Shenmue freezing on Disc 3

[JammyD]

I've been laying Shenmue on my JPN DC with DC-X and it worked fine until I got to disc 3 - when I walk around the docks, the game freezes.

The disc seems fine, like no scratches or anything, although I'm having problems getting this one to load.

So is there any way around this problem or should I just skip to Shenmue 2 which I also have? If I skipped to Shenmue 2 would I miss anything much?

[mt50]

If I skipped to Shenmue 2 would I miss anything much?

yes you will miss the ending, which is great. but you can allways go back to it another time when you have done shenmue 2.

[JammyD]

I think I can second-guess the ending tbh
It would be nice to actually finish a game this year all the same.

[Jay_83]

All is not lost!!

Try the UTOPIA boot disc instead.

Lemme know if it works. It's a free download so try google!

[Blu3Flame]

Utopia bootdisc does not work with PAL Shenmue on JAP Dreamcast as documented many times :P Utopia is rubbish for loading actual import cds, its only good for warez, the best cds for booting imports are Gameshark and DC-X and I think a few homebrew bootloaders work well too.

I have to say I have never encounted a problem on Disc 3 of PAL Shenmue on my JAP DC, I think I am a little further on than you as well, racing the stupid carts around in the mornings *argh*

One reason for completeing the game would be you can use your Shenmue 1 save to start Shenmue 2 meaning you keep all your items and money.

[JammyD]

Damn, I forgot about being able to carry on saves, I must try few more times then before skipping to Shenmue 2.

It's not like the DC seems to have problems reading the disc, it's completely quiet when it freezes.

[Jay_83]

I've only ever used utopia to boot pal games on my jap machine. and they're all originals :S

[Blu3Flame]

It could be a sign of your laser unit dying unfortunately :\ My JAP DC has started to do that to stuff like HOTD2 but then that game is scratched to f***

Jay_83 although Utopia does work with some originals there are a lot it doesn't like including Shenmue

[Adam]

check your disc isn't bent, the DC cases sometimes cause the CD's to bend because the little ring thing might be slightly too big for the whole in the CD. I had the problem with my Shenmue Passport disc and I couldn't for the life of me think why it was messing up, untill I put it flat on my desk and saw that the center of the CD was raised, I could press it down and it would pop back up again so I just put the CD back in the case the oposite way round and it morphed it back after about a week

[JammyD]

Well my DC started refusing to load Disc 3 at all(it's not bent either ) so I've started Shenmue 2 now. Turns out there's a collection of movies from Shenmue on Disc 4 of Shenmue 2, so I'm all clued up as to what happens in the third part of the game.

Shemue 2 works fine, so far.

[yashiro]

There was a large batch of JPN Shenmue's shipped that had a defective
Disc 3. It was a big issue at the time.