Help with the most JACKED up dreamcast ive ever seen!

[kmmmm12345111]

Ok, here's the story. I bought this dreamcast a few months ago(was in perfect condition), and tried all the dreamcast 101 bs, (ie, clean power supply, lens, blah blah.) Ive had 6 dreamcasts and never seen crap like this. I know all the parts work (power supply, controller ports, fan, gd rom, av cables, ac cord) because i tried them on another system. I even taped the switch that lets you keep the cd spinning with the cover open (i know that is an issue as well.)

I turn on the system; light turns on vmu's scream.....black screen for about 2-5 minutes....then the white screen turns on but no sound or animation, just the white screen with the dreamcast orange swirl. Then it takes another couple of minutes before it goes to the menu, says checking disc, then....nothing, it wont read any disc (real or burned.) I got it 1 time to boot the white screen intro animation/sound, by doing the 2nd controller port x/b reset trick or whatever you call it, but have not been able to replicate it. WTF is wrong with this!! The only other thing I can think of is, on the mother board there are 2 capacitors that look to be leaking white stuff, (but i think that is just stuff to keep it in place?) So anyone have any ideas???? Sorry for the long post!

[opticledilusi0n]

probably leaking caps .. replace them .

[gtmtnbiker]

probably leaking caps .. replace them .

I agree. I don't think there should be any stuff on the caps. Can you take a picture of the caps and post it?

[Hobie-wan]

I agree. If the caps are leaking, then there are power fluctuations or not enough power getting to components and they will act strangely. A dying power supply in a PC can make it seem posessed and that matches what's going on with the DC.

[kmmmm12345111]

Thanks guys, yeah that makes perfect sense.

[Flake]

Just a question for the technologically incompetent among us...what is a 'leaking caps'?

[bacteria]

Over the years, things can go wrong with electronics, you can get dry joints, things like that; also, regards capacitors, they can leak or corrode, like batteries can. If a capacitor is no longer fairly shiny on the top, and have a flat top surface, then the capacitor might be getting faulty; if you have oxidisation or a residue, as you indicated, then the capacitor is certainly in a bad way and needs replacing. The good news is they are easy and cheap to replace; just make sure they are installed the same way around as on the board. A capacitor on a board will have a black or grey vertical band, this is the "negative" side of a capacitor.

[Flake]

Do any of you have a picture that you might post handy? I'm having trouble picturing what you are describing. Yes, I am that mechanically inept.

[Hobie-wan]

Do any of you have a picture that you might post handy? I'm having trouble picturing what you are describing. Yes, I am that mechanically inept.

This should fill you in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague