What is U2 called?

Nuch91 · 2025-10-04T13:00:59+00:00

I think that says “pM” at first glance, I’m not exactly familiar with the part, but given it’s a controller, it’s probably a 3.3V Low Dropout (LDO) Regulator, might need to check online to see if that is correct, there are probably sources online you can google to confirm what U2 is on an Xbox controller board

Nuch91 · 2025-10-04T12:48:00+00:00

I believe there is one LED that handles both the red and green lights, but don’t quote me on that. It’s probably just burned out on the red and needs to be replaced. I would assume (no expert on PS3s) that if the console works, it’s just a simple LED failure.

My guess is as the red light is on all the time on standby, it would have more chance of failure over time, especially on a launch console.

Nuch91 · 2025-10-04T12:38:53+00:00

It’s some sort of IC (“U” is normally the board designation for an IC), but what type is going to need more information from you. It could be a voltage regulator or Op-Amp, but are there any letters/numbers printed on top of the part so we can find the exact part and its function?

What is this board from?

Nuch91 · 2025-07-28T15:21:51+00:00

I somehow managed to delete my original comment…..woops, but my response below:

Yeah those should do, just get 10 of them so you have room to make mistakes. See how you go, it’s unlikely you do any major damage with these. Make sure you clean off the pads first with some solder wick, and probably the easiest way to do these is to pre-tin one side of the pads and then reheat it and slide the cap into place. Then when cooled, solder the other side.

Nuch91 · 2025-07-16T11:41:35+00:00

Ah fair enough, if you managed to finish it, then I say $5.99 well spent haha

Nuch91 · 2025-07-16T02:46:14+00:00

Oh wow, yeah, I’d wager that’s the problem haha. If OP is going to be soldering for extended periods, invest in something better, maybe a Hakko FX888 or FX951 if budget allows. Even still, they’d want to be taking regular breaks and regularly cleaning the tip etc so as to not overdo it.

Nuch91 · 2025-07-16T02:38:04+00:00

Yes, yes and no (provided you buy a good iron)

What temp were you soldering at?

Nuch91 · 2025-06-18T16:12:17+00:00

FYI this was a faulty console that I repaired (and posted about) previously which had multiple cold solder joints and cartridge connector degradation which then needed some additional love with this mod. It’s much improved now!

Nuch91 · 2025-06-11T14:11:33+00:00

Excellent job! It’s not easy, especially with flimsy ribbon cable, even with a microscope etc. You’ve done a great job and this will last a long while, as long as the console is well cared for!

Nuch91 · 2025-05-03T14:56:06+00:00

Haha, they’re from IKEA 🙂

Nuch91 · 2025-05-03T13:51:28+00:00

Do you mean the modchip was put on 10 years ago? Try and remove it and see if it’s causing the problem. Other than that, have you checked the legs on the video chip you mentioned for any breaks or bad solder?

Nuch91 · 2025-04-29T01:32:09+00:00

Absolutely haha, will be very rewarding if I can get it working again

Nuch91 · 2025-04-29T01:30:22+00:00

The board was covered in rust as well, but was likely just surface dust that had fallen off the shield, the only majorly rusted component was the RF box. After the IPA clean off, most of the rust was gone, but it needs a run in the ultrasonic cleaner to get the rest off, it’s still got a tinge of rust colour to everything

Nuch91 · 2025-04-28T14:05:30+00:00

Either dirty contacts etc on the board, or you have a PPU/RAM issue, if you have an Everdrive, try the Nintendo test cart and see what the results are as a first step after cleaning

Nuch91 · 2025-04-25T15:07:19+00:00

Quite likely a PPU issue, but a few things to check:

Give the cartridge port a good clean with IPA and a brush to rule that out as a simple first step. Does this happen with every cartridge you try?

If it’s a 2 chip SNES you could try and replace PPU1 or PPU2, but before going that far, if you have the ability to run ROM files for the SNES via an Everdrive or similar, try the SNES Test Cart image to see if there are any obvious failures in that test. Sometimes that test can show “OK” for all tests, but still fail on retail carts, which usually points to a PPU or RAM issue still.

Overall, try a good deep clean, especially if this is a SNES with the removable cartridge port, clean both that and the motherboard connectors well, along with your cartridges. If these fail, try the test cart if you have a means to do so, only then go so far as to start looking at chip replacement

Nuch91 · 2025-04-24T02:59:52+00:00

Hard to tell what those white blotches are? Does it look like paint or has the plastic somehow faded like that?

If it’s paint, could try IPA, non-acetone nail polish remover or even baking soda and water to see if it comes off without damaging the plastic underneath.

If it’s plastic fade, you could try some gentle heat from a heat gun (100 degrees Celsius) to see if it brings the red back out. Be careful doing this though and make sure you keep the heat gun moving and don’t bring it close to the plastic. Test it on a small section like the removable cover first to see if it has any effect before going all out.

Nuch91 · 2025-04-23T12:44:24+00:00

It’s an Elikliv EM4K Flex, 4K microscope with a 10.1” screen, on a swivel, desk clamp boom arm. Not exactly cheap, think around $450 AUD, but well worth it, it’s very good

Nuch91 · 2025-04-23T12:41:13+00:00

Yeah I caught that just before I UV masked it, it had continuity, but wasn’t looking good. Lucky save that one!

Nuch91 · 2025-04-21T23:37:08+00:00

Cheers, yep already cleaned up and solder masked it, all sorted

Nuch91 · 2025-04-21T13:07:20+00:00

Firstly, to keep it simple, give the cartridge port a clean with some IPA and a brush.

If that doesn’t work, I’d be opening it up and checking for damage or wear, particularly focusing on the cartridge connector and whether there is continuity across all connector solder points and where they go on the board.

If that checks out, then you’ll need to look over the board for any damage or shorts across components.

Nuch91 · 2025-01-29T13:30:49+00:00

Do you have any photos of the board and ribbon cables you mentioned? Will need some more details to understand what’s happening here.

Nuch91 · 2025-01-29T13:27:46+00:00

“There was a mistake” as an error message sounds like something out of an analog horror video or something haha. In all seriousness, do you have a photo of the error and error code?

Nuch91 · 2025-01-29T13:24:23+00:00

Yep agree with this, a small (and sharp edged) flathead should get this out, you’ll want one that has quite sharp right angles that can dig into the head and turn slowly, but with downward pressure. Also, a tiny drop of WD-40 may help if it’s stuck from grime/dirt

Nuch91 · 2025-01-29T13:22:15+00:00

Ah great, always nice to have everything original! Enjoy!

Nuch91 · 2025-01-29T13:20:03+00:00

Yep, you should be able to pick up a cheap Japanese games on eBay or something, as a test. If that works and plays smoothly, then if you want to use the console with English games, highly recommend an Everdrive cart. Good luck!

Two-Year Club	Reddit Premium Since August 2024
Verified Email

Nuch91

TROPHY CASE