Dreamcast keeps rebooting

[c0ldb33r]

I got a Dreamcast bundle for $40 - It included a console, a few controllers, some rumble packs and VMUs, 2 pelican light guns, the fishing controller, the keyboard and mouse and a whack of copied games.

I really just wanted the accessories. I'll likely just give the games to someone local as they're of no use to me.

I was going to sell off the dreamcast console itself, but it's really weird. It'll play a game for some period of time (maybe 1 minute, maybe 5), then reboot to the main screen and say "checking disc". My original Dreamcast never does this.

I'm talking genuine games, not copies. It did it with JGR and Space Channel 5.

Is this something that can be easily remedied? I don't really want to return it because I like all the accessories.

[rimsky82]

First, after making sure the discs are in good shape, I'd try cleaning the laser. If that doesn't work, I'd check to make sure the laser mechanism isn't getting stuck on anything.

[jonjandran]

The Dreamcast is notorious for having a power supply loose connection problem.. There are a ton of guides on fixing it and it is an easy fix. I would Google that and try it first.

[danny_galaga]

Yep, what he said! This is an easy fix, you are lucky. Here is the gist of how to fix it:

http://www94.pair.com/jsoper/dc_fix.html

You will probably find even just taking out the power supply and putting it back in will help, but you might as well do the whole thing while it's open...

[Oldskool]

Good link, I am gonna post that in the useful repair links thread.

[raylydiard]

use contact cleaner spray on the pins of the power supply its self and the contacts on the motherboard it self and fixs the probleam i will make a video up on you tube some day for this to show how its done.

[mario2butts]

I had this problem, and even after cleaning/ bending the power supply pins the problem persisted. What was happening in my case was the lid switch wasn't being held down completely when I closed the lid. I fixed it by padding the piece of plastic that holds down the lid switch with electrical tape... so far so good.

[atarikurt]

I can second the lid switch problem. I ended up just glueing a small piece of plastic to the lid so it hits the switch better. It worked great.

[InsaneDavid]

As has been said, the Dreamcast has a problem where the power supply board loses solid contact with the motherboard. There are a series of pins that stick up from the motherboard (which is on the bottom of the system) through connectors on the power supply board (which is on the top of the system). Open up your Dreamcast and you'll see the power supply board on the left side. Remove it (you'll see the pins and how they connect when you side it up and off) and re-seat it.

The power supply is actually a lot like the Saturn's. However unlike the Saturn there aren't support screws where the power cable plugs into system. Plugging and unplugging the power cord from the console, as well as storing the system with the power cord plugged in (acts like a lever) can cause the power supply board to shift around just enough to break solid connection.

Also quick mention - this being a somewhat old thread, it's always best in a technical or repair thread to come back and let us know if the problem has been fixed or if the situation has changed.

use contact cleaner spray on the pins of the power supply its self and the contacts on the motherboard it self and fixs the probleam i will make a video up on you tube some day for this to show how its done.

At this point, why do you think anyone would listen to you for repair advice?

[raylydiard]

I have fix this easy as cake always fixable i buy crap load of busted dreamcast and resell them all have permanent fix on this rebooting
electrical solvent cleaner
to clean i could make up a repair gudie for this fix its a permanent fix for this.

[Timstuff]

I was having this problem too, and I found this thread on Google search. I was trying to leave Marvel vs. Capcom 2 running in Training mode so that I could get free points to unlock stuff with, but the system kept going to the Dreamcast main menu and re-checking the game disc. I was able to fix it by putting a piece of masking tape over the slot the lid that the Open button thingy goes into and then making sure that it was "dented," kind of like what Mario2butts did. That seems to have solved the problem, and I didn't have to open up the system. A more permanent (not to mention more aesthetically pleasing) solution would be to glue a thin little piece of plastic inside the indentation instead of using tape, like what atarikurt did.

** EDIT **

Well, I spoke too soon. The DC is still crashing to the menu while left unattended, so I guess I have to open it up and fiddle with the power connector as others have done.

[Timstuff]

After using tape on the lid, tweaking the power supply pins, and cleaning the laser lens with a Q-tip, I think there's only one real suspect left for why my DC keeps crashing to the main menu-- it does not like CD-Rs! I had been testing it using my burned copy of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Accurate Remix, and it would usually crash to the DC menu within about an hour. Cleaning the lens seemed to help, but it still crashed after a bit more than an hour. Well, after switching over to my official disc of Street Fighter 3, I have been able to leave it running for over an hour and a half straight and still going.

Naturally, not everyone is going to have problems running CD-r's on their Dreamcast, because there are a large number of factors that can probably lead to a game crashing-- the game itself, disc brand, burn speed, etc., however I think it would be wise for DC users to note that while it's easy to make the system play backups, whenever you go about trying to make a system do something it wasn't designed for there's always a possibility that you're going to run into problems that don't have an easy solution.

I'd like to get my hands on a legit copy of MVC2 vanilla for Dreamcast at some point in the near future so I can properly conclude whether or not it's the CD-R that is at fault, however that is what it's looking like since I have never experienced the reset problem with any of my official game discs in the 12 years that I have owned this system.