GameCube Disc Drive Troubleshooting and Repair

I picked up a GameCube that was said to not read game discs. Here's how I figured out what was wrong and how I fixed it.
Interested in the multimeter I used in this video? Here's the review I did a while back about the Hioki DT4252:
• Hioki DT4252 Multimete...
---------------------------------------­------------------------------------
Follow me on Twitter! @thisdoesnotcomp
This Does Not Compute
PO Box 131141
St. Paul, MN 55113
---------------------------------------­------------------------------------
Music by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)

[@davideotape661]

Got a broken gamecube for $5 today and this tutorial made it like brand new, thanks a bunch!

[@honkingonbobo]

I really wanted this to work. What an in-depth video. I followed it precisely but I am still experiencing the same problem.

[@bumpn19]

I tried this on a GameCube that would no longer read discs- worked great! This is an excellent video that is very easy to follow for fellow electronic geeks. One suggestion would be to ensure that the top lid is in the open position before re-assembling- I broke one of the micro-safety switches that shuts off the unit when the lid is opened (no biggie, bypassed- don't open the lid and stare at the pretty red laser- lol.) I had to set mine to 300 ohms before it started working. I am guessing that the laser is weakening and will eventually fail, but a great procedure to get it back up and running!

[@papasmurfington5264]

Thanks to you I fixed my GC for $.82! I went without the multimeter and just turned the laser's screw/knob (potentiameter) counter clockwise about 1/8 of a turn. Thumbs up -- excellent video and advice!

[@Thegaara64]

Done the same thing, it worked perfectly!

[@BeetaroniPizza]

This helped me fix a completely different problem with my GameCube thanks.

[@Fattydeposit]

Anna The ability for your GameCube to play burned DVDs? I understand the pot needs to be set to have a resistance of between 180 and 220 to allow this, although this may vary from machine to machine..

[@MartyMcfly720]

beet Me too lmao my spinner was just gummed up

[@muhammadchandler5544]

I dont mean to be so off topic but does anyone know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..? I stupidly lost the account password. I would love any assistance you can give me

[@morganbjorn1603]

@Muhammad Chandler instablaster :)

[@muhammadchandler5544]

@Morgan Bjorn thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and im trying it out atm. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@majonesxkedger]

Christmas day. My 14 y.o. son wants a retro game to play. I bought one online for a lot more than the price mentioned here. It will work for 2 or 3 minutes before giving a disc error. We follow these steps and find our resistance is a little over 600 ohms. We corrected down to 300 ohms. Running great now. A great father-son project on Christmas day! Thanks!

[@nanot.1984]

xkedger you seem like an awesome guy and father, have fun with your son and GameCube bro :)

[@gabrielwright1562]

xkedger oh wow if you want retro get a SNES. Great library, that retro graphics, all that jazz.

[@Aidea._.]

Darn it, stop making me feel old.

[@Nemesis816]

Gamecube is considered retro? Dude, I’m 21 and played it during my pre teens. It’s not an NES or SNES.

[@maziu27]

@@Nemesis816 well if its discontinued ibconsider it retro. The wii is retro for me

[@bubbajack9738]

This helped me get my GameCube back up and running. First problem I’ve had with it for over 12 years, glad it’s working again!

[@LEO37MX]

i had this problem when i was young, is pretty cool to know now what was the problem in my game cube. Good video

[@subtleshenanigans5983]

Thank you for this informative video! I’m gonna try cleaning the laser one more time. Unfortunately I have a tremor disorder, and don’t trust myself to take it apart, and currently I have no money so I’ll have to wait to take this to someone to fix.

[@loganmartin9747]

I had this problem with my 20-year-old GameCube. Didn’t work after trying to set it to 480 ohms. Watched another video saying to set it to about 175. I did so and it works now. Are there two different models? I read something online about a DOL-001 and a DOL-101. I’m unsure, but happy these videos exist to make me look intelligent to friends and family. :)

[@DevinAK49]

I have 3 gamecubes now because of the optical problem. Amazing how many useful videos you've made. Thanks!

