Saturn not booting games...

xiao_haozi · Sep 22, 2009

So I broke out the Saturn tonight after not playing for about a month or a little longer and BAM I got the no disc error. :hammer:

When I power on the unit, the disc kinda spins up a few times, I can here a slight revving each time but it never hits full speed. I do here the laser slightly moving. Then I get the no disc error. If I open and close, I get no spinning at all and same message. Same with a reset, no spinning, same message. If I turn off and on, then it will do the slight spin up and then same message.

I tried moving the laser manually through the range on the track and moving back a couple of times and same result. I also tried to tip the unit on the side, to no avail. It doesn't seem to be the door either, at least I don't think so, as it seems to recognize when the door is open and closed.

What's strange is that the unit hadn't been touched in that month period so I don't think it would be the ribbon cable.....I don't think... :scratch:

Any ideas or quick-fix suggestions before I open it up and check the ribbon cable, etc...?

Thanks in advance for any help! :glee:

I needs to play me some hissatsu! ASAP....

ISODee · Sep 23, 2009

Is the CD spinner jammed? If not sounds you have dead laser! I had samekind problem with my DC and PC-E CD. You can try adjust the laser but I think you have to buy new laser....

xiao_haozi · Sep 23, 2009

ISODee said:
Is the CD spinner jammed? If not sounds you have dead laser! I had samekind problem with my DC and PC-E CD. You can try adjust the laser but I think you have to buy new laser....

No because it spins up okay... but then slows back down...then spins fast again and then slows back down.... does that about 3-4 times then just stops.

I can hear what I think is the laser moving slightly so I don't think that is getting stuck either.

Dead laser?!

Anything I should/can check before trying to get a hold of a replacement laser?

ISODee · Sep 24, 2009

Probably dead laser..... Check google can you find any info adjusting the laser. That might help (for a while)

awbacon · Sep 24, 2009

I agree w/ the laser assessment. If the drive is spinning up to speed, slowing back down, and spinning again, and the laser moves freely along the track, sounds like your laser isnt picking up any data

You can start by adjusting the pots. Google that, as its a VERY specific (yet entirely easy) thing to do, and may by you more life out of the system

Another, lesser thought....was it banged around when it was stored? Could be an alignment issue

But I'd start with adjusting the pots

xiao_haozi · Sep 24, 2009

awbacon said:
I agree w/ the laser assessment. If the drive is spinning up to speed, slowing back down, and spinning again, and the laser moves freely along the track, sounds like your laser isnt picking up any data

You can start by adjusting the pots. Google that, as its a VERY specific (yet entirely easy) thing to do, and may by you more life out of the system

Another, lesser thought....was it banged around when it was stored? Could be an alignment issue

But I'd start with adjusting the pots

It was never bumped to my knowledge but that could have happened I guess.

But yeah I'll try adjusting the laser and I'll check the ribbon connector in there too while I'm at it...

If I were to have to replace the laser is it usually worth finding one and replacing or are they costly enough to warrant another saturn

?

Syn · Sep 24, 2009

If you can't find one cheaper than $20 by you, I can ship you a gamer condition one for that price xiao. Let me know which model it is and you can use it for parts or play :buttrock:

xiao_haozi · Sep 24, 2009

synbiosfan said:
If you can't find one cheaper than $20 by you, I can ship you a gamer condition one for that price xiao. Let me know which model it is and you can use it for parts or play

Awesome! Yeah I'll let you know how it turns out. Really appreciate the offer

TheGreenMachine · Sep 24, 2009

Agree with the rest, it sounds like the laser pick-up has gone bad. I've had it happen with many CD players... and my JP Xbox 360. Likely if it had been working fine it is "bad" bad and replacement is the best option. Tweaking the pots will likely only be a temporary solution if it works at all.

Oddly I had the video output fail in my old Saturn in the same out of the blue way. I was playing MSH vs Capcom one night and shut it off and went to bed. Got up the next morning and wanted to play it again. Powered it on. Game booted up and audio played but presto no video!

The moral of the story being that sometimes stuff just happens.

- TGM

Syn · Sep 24, 2009

I still have my launch Saturn :buttrock:

Just acquired a few extra's while buying "lots" for my collection.

xiao_haozi · Sep 24, 2009

TheGreenMachine said:
The moral of the story being that sometimes stuff just happens.

- TGM

That's the theme of life

But yeah I am thinking that if it's the laser that it was probably on the way out for a bit now and has just bit the dust this time around.
I guess I just kept reloading the same level too much dying all the time playing keio's flying squadron :loco:

Thanks again for all the tips everyone... I'll check into this weekend.

awbacon · Sep 24, 2009

I'd get a fresh saturn. The time / money / hassle of finding a new laser seems, to me, a bit of a pain.

I got a JPN saturn w/ region switch for $65 dollars off a member on here, and before that a black US saturn for $25, so they are out there

xiao_haozi · Sep 24, 2009

awbacon said:
I'd get a fresh saturn. The time / money / hassle of finding a new laser seems, to me, a bit of a pain.

