Has my Saturn bit the dust?

[brickiemart]

I have a modded board 2 Saturn. It has worked great for the 6 months or so that I've had it. Just today as I got home I put in a game and nothing. The screen says it is checking the disc format, but what I have found out is that nothing is happening with the laser or the disc spinner.

It's all dead. I have taken out and reinstalled the mod chip, nothing. Is my motor or perhaps laser dead? Both? Can I replace either one? Also, this thing showed no signs of wear or slow down. It went from performing like a champ to dead. What do you guys think?

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Try it without the modchip installed.

[brickiemart]

Strangeness abound. I did as you suggested and at first nothing as before (the chip was very hot fyi). I then tried putting the cover back on top and the Saturn would turn off and then on. But twice the spinner would work and rapidly. So there is some life in there it's just acting abnormal. More picking and prodding experiments are needed. I am glad though. I just play Panzer Dragoon Saga for the first time yesterday. I was extremely surprised at how nice the game is and actually ordered a memory cart that evening so I could play through it without erasing other Saturn data.

Any more ideas I'd love to hear them. That's so far Mod_man.

Also, I just realized it doesn't notice when the drive door is open or closed. I have it with the top off and I believe it should think that the door is open, but it still goes into the disc format check first thing when I turn it on.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

From the sound of it your modchip may have overheated and fried itself.

Also check the switch that tells the Saturn if it's drive door if it's open or closed to make sure it isn't jammed, dusty etc...

[brickiemart]

I took out the chip again I got it to read cds, so the system is fine and I think you are right. I'll check it out again in the moring to see if is any chance of it working again. If not I may be ordering one from Racketboy soon. Thanks for the help.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Anytime man!

It's a pretty common issue, plus it kept a perfectly good Saturn out of the trash so I was glad to help.

[PhilExile]

Just out of curiosity, what would cause the modchip to overheat and burn itself out?

[MasonB15]

Make sure that the wires from the modchip are soldered into the correct places. I recently bought a modded saturn that gave me the same errors as yours. It turned out to be a problem with the wiring.

This link might help you
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/Raluminat/troubleshoot.html

[brickiemart]

I have the same question Philexile, I'm also curious as to what the self-life is for the average Saturn mod-chip.

I'll try messing with the wires Mason, if there is any change I'll let you know.

Update: the wires seem fine, this chip has worked well in the past so the only wire related problem I could think of would be one of them coming undone. Also, when I turn the Saturn on the chip gets hot to the point that I can not touch it. I think it's a goner.

[dentman42]

Look for shorts (solder bridges) on the modchip board. Also look for cracks.

If there are shorts, that could have fried one or more of the chips, though sometimes chips will short internally and the short causes them to get blisteringly hot.