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How to Replace a PSP UMD Drive

The PlayStation portable has a disc drive that is used to play unified media disc (UMD) games. The lid of the disc drive that must be opened to insert a UMD game is fragile and can break from use. This renders the entire disc drive unusable. Replacing the UMD drive requires patience and a steady hand, but does not take any electronic knowledge and is done in a similar fashion regardless of which model PSP you own. The replacement will let you get back to playing games more quickly than sending the PSP to a service center.

Things You'll Need

Clean cloth
Phillips jeweler's screwdriver
Flat-edged jeweler's screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Place the PSP face down on a clean cloth. Push in on the tab at the right side to release the battery compartment and remove the battery.
- 2
  Using the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver, remove the two screws inside of the battery compartment with a Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Remove the two screws at the other end of the back of the PSP. Remove the two screws from the top of the PSP and the one screw from the bottom.
- 3
  Turn the PSP face-up and remove the faceplate by pulling it up and off. Pry off the button board inside of the bottom case from both sides using the flat edged jeweler's screwdriver. Carefully pry out the LCD screen from one side using the flat-edged jeweler's screwdriver. Flip the LCD screen over and lie it flat on the clean cloth against the bottom case.
- 4
  Use the flat-edged screwdriver to pull off the clear plastic button board cable, the black ribbon backlight cable and the copper colored LCD screen data cable, all of which are at the right side near the top inside the bottom case. Remove the LCD screen and put it and the button board aside.
- 5
  Use the flat-edged screwdriver to disconnect the yellow colored UMD ribbon cable that was next to where the LCD screen data cable was. Use the flat-edged screwdriver to push the UMD door tab from inside of the case to the side to release the spring.
- 6
  Use the flat-edged screwdriver to pry off both sides of the metal frame of the UMD drive. Pry off one of the tabs at the side of the UMD drive's door where it sits against the bottom case. Pry out the tab at the other side. Pull the UMD drive's door out of the bottom case.
- 7
  Remove the four screws holding the UMD drive to the bottom case with the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Pull the UMD drive out from the bottom case and discard it.
- 8
  Insert the replacement UMD drive into position on the bottom case and screw it down with the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Reassemble the UMD drive's door to the bottom case. Reattach the ribbon cables and reassemble the PSP. Put the battery into the battery compartment and close the battery compartment.
- 9
  Turn on the PSP. Slide the "Disc Eject" tab at the top to open the UMD drive's door. Insert a UMD game disc into the UMD drive that you have replaced for the one that was broken.

Sony PSP