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[mycarsucks]

aaaaaaaaaaaaa

[whoisKeel]

i dunno, but i do it quite often thinking i'm hitting a reset button which doesn't exist.

i'm a 'resetter'...crap i died...RESET :D

[037rally]

Opening the CD Tray won't do anything to it. Just don't stop the disk with your hand to often; you will break the cd spinning mechenism. I did that to my first one playing around with emulators.

[Nz17]

when you're switching games on the dreamcast, is it ok to push the open button without powering it down?

When switching games on a Dreamcast, not only is it okay to push the Open button without powering it down, it is officially the way you are supposed to switch games. The system was created with the idea that the system should never have to be turned off or reset when changing games. Thus SEGA left a hardward reset switch out of the Dreamcast's design. When one opens the system, unlike the PlayStation(s), the Dreamcast will merely stop the disc from spinning and take the user to the main menu. When a new disc is inserted and the system is closed the Dreamcast will automatically boot the game by default.

A software reset is present in the system. This soft reset can be used within a game to go to the game's main menu, and from a game's main menu to go to the main Dreamcast menu. This "magic combo" is similiar to the PC's "Ctrl-Alt-Del," where one presses the Control, Alt (short for alternative), and Delete keys simultaneously. On a Dreamcast system the "magic combo" is "A-B-X-Y-Start," and this will take you one "menu level" higher until you reach the Dreamcast's main menu.

On a side note, when powering off your Dreamcast system, it is also a good idea to open the system before you power down. This way the Dreamcast's disc motor can stop your disc from spinning rather than having to do it manually with your hand(s). This can help prevent scratches from appearing on your disc by stopping the disc from spinning while it is on an even keel.

[NoahsMyBro]

Actually, and I'm going from memory here, I'm pretty sure the Dreamcast's Owner's Manual specifically instructed the user to leave the unit powered up when swapping discs. I remember finding this odd, but the explanation was that if the unit was powered up, than when you opened the lid the system would apply some sort of brake to the platter to quickly stop it from spinning. If you turned the system off first, it would not know to turn on the brake, and the disc would remain spinning. If it was still spinning when you used your hand to stop it and/or change discs there was a greater chance of damage.

But I could be wrong, and I'm too lazy to go look at my instruction manual right now.

[The Manimal]

Thanks for the info. :) I did not know any of this (I bought my DCs used with no manual, obviously).