Crazy Taxi GD works, but eventually fails reading

[lusimon]

Hi everyone
Before telling the problem I want to make it clear that my dreamcast can read any other games with no problems and even some of my games are very scratched (the previous user of the dreamcast used to be a child that was psycho to the max), I never played burned copies of dreamcast games and every game I have is legit. And my Dreamcast and games are PAL.

- I bought a copy of Crazy taxi a month ago, and even back when I bought it the seller said the game was brand new untill a few months back when he unsealed it and I can say that it does seem like it because the case is very well preserved the maual is perfect and there is even a pamphlet with promos of 2001 games to look forward eheh.
- The disk is in a really good condition and almost barelly scratched (and the few scratches it has, are very few and small) I also cleaned the disk with ethilic alcohool with the same cloth that is used to clean glasses because it had small spots with dried dirtiness.

EDIT:
- However, even tho the game boots up normally and is perfectly playable during a good while, a warning sooner or latter eventually appears at the bottom of the screen saying "Disk could not be read, Please Check the Disk for dust and scratches".

- Plus that happens specially when the music stuters for a few seconds and that is when the game starts to get the warning...
- When that happens the warning wont dissapear and the game starts working really bad untill it gets unplayable.
- There isn't even any disk rot that is noticeable!

I have searched this issue on google but I couldnt find anything that could solve my problem.
Any help and insight to what is happening would be much apreciated, and thanks for the attention, I've written quite a big text but I wanted to detail the issues as clearly I could. Crazy Taxi is a gem that deserves to be played with no issues.

[scaryred24]

I know I'm starting to act like a broken record here in this forum, but have you tried out a different copy? Sometimes there is a bad batch that comes from the factory is was pressed at. It won't be a problem when it came out, but after sitting on the shelf for years, it can be degraded. Bit rot seems to be getting more common with Dreamcast games over time as the average life span of a disc isn't that long.

[mazonemayu]

I'm not sure it is the DC's fault from what I've experienced (I own a few CT disks, from scratched to brand new) when you play this game really fast it seems to me like the DC simply can't load the game fast enough to keep up with you

[krssn]

So no pinholes when you hold the disc to the light?...

I know you said you checked for bit rot. Just checking to be sure...

[scaryred24]

So no pinholes when you hold the disc to the light?...

I know you said you checked for bit rot. Just checking to be sure...

He said Disc Rot, then I said Bit Rot. Are the two the same?

[krssn]

So no pinholes when you hold the disc to the light?...

I know you said you checked for bit rot. Just checking to be sure...

He said Disc Rot, then I said Bit Rot. Are the two the same?

I'd say all disc rot is bit rot, but not all bit rot is disc rot...

[mstar]

I've had this same issue with 2 different PAL Crazy Taxi discs, one was and is absolutely unscratched and flawless (no pinholes or anything) and the other had a minor scratch on the surface (not deep, 2mm long).

Both exhibited the same problem, so by now i really think it's safe to say that Crazy Taxi is among the games that simply decay over time and are one of those "bad pressings" like some copies of REZ are.

I've got a NTSC-J copy of Crazy Taxi that has yet to show the same problem.

[lusimon]

It's very odd... I checked again for bit rot and disk rot, there is not a single drop of it... and what is even stranger is that from what I observed in wikipedia, the batch of games from 2000/2001 no longer had that weird problem of the games not working properly like sonic adventure for example.

About trying out any other copy of the game, I didn't. And to pay for a new copy of crazy taxi is out of question for me unless I burn a cd or something...

Well I gess I cant do much for my crazy taxi game beyond making a backup or something, at least the game is in excelent conditions and very collectible, I paid 10€ for it so I can profit if I sell it again and fortunetly it's a great arcade game that can be played in small sessions so at least I got that going for me.

Anyways if someone else can still help me out it would be great, and thanks for your attention everyone! At least from the coment of mstar I can see that this issue doesnt happen to just me so that means something!

[krssn]

Well I gess I cant do much for my crazy taxi game beyond making a backup or something, at least the game is in excelent conditions and very collectible, I paid 10€ for it so I can profit if I sell it again and fortunetly it's a great arcade game that can be played in small sessions so at least I got that going for me.

Don't make your problem someone else's problem please...

[TacT]

A disc does not have to Show any physical evidence of "Disc Rot", its just something that happens to discs over time anyway, they're cheap they were barely meant to last 10 years, they chemically degrade over time Especially if it was new it could have been sitting in a hot storage area for years not good.
It could be that specific dreamcast just being picky with those discs I had lots of odd reading problems with all my different dreamcast over the years.

I also recommend if you have to, CLEANING PROPERLY !!!!
DO NOT ANYONE EVER USE ALCOHOL OR ANY HARSH SOLVENTS TO CLEAN THE LENS OR DISCS IT DAMAGES PLASTICS
I keep telling people
Use a microfiber and a cotton swab and clean it properly with a product like this
http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/p ... er-polish/
Just a tiny dab will do. This bottle is enough to last a lifetime. Can get it at walmart or auto stores.
It can help fill scratches and renews optic quality of the plastic as well as degradation and oxidation.
Also can help to clean under the lens the mirror can also get a fine film of dusts only way i could think would help is use some compressed air GENTLY blow under the lens (IF USING A CAN AIR DO NOT TILT OR SHAKE THE CAN OR SPRAY THE LIQUID OUT! IT CAN FREEZE AND CRACK THE LENS!)

Many people have reported fixing dozens of dreamcasts Simply by cleaning the lens properly with this product. It can also be used on sunglasses.