Troubleshooting non-functional Gamecube with XenoGC installed

I installed a XenoGC in my 'cube a few years ago, and have been using Ritek G04 based mini DVD-Rs without a problem since then. However, after a 6 month break of not playing the GC, it's no longer loading burnt discs. My observations:

• Originals work fine
• Holding the 'start' button whilst an original boots does not show the XenoGC boot screen (is it supposed to with a clone?)
• When attempting to boot a burnt disc, the XenoGC's LED remains red (doesn't change colour to indicate a successful patch)
• GC tries to read the disc but gives up after a few seconds. The disc stops spinning and I get a 'No disc' message
• Tried resoldering the XenoGC and cleaning the laser. No dice.
• Also tried tweaking the pot in 10 ohm increments between 110 and 210 (original value 170)

I'm not sure what the issue might be as I thought adjusting the pot would have counteracted any degradation of the laser since I last used it 6 months ago..? All the burnt discs worked great previously so I find it hard to believe they've all degraded in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately I've no imports to try out, only local originals and a handful of burnt discs. May have some full sized DVD-Rs to try as an alternative to my mini DVD-Rs....

Anyone had a similar issue or have any pointers? Replacement lasers and chips are cheap, but might be more economical to buy a new 'cube if the cause is abiguous.

 

if you boot the GC without a disc, does the Xeno LED change colour, (either to orange or green depending on revision)? If it doesn't I would guess you have a dead/corrupt chip on the Xeno and it's not injecting the boot data any longer.

 

Just tried without a disc as you suggested, and also with a backup & with an original: same result each time. Red LED comes on when I turn the GC on and stays that way, doesn't turn off or change colour - just stays red.

 

That's how an incorrectly installed chip behaves, if you're confident of your install I'd say the chip is dead.

 

Will order a new chip and see how I get on with that. Thanks for your assistance

 

One thing I have found that helps is testing with a disc from another region. It takes adjusting the pot out of the equation, but the chip still has to be working to patch the disc for the correct region.

 

There's a bug in many (all?) XenoGCs running 1.05 (aka 2.0) in which holding start to bring up the screen will only load in PAL mode, causing many TVs to only show a black screen instead.

Not sure if you have it, but I have SD Media Launcher (in conjunction with Swiss or GCOS on SD) which is very helpful for determining whether the GC can read burned games without the need for Xeno to be properly installed.

 

I would also check the solder joints on the IC and the Capacitor on the modchip, sometimes the clones have bad joints (probably from not being flowed long enough/ save time and money I guess), some flux and a good iron or hot air gun will do the trick haha

 

Received new XenoGC today. Installed, double checked all joints and still not booting backups..! Perhaps just more economical to get a new GC at this stage...

 

Success! In a last-ditch attempt, I removed the chip and did a wired install using the alternate points: http://oi40.tinypic.com/zoayc5.jpg

Perhaps it was a faulty chip, perhaps I melted the original solder points at some stage.. Who knows.. But, it works now!

 

I saw your post last night and was going to suggest you did a wired install but had no time to post, the new chip and the fact that the 'cube played originals really pointed to a connection issue chip-to-laser pcb. probably a trace lifted somewhere.

Glad you got it fixed.