Odd Qoob Pro Issue - Suggestions?

[CLK]

Hi ... I purchased and installed a Qoob Pro back about six months ago. (Thanks to those who helped me out at this forum!) To get up and running, I used good G04 Ridata Mini-DVDs and tweaked my laser pot to 205 ohms.

Everything worked great and I successfully burnt and ran approx. 80 backed up games with no DREs! :D

That was until 2 weeks ago. At this time, I started getting numerous DRE errors on newly burnt discs. Games would run and freeze or not run at all. After running one of new games, if I tried an older game (that had no issues in the past) it would fail to run as well. If I then turned my Cube off for a while (say, overnight) everything would be fine with the old games. Put in a new disc and the DREs would start again.

So it seemed like a disc issue. I was using Office Depot Mini-DVDs (which use G04 dye) like the 70 or so other discs I already had. So I thought maybe it was a bad batch. So I went back to blankmedia.ca and purchased their Ridata G04 Mini-DVDs. They arrived and I re-burnt a few disks. But after burning Pokemon XD again, I was still getting DREs.

So I started reading the forums here again and noted that some people were taking their pots down to about 150 or so (instead of 200). I did that and at first it seemed to work. Tony Hawk AW went from DREs to working. So I thought my work was done.

But the errors are coming back again. We played THAW (no issues) but then had DRE issues with Jedi Outcast (formally no DREs) and SSX on Tour (wouldn't run at all - again it ran fine before!).

So to sum things up ... I have gone from having a perfect track record for backups (at 80+) to almost every new game having issues. :(

I have Qoob 1.3c running, but also have 1.3a and GCOS TS3. If a disc gets DREs, all OSes fail.

Everything else has stayed the same - same DVD burner, same Cube.

Any suggestions? :confused:

Thanks!
CLK

[Xboxmodder999]

Check the media code of the Ritek mini's you just bought. Ritek stopped using the G04 dye in their mini's, so check and see whether you got some of the older ones, or the new ones with the CMC dye.

[CLK]

Thanks for the suggestion Xboxmodder999.

However, what exactly am I looking for? I don't see any code that clearly states "G04" anywhere. This is what I ordered ...

Ridata Mini-DVDs from Blankmedia.ca (http://www.blankmedia.ca/proddetail3.asp?id=430)

The company states they are G04 discs and I have used these before with no issues.

Other suggestions ... as I'm at a loss to explain?!?!?

Thanks, CLK.

[crazyshiza]

I ordered those same mini's from them a month ago and they work great.

[Xboxmodder999]

I believe that Nero CDinfo, which is installed when you install NEro, tells you what the media code is. If it doesn't, download DVDINFOPRO, and that will tell you.

[CLK]

Thanks again for the suggestions. But I'm still having DRE issues all the time!

As Xboxmodder999 suggested, I checked the media type I am using. It is Ritek G04 (which is good stuff and I have used before).

Just tried Chicken Little today and I get one DRE after another. :(

So I'm starting to think it is one of several things ...

(1) The Qoob bios (I have 1.3c (main), 1.3a and GCOS TS3). All give errors. Does anyone have a location I can find old (potentially more reliable qoob bios files)?

(2) My Cube - more specifically the laser itself. What is the chance that my laser pickup is suddenly going down the tubes? Like I said in my earlier post, my system went from 100% no DREs to DREs with every disc (even past burns that were OK before).

(3) Lastly, my burner. But this doesn't seem possible given the old burns are acting up as well.

Overall, I have to think its my Qoob chip or my Cube itself. :confused:

Help! Suggestions / past experiences with something similar appreciated!

Thanks, CLK.

[Xboxmodder999]

If it is happening with old games that worked perfectly before, it's your laser. YOu need to do a tweak on it.

[CLK]

Hey Xboxmodder999 ...

I tweaked my laser originally as I had DRE issues. Pot initially (unmodded) was 595. I then dropped it down to 205. At that level, all worked well for 80+ backups.

Then the crap hit the fan and disks stopped working.

I had the same thought as you ... so I tweaked it again down to 150.

Should I go lower? What is the chance my laser is going down the tubes? My Gamecube is from launch (in Canada) several years back now.

If I do take my pot lower, what number would you suggest? What is the lowest I should go (or can go)?

Thanks again ... and I appreciate the fast and steady replies!

CLK

[CLK]

Knocked the pot down to 100 now. DREs are gone again.

Weird that it would work so good at 205 ohms and then just stop working.

It will be interesting to see if this tweak sticks!

Thanks for the help!
CLK

[patrick_f]

Hi
Suspect your laser is screwed, had similar issues after I tweaked a previously good laser from 480 to 210, after a while gc would only read originals then nothing. Tweaked it lower & worked again for a while, but eventually died. I believe tweaking increases the laser power and therefore the current it draws, efectively over driving the device and causing premature failure. I picked up a 2nd hand Jap cube off Ebay (mine is USA Ntsc) and swapped the laser and board assy. pot was at 560 Ohm, left well alone. Everything now boots with no errors with option B in Qoob bios. I have a replacement case so don't use minis. I burn with Nero at 8x to Datawrite Titanium or Ridisc, both G04 dye I believe..
good luck