Help! Game Doctor SF7 CD-ROM Replacement

Discussion of hardware and software development for Super NES and Super Famicom. See the SNESdev wiki for more information.

Moderator: Moderators

Forum rules
  • For making cartridges of your Super NES games, see Reproduction.
Post Reply
snes4life
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:12 pm

Help! Game Doctor SF7 CD-ROM Replacement

Post by snes4life »

Hi all,

I decided to dust off my SNES and found my Game Doctor SF7 CD-ROM drive can't read any of the CDs anymore. I was looking for a CD ROM replacement for my good old Game Doctor SF7 and I stumbled upon this forum. I was wondering if anyone here can help me find a replacement that will work with the game doctor SF7? When I insert my CDs the CD ROM drive busy light just blinks and it won't eject with the button. I had to poke it with a paper clip. Can any modern IDE CD-ROM drive work or is there something in particular I need to look for to be compatible with the Game Doctor? What are my options? Please help me save my old friend...

Does anyone still make memory upgrade for this thing? Last time I was in Hong Kong (11 yrs ago) I was able to upgrade it to 48mb to be able to play 32bit games and save to memory.

Thanks!
User avatar
BMF54123
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:52 am
Contact:

Post by BMF54123 »

Before attempting something so drastic, try blowing some compressed air in the drive, and maybe using a CD cleaning disc (has a tiny brush that passes over the laser). Worth a shot.

You might also listen carefully and see if the disc is spinning up at all. Maybe the motor gummed up after being unused for so long, who knows...
User avatar
Memblers
Site Admin
Posts: 4044
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 6:04 am
Location: Indianapolis
Contact:

Post by Memblers »

I've heard the drive it uses isn't IDE. I forget what the standard was called, but there can't be very many types.

Actually I had a CD-ROM that connects to a Soundblaster card somewhere in my old pc junk pile, I don't know if that's it or if it even works, but I could offer that up if you can't find one elsewhere (if I still have it).
User avatar
kyuusaku
Posts: 1665
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:13 pm

Post by kyuusaku »

It's a MKE CDROM.
User avatar
MottZilla
Posts: 2837
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:18 pm

Post by MottZilla »

You may be able to take it apart and replace whatever parts have gone bad. You may want to considering MKE CD-ROMs are uncommon. I imagine the laser and motor and stuff could be replaced if they died.
snes4life
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:12 pm

Post by snes4life »

Thanks for the suggestions guys! If I can't determine what is wrong or fix it would I be able to just plug in a replacement and expect it to work if by chance I do run into one? Where would I find compatible replacement parts for the MKE drive?

Google results don't show any used MKE CD ROM drives exists... :cry: . They all point to MKE emulation for IDE drives.

Thanks!
User avatar
kyuusaku
Posts: 1665
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:13 pm

Post by kyuusaku »

MKE drives are actually quite easy to find on eBay cheap.
snes4life
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:12 pm

Post by snes4life »

I've already tried typing in MKE cd rom drives on ebay with no results either. Is there another name for it or something?

Thanks!
User avatar
Dartht33bagger
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:28 pm
Location: Oregon
Contact:

Post by Dartht33bagger »

Is this it:Ebay
User avatar
MottZilla
Posts: 2837
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:18 pm

Post by MottZilla »

That description says its actually IDE. Try this: http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=mke+cd
User avatar
kyuusaku
Posts: 1665
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:13 pm

Post by kyuusaku »

User avatar
BMF54123
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:52 am
Contact:

Post by BMF54123 »

You sure? Those both say IDE. :(
User avatar
Hojo_Norem
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by Hojo_Norem »

The model number is more important than the description. The seller must be thinking "It looks like it has 40 pins so it MUST be an IDE drive". There was a ton of information on this on the old Cherryroms board which has long since died (did anybody archive it? There was some good stuff there.)
Insert witty sig. here...
snes4life
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:12 pm

Post by snes4life »

Originally my results came up with some of those drives too on Ebay and the IDE interface threw me off. It would make sense to look for the specific model numbers. I agree it is over priced too, but then again not too bad if it'll get it working again. I just hope it will be plug and play if I do end up replacing it. It shouldn't be brand specific, but rather the model of the drive should be the same.

I'd like to thank this forum for their time helping me in obtaining the info I need. Looks like I found the right place for any future Game Doctor related questions.
RGB_Gamer
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:26 pm

Post by RGB_Gamer »

snes4life wrote:Originally my results came up with some of those drives too on Ebay and the IDE interface threw me off. It would make sense to look for the specific model numbers. I agree it is over priced too, but then again not too bad if it'll get it working again. I just hope it will be plug and play if I do end up replacing it. It shouldn't be brand specific, but rather the model of the drive should be the same.

I'd like to thank this forum for their time helping me in obtaining the info I need. Looks like I found the right place for any future Game Doctor related questions.
you may want to search the tototek forums...

if you do find/make a suitable clone, count me in :)
Post Reply