Sega Saturn Swap Trick - IT WORKS?! Uh huh, video included too

[isufje]

Well let me start off by saying, I own all the originals of my back-up copies. I do not support, promote, or condone the use or sell of illegal back-up copies. I merely use back-ups to perserve my originals.
A good example of this would be my copy of SATURN BOMBERMAN. When I bought my copy a long time ago, the game played great and I played it all the time. But over time, I got the CD scratched beyond laser recognition. The game wouldn't play the FMVs properly anymore, so I made a back-up copy of it and that fixed the problem.

-SATURN BOMBERMAN (BAD FMVs/ORIGINAL) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lca22VMc1DA)
-SATURN BOMBERMAN (GOOD FMVs/BACK-UP COPY) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNEiLlUmNGA)

http://home.earthlink.net/~julius2/bomberman_CD_Small.JPG (http://home.earthlink.net/~julius2/bomberman_CD.JPG)
From that point on, I realized that I needed to back-up all my original games so that they would never get F---ed Up again.
So now that you know the story behind the use of my Back-Up Copies, Here's the Video that showcases HOW TO do the swap trick.

http://sjc-static3.sjc.youtube.com/vi/AImVFQ8J5ls/2.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AImVFQ8J5ls)

Prior to doing the swap trick, you have to tape down the button inside the SATURN that confirms the LID is CLOSED. After taking the cover off, you'll find the button is located at the top left corner (looking toward the front of the system)/ Taping it down is EASY. I used masking tape. Any tape will do. After taping IT down, put the cover back on and now your ready to do the Swap Trick.

The Video is pretty self expanitory, but I'll still explain it anyway.

0) Tape the LID CLOSED Button down. (explained earlier)

1) Start the Machine with the BACK-UP COPY first. (LID OPEN)

2) When you see the CD slow down, replace it with any Original CD.

3) When you see the SEGA logo appear, press the RESET Button.

4) During the second boot, you'll see the screen flash right before the SATURN logo, that is when you swap in the BACK-UP COPY again. and that's it.

5) Play

Oh, one more thing, when making back-up copies, your gonna need to patch the BIN (use CDRwin) with this program. Saturn_Region_Patch (http://home.earthlink.net/~julius2/satcw32.rar) Just select your region of SATURN. If your original's are of the same region as your system, you don't need to use the Region Patch Program. Simple ^_^

Oh yeah, I forgot to add this...

If your looking for the wrong way to do IT, check Racket Boy's and every other site. None of em are correct.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/04/sega-saturn-swap-trick.html

[lordnikon]

Actually I found an easier solution to this: Take good care of your games.

[VACRMH]

Good stuff, I wouldn't mind using this to play some imports I have. But I have a few questions.

1. That can't be good for the motor, can it?
2. What about memory cards and 4mb carts, can I use a japanese one on an unmodded us system?

[stargate]

Well let me start off by saying, I own all the originals of my back-up copies. I do not support, promote, or condone the use or sell of illegal back-up copies. I merely use back-ups to perserve my originals.
A good example of this would be my copy of SATURN BOMBERMAN. When I bought my copy a long time ago, the game played great and I played it all the time. But over time, I got the CD scratched beyond laser recognition. The game wouldn't play the FMVs properly anymore, so I made a back-up copy of it and that fixed the problem.

-SATURN BOMBERMAN (BAD FMVs/ORIGINAL) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lca22VMc1DA)
-SATURN BOMBERMAN (GOOD FMVs/BACK-UP COPY) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNEiLlUmNGA)

http://home.earthlink.net/~julius2/bomberman_CD_Small.JPG (http://home.earthlink.net/~julius2/bomberman_CD.JPG)
From that point on, I realized that I needed to back-up all my original games so that they would never get F---ed Up again.
So now that you know the story behind the use of my Back-Up Copies, Here's the Video that showcases HOW TO do the swap trick.

http://sjc-static3.sjc.youtube.com/vi/AImVFQ8J5ls/2.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AImVFQ8J5ls)

Prior to doing the swap trick, you have to tape down the button inside the SATURN that confirms the LID is CLOSED. After taking the cover off, you'll find the button is located at the top left corner (looking toward the front of the system)/ Taping it down is EASY. I used masking tape. Any tape will do. After taping IT down, put the cover back on and now your ready to do the Swap Trick.

