PS2 SCPH-30003-R freezes on the BIOS/Boot menu. (The Browser/System Configuration Menu).

rlaphoenix · September 24, 2021

On bootup, what happens is the rotating orb things rotate until the menu text actually appears. Once it does, the orbs freeze in-place and nothing except the audio works. Controllers do not work, nor does anything else other than the power and eject buttons.

Based on remedies online, it seems this happens on dead CMOS batteries. The problem here, is I just now replaced the CMOS battery and it acts as if nothing changes. I bought this CR2032 not longer than a year ago. I doubt the new one that was still wrapped in the packaging is already dead?

As for testing booting into Free McBoot, I cannot yet test that as I do not have a modded memory card or a disc to use for FreeDVDBoot.

However. I noticed something about this problem that I have not heard anyone else mention. If you simply leave the console running for a while (about 10 minutes for me) it eventually presses a random button (but usually X bringing me into Browser). This is quite odd.

I replaced the CMOS by simply swapping out the battery, but perhaps there's something else needed to be done to fully reset the BIOS and let the PS2 re-sync?

rlaphoenix · September 24, 2021

Fault tl-dr; Needed a CMOS replacement, and my PS2 controller was faulty and not letting me change menu option to configure the new date and time.

Update: It turns out the controller might have actually been faulty. I unplugged my PS2 controller, and plugged a verified working PS1 controller into Slot 1. I was then able to press down to System Configuration and set up the time! Woo-hoo!

For reference, about that weird random controller presses, it seems that was caused by the controller. For some reason too, is that pressing the "Analog" red led button thing, caused it to basically spam X and O or something, cause when the red light was On, it would keep going in and out of browser options without any chance for me to scroll down or stop it or anything. It was weird.