Game Disk Problems - AKA autitistic screeching about the degradation of physical media

[ZombiefiedFerret]

I've only ever had this happen with my copy of Riddick for ps3.

 

[The Last Stand]

I'm glad we use BluRay discs. Less likely to get damaged and has more space.

Anybody had a PSP and remember those UMDs?

 

[NerdShamer]

My gamecube died recently. Some games were particularly bad where the background music's instruments would be replaced with this ungodly static sound, and the whole screen would get all glitchy and shake, before giving the generic "An error has occurred" message. Put the disk in my Wii and it ran perfectly fine, so it's deff the gamecube.

I didn't really have that had of an experience, mines just sounds like it's reading it...Then it stops. Sounds like some wiring issues with yours.

Games that require more than one disc to play. Or having to install the game to play. If you had a PS3 during 2007-2008, you know what I mean.

Been there with 2 of my TMNT games: Can't play the second half without using disc one...Which is an hassle, since I'm gambling on the Cube to read it.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Anybody had a PSP and remember those UMDs?

I have one, but I think the drive is starting to die. It makes this horrible high-pitched screech whenever it loads anything and it sounds like it's gonna tear the UMD to pieces. I'm scared to even use it now, which sucks because I have quite a few PSP games that I really love. I would like to repair it so that doesn't happen, but it's hard to look up a solution when the drive was obnoxiously loud by default.

 

[tehpope]

Just get SwapMagic and install Free McBoot, install games on a USB drive run from there, I've never had that bad of problems from doing so

I think there's even an easier kind of exploit now for the PS2, but I don't know what it is.

Someone found out last month that you can edit dvd files to load unsigned elf files. The HDD method is great, but I think I borked my Network adapter doing the mod. It worked for a day. I just came back to it and my ps2s won't even see the adapter. And if you're using a slim ps2, HDD isn't available. USB works fine for PS1 games, but some ps2 games need faster speeds than usb 1.1 to stream everything.

Someone made a Raspberry Pi image to stream games from usb over network and it apparently works great. I just can't use it atm. It works because OPL can stream games from a SMB network share. The Pi just takes whatever is on the sd card or usb device(s) and shares them out. You connect your pi to a switch or directly up to the ps2. USB 2 speed are fast enough for streaming data and 100megabit doesn't lose that much speed.
https://github.com/toolboc/psx-pi-smbshare

 

[Neet Tokusatsu]

At least Optical Drive Emulators are pretty plentiful now of days. I think every major system has one or has ways to play games without a disc drive. The latter for Sony and MS' 6th/7th gen systems.

The Wii is even better because it has homebrew like Nintendont. The main feature is allowing the system to run Gamecube ISOs from the USB port or SD card slot. It also works with real discs too. It also allows the system to play Gamecube games with Wii enhancements. Like being able to use the classic controllers instead of GC controllers, the ability to play games with HID usb controllers (PS2/3/4, maybe Xbox 360), virtual memory cards, force 480p without swiss, in game reset, Broadband Adapter Emulation.

The video output on the Gamecube is better than the Wii. Most people can't tell the difference. But they do exist. The gamecube does allow people to play the gameboy library with the Game Boy player. It does lack Super Gameboy stuff, but its not that big of deal. And if you have roms, mGBA is really fucking good and has a native port to GC/Wii.

They removed it because Nintendo realized normies didn't use it all that often. And it would save Nintendo a few bucks by not including the ports.

The sticker on the back / side will list the model number. It starts with SCPH. The 39001 look like 30001. The 5000X are a bit better to spot out. They lack the IEEE 1394 port next to the usb ports and have an IR port instead. They're just as good as 39001. Online, you can just search the number on places like ebay. If the listing doesn't show it, see if the seller include photos of the back. Or ask them fot the SCPH number.

