Right! I'm only 30, and I still feel weirded out that people think the PSone is retro! I honestly view everything from NES and below as retro, and the SNES/Genesis as "classical". With the Saturn, PSone and N64 as "old school", haha. Those are my "classifications" of older systems honestly. I mean when you think about it, the PSone came out technically in 1994, it kind of fits into the SNES/Genesis/Turbo era in an odd way. Yet bridges the gap between the old and the new at the same time, as I've always looked at the PSone as the birth of modern gaming. So it's 50 times harder for me to view the PS2 as retro by any means.
+Eric Durant well they view it by when theyre released. but i know what you mean im 24 and ps1 is the best system of all time to me that i grew up on. its ard to admit but i see it like this for now, anything that can be emulated especially on a cell phone is definitely retro. ps1 is on that list, ps2 ot really but gamecube yes and dreamcast. however slow. And gta's on ps2 have been ported to phones so yeah theyre retro too. but i wouldnt view ps1 with genesis etc. considering it came out in 1989. 94 was a new generation. thats when cds started taking over really. and ps1 was the first full fledged, actually well selling, worthwhile, console that used cds. because i think something else came before it. maybe 3do was 93 im not sure.
Not all Ps2 controllers are the same, the same thing implies on PS1 DualShock controllers, some have 7 screws, some have different motherboards, some have six screws, and some have ribbon cables attached to a connector or others have a piece of foam pressing the connector on to the contacts just thought I'd throw that out.
Thank you so much, I was cleaning an old controller I bought from a friend, and it had a foam piece connecting a ribbon to the motherboard, and it fell out. Later, I saw this comment and ran to go find it, and I fixed it
The foam version is kindof annoying to put back together. I recommend just gluing the foam piece to the case but a weak glue so it doesn't get lost or springs out whilst you're trying to put the thing back together.
yeah this, make sure the foam piece lines up correctly when putting it back together, I had mine slip a bit and didnt notice, went to use it and buttons were pressing randomly all over the place. fixed it afterwards though
You're mostly correct, however, Sony's manufacturing of the DS2 had remained consistent with the same external design (all DS2s have 6 screws). This site's pretty useful for determining DS2 versions, and also for cross-referencing PCBs to see if you have a bootleg or a legit controller: www.slagcoin.com/joystick/pcb_wiring.html
I did a few of these. I learnt that you can actually take out the L2 and R2 buttons out entirely through the outside and then you can simply pop them into place through the holes at the end after full assembly - saves so much fiddling about when joining the 2 halves together.
I've never owned any Playstation. I've only played the PS1 and PS2 a few times. But yet I'm still here watching Adam clean a PS2 controller :D. Thanks for the great content, Adam.
That's where I'm stuck right now. The pads for L2 and R2 keep pushing L2 and R2 down so you can't press it once it's together. :/ Can't find anything online about that.
@@ThePluralApostrophe Wow I have the exact same problem I had the right analog stick screwed up but now that that works the L and R buttons are messed up :-/
+1 for the restoration videos its good to see how to take things apart and put back together for those of us that lack confidence in doing so without a reference source,thanks
The tricky part about these is that some PS2 controllers have loose instead of fixed soft plastic pieces that are under the triggers (I think the censors for the triggers), and that can be a huge pan in the ass to realign properly because they move around when you are putting the control shell back together. I had to put a dab of glue under the plastic censor pieces to get them to stay so I could get them to align with the triggers.
+Harold Cox-Zucker Yeah, same here. Like a mini-puzzle realigning everything on these controllers. It's worth it though, as every PS2 controller I've cleaned has tons of crud inside.
Just remove the R2/L2 buttons from the base unit. Just push the plastic noses with a plastic tool back. After removing them, put base unit and top unit together. Simply push R2/L2 back into their housing.
Wow....I spent an hour the other night trying to get it back together with the triggers aligned. I held the triggers in place while dropping the bottom half back on. The interstellar docking music should've been playing.
A tip I learned years ago from my friends mom who worked in electronics manufacturing. A simple rubber eraser works miracles cleaning and restoring metal to metal contacts. Like card edge readers and cartridge contact points. The eraser and some elbow grease will remove all the dirt and out any chemicals or moisture. Have saved many cartridge games this way. N64 games seem especially susceptible to dirt and corrosion to the point where they wont even boot. This trick has worked for me every time I have tried it.
My old clear ps2 controller wasn't working for nearly all of my games. It is really old and it has a lot of nostalgia (atleast from when it worked) and I cleaned it using your method and it works flawlessly now and looks great. Thanks so much!
Can anyone explain to me how do I fix the analog sticks? They sometimes get stuck in a certain position and they do not move smoothly. I neither have a duster or Pledge so I need alternatives.
Likely there is some Coca-Cola or something like that gone over there. Safest way would be to just put some sewing machine oil into the analog pad mechanism. Isopropyl alcohol would be better to use first thou, as it cleans up the dirt properly, but it could also damage the mechanism.
Window cleaner could leave a thin residue over the contacts. It's best to use isopropyl alcohol or maybe even a dedicated electronic safe contact cleaner, like WD-40, CRC or other brands.
I suggest cleaning the buttons contact points with Isopropyl alcohol. My start and select did not work first when i put my controller back together, but after i did that, it worked again.
My PS2 controller is in a' half functional state', where the D-Pad, L1 and L2 buttons do not work. So I tried this, to a degree, and my PS2 controller doesn't function still. It's old, and was corded up for like a decade (from a family member). What can I do? Anything else more specialized?
