CD32 Not Reading Discs
 

So over the weekend I unpacked my CD32s for a bit of gaming. They've been packed up for about a year after moving house.

I was thinking this would all be fun and I'd play through a few classic games. Unfortunately, I found that none of my three CD32s would read discs. I've tried some burnt compilations and plenty of original titles and the result is the same. All CD32s load the boot screen ok, but just goes black when trying to read a disc.

So what do we all reckon? Laser needs replacing on all three units? Or is there anything else I could try?

burning the cd's at a slower speed maybe?

i cant imagine all three lasers going at the same time.

Yeah, that's what I thought, but then with them all failing to read original discs as well... I just can't think what else to check.

i know this sounds silly,but have you cleaned the lasr heads at all?

does the laser fire?

You know, I haven't actually tried cleaning the heads. I'll give that a shot tonight.

Also, how do I tell if the laser fires?

you know when you buy a tray of blanks theres a clear cd sometimes thats on the top of the blank cd's,if you put this one in a cd drives the laser can be seen deflected as red light through this.

well thats if you can see the laser head through the lid,on some systems you can bypass the switch that stops the laser from firing with the lid open.

but dont look dierectly into the light though for obvios reasons,if you manage to do it look at an angle.

its probably best to eliminate all the simple stuff first.

Great. I'll give this a shot this evening as well. Thanks for your help! :)

it seems the lens are dirty,if they were working long time ago and now after unpacking not work > that's the problem

I have a new replacement cd mech for you if you need one..

Well, I've cleaned the lenses and still all three consoles refuse to read discs. I don't have any transparent CD pack toppers so I haven't been able to check if the laser fires or not.

The discs spin. If I put them in on the CD32 splash screen they will spin up and the disc read light comes on and off as though it's at least trying to read the discs. It never leaves the CD32 screen though. If I put the discs in before turning the machine on, the same disc read indication happens but the screen remains black. After leaving it for a good few minutes it eventually goes to the CD32 screen as if there is no disc in the drive.

So short of any other solutions, I think I might have to try a replacement laser/mechanism in one of the units and see if that solves the problem.

@fgh How much do you want for the replacement CD mechanism if this is the route I need to go?

your are so lucky 3 cd32 :spin

If you have 3 consoles with exactly the same issue, then your very unlucky.
Have you tried a normal music cd?

just a thought, but are you using the same power pack when testing all three? or do they all have their own power packs?

perhaps the power pack is duff and not giving enough juice for the laser.

What about €15 plus shipping?

I have used the cd unit once for testing. My old cd32 didn't spin up properly, so I tried with the new cd unit. No difference.

Ended up buying another (fully working) CD32. The old motherboard fails also with new top half and new motherboard works with old top half, so it has to be the old motherboard..

So as I have three working cd units and only one working motherboard, I'd also be happy to swap the cd unit with a working motherboard :)

CD32s are notorious for at least one large capacitor going bad, and since it shares the same type of caps as 1200s and A600s which suffer from problems all the time is it possible that the CDs aren't being read because of one of these capacitors dying? It's happened to a couple of CD32s I've seen which had fantastic drive motors and lasers. You could send your motherboards to AmigaKit for FOL to take a look at perhaps.

Ah yes, I had forgotten about that.

Some CD32 had the silkscreen printed wrong on the board. So two capacitors were installed wrong way round. Although they worked fine, the caps started to leak and then the problems would start.
Worth checking the boards for that.

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=28419

diablothe2nd hit the nail on the head. It was the power pack. I have two power supplies and one of them is not supplying enough juice to fire the laser.

Thanks for the offer fgh, fortunately I won't be needing a new laser just yet. ;)

And thanks everyone for helping me get to the bottom of this. I should have tried it straight away really, but sometimes you just don't think of the simple things. :)

i had the same problem i got a cheap psu from ebay and was not good enough for it to read cds

This is interesting,

Which PSU were you having trouble with. I have only ever used the brick that came with my CD32's.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3207050611...84.m1497.l2649

with 1 of amigakits 4pin to molex adapters

i took it to amimeet and it wouldnt read cds so i did not use it but when i got home i relised it was psu :crying