[@woodface1373]

A million thanks to you sir. I bought a brand new Nintendo GameCube, complete with box and manuals last 2016. after I bought it from the seller online, I didn't​ bother to test it because it's brand new. but only now I realized that I need to test the GameCube that I bought. when I did, I have the same problem just like your GameCube. So I followed your instructions and after adjusting the VR or whatever. Wow, It's a magical feeling! I'm just worried because I didn't use a potentiometer. I just tweaked it once counter clockwise.just a little. God bless you Sir.

[@JuanPabloSalamancaRodriguez]

I was actually looking for a disc repair guide and came across your video. Now I want to find a cheap broken gamecube to fix this. I'm doing a lot of electronic repairs on newer devices so I'm alway really excited to see how easy the disassembly of older devices is.

[@chief1223]

91% IPA is usually sold alongside the 70% in the US. 70% is actually ideal for disinfecting apparently (look up the science on that one) but 91% is what I use for cleaning as the lower water content means it will evaporate faster.

[@Zachariah99]

THANK YOU!!!! I have a Gameboy player attached to my GameCube and I knew I wasn't getting another system that could play these games on television. With a $70+ price tag to fix, I found your video. Really appreciated!

[@vestorflipsters6491]

Thanks for the tutorial! I definitely learned something I can use in the future even if this didn’t solve my GC problem at this time. It makes it so that I won’t hesitate knowing I have more tricks up my sleeve to purchase a GC that’s not working properly.

[@TRENSTAR007]

Worked for me and didn’t even need the multimeter Thank you so much!

[@mrimyourlawyer6005]

Great video. I’m much too scared to do this myself but may have an engineering friend test their hand

[@dirty_tuna]

This was such a coincidence, I was attempting a repair myself before clicking on this video and we used the exact same two test games.

[@fartrellcluggins930]

adjusted the potentiometer and bam! reads like a dream! thank you so much!

[@Popclone]

Awesome video, got my working at 110 ohms, I had to drop it from 199 ohms to 110, with trail and error. I think everyone will have a different "sweet spot". The best solution is to replace the Caps on the optical drive.

[@ErekLadd]

Great video. Pretty interesting stuff. I've always wanted to mess around with consoles and fixing things, so it doesn't seem too challenging. Probably the hardest part of it all is having the proper tools.

[@FIRO347]

Wow! Absolutely amazing! You are a very smart man! I'm very impressed about how you know a lot of the inside components of a Gamecube and how you got the disc drive to work again. You took the Gamecube apart and put it back together perfectly. I will definitely reflect on this video if I have any problems with my Gamecube's disc drive not working.

[@Keetchigan]

Disk wasn’t reading at 231 Om. Adjusted to 160 Om and now reads disks. Watched another YT video with other OM suggestions for the working resistence. Great tear down video!

[@josephcordoba938]

I have a GameCube with the same failure mode as the one you showed in the video, so I’ll give it a shot and will definitely let you know the outcome... Excellent video indeed! Thank you!

[@tonydisk1]

It was very useful, my gamecube was brougth to life after 5 years of being useless, thanks pal

[@NitishakaSwiftz]

You are a GENIUS dude, big ups

[@brees354]

I did this without the Hioki, because I'm daring and desperate, and I just turned the dial a tiny bit (like 1/4 couter-clockwise) and mine works fine now!!! Thanks for the helpful video!

[@josefmechanic]

This worked so well for my cube thank you so much it boots games right up no questions asked I set the pot to 310 it was at 180

[@Gehqster]

DOL-101 128 Ohms worked for me. For anyone needing to test out. Way below the 150 minimum but worked ! P.s 150 + didn’t work for me .

[@playstation2bigs]

Capacitors C401 and C408 in laser lens motherboard no more turning potentiometer

[@emmettturner9452]

The "official term" is NEC External Line Head screw. Haven't heard it called that in almost 20 years though. ;) Also, I'd suggest leaving the disc in during disassembly, or at least leave an 8cm/80mm blank or slug disc (clear disc usually included with a spindle of blanks).This will prevent accidental touching of the laser and should not interfere with disassembly.