One thing to consider if you're doing this with an old PS1 DualShock is that the rumble motors aren't nicely mounted and are only attached by a wire when you take the shell off. Mine dropped unexpectedly when I took it apart a few years ago, but thankfully it didn't tear the wire.
Some of you commenting have reported the controller not working afterwards, my suggestion is looking at the circuit membrane connection. If you have a pressure fit connection between the controller's main board and the membrane, try increasing the pressure in that connection. The foam pads that push these against the controller compress over time, and will not make a good connection when reassembled. I cut a couple pieces of paper to shape and put them behind the foam piece to solve this issue. If you have the solid connection terminal for the membrane, I recommend replacing the membrane instead, as they are incredibly difficult to repair.
Also as another bit of advice, while Adam did a stellar job reassembling his controller, I recommend reassembling by fitting all but the shoulder buttons back in, controller guts, back casing, fastening the screws back in, and then pushing the shoulder buttons back in with the controller reassembled. Just pinch the side clips for L1 and R1, be mindful not to reinstall them upside down, and L2/R2 are easier to push back in, and only go in one way. Hope it helps.
what is that claw thing called that sits on the D pad?, been trying to find these, I was lucky to find one in a bundle, but I want to get more of that thing.
Protip for reassembly: when you have R2 and L2 in the correct place, push on them gently from the inside so that they're level. Tape them on the outside, and you won't have to worry about them falling off.
No don't do this. when you open up the controller you shall remove the L2 and R2 from the bottom shell and do the same with L1 and R1. when putting the controller back together save L1,L2,R1,R2 for last. when you have screwed all the screws in you can just snap the pieces in the way SONY intended them to be installed. this is the easiest and correct way to put the controller back together and how they did them in the factory.
@@christopherspoelstra1096 they are designed to be installed like that and i have have done it for over a decade now and not even one has been demaged. They could get demaged if you use a lot of force and smash them in at an wrong angle.
@@jobas7769 I know they were designed like that, I've restored many controllers. Some older/worn Dualshock 2 shoulder buttons are prone to break when pushed in after reassembly, it's happened to me (and others) before.
I'm like a few years late but it took me an hour figuring out what has gone wrong (controller wasnt working) Then i unscrewed it for like 10th time and found that the litte white rubber piece wasn't pressing hard enough on that little thin plastic peice, Phew, now it works, but the R1 trigger is kinda not working right...
adam. use rubbing alcohol instead of windex for contacts. It doesn't leave a film on it when you dry it. Trust me, its way better to not have to reopen your equipment by using rubbing alcohol instead. I only mention this cause windex leaves a film on it that interferes with the contacts detecting your button presses..
+2 for rubbing alcohol, windex is fine for general cleaning but not for electrical contacts. Clean all my cartridges and consoles with isopropyl alcohol and never had a problem.
+Ozzhiroth Gigliotti i been saying the same thing for a long time but he refuses to believe it. it is bad for plastics and contacts. he even uses it on lenses in like every video he did which is the dumbest thing can do since ammonia will make it cloudy and mess it up. i swear there are people that have messed there stuff up listening to him because they think he knows what he is talking about and giving bad advise. retrowaretv.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-game-cartridge-cleaning/
@@AdamKoralik Atleast from watching your vids. I'm sure you could be a lot different irl. I do admire it about you though. You seem to keep it real and no bs. So it surely aint a bad thing!
@@AdamKoralik its about time for me to Fix Ps2 Dualshock controllers to work again to Play the PS2 Versions of NBA Live 06 Astro boy the video game and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up and The Incredibles And Madagascar Sonic Mega Collection Plus and Sonic Unleashed again.
Quick really useful hint: you can put the shoulder pieces in even after you screwed it back together. Just ignore them until the very end because they get in the way a lot otherwise.
I have a question! I found my old ps2 in the attic with two controllers, I started to play Silent Hill 3. Controller number one: The two left triggers don't work at all so it's like it had a stroke over the years. Controller number two: The X button [rather than just be used as an interact and attack button] now thinks it is the map button, the cancel button, and the draw weapon button, and everything else so it has developed a multiple personality disorder. If I follow the steps in this video and give it a good clean, do you think there will be a chance they will work better?
thank you Adam your videos have helped me a lot I finally learned how to clean a PlayStation 2 slim and 2 original equipment manufactured Sony branded dual shock 2 controllers and I saved a lot of money my ps2 slim and my 2 dual shock 2 controller works fine
The analog stick pads lift right off of the mechanism without issue. The real problem is cleaning out gunk that has got inside that mechanism, making them move 'sticky'. Haven't found a good way to go about that yet.
Hi thank you Adam koralic your video helped me save 2 original Sony PlayStation dual shock controllers 2 ocean blue playstation 2 dual shock 2 controllers 1 red ps1 dual shock controller and 1 red mad catz controller they all work
Depending on where the controller was made the inside layout changes. The off white colour plastic at the 4.45 mark is what im talking about. What that means is if you wanted to change the housing of a controller you would need to find 2 from the same country for it to work i.e 2 from korea. The different places where the controllers are make is listed on the back of each pad where the writing is. They also have a letter there. Ive had controllers from korea and china and they have had the letters A and K on them.
Sorry if it's been mentioned or fixed already, but you didn't put the contacts for the R2/L2 buttons back in properly. I know, because I've made this mistake before, and at the end of this video, they were stuck out at the top.
