Need help with 3DO

[Comox]

Hello. I am having difficulties with my 3DO, have no idea what to do about them, so would like some help.

I ordered it off of Ebay a few months ago and usually it works great- occasionally it refuses to load but otherwise its fine. Until last night. Late last night I tried to boot it up, and it refused to read the CD. Every time I try to do anything now it just gives up and spits the CD out, declaring it unreadable. It does this with all CDs now.

The real bothersome part is that I had played another CD just a couple of hours before it started to refuse to work. Nothing happened in the intervening time and I have no idea why it won't work anymore. It has done this before, but it always started working again in fairly short order. It's been over half a day since it's functioned correctly.

Does anybody have any idea what's going on?

Oh, and it's a Panasonic model, if that's relevant.

[ooXxXoo]

ok,I'm assuming that it is a Panasonic FZ-1 model..In my personal experiences with 3DO's, I have seen dirty laser lenses, dirty laser lenses mirrors,loose ribbon cables and the worst of all was the plastic gear that makes the actual laser head to move broken...Maybe you should check on these to begin with.

[Comox]

Well, while that all sounds like a great idea...I don't have the foggiest idea how I am supposed to go about doing all that, so more specific instructions would definately be appreciated.

Are any of those problems you mentioned liable to build up over time? Is there any explanation for why my 3DO worked earlier in the evening and then just abruptly stopped a couple of hours later?

[ooXxXoo]

Since your 3DO is not working properly and the warranty is long gone,you should go ahead and try to open the system shell to get a closer look into the internal parts...There are 4 screws at the bottom of the system holding the case together...once you get them,lift up the top side of the plastic shell to reveal the cd-rom drive....For a quick inspection,remove the top
metal shielding of the drive,you will clearly see how easy this step can be done with your fingers, working your way from the sides to the back. You'll probably find traces of dust and dirt in there.
I always like to gain access to the laser lens right away , so I power on the system and open the cd rom tray using the Open/Close button,once it is open, you'll see the laser cd transport mechanism...If you are going to try this, make sure to stay grounded and to work in a enviorment away from static.....And yes, do not stare directly into the laser beam....unplug the power cord from the power source with the tray still out and give the lens a gentle clean with a cotton q-tip and a bit of alcohol,making sure not to leave any sort of lint residue...You could check for the main two ribbon cables near the back of the drive while you are at it too.