[@1980baboon]

Thanks so much! Fixed the GC that I just bought that wasn't spinning or reading disks.

[@lucaguarro6116]

Awesome! Thanks for the great video. I was able to fix my gamecube thanks to it. The pot started at 580 Ohms so then I tried ~410, still no good (though it would read the disc in 1 every 3 tries instead of 1 every 15 before; so an improvement), then i lowered it even more to 350 and it works like a charm.

[@Djbiohazard1991]

"I like to do the simple things first"... *takes off the shell before cleaning the lens*. Suuuuure :')

[@josue3434ify]

Dj Biohazard hahaha

[@pavulzavala9412]

just watched the video today, and you did a pretty good job with the explanation, thanks.

[@HannyS_]

Thank you for this video ❤ I just recently bought used Gamecube and my disc drive was not working sadly. Thanks to you I managed to fix it and it works like a charm 😊

[@Vagabor123]

Fixed my gamecube with this tutorial. Thanks!

[@seth5737]

If it has problem reading disc it’s just a really old GameCube and probably dirty on the inside you just have to let it warm up after turing it on for like 5-10 min

[@TheUnsureFox]

I will be trying the potentiometer adjustment when I get home. Will post an update on whether it works or not. Thanks!!

[@jclocks2157]

Good to know, already have the tools and always wanted a Gamecube, really useful info on the laser values. May give it a shot! Thanks!

[@Created.Figure]

I'm not sure why but my gamebit screwdriver just isn't gripping the screw, what should I do?

[@zergmare7]

You saved my gamecube!!!!!! I am adding this video to my favorites should I ever need it again!

[@amberkay2]

this worked!! I didn't have a way to measure the voltage so i just turned the knob like a 1/4 turn and it works like new! Thank you!

[@kilmer1447]

Still works great in 2023! Thank you!

[@Redneck_Engineer]

My GameCube would say no disk. Then after 10-20 restarts it would say can't read disk. Then after some more restarts it would work. This solved my problem. I was around 550 ohms, the tiniest turn brought it down to 435 ohms and now it reads the disk first time. 550 ohms must be right around the limit, makes me believe the 500 ohm number you found. This was very helpful. Thanks

[@jordangomez1998]

I was so worried that I had to take my gc back to gamestop but thank god I found this video and saved me the hassle

[@Smashology64]

This video was spot on except I couldn't see or figure out where to apply the multimeter leads and I didn't understand what you meant by legs. But I did eventually get it done and set to 157.9 ohms!

[@stephenpugh5872]

Ha! I usually mess these things up, but it actually worked! Adjusted the laser very slightly, dig out an old analog multimeter (had to actually clean a battery contact), swab the lens, and now I can play my old games again!

[@That501st_guy]

This really help my Gamecube disc reader's problem but I mostly clean the lens and the disc spinner and the game disc it's self but I might see one day to see if it that but I still can play my games on it.

[@notisaacclarke9158]

I LOVE YOU! This guide helped me fix my best friend's Cube, thank you dude ♥️

[@riverrat3101]

i had the same problem but solved it without having to take anything apart. the solution is simple: take an air blower or hand-held hair dryer and blow air (make sure it is NOT hot air) through ALL the air vents and through the open top and through the bottom of the gamecube. this will get rid of the dust and dirt and make your console playable once again. i did this with my gamecube and my playstation 2, after i thought that both of them were beyond repair, and now they are working like new once again.

[@Yuri-qr7ml]

Had no multimeter of any sorts I had already taken it apart. As said in the video be careful to not blow it up. Also mentioned to twist it only 1/8 of a turn, so I did and that fixed my issue with it not reading disks. Might have been the bad disk reading was the reason for the seller selling the Pokémon Colosseum version, but it works! THANKS!

[@trynjalf7288]

Thanks a lot, you had me worried there, as I don't have the right equipment. Tried cleaning the lens with an alcohol wipe and all is good

[@fanglespangle110]

Excellent! Thanks for this. Unusually good video for a repair guide.