Hey, how do you differentiate this controller version from the others? Do we have to take it apart to find out? I wonder if these are not the first versions?🤔🤔🤔 Because I noticed that the tablecloths can be removed on these. On the others it is to weld ...... snif
Any tips for fixing up a sticky/over used joystick? Ours has seen years of use and I'm pretty sure whatever finish it has that makes it move smoothy has work away
im looking for a clear shot of the connection between the power cable and the motherboard, im not sure if its a socket or soldered in, im trying to repair one of my controllers with a donor, so knowing if the connection is soldered or a socket would help edit: the problem is the one controller has pins missing from the connection to the console, and the other has stick drift the one with pins missing has correctly functioning buttons from what i can tell id rather not take apart my controllers only to find out that they have soldered connections instead of socket connections
I got two playstation 1 controllers from goodwill yesterday. I restored one & it's in pretty good condition, however both of them have some bite marks (yeah bite marks, or a knife I guess) on the bottom of the left handle. Would the magic eraser fix that? Or is pretty much just stuck there
so the data vac is worth it? how much stronger is the air over a can? i also thought of getting the hurricane can thing but its not as concentrated or whatever it seems.
So what about that screw that holds the board to the top part of the controller on the inside. Because i cant get the l and r 2 buttons to have that popping feel. Its more like a mush.
Welp i'm already failing at taking the screws out. Got 2/6 out and the rest just refuses. The screwdriver should be fine but some screws i just cant seem to get a grip on with it. Tried to take it apart bc my left analog stick turns around itself and i wanted to see what happened there... The other two controllers are broken aswell so i now effectivlt have no way of playing and ps2 games comfortably (the one i tried to take apart works but is a pain to play with, especially for racing games)
My launch model pad (made in Japan) recently developed a fault where the motors constantly rumble when system is on. I bought a cheap replacement only to find it does not feel quite same and when checking the back found it was manufactured in China. I think it's lighter and the cable on the controller is notably thicker on the original one. Might try and open it up as I want my og back in operation.
One thing I did with a PS1 controller that I got at Goodwill - It was super gross but I wanted a spare for my little brother to play, so I cleaned it completely and also used a paper towel and some cleaner (forget what kind it was) and ran it down the length of the cord a couple of times. Ton of dirt and grime came off. Check for broken spots in the cord first, though.
Over the years, I've found a bunch of controllers in the trash (bulk trash, people toss all kinds of stuff) and while most of them work, I had a couple with dead buttons. I figured that the contacts were just dirty, but when I opened them up and tried bridging the contacts with a metal object, even that didn't work. It worked on all the other buttons, but not on the dead ones. Coincidentally I also had a couple PS1/PS2 steering wheels which also had dead buttons. I ended up tossing those without opening them due to other circumstances requiring a hasty cleaning/decluttering.
The R1 button on my PS2 controller was super mushy and didn't want to work right, so I used this video to take it apart. I was expecting it to be gunked up with hair and dirt and everything else because that's how the screws were as I took them out (I bought this controller used on eBay), but it turned out the button just wasn't making good contact with the silicone pad. Once I got everything lined back up and figured out how the R2 and L2 buttons go back in, it was a breeze. I wish all controllers were this easy to work on! I took apart my girlfriend's PS4 controller last year and nothing went right 😂
Any tips for me I just picked up two Sega Master System controllers that look like they had stickers wrapped around the actual cords leaving a sticky paper mess on certain parts of the cords .. what would be a good way to remove the crap
Rubbing alcohol leaves a film. The evaporation is an incomplete chemical reaction, facilitated by weak bonds in the solution. In other words, it looks like it vanishes, but it doesn't. Windex doesn't do that.
I find with controllers the analogue sticks are the first to go. I think it's good to buy a bunch of backups because my theory is controllers will become rare before the consoles. Getting good condition Xbox S controllers at a good price is starting to get harder.
Hi! I have a question, if you could help me. I have 2 Mega Drive(PAL) consoles, one it's Model RGB and the other it's PAL-G. When i connect the PAL-G on TV with RGB and not RF, it doesn't show any image but the sound works. I try to clean the port but stil nothing. Do you have any idea why it doesn't work?(The cable works, i tested on the other model) Thanks!
hey, just wanted to say thank you for this guide :D It has helped me take my PS2 controller apart and clean it up. Just one thing, my controller seems to be slightly different. from 2:39 and on you are focussing on the top half of the controller. I saw my controller cable was routed different, but that wasn't a huge deal, but there was a little screw (exactly the same as those in the rest of the controller) holding the board and basically everything to the shell. After removing this I was able to get it out like normal. This is a standard PS2 controller that I bought ages ago with the PS2 Slim.
Howdy dude ! I bought from aliexpress those ribbons , for DS2 . But there is some problems . My old ribbon is SA1Q43A , but i bought SA1Q113A . Is there any differences ? Can i plug new one , in to my DS2 ?
So I notced the red light between the joysticks doesn't turn on. The wire that goes through the light is cracked inside the actual light. I figure this is why it doesn't turn on, my question is this: would this keep the controller from working?? PS: You should be able to take out the rubbery part on the joysticks by just pulling it.
Restored a PS one controller once. It had hard circuitboards for everything, which made it easier to take apart and put back together than the annoying membrane circuits in a PS3 controller
The surfaces on the analog sticks on some of my PS3 pads have gotten sticky, but I did have some analog nubs handy I got free from a magazine so I attached them to the sticks on one of my 2 Sixaxises!
