expand...

So you used the thermal paste? or you didnt use anything? In either case it sounds like you smoked it by overheating it, or you shorted it out because you used paste where a thermal pad was needed instead.

Even if you somehow manage to get it to work you should remember that shortcuts (especially in electronics) are generally expensive.
 
I don't know if it has thermal paste, I didn't check, I got the console from a friend, I just changed the cooler and the processor hasn't died yet, the problem I mentioned only happens sometimes
 
tiagnan said:
I only replaced the cooler and didn't change anything else.
Click to expand...
Assuming you mean this when you say "cooler", then okay, I see what you mean.

I also am confused about the TIM. If you removed the entire cooler, then you should have cleaned off all the old TIM (pad or paste - doesn't matter) and applied new TIM when mounting the replacement cooler. If you failed to do that, then I agree with Solaris17 and if there are no thermal protection features, you may have already smoked the processor.

tiagnan said:
I have silver thermal paste, but I think it's expired.
Click to expand...
It doesn't expire. If you mean you have an opened tube (meaning it once was exposed to air) it can dry out and become hard and no longer spreadable. But if what's in the tube is still in a liquid form with no dry bits, it remains good.

Once properly applied, it will easily last 10, 15 years or longer AS LONG AS the cured bond between the heatsink and processor is never broken.

In any case, all that seems after the fact now and the damage may have already been done.

My advice now is to unplug the unit from the wall, remove the new cooler, use isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs or a clean microfiber cloth to thoroughly clean the mating surfaces and then apply a fresh, new, thin as possible, layer of TIM ensuring complete coverage of the die. Then carefully remount the cooler. I am assuming there are no dry chunks of TIM in the tube. If there are, throw it away. Go buy new TIM and don't use this device until you apply the new TIM.
 
What is TIM? Is it thermal paste? I didn't remove the metal heatsink from the board, I just replaced the fan cooler

Can I apply paste on top of the thermal pad? I don't have a new thermal pad for the PS2 Slim 90000

The PSTemps app shows temperatures of 56C while using the console
 
tiagnan said:
What is TIM? Is it thermal paste?
Click to expand...
TIM (thermal interface material) is a general term that includes thermal pastes, thermal adhesives, thermal tape and thermal pads.

Generally, its purpose is to fill the microscopic pits and valleys in mating surfaces of the processor and the heatsink. This is necessary because maximum transfer occurs with direct metal to metal contact of those surfaces. However, those tiny pits and valleys can trap insulating air between the surfaces. We don't want anything that insulates in there. So the TIM pushes out the air and fills those spaces with heat transferring materials.

tiagnan said:
Can I apply paste on top of the thermal pad?
Click to expand...
NO!!! Never!

TIM (regardless type) should never be reused. You should always totally clean off any old TIM before applying new TIM.

Also, various makers use different formulas for their TIMs. So mixing should be avoid since we don't know how one my react with the other.

tiagnan said:
I didn't remove the metal heatsink from the board, I just replaced the fan cooler
Click to expand...
As long and you didn't break loose the cured bond between the heatsink and the processer you should be fine and don't need to do anything.

56°C is warm, not hot.
 
but why does it sometimes turn off and the red LED on the power button flashes for a few seconds? I changed the cooler and the temp is 56C
 
Have you checked the disk drive? The connections on either side? What about the ribbon cable? seated all the way? Damaged?
 
tiagnan said:
I got a PS2 Slim 90000 not work and its cooler wouldn't spin. I replaced it with a new cooler and the console worked normally, but recently it sometimes turns off and the red LED on the power button flashes any seconds and stop in red light. How can I solve the problem? This only happens sometimes and is unpredictable.
Click to expand...
Based on the symptoms you describe, it's throwing the red LED of death - The only fix is to have the machine "Reballed".

That means the solder itself connecting the solder pads of the CPU and GPU chips to the board have cracked over the years due to thermal expansion and contraction cycles seen over time and it's finally starting to have enough micro-fracturing in these solder points to affect the machine's operation.
As said, only fix is to have it reballed.

NOTE:
Reflowing it will work but only for a short time before it starts acting up again, so get it reballed properly and it will run correctly after that with no further issues from that problem.
You will need to find someone with the equipment to do the work properly, it's not something you can just do on the kitchen table so don't try it yourself.
 
tiagnan said:
The PS2 Slim 90K uses a thermal pad, but I don't have a thermal pad. I have silver thermal paste, but I think it's expired.
Click to expand...

Please, please don't do this. Just buy a new set of thermal pads. This is the reason your console is overheating and shutting down.

Bones said:
NOTE:
Reflowing it will work but only for a short time before it starts acting up again, so get it reballed properly and it will run correctly after that with no further issues from that problem.
You will need to find someone with the equipment to do the work properly, it's not something you can just do on the kitchen table so don't try it yourself.
Click to expand...

I don't think so, at least not yet. Will get to this point if OP continues to operate it incorrectly, though.
 
Dr. Dro said:
Please, please don't do this. Just buy a new set of thermal pads. This is the reason your console is overheating and shutting down.



I don't think so, at least not yet. Will get to this point if OP continues to operate it incorrectly, though.
Click to expand...
I believe the damage has already been done based on what they described in their opening and subsequent posts but you are right about one thing - Use thermal pads instead of standard TIM for best results.
In fact it needs these pads or it's just gonna keep doing what it's doing now, even if it's reballed. They can try replacing the padding first and see what it does but I'm thinking the damage is already done here.
 
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