Neo Geo CD Toploader Problem..NEED Assistance!

Hi. Got a problem I really need help with.

I recently acquired a Toploading Neo Geo CD (not a CDZ, just the normal one)

The short story is it doesn't play any games -_- (or music CDs)

Here is what I did:

First I set it up and turned it on with no game inside (lid open). It booted up fine, graphics and sound (from the neo cd logo sequence) were fine.

Then I closed the lid. It gave me what I assume was a "NO CD in tray" message as it should.

Then I tried a game.

Well whats SUPPOSED to happen  is that you put in the disc, close the lid, turn it on and the logo plays then it goes to the menu and says "Checking disc.." (or equivalent in Japanese). Then once its done it says "PRESS START button"(then you press start and play).

What ACTUALLY happened in this case is that the logo played but the disc started spinning/clattering rather LOUDLY speeding up for a few seconds, then holding steady in speed (still loud/clattering) for about four seconds, then slowed down for a few seconds and stopped.

That "PRESS START" message never appeared on the screen either even after it stopped. -_-

I opened the lid while it was clattering and the disc was spinning.. (after I had tried it normally a few times and it had done the same thing as above.)

Then I tried another neo cd game. Same result.

Then I tried 2 music CDs/ Both had the same result which was the same as the above game.

Graphics,sound, controller all worked fine tho.

ANY clue what the problem is and if I can fix it somewhat easily? (I'm not terribly savvy at all with internal electronics of videogame systems)

PLEASE HELP!

loud clattering? How loud?

Compare to a Dreamcast (and the DC read noise)... please

Are there ANY errors at all that pop up on the screen? IE I/O errors or whatever?

I would find it VERY strange if no error pops up. Every non-working CD I've seen gives some sort of error code.


Bv :hat

Heh. My DC I got new, so it has never really been loud at all  Pretty quiet really. The loudest part of it is the fan.

Anyway, it sounds like a rotating plastic clattering kinda, the clattering speeds up when the drive does and slows down when it slows down (from what I can telll).

And as for how loud, well pretty loud, loud enough to scare me half to death when it first did it. almost sounded like it was eating the disc (disc wasn't scratched tho by it, its just noisy).

And nope, no Error messages, just the "CD not in tray" type message you get when you close the lid with it on and there is no disc inside the tray. When it stops (after there is a disc in there and it does its clattering thing), it just stays there, no messages at all. (on the cd player screen)

I also tried keeping the lid open and then pressing down on the little button that lets the neo cd know the lid is closed in the front of the tray, the laser bobbed up and down normally..

BTW, does it mean anything that it can tell if there is a disc in there or not? (and give you the No disc in tray message)

Which part of the neo cd checks for a disc being present?

(BTW all the games/music CDs I had mentioned testing this thing with DO work (on another neo cd). Its GOT to be the system and since the video/sound/controller works perfectly its not the AV or the controler OR the Ac adaptor (tested this ac with another neo cd - worked perfectly).

So it has to be the system itself..

SO any thoughts?

that loud, eh?  wow....   but you said the disc is spinning, right?  I was wondering if the spindle may be stuck....but if the disc is spinning, I am not sure about that.  Does the loud noise happen EVERY TIME the cd tries to load?   Maybe it is the sled...

That is weird there are no error messages.  BUT I guess if the cd doesn't start loading the game, you might not get one... ALTHOUGH, when you close the lid, it tries to detect the cd.  do this, there is a little black piece that hangs down THAT presses  into a button in the case.  This lets the system know that the lid is closed and it then loads the cd.  make sure that is not broke off.  That piece has to hit the "button" inside the case.

So IF you have no disc in, the cd does say "no disc?"

Just to make sure, your neo cd games are originals, right?  Not saying you play boots.. but maybe you got them with the system.

something tells me it is the laser... but then again... if it was, you should get an error message (I believe). I am sort-of baffled by this problem.

Bv :hat

Bluevoodu -

When you say this:

".. do this, there is a little black piece that hangs down THAT presses  into a button in the case.  This lets the system know that the lid is closed and it then loads the cd.  make sure that is not broke off.  That piece has to hit the "button" inside the case."

are this little black piece and the "button" in the FRONT of the Cd tray (nearer to the controller ports). Is there only one of these "buttons" in the tray? (or 2 or 3, etc.)

