I need advice/help...not a burning backup problem but a dc unit problem

[dcdrica]

I have had my DC since it first came out....started making backups since they first came out....everything has been going fine. Now all of a sudden my DC won't read any of my backups or any of my original DC games. My friend said this has happened to him but his DC he bought 6 months ago and had to go out and buy a new one. Do I need to clean my laser or something or just go ahead and buy a new or used DC?

Thanks in advance for any help

:-(

[Areku]

It indeed could probably be a dirty lens as the first thing a technician would look at...

Has the DC fallen into ground, have you tried disassembling it or any other thing?

I'm not sure of life expectancy of these devices..

[dcdrica]

It hasn't fallen or anything....just stopped working. Should I try cleaning the lens? If so what to use?


Thanks

[TheMaskedm0m0]

Does it go to the Dreamcast menu or bring up the audio CD screen or does it just sit there?

If it just sits there, I know the problem and the solution. It's one of two things:

A) Laser has died

B) Ribbon cable somewhere has come loose.

Either case requires you to open your DC and take it apart. There are only two ribbon cables, one at the front of the mainboard that connects to the board where you plug the DC controllers into and the other is in the GD-ROM housing.

The ribbon cable in the GD-ROM has two connection points, one inside the metal casing and one to the lens. Check the lens one, if it is in there the whole way, take apart the metal casing and check the cable there.

Finally, when reassembling your DC, make sure the GD-ROM housing fits snuggly inside the connector on the mainboard.

~The Masked M0M0~