How do I free up memory in a Sega CD unit?

[pixelsnpolygons]

I only got it a month ago, I've been really busy, played it here and there. I never owned one before and it didn't come with instructions. I went to put in a game and it told me to free up memory - normally, I ignore these instructions - like with my Saturn, if I don't want to save... and it'll usually let you just skip by. This won't. I've tried every combination possible to get the thing to go into the memory menu - booting up with no game, booting up with lid open, holding down the reset button while booting up, holding down start while booting up - anything I thought might be the way to get into the memory menu. I searched the net, couldn't find anything. I'm wondering if the thing even has memory... perhaps I'm supposed to have a memory cart in the Genesis?

And I don't know whether this belongs more in classic - after scouring the board it seemed to be mostly polls, so I asked here instead - even though technically I guess it is a classic system.

Any help would be appreciated. And I guess while I'm here, is there a way to connect this thing with RCA plugs instead? It just came with an RF adapter.

[MegaDrive20XX]

get into the memory manager, simply turn on the Genesis with no CD in the Sega CD....there should be a memory manager option when it goes into the CD Player mode

Which should be one of the last options, that's how it worked for me when I had a Sega CD 2 ( I dunno which model you may have though)

[pixelsnpolygons]

get into the memory manager, simply turn on the Genesis with no CD in the Sega CD....there should be a memory manager option when it goes into the CD Player mode

Which should be one of the last options, that's how it worked for me when I had a Sega CD 2 ( I dunno which model you may have though)

Hmm. I have a Sega CD 2.0 - is that the same as a Sega CD 2? Anyway - I tried what you said, but the CD player mode seems to not respond - the arrow that should be able to move about doesn't move... and I don't see a memory option anyway - so I guess I don't have the CD 2. I hate not knowing whether something is broken or whether I'm just an idiot.

Thanks for your help, though.

[MegaDrive20XX]

get into the memory manager, simply turn on the Genesis with no CD in the Sega CD....there should be a memory manager option when it goes into the CD Player mode

Which should be one of the last options, that's how it worked for me when I had a Sega CD 2 ( I dunno which model you may have though)

Hmm. I have a Sega CD 2.0 - is that the same as a Sega CD 2? Anyway - I tried what you said, but the CD player mode seems to not respond - the arrow that should be able to move about doesn't move... and I don't see a memory option anyway - so I guess I don't have the CD 2. I hate not knowing whether something is broken or whether I'm just an idiot.

Thanks for your help, though.

that is strange...it should take you to the menu when you click on it

[pixelsnpolygons]

Yeah, I really don't get it. I guess I'll speak with the guy I got it from.

[Melf]

When you boot it up and get the Sega CD logo (letters swirling), hold the A and B button to enter the option mode. The click RAM and delete whatever you want or format the whole thing.

[pixelsnpolygons]

When you boot it up and get the Sega CD logo (letters swirling), hold the A and B button to enter the option mode. The click RAM and delete whatever you want or format the whole thing.

Wow, I tried that like 20 times and even that didn't work - either the timing needs to be precise and I'm just missing it or this thing is busted. Thanks for your help, I'm going to speak to the guy who sold it to me.

update: well, I did at least find a way to delete the stuff - by playing Sonic CD it gave me an option to load the game, which took me to the memory menu where I was able to delete stuff. I guess I'll always have that option, even if I never get the real way to work - and it proves at least that the memory isn't damaged, which is what I assumed had happened.

[Aussie2B]

Strange, I've never had any problems like that. o_O

While we're on the subject of Sega CD internal memory, I have a question myself. The Sega CD 2 I just got came with the manual, and after reading the memory section, I'm totally confused. It says all these ridiculous things like you must format your memory if you haven't powered up the Sega CD in over a month, and then you have to leave the system on for 6 hours. o_O For what purpose? Does it take 6 hours to format? What do you do in that time? Just leave it on at the memory screen? Play a game? 6 hours straight then and there? Or just 6 hours total until you start using the memory again? These weirdo rules have me so paranoid that I've done nothing. :/ My boyfriend's been playing Vay, though, and he had no problem saving or loading his file. I don't even understand the point of formating if it's already working fine to begin with.

[pixelsnpolygons]

Jeez, Aussie2B that's just odd. Hopefully someone knows the answer to that.

[Atariguy]

You only need to format if the internal battery runs out. The battery recharges when you have the system on, and appearently it was designed to last a month with the thing off (though mine has been off for a few months at a time without any issues). Powering it on for 6 hours should fully recharge the battery.

[E Nice]

On the Sega CD 2 model I have, I just put a game in, then just press the A button before the game loads, where the swirling logo is there and telling you to press start. That'll take it to the cd player screen and the buttons for memory will appear above the cd control buttons. It doesn't seem to work, last I remember, without a game cd in the cd-drive.

[Blackjax]

If the screen already says "Press Start," it's too late to access trhe menu. It is a lot more simple than the book and all the other descriptions say here. When the BIOS screen comes up, either saying "Reading CD" if there's a CD in the drive, or "Please Insert CD" if there's no cd in there, just press A. It will say "Please Wait" if a game is in the system and then go to the CD Player screen, or go immediately if there's no cd in there.

Oh, and that stuff in the manual about formatting is a bunch of crap. Only format the memory if it conks out and the memory screen says "PLEASE FORMAT" or if you really want to erase everything on it. I've had the internal memory last for years with the unit being unplugged.

[E Nice]

Hmm..yeah, that sounds right. My memory is a bit fuzzy, since it's been awhile since I last played on my Sega CD, but I do think a cd game has to be in it when you do that so the memory button will appear on the cd player screen, right?