I was having problems with the shoulder and trigger buttons, the rubber connector bits kept bending backwards into the trigger and not sitting right, so eventually I put everything back together except the r1 and l1 button and used a toothpick to set the rubber connectors and just squeezed the two buttons back into place. Now, if only I could figure out what part inside my slim is busted so I can replace it.
for some reason every time i push a single button the others gets also pushed (i mean im like touching the fire button and it also registers the jumping button) it also happens with the R and L triggers
Adam any idea why some games don't detect my playstation 2 controllers out of my 100 games maybe 3 wont play says please connect your ps2 controller to the ps2 system its really weird please help me 😌🙏 All my ps2 controllers are in mint condition It happens on both slim ps2 and fat original
Welp, though all went well, and it doesn't work anymore after internally cleaning the controller, ugh. I was quite careful and did not disconnect any wiring internally as far as can be seen.Oddly enough, when I connected it to the ps2 the analogue lit up so there was power but no contact input commands worked! no clue at what so ever ={
I have have opened and cleaned PS3 controllers, isn't really difficult. I would attempt my PS4 controller but I only have one and dont wanna risk it yet.
Hey, do you know what can i do if my right analog is like "still holded" . But now phisically. I can click R3 but it doesn't react. For example: When I play some GTA my car still make horn sound xD but I can click it anyway and it doesn't react. It's like holded in system
+AdamKoralik Damn that sucks. I guess it's good that my stuff's not actually broken then. I just wanted to clear out the dust bunnies. :) Thanks for responding though!
Heaven help me, PS2s are retro now
+ace5762 I know, right? I remember when the PS1 and N64 were commercially relevant. Now that the PS2 is retro, I feel so fucking old.....
Right! I'm only 30, and I still feel weirded out that people think the PSone is retro!
I honestly view everything from NES and below as retro, and the SNES/Genesis as "classical".
With the Saturn, PSone and N64 as "old school", haha.
Those are my "classifications" of older systems honestly.
I mean when you think about it, the PSone came out technically in 1994, it kind of fits into the SNES/Genesis/Turbo era in an odd way.
Yet bridges the gap between the old and the new at the same time, as I've always looked at the PSone as the birth of modern gaming.
So it's 50 times harder for me to view the PS2 as retro by any means.
+Eric Durant well they view it by when theyre released. but i know what you mean im 24 and ps1 is the best system of all time to me that i grew up on. its ard to admit but i see it like this for now, anything that can be emulated especially on a cell phone is definitely retro. ps1 is on that list, ps2 ot really but gamecube yes and dreamcast. however slow. And gta's on ps2 have been ported to phones so yeah theyre retro too.
but i wouldnt view ps1 with genesis etc. considering it came out in 1989. 94 was a new generation. thats when cds started taking over really. and ps1 was the first full fledged, actually well selling, worthwhile, console that used cds. because i think something else came before it. maybe 3do was 93 im not sure.
+ace5762 it blows my mind that people are surprised PS2 is retro. You do realize that cellphones now are more powerful than the PS3?
+ace5762 It isn't retro at all. Retro means something new that is designed to be like something old. The correct term for the PS2 now is classic.
Not all Ps2 controllers are the same, the same thing implies on PS1 DualShock controllers, some have 7 screws, some have different motherboards, some have six screws, and some have ribbon cables attached to a connector or others have a piece of foam pressing the connector on to the contacts just thought I'd throw that out.
Thank you so much, I was cleaning an old controller I bought from a friend, and it had a foam piece connecting a ribbon to the motherboard, and it fell out. Later, I saw this comment and ran to go find it, and I fixed it
The foam version is kindof annoying to put back together. I recommend just gluing the foam piece to the case but a weak glue so it doesn't get lost or springs out whilst you're trying to put the thing back together.
This video is showing how to clean the frame of the controller not how to fix a controller or clean the motherboard
yeah this, make sure the foam piece lines up correctly when putting it back together, I had mine slip a bit and didnt notice, went to use it and buttons were pressing randomly all over the place. fixed it afterwards though
You're mostly correct, however, Sony's manufacturing of the DS2 had remained consistent with the same external design (all DS2s have 6 screws). This site's pretty useful for determining DS2 versions, and also for cross-referencing PCBs to see if you have a bootleg or a legit controller: www.slagcoin.com/joystick/pcb_wiring.html
I did a few of these. I learnt that you can actually take out the L2 and R2 buttons out entirely through the outside and then you can simply pop them into place through the holes at the end after full assembly - saves so much fiddling about when joining the 2 halves together.
Jesus Christ you’re a life saver, I couldn’t get the two pieces together to save my life. This needs to be higher up.
I am trying to fix a DualShock 2 controller and the L2 and R2 buttons are all soggy now! How do you take them out ?
Now there’s a gap in the L/R buttons and you can start seeing into the controller. How do I fix that?
I've never owned any Playstation. I've only played the PS1 and PS2 a few times. But yet I'm still here watching Adam clean a PS2 controller :D. Thanks for the great content, Adam.
I can't belive how easily you got it back to one piece(last step) . Took me like half an hour :D
That's where I'm stuck right now. The pads for L2 and R2 keep pushing L2 and R2 down so you can't press it once it's together. :/ Can't find anything online about that.
@@ThePluralApostrophe Have fix position. Try put out mother bord and saw triged is in correct postion
@@ThePluralApostrophe I did today
@@ThePluralApostrophe Wow I have the exact same problem I had the right analog stick screwed up but now that that works the L and R buttons are messed up :-/
do you use pledge in the shower when you clean and restore an Adam Koralik?
