I bricked my Dreamcast

Technical help for Dreamcast console, accessories and games only. Ask questions and find answers here. For Online help see the Online Forum

Moderator: pcwzrd13

Hatty81
shadow
Posts: 6

I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#1 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:41 pm

I was happily playing one day and looked away for a second then looked back at the tv and I'm looking at a black screen.

Horror. I can smell burning. Double horror.

So I open it up and try to find something singed or burnt but nothing. There's hardly even any dust inside and everything looks and smells perfectly fine.

So I put it back together.

Now when I turn it on the drive starts spinning immediately whether or not the lid is open. It does nothing then after an extended time displays the logo and that's it.

So thats where I'm at. I can't find another instance of this happening anywhere.

I wonder if anyone has the faintest idea what I've done and if this is fixable.

Any suggestions welcome.

Hatty.

User avatar
Nz17
St.Jimmy
Posts: 386
Contact:

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#2 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:49 pm

My guess is that you aren't at fault. I'm thinking the GD-ROM drive, power supply, or a some other component just fried a little and is dying from regular use and age or a brief power surge. You'll probably need to replace the component or the whole Dreamcast, I'm sorry to say.

If you purchase another DC, I'd recommend buying one from http://www.goatstore.com/Products/Sega/ ... e_hookups/ for $45 + S&H.

If that's too pricey, then I'd suggest buying https://www.ebay.com/itm/z/162734184787 for $26 - $35. It's only the base console and it reportedly works well, it only requires a cleaning.

User avatar
itsthinkingstill
Vagabond
Posts: 787

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#3 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:40 pm

Regardless of what happened make sure you dont throw the Dremacast away! it's ether can be fixed or can be used for parts so dont throw away history :D

Hatty81
shadow
Posts: 6

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#4 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 7:25 am

Oh don't worry, I wouldn't throw it away. In fact I'm hoping to now become a Dreamcast refurbisher. No other console interests me in fact. I'm a little bit obsessed with Dreamcasts especially since my 'family' lost my first one, now this.

I bought myself a multimeter and now want to know how to test all the parts to find the fault.

Can anyone direct me to a good tutorial (not videos please) website to help me?

Thanks.

User avatar
Nz17
St.Jimmy
Posts: 386
Contact:

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#5 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 11:34 am

Are any of these helpful to you?
https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Sega_Dreamcast

Hatty81
shadow
Posts: 6

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#6 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 10:57 am

I actually looked on ifixit when it first happened but there's nothing about testing parts on there.

Also, am in the UK so I would buy from ebay.co.uk.

simfan
noob
Posts: 4

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#7 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:51 pm

I think you need to get a good one for parts testing.

User avatar
Ian Micheal
Developer
Posts: 5993
Contact:

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#8 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:51 pm

Well if the drive spins when the lid is open or closed you should be looking at that fixing the door lid switch..


Alexislight
minority
Posts: 67

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#9 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 7:13 pm

first, retire the gdrom drive, second turn on the Dreamcast...if it turn on at the bios screen maybe the gdrom controller board is broken.

Alex_DC
dark night
Posts: 56

Re: I bricked my Dreamcast

Post#10 » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:33 am

Hatty81 wrote:So I put it back together.

Now when I turn it on the drive starts spinning immediately whether or not the lid is open.


When you put the top case back on, always have the drive door open, otherwise you can break the lid switch.

Sounds like you have other problems but to save possibly damaging another drive, this should always be noted.

As others have said, the best method for troubleshooting is to component swap with another known good unit. My first guess though would be the random reset problem caused by the motherboard power supply pins corroding over time. An easy fix, just need to clean those pins (easily find guides for this). Did the machine load games after the black screen, before you took it apart?

Although that doesn’t explain a whiff of smoke.

  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Support”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot]