DC doesn't read some games :(

[srgbilco]

I've just bought a new sealed copy of Rez for DC and it is completely new, no scratches or anything. I put it in my DC and played it for a while, then switched it off. When I came back to play it, Rez just wouldn't load and the DC kept taking me to the config screen, with the "Play", "Settings" etc. options. It kept coming back to this screen even when I selected "Play". This happens with my copy of Sonic Adventure too, although I've never got that to work. It just has a few surface scartches through normal use as well.

Strangely, this problem doesn't happen with any of my other DC games. What can it be? Please help.

[jimmbob]

It's a pretty common problem. it could be anything causing it of course, but the most common method is to clean to connector pins inside. There's a bit of information HERE.

*Edit* Added a better link. HERE...

[C']

I think it's probably badly pressed discs. I've come across a couple of these in my DC time and in all cases exchanging the game for a new disc fixed the problem (not an easy solution for yourself as finding a new, sealed Rez is quite a find). I even had a game work once (RE2 Claire Disc) but then refuse to work again which is exactly what happened to your Rez but exchanging did work.

I don't think the resetting problem solution mentioned above is a viable solution for you. The resetting problem usually occurs whilst you have actually been playing for a period of time and will happen with any game. If it's a bad disc, am I right i guessing that you get the white Sega licensing screen then it immediately goes back to the browser?

[srgbilco]

Yeah, that's exactly the problem C'. I really don't want to have to return the disc though becuase I bought it from Ebay USA. Is there any other possible solution?

[bowser123]

I had the exact same problem with Rez myself. My disc was in perfect condition and the dreamcast played every other game flawlessly.
To get it working I used lens cleaners on the Dreamcast and played Rez with the machine turned upsidedown.
Although it didn't work perfectly everytime, more often than not it did.

[Concept]

Yep. I've also suffered from this problem with Code Veronica.

The first disc would almost never boot up, and on the odd occasion it did, the disc would have trouble streaming some music in certain parts. So I took it back to GAME and got a replacement. To my frustration, I discovered the new disc did exactly the same thing when I got back home.

It was a bunch of badly pressed GD-Roms.

Here's a tip to get around discs that won't load - Use a region by-pass disc and boot from that.

I've had no problems using this technique.

[Riskbreaker]

I had this problem with my Japanese copy of Space Channel 5 pt 2, whereby it would work occasionally but only after several resets, whilst all other games worked fine.

I cleaned the lens several times and the disk with CD cleaning fluid to no avail (the disk had no markings or scratches on it before or after).

Solution? I'm sure this was mentioned on here a while back, someone was using a saucepan of boiling hot water to fix a disk problem (I think it was smudges or something).

Figuring that I was unlikely to send the game back I tried this just in case there was something on the disk I couldn't see and lo and behold, it worked Haven't had a single problem with it whatsoever.

Basically fill a 'clean' saucepan with boiling hot water from a kettle, lay the disk in data side towards the surface, leave for one minute (actually 20 seconds was said, but I left it for longer) and fish out with a teaspoon (or similar kitchen utensil hook it out from the middle). Dab off any water on the disk with a clean tea towel, once dry clean off any water marks with a glasses cloth (or whatever cloth you'd use to clean disks with without scratching them).

If the disk was badly pressed and unbalanced then putting it in hot water may have caused it to flex a bit Or maybe it removes impurities from the disks surface?

/shrugs

Anyway it worked, and might be worth a shot if you've tried everything else. As far as I know it can't do any damage to your disk (I've used this several times to clean disks and no problems as yet).