Need help with my saturn!

[drinkwindexx]

Hello internet.

I just dug my saturn out of the attic and I am trying to burn some images on to CD-Rs. But every time I try to burn the image, the saturn plays the music FROM the game, but won't run the game itself!

Now I have BIN/CUE files and I'm pretty sure I'm burning them correctly. Both files are in the same directory and I opened up the .cue in notepad to make sure the information is right. And I've tried burning this at 4x speed with Alcohol 120% AND Nero.

I am using the infamous swap method to get the CDs to boot. Should I invest in a mod chip? Am I over looking something? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[ExCyber]

Can you describe in detail how you are swapping and exactly what the Saturn shows during that process?

 

[drinkwindexx]

I just used the swap method you see all over the net.

Put your CDR in, wait till the disk slows down, throw in an original saturn game, wait till its done reading the copy protection throw the CDR back in...

once i put the CDR back in, the saturn sits there and the disk goes into a process of speeding up for a few seconds, then slowing back down. this goes on for a few seconds then it says before the screen changes and "checking disk format" appears. after that Track 2 appears at the top of the screen and the saturn lets me play the tracks from the game but wont run the game itself.

When I'm swapping the disks, the screen is just displaying the saturn logo.

 

[ExCyber]

I'm not 100% sure, but it sounds like you're doing the second swap too early.

 

[drinkwindexx]

Thank you! I'll work on my timing a bit and see if that works!

 

[drinkwindexx]

No go. Still can't seem to boot it up. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[mtxblau]

once i put the CDR back in, the saturn sits there and the disk goes into a process of speeding up for a few seconds, then slowing back down. this goes on for a few seconds then it says before the screen changes and "checking disk format" appears. after that Track 2 appears at the top of the screen and the saturn lets me play the tracks from the game but wont run the game itself.

Is it still doing that? Your timing is off.

When it speeds back up after the swap and slows back down again, the Saturn is actually looking for the security ring again. You could actually do the swap again at this point.

Practice makes perfect... you'll know you did it right when you see the Sega screen.

How I used to do it:

Put disc in, wait for the CD to slow down. Swap discs, and while it's checking the security ring, listen to the drive - it makes a different noise when it's reading the ring. Once that noise stops, I swapped the disc again and usually gave it a little spin in the process, just to get it going.

 

[drinkwindexx]

Well I got antsy and invested in a modchip. After a quick install, my CD-R's are still coming up as a audio CD. The saturn no longer checks for the security ring on the outside of the CD so i'm guessing its in right. I suppose im just burning them wrong?

 

[mtxblau]

Two theories:


A) modchip installed incorrectly. Do your originals work? If so...


B) You're burning them wrong. What software are you using and how are you burning them?

 

[dibz]

I hope you're not using Alcohol 120% to burn Saturn games. I mentioned in another very similar thread recently that I've never been able to get working Saturn games from that program (I personally use a Modchip, not the swap trick).

In that other thread, I recommended ImgBurn instead, which the poster seemed to have success with.

 

[drinkwindexx]

I just got Darius Gaiden to boot up so i think i'm all set. My other images havent been working though so i'll take your advice with ImgBurn and see if that works for me =)

 

[atticus1259]

I just wanna throw this out there for people that do use the swap trick. Yeah it's ennoying at times but worth it if you don't wanna invest in the mod chip or risk it...even though there really is no risk. If your doing the swap trick, do what I do:


-When powering up the Saturn have the burned game in the system, once the lazer moves, switch the discs almost immediatly (or as quickly as possible), I sometimes like the help spin the disc to the left just to keep the motor moving without hurting it.


-Once the saturn reads the outer ring let it get to the black "SEGA" screen, once it does push the reset button


-The Saturn will start to read the outer ring again, it's going to move again then to the middle, but give it a sec to kinda settle, (you'll know what I mean if you listen and with practice), swap an original with your copy and it should read just fine, going to the black "SEGA" screen followed by your game.


This is actually alot easier than trying to swap all in one load and is well worth giving a shot at. Hope this helps!