[@soundcasualty]

Worked for me! Thank you for the walkthrough

[@TwoDelic]

When I first started the laser would come on, but when I adjusted the VR401, the laser wont move at all i dont know if that means if I burnt it out

[@sct9991]

I bought an old Gamecube and now it works after adjusting the potentiometer :D thanks a lot.

[@theethythou]

I think my GC has this problem. But with patience and changing discs I get to a point where it does reads the discs so. Maybe later I will do this fix. Thanks for the video explanation.

[@JA-uz7se]

Couldn’t get it work. Used many many values but just can’t get it to work at all

[@micahmoore2215]

Thanks! Totally saved my gamecube, now I can enjoy it with the kiddos.

[@josuehernandez1036]

Just fixed mine right now after a whole year of looking, thanx

[@UdeMAX]

What is the type / size of the screwdriver used for the second part of the disassembly process? Thank you!

[@karlfranz8345]

I follewed this tips with my friend and my trusty cube came back to life! Thank you mate!

[@cysrandomthoughts1087]

Cool video, had all the information i needed, thank you

[@thecbc7658]

For a better disk reading, you have to reduce the laser to 150-250 ohms

[@thecbc7658]

@@BernadetteA Ughhhhh I can't remember. I think I did some research for you at the time and that's what I was told to do.

[@thecbc7658]

@@BernadetteA I found this kzbin.infoIyxoXeHNhBQ?feature=share

[@thecbc7658]

@@BernadetteA Its called Adjusting the POT on a GameCube

[@thecbc7658]

@@BernadetteA kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYa0Ynp8haxsp5I&ab_channel=MrMario2011

[@thecbc7658]

@@BernadetteA Yes it worked better. I saw that in a video after this one. So I first tried out Colin;s method and it didn't work. After the second videos tutorial was done my GameCube worked again. P.S. The Game Cube was from the trash bin that I found.

[@nearpar]

Wow thank you so much my meter was reading 900+ adjust the potentiometer back to 466 and it works great!

[@ElWeyChingon]

So I lowered mine from 500 plus ohms to 208 ohms. And it’s working great. Should I be worried about it burning out?

[@Crimson_Lycan]

how Nintendo made the spindle for the GameCube was pure genius... other top loading disc based consoles gave a risk of messed up discs if you're not careful...

[@ThisDoesNotCompute]

Yeah, I wish every top-loading drive had that eject button.

[@angelmorales8874]

I dont know if you will see my comment but i have a game cube that turns on fine and all but it doesnt read the disk, i saved your video for about a year just to finally buy the tool you need to opened, i found a different problem that i dont know how to fix and if its even related to this but my disk reader doesnt move, (everything else looks fine) but the mechanism that moves the laser back and forth seems to be stuck and only moves when theres is no disk and it also does a clicking sound, like its strougling to move If you know what it is please tell me i wanted to fix this console because it means a lot to me and was a big part of my childhood

[@treyheywood3578]

Where do I get the screwdriver you used to get in there

[@crazyclown602]

Thank you my gamecube was not reading dices and I didn't know why so I clean the it and it work so thank you so much

[@user-gk4jp6lt2b]

Wow, how did you get it to read dice?

[@JoseDiaz-xw6ft]

It worked on my game cube. I did not use the meter tho. I just twisted it very carefully until it worked. Thanks!

[@AlexS.117]

When I turn on I get this message: " you must first set the calendar ...", I have used many controls but it does not leave that screen, is it just the battery?

[@bartjandelange810]

Legend! Worked perfectly

[@hunterweaver1439]

my GameCube will turn on (fan turns on and the power light turns on) but nothing else. I took it apart to see what happens with the laser and the spindle, and the laser didn't turn on nor did the spindle rotate. the gamecube fell off a couch before it wouldn't work, what do you suggest might be the issue? do I need a new optical drive assembly?

[@F.R.G317]

Very informative thanks so much for the visual knowledge!

[@christopherstrebler6620]

Awesome video, Colin. I'm going to attempt your fix.

[@MrTocho07]

It worked! I turned down from 515 to 350. I have a DOL-001 gamecube. Thanks m8

[@izehumaheyiba2182]

Is the gamebit screwdriver is gonna fix my orange GameCube controller and black logetich controller and 2 Dualshock ps2 controllers to use again?

