My first game, NiGHTS, arrived today. Excitedly, I popped the disc in, only to have the Saturn load the game as an audio cd rather than an actual game disc.
I thought maybe it was just a dusty lens, so I gently cleaned it with a q-tip. No good, the problem still persists.
So I googled up a solution, and the best thing I could find came from this forum:
http://www.fixya.com/support/t492541-se ... boot_games
I opened my Saturn thinking I knew what I was doing enough to try this out. But honestly, I'm a little in over my head, and don't have much of a clue how to go about this.I know what's causing the problem--the spindle motor for the CD's doesn't spin fast enough to read the disc properly; this usually happens when the system gets hit too hard or is dropped. This causes games to recognized as audio CD's and also causes the tracks to play improperly (there will be complete silence when a track is played and possibly some static at the beginning and the cubes an the sides of the display will be distorted and blown up.IF THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN THEN DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS.)Before starting, make sure the system is plugged in, there's no controller connected, and the system is NOT hooked up to a tv. Okay, now this is where it gets complicated. first, take the top of the system off and locate the disc drive switch. Depending on which model your console is, it'll be in different places. On the newer model (the one that has a PC board on the top cover), it'll be on a small PC board on the opposite side. On the older model (the one that has all the PC boards on the bottom), it's sticking up out of the metal plate between the two PC boards(the little clear plastic thing with copper plates inside). Either way, the switch needs to be held down or taped down.(I suggest taping it, but it may not work with the older system.) There are a few little variable resistors (little upright disc-shaped things) on the top left corner of the exposed circuit board (the one with the CD lens on it). Try adjusting those with a small flat-head screwdriver with the system turned ON and a CD on the spindle. Be CAREFUL--do NOT touch the CD while it's moving and keep your hands away from the PC board on the left--It WILL shock you. Adjust the resistors untill the CD spins the fastest. If the CD stops spinning, pull off and then replace the tape. If it doesn't spin at all in the first place, check the tape. Once you get it spinning as fast as possible, hook the system back up to your television WITHOUT replacing the cover. If it reconizes the CD as a game, your done and you can close it up. If it thinks its an audio CD or doesn't read it at all, the resistors need more adjusting. This work can be very trying and dangerous; this method can also ruin your system, but it's the only way to make it work without replacing any parts, but it DOES work. If you have any questions, ask me.
I was wondering if anyone here could possibly explain this solution (I'm nervous about fiddling around w/ the console while it's plugged in... that doesn't sound quite right to me), or anything else that might work in the simplest terms possible.
My experience with this sort of stuff goes about as far as cleaning out controllers, and fixing my open latch/re-connecting the controller ports on my ps1 - so please lamens terms only.
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