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MasquedWarrior
rank 8
Posted:
Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:36 pm
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What does the message, "An error has occurred. Turn the Power Off and check the Nintendo GameCube Instruction Booklet for further instructions," imply, regarding which part of the Gamecube isn't working? Is it more likely to be a motherboard failure, a disc-reading module failure, or something else entirely?
 
lordnikon
rank 47
Posted:
Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:02 pm
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Is it happening on bootup or when it tries to read discs?

It could be a disc read error. Maybe there is something on the lens. Is your GameCube very dusty?
  _________________
Homeland Character: トライジール (TRIZEAL)
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MasquedWarrior
rank 8
Posted:
Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:53 pm
quote : #3
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Well, it's a long story. First, I should say that this problem occurs not on just one Gamecube, but two Gamecubes. One is the first one I owned, and later, dismantled, (I'm soliciting some of the parts I'm sure work in my sig,) the other is the one I bought after the first one broke.

How the first Gamecube came to be in the state it's in is a long story. First, I would get disc-read errors, from time to time. I looked up repair guides. Some said the problem was that the motor was getting worn out, but most said the problem was that a potentiometer on the laser module going out of whack. I assumed the problem was the latter, and went about using a screwdriver to change the resistance, and tried to get it to a level that would work consistently. I never did. However, later I realized that the resistence changed, from time to time. I decided to tear out the potentiometer, and in its place solder in a sequence of normal resistors with a total equal to the best value I had found with the potentiometer. It worked a little better than that, but still yielded DRE's.

Shortly thereafter, I bought a new Gamecube. It occasionally shows the message, "An error has occurred. Turn the Power Off and check the Nintendo GameCube Instruction Booklet for further instructions." There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern, but I know for sure it has ocurred while playing Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil 4. It also ocurrs a little more frequently in Baten Kaitos, right after a battle with one of the living books in the library near Komo Mai starts. Every time a battle in Baten Kaitos begins, I hear the disc rapidly spin, implying that the problem is with the disc reader, but I'm still not sure. Does anyone know if RE4 and/or RE0 stream data from the disc during gameplay? If so, this would make that explanation seem more plausible, as errors in those games didn't occur right after I entered a room or anything, just (seemingly) randomly.

Recently, I decided that because the first cube is broken and I couldn't fix it, I should use it as a guinea pig for testing out amodding project, (a region switch.) I soldered wires onto the board. I later realized that I had removed the resistors from the disc reader. I put a new sequence in, totalling what I had remembered the best value to be. When I turned it on, without a disc inside, the message "An error has occurred..." displayed. I assumed it was a problem due to the soldering the board, but looking back, it's possible it had to do with the disc reader, even though there was no disc to read.

(I don't have access to either, so I don't know if dust is a problem, but next time I can look at them, I'll check it out.)
 
lordnikon
rank 47
Posted:
Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:28 am
quote : #4
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How do you have your gamecubes setup? Are the right and left sides of the consoles open to air at all times? People tend to have problems with the gamecube when they don't realise they need to keep the sides open, and not blocked off. They cram them wall to wall into an entertainment unit until the systems stress out and break.

Also, it could be an electrical problem. Are you connected to a surge protector in a 3 prong outlet that has a ground?

By "new" gamecube, do you just mean "another game cube", or did you buy a brand new sealed cube?
  _________________
Homeland Character: トライジール (TRIZEAL)
PSOEP1&2 Character: lordnikon - Lv57 HUcast
elph
rank 6
Posted:
Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:21 am
quote : #5
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Data Read Errors (DREs) occur because the GameCube wasn't able to read a portion of this disc. Sometimes this problem is caused by a scratched disc, and other times it happens because of bad hardware. I'd check your discs to make sure they don't have any significant scratches or other blemishes on the disc, because if you're having this problem in the same games on multiple GameCubes then that might be your problem.

Of course, you might just have gotten a couple of GameCubes with hardware problems... and in that case it sounds like you may have done everything you can. You might exchange the newer one that you've bought (if your store will allow it), or you could look into the GameCube warranty.

In any case, good luck!
 
MasquedWarrior
rank 8
Posted:
Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:37 pm
quote : #6
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lordnikon wrote:
How do you have your gamecubes setup? Are the right and left sides of the consoles open to air at all times? People tend to have problems with the gamecube when they don't realise they need to keep the sides open, and not blocked off. They cram them wall to wall into an entertainment unit until the systems stress out and break.

I don't think that has to do with it. There was room on both sides of each console when the errors ocurred. Oh yeah, and although there may have been a few times I've used a power strip, but just don't remember, as far as I know, I've always plugged the power cord directly into the wall.
lordnikon wrote:
...By "new" gamecube, do you just mean "another game cube", or did you buy a brand new sealed cube?

