On some CD laser pick-ups theres a solder blob that protects the laser
against static discharge, once its installed you need to carefully remove it
with a soldering iron and some desoldering braid - quite easy.
Just did a search and it appears that this feature is mostly on Sony Pickups
so it may not be relevant to your Phillips piece. I checked the service manual
for the drive and could not find any mention of it.
Best of Luck
Peter