+mattymatt2323 Maybe.
+mattymatt2323 lmao
XD
🤣
adam's cleaning tutorial overview:
-open
-windex
-cue tip
-close
-pledge
Q tip*
And pledge is before close
in this case he used pledge before closing the controller but in the other videos he used after (and sorry for the "cue" tip)
+nicolas santana And Mr. Clean magic eraser :v
+VAXX34 i forgot that
3:24 you see the 3 arms thingy sitting on top of the yellow rubber on the left? You forgot to put it in again later on in the video
+1 for the restoration videos its good to see how to take things apart and put back together for those of us that lack confidence in doing so without a reference source,thanks
The tricky part about these is that some PS2 controllers have loose instead of fixed soft plastic pieces that are under the triggers (I think the censors for the triggers), and that can be a huge pan in the ass to realign properly because they move around when you are putting the control shell back together. I had to put a dab of glue under the plastic censor pieces to get them to stay so I could get them to align with the triggers.
+Harold Cox-Zucker Yeah, same here. Like a mini-puzzle realigning everything on these controllers. It's worth it though, as every PS2 controller I've cleaned has tons of crud inside.
lol me too
Torgo Gorgo Yeah I think older PS2 controllers are like that. Newer ones I think they have one intentionally missing pin in the connector too.
Just remove the R2/L2 buttons from the base unit. Just push the plastic noses with a plastic tool back. After removing them, put base unit and top unit together. Simply push R2/L2 back into their housing.
Wow....I spent an hour the other night trying to get it back together with the triggers aligned. I held the triggers in place while dropping the bottom half back on. The interstellar docking music should've been playing.
got to 2:44 and tried to take off the circuit board part. accidentally cracked it in two. fuck.
A tip I learned years ago from my friends mom who worked in electronics manufacturing. A simple rubber eraser works miracles cleaning and restoring metal to metal contacts. Like card edge readers and cartridge contact points. The eraser and some elbow grease will remove all the dirt and out any chemicals or moisture. Have saved many cartridge games this way. N64 games seem especially susceptible to dirt and corrosion to the point where they wont even boot. This trick has worked for me every time I have tried it.
My old clear ps2 controller wasn't working for nearly all of my games. It is really old and it has a lot of nostalgia (atleast from when it worked) and I cleaned it using your method and it works flawlessly now and looks great. Thanks so much!
Can anyone explain to me how do I fix the analog sticks? They sometimes get stuck in a certain position and they do not move smoothly. I neither have a duster or Pledge so I need alternatives.
Likely there is some Coca-Cola or something like that gone over there. Safest way would be to just put some sewing machine oil into the analog pad mechanism. Isopropyl alcohol would be better to use first thou, as it cleans up the dirt properly, but it could also damage the mechanism.
Window cleaner could leave a thin residue over the contacts. It's best to use isopropyl alcohol or maybe even a dedicated electronic safe contact cleaner, like WD-40, CRC or other brands.
I don't think WD 40 is the best contact cleaner, isopropyl alcochol is the best beacuse it all evaporates when WD 40 leave residue like aindow cleaner
I suggest cleaning the buttons contact points with Isopropyl alcohol. My start and select did not work first when i put my controller back together, but after i did that, it worked again.
My PS2 controller is in a' half functional state', where the D-Pad, L1 and L2 buttons do not work. So I tried this, to a degree, and my PS2 controller doesn't function still. It's old, and was corded up for like a decade (from a family member). What can I do? Anything else more specialized?
FourSwordsLord same
Just buy a new one
You might have a missing pin. Look on the plug and if there isn't all the metal pins it is either gonna need repaired or you should just get a new one
I had this issue, there is an ink that functions inside the controller and it can wear down.
Removing the L2/R2 and installing it last makes life a lot easier 👌🏾
One thing to consider if you're doing this with an old PS1 DualShock is that the rumble motors aren't nicely mounted and are only attached by a wire when you take the shell off. Mine dropped unexpectedly when I took it apart a few years ago, but thankfully it didn't tear the wire.
Its 2019 and i still play on my ps1 and ps2
So what? many people still play on NES & SMS and even Atari for fucks sake :D
I still play ps2
Yes im happy that the ps2 was my fiest console now om 13 and proud
@@joelthemetalhead9444That was my first console too! :D
Now i have a ps4 and soon ps5,
But i still sometimes go and play my good old PS2 :)
Every time I watch one of your ps2 videos it makes me wanna go play resident evil 4 on my ps2
Some of you commenting have reported the controller not working afterwards, my suggestion is looking at the circuit membrane connection. If you have a pressure fit connection between the controller's main board and the membrane, try increasing the pressure in that connection. The foam pads that push these against the controller compress over time, and will not make a good connection when reassembled. I cut a couple pieces of paper to shape and put them behind the foam piece to solve this issue. If you have the solid connection terminal for the membrane, I recommend replacing the membrane instead, as they are incredibly difficult to repair.
Also as another bit of advice, while Adam did a stellar job reassembling his controller, I recommend reassembling by fitting all but the shoulder buttons back in, controller guts, back casing, fastening the screws back in, and then pushing the shoulder buttons back in with the controller reassembled. Just pinch the side clips for L1 and R1, be mindful not to reinstall them upside down, and L2/R2 are easier to push back in, and only go in one way. Hope it helps.
what is that claw thing called that sits on the D pad?, been trying to find these, I was lucky to find one in a bundle, but I want to get more of that thing.
