Trouble Playing Xenon 2 With CD Player Attached

[mmbe]

I recently purchased and received Xenon 2 from AtariAge via Ebay. With the CD unit in place, I can't always get the game to load - all I get is a black screen after the Jaguar logo is displayed. I would say I'm successful getting the game to load about 40% of the time. Game works fine after it loads.

 

I have been in contact with Al and he is aware of the issue. He did ask me to try the game without the CD unit attached. I also plan on giving the cartridge slot for the CD attachment a good cleaning.

 

Searching the forums, it looks like this issue has come up with other games - Towers 2, Flip Out and I-War to name a few.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/234903-towers-ii-not-loading-with-jagcd-attached/?hl=%2Bcleaning+%2Bthe+%2Bcart+%2Bslot

 

Has anyone else had this issue with Xenon 2?

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Rick Dangerous]

Clean your Jag, and Jag CD, both sides. The Jaguar is one of the most dust sensitive consoles i've ever owned. Never leave the cart slots exposed, or games out in the open.

 

Once fully cleaned properly with 90% isopropyl alcohol, it should work fine.

Edited June 12, 2018 by travistouchdown

[mmbe]

Clean your Jag, and Jag CD, both sides. The Jaguar is one of the most dust sensitive consoles i've ever owner. Never leave the cart slots exposed, or games out in the open.

 

Once fully cleaned properly with 90% isopropyl alcohol, it should work fine.

Thanks Travis. As a longtime Jaguar owner (since 1994 for the Jaguar and 1995 for the CD attachment), this is the first game to give me a problem. Recent purchases (Songbird's Protector SE and Piko's Switch Blade) both loaded fine after I ran into the problem with Xenon.

[Gummy Bear]

It's still good advice.

No carts go near my Jag until the contacts are gleaming!

[roashru]

this may sound crazy but what works for me to brighten cartridge contacts is to use a piece of green scotch-brite pad dry make sure the contacts are facing down these pads wear fast.

.

[Zerosquare]

these pads wear fast.

If you use that to clean them, that's no wonder.

 

Scrubbing the contacts may improve things temporarily, but in the long run it makes things worse by removing the very thin layer of gold plating that prevents oxidation.

 

Use a contact cleaner spray instead, or if you can't find some, pure alcohol. In the worst cases, rubbing the contact with an eraser may help.

[Gummy Bear]

Q-tips and pure IPA.

That's what I prescribe.

 

It always makes me sad when people ruin their cart contacts with needless abrasion.

[roashru]

If you use that to clean them, that's no wonder.

 

Scrubbing the contacts may improve things temporarily, but in the long run it makes things worse by removing the very thin layer of gold plating that prevents oxidation.

 

Use a contact cleaner spray instead, or if you can't find some, pure alcohol. In the worst cases, rubbing the contact with an eraser may help.

 

in a perfect climate thats true would only have discoloring oxidation. but here in florida the gold plating and other cartridges that are tinned white corrosion caused by electrolysis is bad even worse is if it gets under those thin platings. i dont need to clean for that often.

.

[+orpheuswaking]

ugh I see Roashru has infected the jag forum too. Can someone ban this clown?

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

I figured out who this ROASHRU clown is !

 

[ls650]

I know there was an issue with I-War not being compatible with some JagCDs.

I found with my copy, I had to remove the player to get it to show anything other than a black screen.

Sounds like a similar issue.

[+CyranoJ]

Sounds like a similar issue.

 

Not at all. Sounds like dirt on the cart. Game works in all 3 of my Jaguars with the CD attached (PAL and NTSC units) and nobody else has reported an issue with it. If it wasn't working with a CD for *anyone* then I'd agree it was similar.

 

This is how misinformation gets started. Before you know it, you'll be quoted and it'd be fact on wikipedia.

[mmbe]

Since I raised this issue, let me provide an update. The game loads fine without the CD attached. It takes several tries with the CD attached to get the game to load. It's kinda like having a difficult to load NES game - the need to find the sweet spot. I never had this problem with any of my other games and was just curious if anyone else ran into the same issue. Looks like I'm the only one and that's fine.

[dilinger]

You may have a connector issue with the CD player? I guess you have tried different game cartridges.

[+CyranoJ]

Hi mmbe,

 

I've spoken to Albert - if you'd like to arrange with him to return the cart it'll be replaced with a new one. Hope that fixes the issue

[mmbe]

Hi mmbe,

 

I've spoken to Albert - if you'd like to arrange with him to return the cart it'll be replaced with a new one. Hope that fixes the issue

CyranoJ,

 

I had been in contact with Al when the problem first occurred. I purchased the game off of AtariAge's Ebay store. No need for a replacement game to be sent since I don't think the problem is with the game itself. The game works fine without the CD attachment and does eventually work with the CD attached. My only reason to for the original post was to make people aware of a possible issue. Since it appears the issue is related to my setup, no further action is required. What I really need are some cheat codes to get further in the game (unlimited health or a level skip code would be nice).

 

On a side note, just a shout out to Al for being very prompt when I first contacted him via Ebay with the issue. Excellent customer service. Thanks.

Edited July 4, 2018 by mmbe

[Gummy Bear]

Did you try cleaning the cartridge slot?

 

All you need is a credit card and some isopropyl swabs.

[mmbe]

Did you try cleaning the cartridge slot?

 

All you need is a credit card and some isopropyl swabs.

Yes, everything has been cleaned. All my other games load consistently. Xenon is the only one that requires a few tries.

[Gummy Bear]

Yes, everything has been cleaned. All my other games load consistently. Xenon is the only one that requires a few tries.

Weird...

[+CyranoJ]

Weird...

 

I've got a Power Drive that does the same, needs a credit card wedged down the back of the cart for it to work

[Zerosquare]

needs a credit card wedged down the back of the cart for it to work

I've heard of free-to-play games with microtransactions, but this is a new low.

[Gummy Bear]

 

I've got a Power Drive that does the same, needs a credit card wedged down the back of the cart for it to work

Needs a good clean, I say

[+Cobra Kai]

I have always had trouble with my copy of Worms booting properly with the CD unit. Sometimes Battlesphere doesn't like the CD spot either. I've never considered it an issue worth complaining about especially when the fix is to simply unattach the CD unit.

[roashru]

the cartridge slot may need cleaning not mentioned yet they can get full of clear very small plastic fabric fibers. i run across this a lot with computer motherboard system ram. need a good l.e.d. flashlight, good eyes, something strong and thin like a 1.2mm screwdriver and fine tip tweezers. to clear it out.

Edited July 7, 2018 by roashru

[+orpheuswaking]

Roashru go away please