The Video is pretty self expanitory, but I'll still explain it anyway.

0) Tape the LID CLOSED Button down. (explained earlier)

1) Start the Machine with the BACK-UP COPY first. (LID OPEN)

2) When you see the CD slow down, replace it with any Original CD.

3) When you see the SEGA logo appear, press the RESET Button.

4) During the second boot, you'll see the screen flash right before the SATURN logo, that is when you swap in the BACK-UP COPY again. and that's it.

5) Play

Oh, one more thing, when making back-up copies, your gonna need to patch the BIN (use CDRwin) with this program. Saturn_Region_Patch (http://home.earthlink.net/~julius2/satcw32.rar) Just select your region of SATURN. If your original's are of the same region as your system, you don't need to use the Region Patch Program. Simple ^_^

Oh yeah, I forgot to add this...

If your looking for the wrong way to do IT, check Racket Boy's and every other site. None of em are correct.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/04/sega-saturn-swap-trick.html

Thank you. I enjoy playing pirated copies as well.

[Richter]

1. That can't be good for the motor, can it?
2. What about memory cards and 4mb carts, can I use a japanese one on an unmodded us system?
nope
yes

[Cryomancer]

I found that the easiest way to get the timing right on the swap was to LISTEN, not watch.

But for the record, the chip and 4-in-1 are really worth it.

[Steven]

Actually I found an easier solution to this: Take good care of your games.

ditto.

I have two Saturns. One modded from NCSX back in '99, another US machine with the 4-in-1. Either one works just fine -- just take good care of your games...

[ProgrammingAce]

1) Start the Machine with the BACK-UP COPY first. (LID OPEN)


It doesn't matter which copy you have in the drive when you boot up first. The first scan just checks to see if the disc is 1st party or 3rd party (and the region).

With your method, you will need to make sure the "backup" and the real disc are either both 1st party, or both 3rd party. With Racket boy's method, it doesn't mater.

The saturn scans the inner ring (the boot sector) to read the developer's ID, then reads the outer ring to make sure the tone matches the developer (there are two tones, one for 1st party and one for 3rd).

As for the reset button, when you press reset the system doesn't actually power off. The system still keeps track of what disc is in the drive after a reset (it assumes it's the same disc until you open the door). In this case, all hitting reset does is give you a longer time to swap discs (which isn't really a bad thing). When you hit reset, the system doesn't scan the inner ring again until you open the door, which it can't do in this case since the sensor is taped down.

Overall not a bad methodology, but i would still recommend having the original disc in first or you'll have to keep track of 1st party vs 3rd party titles.

As a side note, anyone who is going to use "backups" frequently should just spend the $10 on a modchip. You'll grind your motor into dust if you keep swapping discs out like this.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Like VAC said, just get a chip and a Pro Action Replay. All that swapping will kill your drive eventually. The modchip is a simple install, easiest I've encountered by far. With the combo you'll be playing archive copies from any region. No need to region hack the image. Not to mention the RAM and Memory card function you'll get from the PAR. Mod chips run about $20-$30 and the PAR runs about $25-$45. Better than playing disk swap monkey to your Saturn. :P

[madman77]

Yea, it'd seem just dropping a few bucks on the mod chip and spending 5 minutes to install it would be the best bet in the long term.

[Graham Mitchell]

Years ago, I used a similar trick on my Playstation to play imports and burned discs. It was imperfect, though. What you did is you went into the CD player mode and stuck in any US PSX disc. Then, I'd use a pencap to connect the rod on the lid to the "lid closed" button, and the machine would access the disc. When the disc stopped spinning, I would switch the US game for the import disc, and exit the CD player. When you returned to the main menu, it would auto-load the import, thinking the original disc was still in the drive. The problem with this is that the table of contents that the machine loaded into the RAM was that of the original disc, and the machine identifies different tracks on the disc for the red book audio by time, not by track number. As such, it would pick the most bizarre, random spots for the music. It worked well with stuff like Namco Museum or the Gradius Collection, but not so well for, say Twisted Metal with tons of red book audio.

A stipulation on that trick is that it only works on THE first batch of Playstations...the ones that came packed with Ridge Racer in a Saturn Longbox. I had fun with that trick, though.