[@NASIRUB1]

I have a black Gamecube with the same problem, it's a chore to take it apart, but I might try this.

[@71dembonesTV]

10:28 - "You'll *potentially* burn up the laser", eh? :)

[@ch3rry833]

Do you know why the potentiometer of the lens changes its value by itself? I mean, it's a common problem, no one touches it and it starts not reading official discs. Why? I can't understand

[@chasedadjones6859]

Great video!!!! Helped me out a lot!!

[@noahz6980]

Hey my gamecube light will come on for like 2 seconds but then go off and the fan will come on and stay on. What do you think could be wrong? Thank you!

[@oOignignoktOo1]

I'm dealing with a gamecube busted drive right now I got from a family friend for free. The laser lights up and moves but the disc motor don't spin. the spindle spins freely but i suspect bad caps. I probed the ribbon with a multimeter and everything checks out connectivity wise. Ordered some caps from console 5 that are coming in this week and hoping it resovles the issue. If all else fails I could go in on an ODE but I'd rather have the ability to play retail games and do a picoboot mod with a SD card storage mod using the serial port if I want to play backups.

[@anthonyryuki6887]

Okay, sorry about multiposting, but in the end I decided to tweak the laser pot a little bit. So far, so good.

[@anthonyryuki6887]

Wanna hear my story? My GC would require a few attempts to even detect a disc right after it started up, but after that games would work just fine, so for a while I thought I could live with that. After watching this video though, I wanted to see if I could fix it just out of curiosity. So when I saw the potentiometer, there was some dust on its connectors, and I used a multimeter to measure its resistance. Since it wasn't different from what it should be, I didn't turn the screw on it. Using it also took off that dust. Now that problem is gone, so thanks for giving me the inspiration.

[@anthonyryuki6887]

Never mind. I didn't actually fix it. I don't understand what's wrong, and the thing actually got worse.

[@chibogoro2329]

This video saved my Gamecube! Thanks!

[@Nirvezz]

I just wonder how does it change on its own.

[@bobdotexe]

Nice Job! and pacman vs is a great party game!

[@gluGPU]

tibbarkcaj zzaj

[@gluGPU]

HOW DID YOU KNOW

[@silverXI22]

I got a bundle verson I got pac man vs and pac man world 2 on gamecube

[@jamesagent86]

Just did this on my GameCube and it appears to work as far as reading the disc at first. It loads up and plays for about five minutes and then I get the error message saying "cannot read disc" so then I reset it and it plays for about a minute before I get the same error. Is this a overheating issue?

[@Anime10100]

awesome help video! follow step by step, the gamecube i bought as is for $7 working perfectly!

[@rivalmindss]

This worked for like two days for me. Now it’s back to not reading. Sometimes it will read the disc if I boot it up with no disc and place it in after, and sometimes I have to swap discs using the previous method and once they read the disc, I swap to the preferred game. I’ve cleaned the lens again to no improvement. What do you think?

[@4bioh]

Hello, I did it, however my GC still not reading the games. I already cleaned the lens up and nothing..

[@TwoDelic]

@10:30 I think I burnt up the laser what do I do now or did I just break my gamecube?

[@densel.c8935]

Thank you for the help kind sir, I can now play my game cube games now thx.

[@ElWeyChingon]

Great…just plugged up my cube after a long time and it has trouble reading discs. I clean it with a qtip and it starts working. But whenever I turn it off and turn it back on after a couple of hours, it can’t read the discs again…

[@abz95xo]

I think my gamecube has this exact problem because when I put discs that I know work in and turn it on it comes up as no disc so I need to try this, Thanks for the step by step clear instructions :) you Legend

[@jmontyy]

I’m able to play games on my GameCube but after 10-15min or so the game disc cannot be read and I hear the game stop spinning... after I open and close the lid I am usually able to play for another minute or so before the game disc cannot be read again. Not sure how to fix it... tried the alcohol and q-tip and I don’t think it helped.