DC fails to boot GDs/CDs...

[ModelingMan]

Hi, I've had my DC for a very long time now, and it wasn't until recently it gave up booting. I can't understand why this would happen, one day it worked perfectly fine then the next failure to boot. The splash screen, BIOS menu, etc. still loads but it just doesn't boot any type of media I insert into it.
Couple of months ago I had adjusted a little screw on the laser so that the DC was able to read CD-RWs, worked fine, then I reverted the screw back to normal and everything seemed to work the same as it did before so I don't think that'd be the problem. So now when I insert a GD/CD it seems like the DC just constantly tries to read the boot info over and over and then just gives up.

Would like to know if it's fixable, if not I guess I'll buy a laser replacement or probably a used DC from ebay or something.
So if anyone has any suggestions...

Thanks.

[Azraell]

DC is probably the console with the most ****ed laser cannon.
Have you tried putting him (DC) upside down? that's the only way mine reads Capcom VS SNK after he reads the IP.bin I can put him back on the normal position

[ptr.exe]

Cannon? what mods have you been doing?

And for the record the ps2 has by far the crappest quality laser, it breaks in less than a month.

ModelingMan, Welcome to the forums! The best fix is a laser recablibration, google it and you should find a guide. If not then post and i'll explain it to you.

[ModelingMan]

ModelingMan, Welcome to the forums! The best fix is a laser recablibration, google it and you should find a guide. If not then post and i'll explain it to you.

Thanks for the welcome. I found a post made by you on another section of these forums (link), with great patience I turned the screw a little bit at a time both clockwise and anti-clockwise with no success. At one point it read all GDs/CDs as audio CDs but still wouldn't read read them properly, at this point I turned it a tiny bit more clockwise but that only caused the CD speed to go extremely fast.

If you have any other ideas please share them...

Thanks.

[ptr.exe]

Yes, you're getting there. The disc spinning much faster is the DC recognising what it is and then trying to read it, a bit more may be enough to make it work right. If you really cant find the right place then the laser is screwed. If you're in the UK i can send you one cheap.

btw, at anytime have you removed the spindle motor/turned screws attached to it?

Ive just got a job lot of faulty DC's and managed to fix 8/10 with a simple recab.

[Raven1-ONE]

HI!

Why don't try to calibrate the laser's potometer to 793 ohms (or 800 ohms). Be sure the board of the laser is correctly attached to the metal case of the GD-ROM unit.
Verify the state of the black/white ribbon attached to GD-ROM and the board.

Well, I'm newbie, sorry for my bad English... and GOOD LUCK!!!

[ModelingMan]

Yes, you're getting there. The disc spinning much faster is the DC recognising what it is and then trying to read it, a bit more may be enough to make it work right.

I've just been having a go at turning the screw but now I might have another problem. One of the tips on the ribbon has broken:


Will this cause problems with reading CDs?

Edit:
Just noticed it has caused the laser not to function

[ptr.exe]

Yeah, that aint good.

I would suggest just buying a new DC, FFC cable is hard to find.

You could solder a wire going from the point on the gd board to the laser, or scratch off the plastic halfway down on that strip and then tape a wire to that, so you dont have to solder permanently to the gd board.

I know how you feel, when you almost fix one thing another bit breaks.

[semicolo]

maybe you can just cut a milimeter or 2 from the ribbon to have good connection again