pc engine cd help please!

[noobish hat]

hi everyone, i just received the pc engine duo-r i bought on ebay. i tried it with some hucards and they worked fine, then i tried rondo of blood on cd and it too worked fine. until level 3 or something and when it started loading the new level, the screen went black and it froze, so i turned it off and since then the console won't play any cd games. when i press run, it just says wait a moment or whatever, but nothing happens. any ideas what's wrong with it? (it still plays hucards)

[J0e Musashi]

The CD drive is b0rked. Chaoticjelly has spare lasers I think.

[noobish hat]

but isn't it odd that it was working and then suddenly broke for good about 30 minutes after i got it?

[J0e Musashi]

Not really. It's not like their is some kind of evil timer in there.

[dvdx2]

i have a brand new laser unit (pc engine duo-r) which i bought from Chaoticjelly.

I havent need to use it so am willing to sell it if you cant source one.

I'm sure he could fit it for you.

[noobish hat]

well yes, that's why i think it's odd. bit coincidental that it worked right up until i received it. if it was broken straight out of the box and never worked i wouldn't think it was odd, i'd just send it back, but the fact that it worked and then stopped makes me think that maybe there's a simpler way to make it work again...

[dannywhac]

You could check the ribbon cable assembly to the laser? Other than that going its like Joe said - prolly the laser just giving up the goat.....

[noobish hat]

god damn it. well, i'm still trying to speak to the seller, see what he has to say about it

[importaku]

The lasers on pc engines are pretty fragile & tend to break easily the ones in duo's are a lot more stable than the white briefcase ones you only have to look at one to have it crap out on you.

Yours probably just decided it was time to die, the machines are pretty old so its to be expected i guess.

[Vince]

Are you playing original games or backup cdr's? I have noticed with mine that it plays originals with no problems but with cdr's i get the kind of problems you are describing.

[noobish hat]

i'm only using originals. i just tried my snatcher cd on it and it loaded up to the konami logo and sound and then i got the black screen again and it froze. i've also only just noticed that the screws underneath are not regular ones, so i can't even open it. another quick question, when you press the open button, is the cd cover supposed to open all the way? mine just sort of pops up about a centimeter and i have to open it the rest of the way by hand...

[dvdx2]

another quick question, when you press the open button, is the cd cover supposed to open all the way? mine just sort of pops up about a centimeter and i have to open it the rest of the way by hand...[/QUOTE]

yeah thats normal

[chaoticjelly]

hi everyone, i just received the pc engine duo-r i bought on ebay. i tried it with some hucards and they worked fine, then i tried rondo of blood on cd and it too worked fine. until level 3 or something and when it started loading the new level, the screen went black and it froze, so i turned it off and since then the console won't play any cd games. when i press run, it just says wait a moment or whatever, but nothing happens. any ideas what's wrong with it? (it still plays hucards)

Does the disc spin at all?

Do you hear any kind of scraping/grunting noise?

Or just nothing?

The laser assembly can be a problem but generally reliable.. the reason I ask about scraping/grunting etc, is because the laser doesn't always have to be replaced.

It is possible that the spindle hub the disc sits upon may have dropped down on its bearing.. if the disc is too close or too far away from the lens, you would get the "please wait" problem as described..

It is possible to rectify, if you have patience and a steady hand.. further information to follow as at the moment just basing this advice purely on conjecture.

You can tell if the spindle hub is too low, it is a bit difficult to explain, but if you look at the bottom "edge" of the hub, it should be just on a par with the top edge of the white plastic cover that sits over the laser assembly.

I do have a spare laser, as j0e quite rightly states, they are quite easy to fit but cleaning and oiling of the sled rails is recommended too (to make a good job..)

The screws are Torx, most sets with multiple screwdriver bits come with these nowadays. I think it's T20 off memory..

BTW, this isn't one of those modded ones from Hong Kong is it?

[noobish hat]

as far as i'm aware, it's an original unmodded japanese model, since i bought it from a seller in japan. i can't hear a scraping noise and the spindle is about a millimeter above the white plastic housing, not below it. i'm just wondering what to do now, because i don't really want to fork out 25 quid for a new laser and ten quid for a t-10 screw driver to try and fix it and have it still not work, especially since i bought it as a working model. thanks to everyone so far for advice, i'm studying my third year of a japanese BA, so if any of you need a little translation assistance i'll be glad to help.

[chaoticjelly]

Hmm.. sounds like it should be OK then..

Where are you located?

It would probably cost a lot to send it back to Japan.. especially with the prices Royal Mail charges for relatively heavy international packages (think extortionate..)