Dreamcast VMU

[mnbren05]

Hey hooked up the Dreamcast for some Sonic Adventure today and had some problems with the VMU. It was able to read the files off of the VMU but in game the "Unable to detect VMU (memory card)" kept popping up. The VMU does all of the graphical non sense and shows the graphics as you play, but still is not being detected. Could it be the battery in the VMU? Or is this a controller issue?

[8-bitNesMan]

The battery for the VMU had a notoriously short battery life. There's a real good chance the battery in yours is already dead. If you are playing with it in the controller then it's getting its power from the system. It sounds like your VMU may be damaged or corrupted. Is it a Sega brand or a third party? I always had better luck with the 1st party gear on all my systems.

[DJGeki]

Shouldn't be a battery issue, unless one of the batteries actually exploded. Do lithiums have that problem?

Hell, there's nothing wrong with trying another controller. The Maple bus was always sketchy if you'd plugged in something that was 3rd party, like a Madcatz controller. Try another port while you're at it (although that shouldn't make any difference).

[tritium]

yep, i havent used fresh batteries in a long time because they die quickly. It shouldnt be the battery, try formatting the meory card, try a different controller port try official sega controller.

[Mr. Smashy]

Shouldn't be a battery issue, unless one of the batteries actually exploded. Do lithiums have that problem?

I bought a Secret of Mana a little while back that came with an exploded CR2032. The PCB and inner casing had a big patch of powder blue chemical that ate through just enough of the board for it not to hold a save (even after a battery replacement and cleaning).

[Pantechnicon]

A VMU will store a save file regardless of whether or not there's a battery in it. Possible solutions:

1. Transfer the save file to a 2nd VMU if you have one.
2. Do you have the problem in both VMU slots? If so, try switching controllers. Perhaps the issue is with the VMU contacts on the controller itself. You could also try a small shot of electronic cleaning fluid in the VMU ports.

[mnbren05]

I swear this thing is messing with me. (The contoller and VMU are Sega Dreamcast non-third party) Turn on the Dreamcast to play Sonic Adventure again and with VMU in the controller and no response from the VMU. Sonic loads and the game data that came up under "No memory card found" was all there. The VMU did blink a few times and froze for a few second on a solid color. Now the VMU is working and the game is working with the VMU. Turned it off and started again and everything works fine. Well I assume my VMU is trying to mess with my head or it is possessed.

[Ze_ro]

Is it doing this with any other games? Can you access the VMU from the built-in memory manager?

--Zero

[jwm2]

My old vmu used to do funny things as well. I don't know why but it works fine now :/

[Barbarianoutkast85]

I have had problems with probably half a dozen VMU units. I dont know why, they just seem to always act nuts on me. What pisses me off about it though, they were all Sega brand VMU's. I dont know they are a fickle creature.

[kainemaxwell]

I have had problems with probably half a dozen VMU units. I dont know why, they just seem to always act nuts on me. What pisses me off about it though, they were all Sega brand VMU's. I dont know they are a fickle creature.

I've had my 2 VMU's (just picked a 3rd up for emulation) and I've never had an issue with either of them since getting my DC in the early 2000s.