Playstation 2 FAQ


Why does my PS2 have a black screen after the logo?

In this article I will break down a common issue with the PS2 console, having a black screen after the logo (Splash Screen). Believe it or not this can actually mean several things as there are multiple issues that can cause this to happen. We'll start by breaking down the issue and making sure it matches the issue you're having.

What does a black screen after the logo mean?

There are a few ways this can manifest and it may be completely different issues. Some may confuse an issue they have with audio and video and assume they have a display issue. If you see the logo screen you don't have an issue like that. If you had a major hardware failure or physical damage in your A/V port you wouldn't even see the logo screen. If you came here with an issue where you have a black screen at all times and never see anything on your TV, then you should click here and read the article on video output issues and how to fix them.

The next thing we need to clarify is WHEN this is happening. As seeing a black screen after the logo can actually happen in two completely different ways. If you boot the console and let it go to the main menu, then put a disc in the console, does it boot into the Playstation 2 logo screen but then just shows a black screen? Then your problem is tied to the disc drive. What happens if you boot the PS2 up and it has a black screen even when you don't have a disc in the console? Then you more than likely have software or motherboard issues. Now that we have that sorted out, let's break down each one, and what you can do about it!

Black screen is caused by the disc drive

To break it down, the PS2 logo screen is also a kind of loading screen, the console is running system checks and the BIOS is running it's processes to get the console up and running. This is also giving the console a second to read any media you have and decide what to do with it. So, the logo screen isn't just an ad for the PS2, it serves an important purpose. It also acts as a visual que that the console is on instead of just leaving a black screen while it boots. This is important because during that process it is attempting to read and start any discs you have inserted in the console.

So what happens if the console and therefore disc drive is able to read the disc and start booting it, but encounters a problem before everything is actually ready? Essentially, it gets stuck in a loop. If the disc drive is totally dead, you would instead see a disc read error screen because it was unable to get enough information to load the game. The reason you will get stuck on a black screen after the logo is that the disc drive was able to read the disc, determine it's a game, and start attempting to load.

First and foremost let's address the obvious issue. This might actually be the discs themselves. If the disc(s) you are using are badly scratched this can be very common. Sometimes even just a few scratches can cause this. If the damage to the disc is in the perfectly worst possible spot or just a really deep scratch, it can be just enough to cause this black screen. Because the drive might pick up enough info to start loading the game, but then hit an issue with unreadable data on this disc. So make sure that isn't the case here. If your discs are in rough shape, consider taking them to a local game shop. Most local game shops offer resurfacing services and they are usually very cheap.

If your discs are good and you are getting stuck on the black screen after the logo with multiple games, or all your games. Then this would be the disc drive itself. Some people think a disc drive will either work, or it won't. However in most cases the drive will actually slowly break down and cause issues. This means that during this process the disc drive may still be capable getting info off the disc and attempt to load the game, but still not be able to read enough to get past the logo screen. Which inevitably gets the console stuck in a loop, and thus unable to show anything after the black screen.

How do you fix it then?

In some cases this can also be a matter of the disc drive being dirty. Dust collects inside and can also slowly prevent the drive from working correctly. So in some cases you would be able to open the console and disc drive, and clean all the dust out. The PS2 is very easy to open and all you need to clean the laser lens is some rubbing alcohol and q-tips. So before you go buying any replacement parts try opening it and cleaning it first. Just keep in mind, as the inside of the console gets dusty, the disc drive is having to work harder to read the games. If you have a black screen after the logo and you solve the problem with cleaning, you should still understand that whatever damage had been done and whatever ware and tear it created still means the disc drive isn't running in pristine condition. So eventually the disc drive will fail. If cleaning doesn't help then your next option is to swap the entire disc drive with a replacement like one of these. Just make sure you open your console and check which disc drive version you need, as they do not have model numbers like most do. The good thing is that replacing the disc drive is actually pretty simple. There is no soldering required and you don't need anything more than a few Phillips screwdrivers and maybe needle nose pliers. Now, let's move on to the motherboard and hardware issues that will cause your PS2 to have a black screen after the logo.

When the motherboard is causing the black screen

Now we move on to the second cause of this. If you don't have a game inside the console, but still only boots to the logo screen but gets stuck on a black screen, then you have a hardware or even a software issue. As some of you may know, the PS2 console has a decent sized modding scene. With the rear access to an internal HDD there are a lot of software modifications you can perform. The reason I mention this is because modding can also be the cause of a black screen. If the console is modded with software mods it is very possible the file system has gotten messed up. This is especially true if you have changed or altered the booting process in any way. An example of that would be some of the more advanced mod chips that replace the A/V port with an HDMI port. Some of these actually have a software side that offers boot menus with options and features you can use. If the mod chip starts to fail or something in the bios gets corrupted this can absolutely cause the black screen after the logo because it will be stuck in a loop. Additionally, you could be attempting to boot games off the hard drive that are corrupt, which can mimic the issue of a bad disc drive almost exactly. Because it would be impossible for me to cover every issue and every modification I won't go into any details on fixing this but definitely focus on the mods themselves if you are stuck on that black screen.

Lastly, The entire motherboard could just be failing. Even on a non-modified PS2 console the Bios can get corrupted and get stuck in a boot loop after the logo screen. Sometimes when this happens it can load just enough to actually get to the menu, but will have tons of distorted or scrolling images. In the VAST majority of cases a hardware failure that is causing a black screen after the logo is a non-repairable issue. In some cases the components themselves would all have to be replaced that deal with the GPU, BIOS, etc. This means it is completely impractical as you would need to scalp most of the important components from a working one and then install them on the motherboard with the black screen issue. At that point you might as well just take the donor motherboard and swap it with the broken one. So, you can still replace the motherboard itself with a good working replacement motherboard like one of these. The process to swapping a motherboard is actually very simply, you just have to remove the old one and install the new one. You don't need to solder or flash or program anything at all. You just want to get the model number of your current one and replace it!

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