another 'help me burn Saturn games' thread

[spiritplx]

In order to help rule out bad images and bad burns, first try to play the image on a Saturn emulator. If it doesn't work, the game might not be supported, but if it does, then it is a more than likely a good image. After you burn the game, try playing the CD in the emulator. It should play just like the image did. If not, you have a bad burn. After it runs on the CD version, try playing in your Saturn. If it doesn't play, you might have bad media. If this is the case, your entire spindle will more than likely not work. However, it is still possible the mod chip is bad or that it is not installed properly. Once you get the first game to play, you know the chip is fine, then all you most do is rule out bad burns/bad media after that.

Good luck!

[Doctor4000]

Just for posterity, have you tried a retail pressed Saturn game in your system?

[lwcook]

I just tried burning Radiant Silvergun with Alcohol and have had no success. Should the disc not be spinning... like at all? Because that's what I noticed has been happening. On startup it says 'drive empty.' If I open and close the disc tray it says 'checking disc format' before it switches to 'drive empty' after a few seconds. During that time I hear something that sounds like the laser moving, but the disc stays stationary.

It definitely sounds like your mod chip has come loose during shipping. At this point, wouldn't get a retail game to boot because the Saturn isn't spinning the cd-rom drive.

Open up the system and check the red power wire and try reseating the chip. Most likely it just got bumped around a bit and things got knocked loose (happened to my saturn last time I moved.)

Good news is once you get that fixed, all the games you burned will work!

[equalsign]

I haven't been able to get SSF to work with either a mounted image or a disc, but I feel as though I'm to blame for that one. I have been having much trouble figuring it all out. I'm going to try it and some other emulators again later tonight.

I haven't tried any retail games. I purchased a modded console for the purpose playing burned games. Saturn collecting seems really expensive, and I don't have the funds to get into it at the moment. I would need a Japanese game anyways. I really don't want to order a game online and wait another couple weeks to find out if this Saturn is broken or if I'm just an idiot.

The mod chip appears to be installed correctly, but I'm new to this sort of thing so I can't say for sure. I've uploaded some pictures-
http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/ ... racketboy/

Here's racketboy's guide for installing a mod chip on a Sanyo board-
http://www.racketboy.com/saturn-modchip ... nstall.htm

(Note: His chip is different than mine, but I think the guide still applies.)

I also included some pictures of what my Radiant Silvergun burn looks like when I put it in on the mac side. It shows up as two discs; one music and the other data. Can anyone tell me if that looks right?

Also, does anyone know why the disc wouldn't spin when I place it in the system? Standard audio CDs don't spin and end up with a 'Drive empty' message as well (not sure if the Saturn has CD playback).

[gtmtnbiker]

I'm not an expert but it looks like you have the Sanyo board, no? Another user on this board said that if the PCB trap board has a white line around it, you can mod it but not the other. It seems like yours is missing the white line.

[lwcook]

I'm not an expert but it looks like you have the Sanyo board, no? Another user on this board said that if the PCB trap board has a white line around it, you can mod it but not the other. It seems like yours is missing the white line.

I assume that since he bought it modded, it was previously been modded successfully. That modchip is a different kind and takes to the Sanyo board much better than the blue chip. IIRC, it will work for almost all model 2 boards in general.

Also, does anyone know why the disc wouldn't spin when I place it in the system? Standard audio CDs don't spin and end up with a 'Drive empty' message as well (not sure if the Saturn has CD playback).

Like I said in a previous post, it isn't spinning cds because the modchip is not doing what it's suppose to. If you want to make sure it isn't the Saturn, try taking the modchip out and plugging the ribbon cable right into the Saturn. It should at least spin any cd you put in there now.

So you're burning the games fine I believe...don't waste anymore time on that. Try booting the Saturn with the top off and holding/taping down the lid open sensor and gently put pressure on the left side (then the right side) of the chip. This is to see if the chip isn't making good contact.

Hopefully you'll get a cd to spin (or at least see the spindle kick up when you turn the system on.)

[Ifran]

hey guys, i'm new around these parts, but it looks like a good, fun community.

now to the problem at hand. i've dealt with similar problems before, and it seems to me you might have a combination of problems here. the pictures your posted seem to show a properly installed modchip. probably the lens is just dirty. it's possible it can get dusty during shipping or from storage. you need to clean the leans with a little alcohol and cotton swab. and lwcook could be right too, maybe the chip got jostled during shipping and the ribbons need to be re-seated. it could also be that the ends of the ribbons or the slots need a cleaning too - they too could get dusty during shipping or storage. but that's just one aspect of the problem...

you're probably also using bad media. get them from a legitimate source and ensure that they are running on your emulator before you decide to burn them. if your media is running on an emulator then it should almost certainly work on your saturn. try it with a japanese game that you don't need to patch first.

[lwcook]

hey guys, i'm new around these parts, but it looks like a good, fun community.

now to the problem at hand. i've dealt with similar problems before, and it seems to me you might have a combination of problems here. the pictures your posted seem to show a properly installed modchip. probably the lens is just dirty. it's possible it can get dusty during shipping or from storage. you need to clean the leans with a little alcohol and cotton swab. and lwcook could be right too, maybe the chip got jostled during shipping and the ribbons need to be re-seated. it could also be that the ends of the ribbons or the slots need a cleaning too - they too could get dusty during shipping or storage. but that's just one aspect of the problem...

you're probably also using bad media. get them from a legitimate source and ensure that they are running on your emulator before you decide to burn them. if your media is running on an emulator then it should almost certainly work on your saturn. try it with a japanese game that you don't need to patch first.

Welcome to the forums Ifran! Good to have you aboard!

Anyways, I still think the main problem is that the modchip is not passing through correctly. The main reason I know it's this and not a dirty lens is when he said an audio cd won't even spin. Cleaning the lens certainly won't hurt, but if that was the root of the problem, it would still spin the disc at first until it came back with an error message.

Testing with a legit JP game is a good idea, however it should play music from an audio cd no matter what.

[Ifran]

thanks for the welcome!

but hmmm, yeah. if that's the case, he probably just needs to re-seat the chip then, right? cleaning the connections will help too. is that what fixed it in your case?

[lwcook]

thanks for the welcome!

but hmmm, yeah. if that's the case, he probably just needs to re-seat the chip then, right? cleaning the connections will help too. is that what fixed it in your case?

Yeah, the chip wasn't making good contact. That's why in rackets guide and on here you'll occasionally here someone mention having to file the chip down.

I didn't think about that (it was before I was a regular here, even though I ordered my chip from racket,) so I ended up taping the chip so it slightly pulled down on it to the inboard side of the system. Wasn't the cleanest fixed, but once the hood is on, it works fine.