PS2 Disk Read Errors

[Hive]

Can someone help me out here? I bought a PS2 in August of 2003. It's never caused me any trouble and its been treated with utmost care.

Today, my little bro got Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal. After watching him play for about 2 hours straight, he has to do some chores so I try it out. Everything's going fine until I get to the second planet, where the screen freezes and the console is making this sound I've never heard before.

I reset the console. The disk doesn't read and the same vibratey, scratchy, humming sound is repeating over and over. At first we thought the tray was loose, but even when the tray is ejected, the sound continues.

I went onto some PS2 forum online and found out i'm probably experiencing the early stages of Disk Read Error. The reccommended ways to counter it are:
-reset the system [i let it sit for about an hour, no dice]
-vaccuum the vents [tried it. the sound took longer to start, but it came]
-use a lens cleaning disk [dont have one]
-email sony for help [did, but its a holiday and i probably wont get a response for a few days. the response will probably be some stock computer message that wont help me at all anyways]
-take the console apart and adjust the lens [voids the warranty and is probably best left to professionals who will charge me an arm and a leg]

anyone else ever experience this? what did you do to fix it? whats my best option?

[snare]

Best thing to do is give the disk a good rub, as it may be dust preventing the PS from reading it. Rub the disk up and down, not following the circular shape. If that doesn't work, go get it cleaned somewhere. Some video shops clean CD's.

[Hive]

Best thing to do is give the disk a good rub, as it may be dust preventing the PS from reading it. Rub the disk up and down, not following the circular shape. If that doesn't work, go get it cleaned somewhere. Some video shops clean CD's.
it makes the sound even when there is no disk inserted. and the disk was brand-new anyways

[Anarchy for the UK]

if the colour on the bottom of the disc is blue that could be the problem. sony changed the format of the blue discs so if you bought one of these new formatted games it doesnt play on the old format console. i had the same problem with mine, so i took it down to place i bought it and they swapped my old console for a new formatted one.

its seriously annoying...

[Hive]

if the colour on the bottom of the disc is blue that could be the problem. sony changed the format of the blue discs so if you bought one of these new formatted games it doesnt play on the old format console. i had the same problem with mine, so i took it down to place i bought it and they swapped my old console for a new formatted one.it makes the sound even when there is no disk inserted. and the disk was brand-new anyways
the disk it started on has the standard silver bottom

[Patrick_]

This happend to mine a while ago too. When I was playing san andreas the screen would just go black, and then it would say Error reading disc: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. So I took out the disc to clean it and put it back in, then It just wouldnt load the game at all. So I was to lazy to take it apart and I ended up getting a mini ps2 for christmas yesterday. So I still have my old one, but its busted.

[Esp Griffyn]

Im onto my 3rd Ps2 in 4 years. I know from experience, that this is a sign that your ps2 is on the way out.

[Hive]

we've decided that, since our warranty has long since expired, we're going to take 'er apart ourselves and re-align the laser. If we happen to bork something up, we'll surrender and take it to the techies.

[Esp Griffyn]

Its cheaper in the long run just to buy another one.