Hi Adam! Have you come across a fix for when the analog stick's rubber starts to deteriorate and get sticky with age?
Protip for reassembly: when you have R2 and L2 in the correct place, push on them gently from the inside so that they're level. Tape them on the outside, and you won't have to worry about them falling off.
No don't do this. when you open up the controller you shall remove the L2 and R2 from the bottom shell and do the same with L1 and R1. when putting the controller back together save L1,L2,R1,R2 for last. when you have screwed all the screws in you can just snap the pieces in the way SONY intended them to be installed. this is the easiest and correct way to put the controller back together and how they did them in the factory.
@@jobas7769 Be careful with old ps2 controllers. The shoulder buttons can easily break when pushed in last.
@@christopherspoelstra1096 they are designed to be installed like that and i have have done it for over a decade now and not even one has been demaged. They could get demaged if you use a lot of force and smash them in at an wrong angle.
@@jobas7769 I know they were designed like that, I've restored many controllers. Some older/worn Dualshock 2 shoulder buttons are prone to break when pushed in after reassembly, it's happened to me (and others) before.
I'm like a few years late but it took me an hour figuring out what has gone wrong (controller wasnt working)
Then i unscrewed it for like 10th time and found that the litte white rubber piece wasn't pressing hard enough on that little thin plastic peice,
Phew, now it works, but the R1 trigger is kinda not working right...
adam. use rubbing alcohol instead of windex for contacts. It doesn't leave a film on it when you dry it. Trust me, its way better to not have to reopen your equipment by using rubbing alcohol instead. I only mention this cause windex leaves a film on it that interferes with the contacts detecting your button presses..
I don't understand his obsession with Windex and Pledge.
+2 for rubbing alcohol, windex is fine for general cleaning but not for electrical contacts. Clean all my cartridges and consoles with isopropyl alcohol and never had a problem.
+Ozzhiroth Gigliotti i been saying the same thing for a long time but he refuses to believe it. it is bad for plastics and contacts. he even uses it on lenses in like every video he did which is the dumbest thing can do since ammonia will make it cloudy and mess it up. i swear there are people that have messed there stuff up listening to him because they think he knows what he is talking about and giving bad advise. retrowaretv.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-game-cartridge-cleaning/
+Ozzhiroth Gigliotti I would go a step above and use denatured alcohol or actual contact spray.
Warlock Ozzhiroth.... Or just sextoy cleaner
You said do do....I'm immature.
Freaking love this dudes vibe. Doesn’t give two cares about anyone’s feelings. Just stays himself😂
Is that the impression I give off? Huh...
@@AdamKoralik Atleast from watching your vids. I'm sure you could be a lot different irl. I do admire it about you though. You seem to keep it real and no bs. So it surely aint a bad thing!
@@AdamKoralik its about time for me to Fix Ps2 Dualshock controllers to work again to Play the PS2 Versions of NBA Live 06 Astro boy the video game and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up and The Incredibles And Madagascar Sonic Mega Collection Plus and Sonic Unleashed again.
Quick really useful hint: you can put the shoulder pieces in even after you screwed it back together. Just ignore them until the very end because they get in the way a lot otherwise.
I have a question!
I found my old ps2 in the attic with two controllers, I started to play Silent Hill 3.
Controller number one: The two left triggers don't work at all so it's like it had a stroke over the years.
Controller number two: The X button [rather than just be used as an interact and attack button] now thinks it is the map button, the cancel button, and the draw weapon button, and everything else so it has developed a multiple personality disorder.
If I follow the steps in this video and give it a good clean, do you think there will be a chance they will work better?
Perhaps you should definitely try but I don't think so you should check that into a professional
thank you Adam your videos have helped me a lot I finally learned how to clean a PlayStation 2 slim and 2 original equipment manufactured Sony branded dual shock 2 controllers and I saved a lot of money my ps2 slim and my 2 dual shock 2 controller works fine
The analog stick pads lift right off of the mechanism without issue. The real problem is cleaning out gunk that has got inside that mechanism, making them move 'sticky'. Haven't found a good way to go about that yet.
Buddy you made it look WAY easier then it actually is
Yeah, i broke the anallog sticks just now
Thank you so much, My ps2 controller from my childhood has the L2 button broken. thanks for uploading this because it just needed a good clean
+Kool Cuzzie Happy to help!
Hi thank you Adam koralic your video helped me save 2 original Sony PlayStation dual shock controllers 2 ocean blue playstation 2 dual shock 2 controllers 1 red ps1 dual shock controller and 1 red mad catz controller they all work
Depending on where the controller was made the inside layout changes. The off white colour plastic at the 4.45 mark is what im talking about. What that means is if you wanted to change the housing of a controller you would need to find 2 from the same country for it to work i.e 2 from korea. The different places where the controllers are make is listed on the back of each pad where the writing is. They also have a letter there. Ive had controllers from korea and china and they have had the letters A and K on them.
Phil Stevo Some are actually fakes disguised as genuine.
Sorry if it's been mentioned or fixed already, but you didn't put the contacts for the R2/L2 buttons back in properly. I know, because I've made this mistake before, and at the end of this video, they were stuck out at the top.
Thank you! This was a great video. My controllers both stopped working😢
love your videos, got me out of a few issues now. Been cleaning up and then forgot to take pictures while taking it apart.
Thank you again.
Just curious , why do you say that it takes a lot of extra work to remove the analog sticks? They actually pop right off. Easy to remove and re-insert
Honestly, don't remember.