Just want to make sure I would be checking the right part

ok.... I am not talking the power or reset buttons

BUT... the little black piece from the lid (when the lid closes) presses down a button (or trigger if you will)... if that is not "triggered" the system will not load. BUT everything else will work fine.... you just won't be able to play games..etc...

Could that be the issue? I could see that as being the issue since there is no error code

†B†V† :hat

Bluevoodu -

To answer all your questions

Yes the disc IS spinning (tho not sure if at the proper speed, ie fast enough for the cd laser to READ it).

The loud clattering DOES happen every time it tries to  load a game cd or music cd, it acts EXACTLY the same on music and game cds (speeds up for a few sec., holds speed for a few sec. slows down for a few sec.)

What is the "sled"?

Ok next I tried your suggestion. I assume we're talking about the little slim cylindrical plastic part in front of the cd tray with a little button inside and not the front and *center* latch

Firstly, the little tab that presses the button you spoke of is NOT broken. When I pressed that button you mentioned manually (with a pen and the lid was open of course, the CD DID start to spin. And when the lid is closed, I think the button MUST be working or it wouldnt even do the noisy clattering spinning right? (It wouldnt know the lid is shut at all, right?).

Yes I presume the mesage that pops up says "no disic" or something like that when the lid is closed but there is no disc inside (The message is in Japanese and I can't read Japanese

Yep my neo cd games are originals and so are the music cds I tried.


Ok now I'm just throwing out ideas:

The part that rotates attached to the top of the neo cd LID (that touches the disc from ) is kinda loose, could that be it?

The odd thing is you wouldnt expect something like that to keep it from reading discs, it would just be possibly  really noisy..

Also, just a guess but is it possible something here is keeping the cd from rotating either 1. at a consistent speed or 2. not letting the disc spin FAST enough to be read (the clattering is a sign of it being obstructed somehow?) or 3. both?

the sled is what the laser eye moves up and down on.

The thing on the top of the lid is a bit "loose" so that is not it.... unless the spindle or that thing from top is not letting the cd spin freely. BUT you seem to have no problem with the disc spinning.

When you rotate the top thing in the lid, does it make the bad noise?

Bv :hat

I found out what was wrong!

I had to carefully open the system to do it...

Apparently the CD assembly (motor/laser, etc.) is held onto the TOP of the neo cd by four plastic posts (with 4 screws at the top of the posts - the screws are facing DOWN).

Well, one of the four posts is broken right where it meets the Neo CD's top (plastic on plastic). The one nearest to the power button. So the cd assembly tilted to the left too much and that loud clattering noise was the cd itself scraping against the plastic of the cd tray 

No wonder it couldnt load.. :-\

Anyway, I Carefully put a finger from my left hand pushing up the broken post from below while also holding up the neo cd's top (it's taken apart at this point and the top is right side up). Then I tried (had to tape down the lid close button because I ran out of hands lol) playing a music cd and a neo cd game.

Both worked perfectly IF I didn't move my hand too much (the one under the neo cd top). I used the other hand to work the controller. Had to hold your hand real still tho for many minutes, but it worked

SO basically that must be the only problem (the broken post) or the music cds/game I tried wouldn't have worked.

Now comes the fun part, how do I reconnect (or simply PUSH) the broken plastic post?

There IS a flat metal plate right below where the post is in the bottom half of the neo cd. Maybe I could attach something to the metal plate that would prop up the post just right..

Any ideas?

ok.. so it was the broken post?

how to fix that.... I am not sure..
I wonder... do you have one of the "nice" drink stirring sticks?

IF SO, maybe make it so that the drink stirrer is positioned in the hole so that it is resting on the "trigger" (that the unbroken post would have rested). Then try closing the lid and see if it will push the trigger down enough to play.

I don't have anything to try here to simulate it to give you a better idea... but something like that might work

†B†V† :hat

Bluwoodu - Heh I think I may have miscommunicated

As far as I can tell tthe only problem with the Neo CD is the broken post. But it doesnt push any button or trigger, it is simply one of 4 posts that attach the cd laser/assembly board to the TOP of the Neo CD.

I'm working on figuring out how to prop up the post now ^_^ (by putting something under it to push it up that wil rest on the metal plate directly below the broken post.

(In case you're stlil confused the "post" I'm talking about (if you open your neo cd ;-) is a black plastic post attached ot the TOP of the neo cd; it has a screw on the end (with a washer) facing down and has a rubber like suspension thing on it right next to the washer heh