My Game Cube died like a decade ago, and my Wii has problems to read most games i own, so i said fuck it, and softmodded it to read ISOS from an external HDD and that's how i've using it for the last few years, let me tell you it's a fucking life saver, i can play everything on that Wii, Wii games, Game Cube games, and a lot of older consoles, a Wii with a dead disc reader is pretty much a brick, a softmodded Wii, it's a great emulation machine

 

[Telomayonnaise]

I'm glad we use BluRay discs. Less likely to get damaged and has more space.

Anybody had a PSP and remember those UMDs?

Actually still use my PSP-1000 for business trips to play FFVII and keep my Peace Walker UMD in the travel case. A friend and I have been contemplating amassing a full UMD collection for years now because most of them are cheaper than a can of coke on ebay.

 

[The Last Stand]

I didn't really have that had of an experience, mines just sounds like it's reading it...Then it stops. Sounds like some wiring issues with yours.

I remember my PSP-2000 had issues where if you move it, it would "eject" the disc despite the tray being closed. For a handheld, that's a problem. It "fixed" itself somehow.

 

[John Titor]

I bought two games that don't run on the PS2. My fault for not checking sooner and my fault for thinking Gamestop wouldn't fuck me in the ass for the nth time.

PS2 30001 models are pretty notorious for those disc issues. Had one a few years back and it would only read CD games if I flipped the console on its back. I have a 39001 and its a champ. Never had issues.

Alright! I dodged a bullet there! In spite of the whirring sound, it's still functional.

 

[Celebrate Nite]

I used to have an OG XBOX in my early 20's and one of the games i bought for it was Xtreme Beach Volleyball. The disc had no scratches at all. It played the 4 DDR Ultramix games i had perfectly but would not load this game up, even after getting another copy and making sure it was in mint condition. I just convinced myself that my XBOX was just self-aware and refused to let me see some nice 3d titties

 

[The Last Stand]

I bought two games that don't run on the PS2. My fault for not checking sooner and my fault for thinking Gamestop wouldn't fuck me in the ass for the nth time.

I bought Vice City from Gamestop, they gave me Vice City Stories. The game was stuck on the loading screen. I couldn't even boot up the game past the intro screen. I even left it on for a couple hours, nothing. The game must've been defective.

 

[Marissa Moira]

That's largely because the laser eventually moves out of place and you have to open it up yourself to reset the laser.

I've been wanting to do that myself for a long time but I need to get the official Nintendo Repair shit for it because the system uses unique screws that can't be removed with conventional screwdrivers.

A set of the screwdrivers for NES, SNES, Genesis, and Weird Triangle Safety Screw will set you back like 5-10 bucks.

they may even throw in some paint brushes, angular hex keys, and some other weird shit. Amazon has tons to choose from.

 

[tehpope]

Alright! I dodged a bullet there! In spite of the whirring sound, it's still functional.

That's always not the case, but that is the general consensus.

 

[Scarlett Johansson]

RIP Dreamcast disks

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Why Nintendo removed that, I don't know.

What I most despised about Xbox 360s, the slightest vibration will leave a circular scratch on your disk.

The backwards compatibility was being used to hack Wiis. The Wii U's backwards compatibility got used for the same thing.

 

[tehpope]

The backwards compatibility was being used to hack Wiis. The Wii U's backwards compatibility got used for the same thing.

No. IIRC, the Gamecube mode on the Wii was sandboxed into its on domain. Even if you hacked the GC mode, everything about the wii was still locked down. Nvm. The revision without backwards compatability didn't come out until 2011, 5 years after the launch of the system. This isn't like the ps3, where Sony scrapped the ps2 BC early on to save money. Its basically was a refresh. Like the Top Loader NES or the SNES Jr before it.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I've not checked in a while, but my consoles have generally lasted well, with the exception of the my PS2 which I had 3 of over time. I'm not too concerned about my PS2 either because my dad used to buy broken PS2s, fix them, and sell the on for a small profit.

It wasn't a full time job, nor is he some kind of tech genius. 9 times out of 10, it was a case of cleaning the inside of the machine, and oiling the rails on the disc tray.