Hey, how do you differentiate this controller version from the others? Do we have to take it apart to find out? I wonder if these are not the first versions?🤔🤔🤔 Because I noticed that the tablecloths can be removed on these. On the others it is to weld ...... snif
I watched this before going to bed one night and had a dream of Adam doing a Pledge infomercial. Just goes to show how much he swears by that stuff.
Any tips for fixing up a sticky/over used joystick? Ours has seen years of use and I'm pretty sure whatever finish it has that makes it move smoothy has work away
Thanks this helped a lot. The guts of triggers completely fell apart while trying to put it back together but got there in the end 👍
Happy to help!
im looking for a clear shot of the connection between the power cable and the motherboard, im not sure if its a socket or soldered in, im trying to repair one of my controllers with a donor, so knowing if the connection is soldered or a socket would help
edit: the problem is the one controller has pins missing from the connection to the console, and the other has stick drift
the one with pins missing has correctly functioning buttons from what i can tell
id rather not take apart my controllers only to find out that they have soldered connections instead of socket connections
I got two playstation 1 controllers from goodwill yesterday. I restored one & it's in pretty good condition, however both of them have some bite marks (yeah bite marks, or a knife I guess) on the bottom of the left handle. Would the magic eraser fix that? Or is pretty much just stuck there
so the data vac is worth it? how much stronger is the air over a can? i also thought of getting the hurricane can thing but its not as concentrated or whatever it seems.
+DjStiv3 It's significantly stronger.
So what about that screw that holds the board to the top part of the controller on the inside. Because i cant get the l and r 2 buttons to have that popping feel. Its more like a mush.
Over the years? How long do you use your toothbrush for?
What kind of mat do you take apart controllers and consoles on? Is it just your carpet or something I can buy?
+Celicam It's just a table and table cloth.
+AdamKoralik Really? Now I feel stupid XD Though it was some special anti static cloth of some sort!
What's the best way to clean sticky analog sticks? I've tried almost everything but nothing seems to work.
I tried taking all the screws out but I can't get the last one out. Am I using the right screwdriver? Which type did you use to remove the screw?
They're all philips head screws but they strip really easily. There's often a stubborn one that won't come out.
Welp i'm already failing at taking the screws out. Got 2/6 out and the rest just refuses. The screwdriver should be fine but some screws i just cant seem to get a grip on with it.
Tried to take it apart bc my left analog stick turns around itself and i wanted to see what happened there...
The other two controllers are broken aswell so i now effectivlt have no way of playing and ps2 games comfortably (the one i tried to take apart works but is a pain to play with, especially for racing games)
That pledge trick was real nice, made my controllers actually look black instead of dark gray, lol
My launch model pad (made in Japan) recently developed a fault where the motors constantly rumble when system is on. I bought a cheap replacement only to find it does not feel quite same and when checking the back found it was manufactured in China. I think it's lighter and the cable on the controller is notably thicker on the original one. Might try and open it up as I want my og back in operation.
Yay!! Another cleaning and restoring video!!
+Giorgos Boultadakis Thanks for watching!
AdamKoralik As always!!
One thing I did with a PS1 controller that I got at Goodwill - It was super gross but I wanted a spare for my little brother to play, so I cleaned it completely and also used a paper towel and some cleaner (forget what kind it was) and ran it down the length of the cord a couple of times. Ton of dirt and grime came off. Check for broken spots in the cord first, though.
Thank you, now my controllers are finally nice and clean
is there any tip to restore the rubber skin for some controller like the back of logi f510
Over the years, I've found a bunch of controllers in the trash (bulk trash, people toss all kinds of stuff) and while most of them work, I had a couple with dead buttons. I figured that the contacts were just dirty, but when I opened them up and tried bridging the contacts with a metal object, even that didn't work. It worked on all the other buttons, but not on the dead ones.
Coincidentally I also had a couple PS1/PS2 steering wheels which also had dead buttons. I ended up tossing those without opening them due to other circumstances requiring a hasty cleaning/decluttering.
any suggestion on how to fix analog sticks? stuck in a specific direction
4 YEARS LATE SQUAD WHERE YOU AT??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??
The R1 button on my PS2 controller was super mushy and didn't want to work right, so I used this video to take it apart. I was expecting it to be gunked up with hair and dirt and everything else because that's how the screws were as I took them out (I bought this controller used on eBay), but it turned out the button just wasn't making good contact with the silicone pad. Once I got everything lined back up and figured out how the R2 and L2 buttons go back in, it was a breeze. I wish all controllers were this easy to work on! I took apart my girlfriend's PS4 controller last year and nothing went right 😂
One of the pins in the connecting cord's mouth is missing can i cut the wire and join with a new wire
You don't need to, there are 9 places for pins, but the controllers only used 8 of them. Unless you have less than 8 pins?
Can you please show us how to clean a Xbox 360 controller?
Any tips for me I just picked up two Sega Master System controllers that look like they had stickers wrapped around the actual cords leaving a sticky paper mess on certain parts of the cords .. what would be a good way to remove the crap
Haunted Goblin goo gone
Why are you using windex over isopropyl or contact cleaner?
Rubbing alcohol leaves a film. The evaporation is an incomplete chemical reaction, facilitated by weak bonds in the solution. In other words, it looks like it vanishes, but it doesn't. Windex doesn't do that.
@@AdamKoralik Ok, thanks!
Thanks for these awesome videos Adam!! :) Hope you're doing well!!
+drumsarecool100 Thanks for watching! Yep, I'm good.
+AdamKoralik That's great bro! Glad to hear it!! Huge fan of you by the way :) Keep up the good work!! #Shenmue3Lives!!
I find with controllers the analogue sticks are the first to go. I think it's good to buy a bunch of backups because my theory is controllers will become rare before the consoles. Getting good condition Xbox S controllers at a good price is starting to get harder.
OwtDaftUK Yeah sometimes the controllers sell just as much as someone selling a console bundle.
Hey Adam! Could you possibly do a gamecube controller? you missed it in you gamecube restore videos
Hi! I have a question, if you could help me. I have 2 Mega Drive(PAL) consoles, one it's Model RGB and the other it's PAL-G. When i connect the PAL-G on TV with RGB and not RF, it doesn't show any image but the sound works. I try to clean the port but stil nothing. Do you have any idea why it doesn't work?(The cable works, i tested on the other model) Thanks!
Good video,thanks for the help. Also the electronic components on my ps1 controller can't be removed from the shell but I still got it pretty clean
hey, just wanted to say thank you for this guide :D It has helped me take my PS2 controller apart and clean it up.
Just one thing, my controller seems to be slightly different. from 2:39 and on you are focussing on the top half of the controller. I saw my controller cable was routed different, but that wasn't a huge deal, but there was a little screw (exactly the same as those in the rest of the controller) holding the board and basically everything to the shell. After removing this I was able to get it out like normal.
This is a standard PS2 controller that I bought ages ago with the PS2 Slim.
Howdy dude ! I bought from aliexpress those ribbons , for DS2 . But there is some problems . My old ribbon is SA1Q43A , but i bought SA1Q113A . Is there any differences ? Can i plug new one , in to my DS2 ?
do I use alcohol or windex? what is better? someone says windex is damaging it
I believe Windex leaves a residue that alcohol doesn't
So I notced the red light between the joysticks doesn't turn on. The wire that goes through the light is cracked inside the actual light. I figure this is why it doesn't turn on, my question is this: would this keep the controller from working??
PS: You should be able to take out the rubbery part on the joysticks by just pulling it.
Restored a PS one controller once. It had hard circuitboards for everything, which made it easier to take apart and put back together than the annoying membrane circuits in a PS3 controller
The surfaces on the analog sticks on some of my PS3 pads have gotten sticky, but I did have some analog nubs handy I got free from a magazine so I attached them to the sticks on one of my 2 Sixaxises!
So if I do what you did, will the Select button on one of my DualShock 1s ever work again?
No one can promise anything. It could be that the rubber contact mechanism broke so it might need replacing.
Great restoration Adam!
I was having problems with the shoulder and trigger buttons, the rubber connector bits kept bending backwards into the trigger and not sitting right, so eventually I put everything back together except the r1 and l1 button and used a toothpick to set the rubber connectors and just squeezed the two buttons back into place. Now, if only I could figure out what part inside my slim is busted so I can replace it.
for some reason every time i push a single button the others gets also pushed
(i mean im like touching the fire button and it also registers the jumping button)
it also happens with the R and L triggers
i have a special edition mortal kombat controller and I want to know if this works for it to
if its missing one of the prongs inside where it plugs into the playstation 2 ?
What's the best phillips screwdriver size to use ?
My PS2 analog stick is not centwring itself and movements with the stick are rough. How to clean the sticks
Will this fix sticky buttons and analog sticks???
Hm, looks like you did forget to strangle the cable inside first before putting it together?
I can’t wait to try this, it went well for my ps1! Let’s fix my controllers now, also do you have a video of the ps2 slim model 2?
Adam any idea why some games don't detect my playstation 2 controllers out of my 100 games maybe 3 wont play says please connect your ps2 controller to the ps2 system its really weird please help me 😌🙏
All my ps2 controllers are in mint condition
It happens on both slim ps2 and fat original
Thank you. I got some controllers that where assembled wrongly by the previous owner causing the triggers to be stuck. this fixed it for me.
Welp, though all went well, and it doesn't work anymore after internally cleaning the controller, ugh. I was quite careful and did not disconnect any wiring internally as far as can be seen.Oddly enough, when I connected it to the ps2 the analogue lit up so there was power but no contact input commands worked! no clue at what so ever ={
What did you do? I have just had the same problem. I guess ill throw it away, analogue button works but none of the input
If you ever get the chance, could you do a clean-up for a PS4 controller? Love your videos.
+HeeeeeyOcarina I do agree.
I have have opened and cleaned PS3 controllers, isn't really difficult. I would attempt my PS4 controller but I only have one and dont wanna risk it yet.
Hey, do you know what can i do if my right analog is like "still holded" . But now phisically. I can click R3 but it doesn't react. For example:
When I play some GTA my car still make horn sound xD but I can click it anyway and it doesn't react. It's like holded in system
Maybe take it apart and try to reseat it?
@@AdamKoralik I tried it many times and didn't work
2:27 Sometimes ... my crack gets really dirty too.
hey adam, have you played Policenauts?
it's from konami.
If an analog stick is worn out, does that mean it's worn out forever?
Hey any chance we could get some videos on cleaning 7th generation consoles? I'd like to try to clean my PS3 slim and XBOX 360. :)
+WonderRobin Probably not, after the sixth gen, the hardware tends to need more than a simple cleaning to fix.
+AdamKoralik Damn that sucks. I guess it's good that my stuff's not actually broken then. I just wanted to clear out the dust bunnies. :) Thanks for responding though!
Can you use isopropylic alcohol instead of windex??
I wouldn't recommend it.