Saturn Back-Ups: Odd Problems...

[Genesis_Does]

Hello there! I've been lurking on this site for some time now. But after purchasing a Mod Chip for my nearly mint condition Model 2 Sega Saturn, I've decide to join the fray.

Before I start, Here is the setup and tools I'm using:

Hardware
Sega Saturn Model 2 Console W/Mod Chip
EMS Action Replay 4Megabit Auto For imports/Meg cart users

Back up Tools
Nero 7
Image Burn
Alcohol 120%
CDmage & MagicISO For scanning or converting images

Emulator For Testing
Satourne v2.0 Beta3

Rom Dowloads
http://www.dcisozone.com
http://www.coolroms.com
http://www.emuparadise.com

and let me just say Ive already ventured to the following threads on this site:

This Tutorial Thread
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/hacks/20 ... ml#mdf-mds

These troubleshooting threads others have posted

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=378

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=488

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 25&t=18040

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... =17&t=8911

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... =17&t=5619

And this very helpful format guide from Afterdawn.com
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/20980


That being said, I've already burned about 26 working games for my Saturn. But I seem to have TWO black sheep out of all I've burned. One, I've sort of gave up on, Golden Axe - The Duel. The weird thing with that one is that it'll boot up and get to the SEGA Ltd screen, then reset itself back to the management screen. The laser reads the disc, and displays the Saturn symbol in the orb like it can read it as a working game. But it just resets itself over and over again. Every copy of Golden Axe I've aquired has done this so far. It even does it on the emulator I test it on too.

The Second strange problem is with Elevator Action Returns. I remember playing the original in the arcade and on my NES back in the day. So this was a must grab for me. The one I currently have was in MDS/MDF format. I've already burned a working copy in this format before in Alcohol, so I didn't see a need to convert it to BIN/CUE. Alas, it didn't work. But it did boot up the "Disc unsuitable for this system" in the management screen, which usually means it does acknowledge it is some sort of format disc and not music.

I decide to convert the disc into BIN/CUE format and tried again. Did the exact same thing and wouldn't work but once again booted the "Unsuitable" message again. But here's the strange thing, both discs seem to work in the Satourne emulator I use, and CD Magic didn't find any errors when I scanned it.

I've given up on Golden Axe, but I really want to play this Elevator Action! Any help would be most apreciated.

[Hobie-wan]

Yay, someone searched first! And welcome.

You might fire up Saturn Region Patcher just to check how the image you have is set or try changing it to match your console even though you have a cart to handle imports. That's odd that even the emulator won't play it though.

[Ziggy]

Yeah, if Elevator Action is giving you the "unsuitable" message then that means it's not set to the same region your console is. An easy fix in Saturn Region Patcher, I explain how to do it in my guide (that you linked above). Emulators are usually set up by default to automatically detect the region. If you can, hard set the region to match your console. That way when you test games you're also testing the region.

As for Golden Axe, if it's not booting in an emulator than it's probably a bad image (though you should check and see if the emulator has any known bugs with this game). It's not hard to find the same image on multiple sites, since most sites just re-up another site's image. Try getting the image from some where else. Snesorama has the has the JPN and PAL version:

http://snesorama.us/board/showthread.ph ... post431630

[Genesis_Does]

Yeah, if Elevator Action is giving you the "unsuitable" message then that means it's not set to the same region your console is. An easy fix in Saturn Region Patcher, I explain how to do it in my guide (that you linked above). Emulators are usually set up by default to automatically detect the region. If you can, hard set the region to match your console. That way when you test games you're also testing the region.

As for Golden Axe, if it's not booting in an emulator than it's probably a bad image (though you should check and see if the emulator has any known bugs with this game). It's not hard to find the same image on multiple sites, since most sites just re-up another site's image. Try getting the image from some where else. Snesorama has the has the JPN and PAL version:

http://snesorama.us/board/showthread.ph ... post431630

Even though I'm using my Action Replay cart to play import roms I may still need to region patch it? I've backed-up a great deal of Japanese NTSC roms already and have had no problem playing them with the cart. But, I'll give it a try.

[Ziggy]

Well as far as I know, when you get the message that tells you the game disc is unsuitable for the console, the burn IS good, it's just refusing to boot because of the region lock out. When you just get the audio tracks, it's a bad burn or bad image. And you said it boots fine in the emulator, so you know the image is good. I would just try and take the region setting out of the equation.

So I'm assuming that you have tried to boot this burn with your AR? That's is kinda weird then. Does it boot into the AR menu first, and then when you select "start game" it returns to the audio player? I only ask because the Saturn's cart slot can be unreliable, if it doesn't boot up the AR first then it's not gonna load a game set to a different region.

[Genesis_Does]

Well as far as I know, when you get the message that tells you the game disc is unsuitable for the console, the burn IS good, it's just refusing to boot because of the region lock out. When you just get the audio tracks, it's a bad burn or bad image. And you said it boots fine in the emulator, so you know the image is good. I would just try and take the region setting out of the equation.

So I'm assuming that you have tried to boot this burn with your AR? That's is kinda weird then. Does it boot into the AR menu first, and then when you select "start game" it returns to the audio player? I only ask because the Saturn's cart slot can be unreliable, if it doesn't boot up the AR first then it's not gonna load a game set to a different region.

The AR definitely boots up first. I'm used to using a cart for my Saturn since I played imports on it way back when. Most people don't realize that when the cart slot stops reading the cart, 9 times out of 10, it's because it's filthy. After you clean it (By wiping a deluded cleaning solution onto the end of the cart and carefully inserting and removing the cart out of the Saturn's slot, then repeat until the end of the cart stops pulling dirt out of the slot...I know. This process sounds almost pornographic. XD), it works perfectly every time.

But yeah, it boots up first and all my other Japanese region back-up games work fine with the cart but will not work without it like they're suppose to. So that's why i thought it was so weird it worked in the emulator.

Anyway. I ended up downloading the ROM from a different source, an ISO/CUE/mp3 this time, and it burned and worked perfectly. Thanks so much for all your input though. You guys responded fast! I do have one other request though...Where can I get a free non-trial version of the older CDRwin? The torrents and downloads I find have them, but they no longer work when I try to boot them up.