I got a JPN saturn w/ region switch for $65 dollars off a member on here, and before that a black US saturn for $25, so they are out there

True... but I just picked this one up a few months back from here and has a region switch and all so I would like to try and fix it if I can. At the moment, I would rather spend time on it than money... I mean both are at a premium right now, but time is always a little easier to give up.

SNKNostalgia · Sep 25, 2009

You could just get another saturn and switch the CD drive. Just make sure it is the same model. There are two different drive models if I remember correctly.

the.bet · Sep 25, 2009

synbiosfan said:
I still have my launch Saturn

Just acquired a few extra's while buying "lots" for my collection.

My launch Saturn still runs strong too

I remember when there were only 5 games available for the system the day I bought it.

ISODee · Sep 25, 2009

Can anyone here say why my saturn screen start flickering and drive makes noise when I have played about 30min and then turn of... after that turn back on. I wait about 15min and it works perfectly again.... It newer had problem while playing. Ive asked this several forums and no one had any idea why.

awbacon · Sep 25, 2009

I think there are actually 3 drive configurations in the saturn. One 32 bit chip, one 64 bit chip, and what I think was some rarer Samsung drive? I remember reading something that had a diagram of all three drives, but I checked google and couldn't find it

If it has a region switch, then yes I'd try to fix it. For now, try turning the pots. Its not a permanent solution, but it will buy you some months

Also, dumb question, but did you clean the laser? If not, I'd give that a go before spending any more time/money. Sometimes its the dumb fix that is always forgotten (I know...I argued with a Neo Geo CD for over an hour before I realized I had unplugged it...DOH!)

awbacon · Sep 25, 2009

And if the laser is traveling, and focusing, I doubt its the ribbon cable. I can't see a scenario where any of the cables could have come loose unless the unit was opened up.

ISODee...overheating perhaps? That would be my first guess. It works for a bit, gets funky, and turning it off and WAITING solves the problem. Sounds like the system might be getting too hot? Although I've never heard of an overheating Saturn before

Good luck to everyone trying to fix their machines

awbacon · Sep 25, 2009

Another idea (sorry for spamming the thread) would be to open the case, tape the cd lid button down, and watch what happens when the cd spins up and the laser tries to read it.

Sometimes the 'noises' the system makes can be a bit hard to hear / interprit, but if you view what happens with the lid up, you can get a real good sense of just whats going on

You have a Play-N-Trade near you? I've purchased beat up systems there for parts, usually very cheap if you tell them you dont need the adapters / controllers, but just the core unit. Good source for working systems that you can scavenge parts from

xiao_haozi · Sep 25, 2009

awbacon said:
Another idea (sorry for spamming the thread) would be to open the case, tape the cd lid button down, and watch what happens when the cd spins up and the laser tries to read it.

Sometimes the 'noises' the system makes can be a bit hard to hear / interprit, but if you view what happens with the lid up, you can get a real good sense of just whats going on

You have a Play-N-Trade near you? I've purchased beat up systems there for parts, usually very cheap if you tell them you dont need the adapters / controllers, but just the core unit. Good source for working systems that you can scavenge parts from

All good suggestions. Thanks! I'll give them a go and see what I can come up with...

As for used game shops... none that I'm aware of in the city here. We had a nice shop for a few years that had all kinds of older systems ... pricey, but they usually had lots of good imports sitting around and a few good cabs to jam on. Unfortunately, like with most small businesses in downtown Philly, I think the small business tax increase caused them to abandon ship.

But I'll see what I can do in the meantime and then go from there...
Thanks again all!

awbacon · Sep 26, 2009

Definately post the results in the thread when you figure out what was wrong, and the fix

Always interested to hear more about hardware restoration

presicion25 · Oct 4, 2009

hope this helps, this guys site has pics of the inside of each Saturn type that came out. I just got my Saturn modded through him and he did an awesome job. No problems. You could look inside and see which Saturn type you have. Click on "Saturn modchip installation" to see the pics im referring to.

http://www.angelfire.com/pa/Raluminat/index.html

SNKNostalgia · Oct 5, 2009

Man, I had the biggest trouble with trying to get a modchip to work on my Saturn. My only Saturn at the time was a new 1997 japanese blue skeletal system with horse derby stickers included. I bought it around 2001 from NCSX for $150. It is a solid looking system.

I tried the racketboy.com 2 of the same typical model modchips and had no luck. I then went and bought a US 1996 Saturn used and still had no success. I ordered a different model modchip from a UK site and it didn't work on my blue skeletal system, but it did work on my used US system. I hear the racketboy ones would easily fry out. The one I got actually is of higher quality, but picky on what systems it will work on. I got to play some fun protos and try out some of the rare games thanks to this.

Edit: What is messed up is that both are 32pin ic model systems which are suppose to have 99% success rate according to the site above my post.

Saturn not booting games...

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