The most common cause is a broken or bad ISO game file. Other reasons can be wrong CDVD plugin settings or the game file not being loaded properly.
1. Install Version 1.4 of PCSX2
In most cases, the issue occurs when users try to play a PAL version (made for Europe) of a game. Remember, older versions of PCSX2 focused mainly on NTSC games, which might cause this error when you play PAL ISOs. If this fits your situation, you should fix the problem by uninstalling your current version and installing version 1.4 from the official website. Many users have confirmed that doing this allowed them to play their favorite PS2 games without running into the Black Screen Error (CDVD READ ERROR).
2. Use Direct3D9 (Hardware) Renderer
If your computer uses an AMD processor, PCSX2 might select a video renderer that prevents certain games from running properly. This happens because the emulator tries to find the best renderer based on your hardware, but it’s not always accurate with AMD CPUs. While everything usually works fine with Intel processors, users with AMD processors may find that PCSX2 sets the renderer to OpenGL (Software), which can cause issues with some games. Many users have resolved the issue by changing the renderer in the Video GS Plugin settings.
3. Create an ISO of the Game DVD
For certain PlayStation 2 games, the Black Screen Error (CDVD READ ERROR) will appear because PCSX2 can’t always play games directly from a DVD drive. To get around this, you’ll need to create an ISO file from your game disc using ImgBurn or a similar tool and then load that ISO into PCSX2. It might sound a bit technical, but many users have found this to be the solution that finally worked for them.
4. Change the GSDX Renderer to DirectX11
If your computer uses a newer dedicated graphics card, PCSX2 might default to a renderer that causes this error. To fix this, you need to change the renderer to Direct3D11 (Hardware) in the GSdx Settings. Many users with modern graphics cards found that this was the step that finally allowed their PS2 games to play without running into the black screen issue. Note: This method only works if you have a graphics card that actually supports DirectX11. If you have an integrated or older GPU without DirectX11 support, using this renderer may cause a different error.
