New UMD Drive not Recognized

[jonebgd098]

I recently purchased the "Sony PSP Replacement UMD Drive + Laser Assembly" (for PSP FAT) from ConsoleZombie and used your excellent tutorials to replace the drive.  Thanks so much for those tutorials.  They made this change SO much easier.

After putting everything back together, the PSP does not recognize the drive and I had 2 questions:
1. Is it necessary to remove the soldier "drip" that comes on the UMD laser cable?  I saw other drives similar to this one stating that to make the drive work you needed to remove that soldier spot.  Does this apply to your drive as well?  I noticed the original drive removed did not have the soldier spot.
2. I accidentally broke the UMD drive cover (and recently ordered a replacement from you guys) and was wondering if there was some switch that drive door pushed so the system would recognize the drive which is causing me such heartburn?

All the other functions of the system work as expected, it is just recognition of the drive that is failing. 

Thanks for any assistance/advice you can provide.
John

P.S. Possible Pertinent info: FAT Sony PSP running FW v2.71

[TheZombieMaster]

1. Is it necessary to remove the soldier "drip" that comes on the UMD laser cable? 

Thats right. Just remove the solder point with a soldering iron.

[jonebgd098]

That did it!!  The new UMD drive I bought from you works perfectly now.  Needless to say there is one VERY happy 6 year old in my house!!  Thank you so much for the quick response to my question, the incredible tutorials, and just all around great service!!  You just earned a customer for life and I have already told many friends about your website as well.

If I could be so bold as to make some suggestions:
1. In your store where you advertise the UMD drive, make a notation about ordering the UMD drive cover there as well.  They WILL need it!!  If I saw it there with the drive, I would have ordered it with the drive.   

2. Make a note on the merchandise or in the tut about the soldier point needing to be removed on the ribbon cable.  I had done my homework and that was why I knew about the soldier point, but many people may not find that info as quickly as others.

Other than that, I thank you for the great service.

John

[zerodoubt]

I just ordered a replacement drive from you guys. I put everything back together, but it is still not working. When I put in a cd it sounds like the laser is moving back and forth, but the cd is not spinning. I am not sure as to what is wrong with it. On another note was I suppossed to remove the solder dot as well.

[TheZombieMaster]

Yes. The drive won't work if you don't remove the solder.

[zerodoubt]

ok so I need to remove the dot of solder. Why do we have to remove it? Why don't you just remove it if it has to be removed before use? Also if I remove the dot and it still doesn't work is that going to mess up any kind of warranty on the drive you sent me?

What is the best way to remove it? I do have a solder iron, but I don't have a solder vaccum!

[TheZombieMaster]

Its there to protect the drive from static during shipping. The warranty wont be affected unless you burn a hole through the cable. A desoldering braid is probably the easiest way...

[zerodoubt]

Its there to protect the drive from static during shipping. The warranty wont be affected unless you burn a hole through the cable. A desoldering braid is probably the easiest way...

Finally got around to doing this and used the braid, it worked like a charm! After I put everything else back together it worked and started reading discs and everything. The drive is a little bit noisy, more noisy than my other psp which is the same model. It works, but is that something to be worried about?

[TheZombieMaster]

All the replacements seem to be a little noisier that stock. Not sure why, but it doesn't seem to affect reliability.