Thank you for addressing that, that's something I should have mentioned before. It is indeed "another Gamecube," used from Gamestop, but in anticipation of something like this, I got an "unofficial" one year warranty, and can take it in to get it replaced. Looking back, I probably should've just bought a Gamecube brand new from somewhere else, since it only would've costed thirty extra dollars, but it's obviously too late for that now. I haven't taken it in yet because the problem occurs so rarely, and I wanted to wait until closer to one year after the date of purchase (April 2008.)

I was actually more interested in the first Gamecube. I wanted to figure out the cause of the "An error has occurred," message, (motherboard, disc reader, or both.) If only the disc reader module is bad, I might take down the listing of spare parts from my signature, and buy a new disc reader, for a new fully working Gamecube, perhaps for use with system-linking capabilities. Perhaps I could just use the security bit to take the disc reader out of the newer Gamecube, and put it into the older one, and see if the error still occurs right after startup. (If it does, the other ‘cube’s motherboard is shot, too, in which case, I'll just see if I can sell the working spare parts.)
 
lordnikon
rank 47
Posted:
Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:25 pm
quote : #7
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DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!
MasquedWarrior wrote:
Gamestop

Bingo. Source of Problem located.
  _________________
Homeland Character: トライジール (TRIZEAL)
PSOEP1&2 Character: lordnikon - Lv57 HUcast
MasquedWarrior
rank 8
Posted:
Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:33 pm
quote : #8
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Posts: 76
Type: NTSC-U/C
Haha, yeah I thought you would say something like that, because I heard you badmouthing Gamespot in the Playstation 2 section, and recommending eStarland instead. Well, I know where the receipt is, so I can exchange it, unless they refuse because of a "change in policy," or something stupid, in which case I will join you in your crusade against Gamestop.

(Next two paragraphs go a bit off-topic, but still relate to my predicament with Gamestop. If it is too far off topic, delete it yourself, or tell me and I'll edit it out.)

Actually, even if they do exchange it, I'll probably boycott Gamestop. I've been shopping there fairly recently, but only for used last-gen games and peripherals, when the prices are lower than those I can find online. I do not approve of their practices of gutting games. I've been considering boycotting the store, for these reasons, but have been reluctant. You see, in the past, when the specific outlet I frequently went to was called Funcoland, they stocked used games for the NES, Genesis, Super NES, Playstation, and N64, in addition to the then current-gen systems, all for very reasonable prices. I frequently looked at their older games, but rarely bought any. Then they abruptly removed all of their games from the SNES era and earlier, without a spectific explanation, when I asked an employee. I resorted to trying to get some of the games I would have wanted on eBay, but I had to deal with absurd S&H prices, and starting prices far higher than any Funcoland was offering. They shortly thereafter removed Playstation and N64 games from stock, and I'll bet I missed a few good deals there, too. Now, I've been buying some PS2, XBox, and Gamecube games, there, if prices are much lower than those on eBay, or eStarland, because I'm certain they'll remove those soon, too. I am helping them by making a profit, but I'm not buying used games marked as new, etc. I think it's a solominic compromise, or something.

This practice is inconsistent with mine for Wal-Mart. I don't shop there at all because of what I've read about their support of outsourcing to countries in which factory laborers are cruelly exploited. In reality the equivalent practice to the one I've been using for Gamespot would be to shop at Wal-Mart, but only buy products that are made in the USA and other regions with good worker protections in place. I should either stop shopping at Gamestop, or start shopping at Wal-Mart. I think I'll choose the former.

Of course, I am in an interesting situation here. I could solve all of my problems, easily. If the motherboard of the first Gamecube indeed still works, I could exchange its broken laser module for the working one from the second one, and take the second 'cube back to Gamestop, to get replaced. Then I'd have two working Gamecubes. Some would say it's unethical because it's dishonest, others would say I'm getting revenge on them for gutting games. I gravitate away from that point of view, on the grounds that two wrongs don't make a right.
 
TheMytho
rank 15
Posted:
Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:13 pm
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Posts: 261
Type: NTSC-U/C
MasquedWarrior wrote:
Of course, I am in an interesting situation here. I could solve all of my problems, easily. If the motherboard of the first Gamecube indeed still works, I could exchange its broken laser module for the working one from the second one, and take the second 'cube back to Gamestop, to get replaced. Then I'd have two working Gamecubes. Some would say it's unethical because it's dishonest, others would say I'm getting revenge on them for gutting games. I gravitate away from that point of view, on the grounds that two wrongs don't make a right.


I would follow this course of action. Remember, this isn't a independent retailer you are dealing with; this is a faceless, monolithic corporation. They probably won't realize what you've done to the 'Cube, especially since they are just stockpiled in the back.
 
MasquedWarrior
rank 8
Posted:
Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:00 pm
quote : #10
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Posts: 76
Type: NTSC-U/C
Thank you for your input, TheMytho. I have taken your argument into consideration. I have until early April to decide what to do. (Regardless of which option I choose, I hope the motherboard does indeed still work.)

I'm sorry for the delay, but thank you, to elph and lordnikon, as well, for sharing your technical knowledge.
 
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