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How to Fix Your Sony PSP

The PSP game console suffers an inherent hazard by being portable--dust and other environmental gunk can get under the faceplate and cause the buttons to stick. Fixing the PSP so that the buttons are not inhibited can be done at home as it only requires removing the faceplate and cleaning off the buttons. Because this will void the warranty, only fix the PSP yourself if you are unwilling to wait a few weeks for a service center to clean the buttons for you or if the warranty is up anyway.

Things You'll Need

Towel
Utility knife
Phillips jeweler's screwdriver
Cotton swabs
Rubbing alcohol
Compressed air
Photographic lens paper

Instructions

- 1
  Put the towel down on the table. Remove the battery compartment from the PSP. Remove the battery. Put the two aside. Put the PSP LCD screen face down on the towel.
- 2
  Use the utility knife to scrape off the warranty and serial stickers that are inside the battery compartment. Remove the screws from inside the battery compartment with the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver.
- 3
  Use the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver to remove the two screws from each side of the disc drive door lid at the top of the PSP. Remove the screws from each side of the PSP.
- 4
  Turn the PSP face up and put it down on the towel. Lift up on the faceplate with your left hand while holding the bottom down with the right. Carefully wiggle the faceplate up and off the bottom of the PSP. Turn the faceplate over and put it down on the towel.
- 5
  Dip a cotton swab in the rubbing alcohol. Pick up the faceplate and hold it in your left hand. Take the cotton swab in your right hand and rub the swab around the rims of the button holes in the faceplate. Blow out the holes with the compressed air. Put the faceplate back down on the towel.
- 6
  Remove the button stems and the springs they lay on from the bottom case of the PSP. Take another cotton swab moistened in rubbing alcohol and rub it against each of the button stems. Rub the moistened cotton swab against each of the springs.
- 7
  Rub another moistened cotton swab gently against the contacts where you removed the buttons from the bottom case. Blow out the contacts with the compressed air.
- 8
  Wipe out the button holes on the faceplate using the photographic lens tissue. Wipe the rim of the faceplate where it meets the seam of the bottom of the PSP with another photographic lens tissue.
- 9
  Reattach the springs and the button stems to the bottom case of the PSP. Put the faceplate back onto the bottom case. Reassemble the PSP and put the battery back into the battery compartment. Close the battery compartment.

Sony PSP