[SegaAges]

I have a model 1 and have been playing with that for awhile.

I used to be able to swap so good that i could use action replay codes on a burnt game that required a 4mb cart. (swap out the action replay for the 4mb, and then swap out the burnt 1 for a regular 1, and then swap it back again).

Come to think of it, i don't remember if i have a model 1 or 2, i will have to check it out. what you have is good info though.

[PallarAndersVisa]

had a mod chip from Jamdaman (sp?) in my saturn. worked fine for a few months. Went to boot it up one day and it would not work. Re-soldered and still doesn't work.

anyone know a good site for saturn mod chips?

[MysteryRidahz]

Actually I found an easier solution to this: Take good care of your games.

Which is very very easy to do. I never once had to make a backup copy of my games , because the main disc was damage.


Thank you. I enjoy playing pirated copies as well.

ROFLLMFAO, haha yea you caught on too hahaahaa. Nobody really makes backup copies of their games because the main disc is damage. Some people may do it, but those people are few. The OP obvious enjoy playing sega saturn backups, they are hard to find, so instead of the poster being honest, he says the famous line:

" Well let me start off by saying, I own all the originals of my back-up copies. I do not support, promote, or condone the use or sell of illegal back-up copies. I merely use back-ups to perserve my originals. "

haahahhahahahaahaha i love it. Persever my originals? Please. PC games arent like xbox games. PC discs are very easy to take care of.
.............................

Anyway, this is the easy way folks, you dont have to swap that many times:

#1 Tape the lid, so it can fool the saturn into thinking its open all the time.
#2 Put in a real saturn disc, doesn't matter what it is
#3 Turn on the saturn, wait for the red lights ( on model 1 of course ) to blink about 3 quick times, remove the disc, and enter the backup.

Thats it, one swap. :lovin::rocker:

[otaku]

Not a fan of the trick myself its a pain in the ass and wears the saturn out. For imports I just in a 4in1 cart that set me back 30 bucks and if you need to play backups etc modding a saturn is maybe 50 bucks.

[kazuo]

had a mod chip from Jamdaman (sp?) in my saturn. worked fine for a few months. Went to boot it up one day and it would not work. Re-soldered and still doesn't work.

Solder? Saturn mod chips?

I have a mod chip in my Saturn and it required a grand total of ZERO wires to be soldered. Just a little board with a data cable running to the mobo/CD drive, with the data cables that originally went there running to the chip.

[MysteryRidahz]

I have a saturn cart too, but i also have a model 1 saturn, so the swap is easy. About wearing out the saturn, well i hope not.

I dont know where i can find saturn mods anymore, i dont even see them on ebay or amazon.com , so i just gave up looking for them. :(

[fishsandwich]

Hey... thanks for posting this. I have a Saturn modded for imports but not back-ups. I've never needed it (take care of your games) but I've been wanting to try those Lost & Found disks for awhile now. I doubt I'll play any of them for long but at least I can have a look.

[KeyserSoze61]

Someone on the SegaXtreme board (http://forums.segaxtreme.net/showthread.php?t=12647) was selling modchips and premodded saturns. The prices are higher than modchips used to be (I got mine for $13 shipped two years ago, this individual wants $26 shipped). Nevertheless, one cannot put a price on a modded Saturn, as so many of the best games are prohibitively expensive.

As for the swap trick, I tried it a couple times when I got my first Saturn. It put too much strain on the Saturn and my psyche to be worth it IMO.

[YoshiM]

I got the swap trick to work twice, and I've got the "round button" Saturn (which I guess can be a pain for the trick). After a while I said the hell with it and got a mod chip from Racketboy (which busted my soldering cherry-got it hooked up right the first time :D ) which works fantastic.

[InsaneDavid]

Which is very very easy to do. I never once had to make a backup copy of my games , because the main disc was damage...

Of all the dead threads to bump you had to pick this one? I got so tired of receiving Saturns for proper modification work that had been shitkicked by the "swap trick" that I discontinued the service. Take care of your freaking games, as has been said. If you wish to play bootlegs then at least do it properly with a solid modification. (I always just shake my head when someone pays $60+ for a mod chip installation that is held together with tape)