Introduction
This guide will teach you the following:
- To disassemble your Nintendo Gamecube exterior case
- To access the optical drive motherboard
- To adjust the potentiometer to fix 98% of those pesky DRE (Disc Read Error) messages
What you need
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Flip the GameCube upside down.
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Use a 4.5 mm gambit screwdriver to unscrew the four screws located on each corner (as shown in the second picture).
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With the four screws removed, flip the Gamecube back over to the original position.
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On opposite sides of the front panel you will see two (2) clips that attach the front panel to the front of the console. Remove the front panel by pressing on the two clips as shown in picture 1
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The ribbon attaching the Gamecube to the front panel does not need to be removed, let the front panel rest at the front of the console.
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Remove the rear panel using the same technique used for the front panel, as shown in picture two.
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Unscrew the two screws using a #2 phillips screwdriver.
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Slightly lift the cooling fan; slide it outwards and away from the rest of the Gamecube and lay it off to the side of the console.
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Locate and remove the twelve (12) Phillips #2 screws around the outside of the metal chassis located underneath the optical drive.
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Three (3) of the twelve (12) screws are located underneath the cooling fan housing
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Five (5) of the twelve (12) screws are located to the right of the optical drive unit. Refer to picture 2.
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Four (4) of the twelve (12) screws are located to the rear of the unit, shown in picture 3.
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Remove the four Phillips #1 screws securing the memory card ground springs located at the front of the console
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Remove the ground springs and set them aside
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Carefully remove the optical drive unit.
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Carefully place the rest of the Gamecube unit aside and focus on the optical drive. Refer to picture 3.
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Underneath the now detached optical drive unit are six (6) Phillips #1 screws holding the metal chassis to the optical drive unit.
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Remove all six screws and place the metal chassis to the side.
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Using a very small flat head precision screwdriver turn the potentiometer no more than 3 degrees counter-clockwise.
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To test the lens calibration reassemble the console up to the ground springs near the memory card slots.
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If any further adjustments are necessary just turn the potentiometer no more than 1 or 2 degrees more per readjustment. Eventually you'll start to see less DRE messages.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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6 Comments
Marvellous guide! It fixed the issue of erratic messages of "No Disc inserted..." or "Insert GameCube Disc...". Now my GC is as good as new! Thanks :D
Hey, I was reading two guides, this one and another one, which says I should use a philips head, while yours says a flat head, so what should I use?
Hi Omar, I would guess that either would work, but judging on the image in the other guide (which is much bigger), it looks like it might be a Phillips screw https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/ig...
Hi, is there a different measurement than 3 degrees? Don’t want to screw anything up, but I don’t really understand.
The 3 degrees is not an official measurement for this. But just make EXTREMELY small adjustments. Think of it like turning the hands on a clock. 15 minutes would be 90 degrees or 1/4 turn. So you can imagine how small these adjustments are.