I have considered buying a dead Dreamcast so I could try installing one of those flash card drive replacers. I don't want to risk killing a perfectly healthy Dreamcast.

For me, the bigger problem is controllers. They wear out over time. Second hand controllers tend to be in even worse shape, or cheap third party junk where the anolog stick is essentially an 8 way d-pad with stick on it.


A related topic. Maybe it's just me, but I find the condition of most peoples and consoles to be appalling. I have one game with laser burn (was used to test a relatives machine), but other than that most of my games are in great near-mint condition. Buying games second hand is a waste of time. The discs look as if they've been used as hiking boots, the manual (if it has one) has been water damaged and hotboxed, and the cases look like they've been used as a dart board or a dogs chew toy.

I guess what I'm saying is, consoles should have disc caddies.

 

[TaimuRadiu]

I bought Vice City from Gamestop, they gave me Vice City Stories. The game was stuck on the loading screen. I couldn't even boot up the game past the intro screen. I even left it on for a couple hours, nothing. The game must've been defective.

I got the GTA PS1 collection from them and they... forgot to give me the discs. That was shitty.

I've not checked in a while, but my consoles have generally lasted well, with the exception of the my PS2 which I had 3 of over time. I'm not too concerned about my PS2 either because my dad used to buy broken PS2s, fix them, and sell the on for a small profit.

It wasn't a full time job, nor is he some kind of tech genius. 9 times out of 10, it was a case of cleaning the inside of the machine, and oiling the rails on the disc tray.

I have considered buying a dead Dreamcast so I could try installing one of those flash card drive replacers. I don't want to risk killing a perfectly healthy Dreamcast.

For me, the bigger problem is controllers. They wear out over time. Second hand controllers tend to be in even worse shape, or cheap third party junk where the anolog stick is essentially an 8 way d-pad with stick on it.


A related topic. Maybe it's just me, but I find the condition of most peoples and consoles to be appalling. I have one game with laser burn (was used to test a relatives machine), but other than that most of my games are in great near-mint condition. Buying games second hand is a waste of time. The discs look as if they've been used as hiking boots, the manual (if it has one) has been water damaged and hotboxed, and the cases look like they've been used as a dart board or a dogs chew toy.

I guess what I'm saying is, consoles should have disc caddies.

I "fixed" my DC by opening it up and pushing some lever to ensure that it's always reading the disc. Maybe if next Trumpbux come up I'll buy an ODE and a PicoPSU to put in it.

https://shop.terraonion.com/en/home/17-Terraonion_MODE_Dreamcast_Saturn_ODE.html

You can swap this one out between your Dreamcast and your Saturn (you DO have a Saturn, RIGHT retrogaming Kiwis?)

 

[Judge Dredd]

Looking at the comments of the video in your link, I had no idea there was a lot of drama around the disc drive emulator/replacement scene.

It sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. I just have a Dreamcast and play it with old SCART leads (I know that VGA out is an option.), but I had no idea about 3D printed replacement shells and HDMI conversion kits and all that stuff.

 

[TaimuRadiu]

Looking at the comments of the video in your link, I had no idea there was a lot of drama around the disc drive emulator/replacement scene.

It sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. I just have a Dreamcast and play it with old SCART leads (I know that VGA out is an option.), but I had no idea about 3D printed replacement shells and HDMI conversion kits and all that stuff.

Basically for like 5 years the only way to get a decent ODE for Saturn and Dreamcast was from this one sperg who made them in very limited quantities and you had to be on his mailing list and sign up within 5 minutes of it being announced. Then China began to pirate his design and he went into an autistic screeching frenzy about it. Now he's working on an FM Towns Marty ODE and says you can only get one if you give him the serial number of your unit. This matters for FM Towns because, even if it may have been the first desktop computer with CD-ROM built in for the consumer market (in 1989!), the drives were also really, really badly manufactured.