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How to Fix a PSP When the Screen Turns Black

The PSP game console depends upon its removable battery to power the operating system that runs the electronics and the LCD game screen. But if the battery becomes loose or dirt interrupts the batteries contacts while the PSP is first starting up, this can corrupt the operating system and cause the screen to stay black, even though the PSP is working. Correcting this problem can be done in a few hours without damaging the PSP.

Things You'll Need

Clean, soft cloth
Camel's hair brush
Lint free tissue
Cotton swab
PSP battery charger
Rubbing Alcohol
UMD disc with firmware upgrade

Instructions

- 1
  Put a clean, soft cloth down on a work surface. Put the PSP down face down on the cloth. Remove the battery compartment. Remove the battery. Clean the battery contacts with lint-free tissue. Gently rub the contacts with a cotton swab moistened in alcohol. Put the battery aside to dry.
- 2
  Pick up the PSP and hold it face up. Blow dust out of the battery compartment with the camel's hair brush. Place the PSP face down. Clean the inside of the battery compartment with the lint-free tissue. Clean the battery contacts inside the battery compartment with an alcohol-moistened swab.
- 3
  Put the battery back into the battery compartment. Close the battery compartment cover. Make sure there is no memory stick in the memory slot of the PSP.
- 4
  Pick up the PSP and press the latch to open the UMD drive. Insert a UMD disc with a firmware update into the UMD drive. Close the UMD drive and put the PSP face up on the cloth.
- 5
  Attach the battery charger to the PSP. Wait two to three hours for the battery to be fully charged. Remove the battery charger and pick up the PSP. Turn on the PSP using the power switch. Wait as the UMD disc comes up with a screen that asks if you want to update the firmware. Press the "X" button on the PSP to update the firmware and reboot the PSP. The screen should no longer be black.

Sony PSP