GCN How Do I Burn GameCube Disks?

GoldenPickAxe · Jun 28, 2021

Hello!

I was wondering, how do you burn GameCube disks?

I was wondering that because I wanted to Homebrew my GameCube and I don't want to shell out $90 for an Action Replay. I believe that if I found the ROM file, I could burn it to a disk.

The problem is that I know GameCubes don't take regular disks. I don't have a Panasonic Q, so I was wondering. Can I burn MiniDVDs? And if so, is there a good tutorial? I'm not sure if any disk burning tools support MiniDVDs, and if the standard disk reader can even read a MiniDVD.

Are there any tutorials you can recommend to me? I'm a newbie to GameCube modding.

Thanks!

Tom Bombadildo · Jun 28, 2021

You don't need to spend $90 for an Action Replay. Datel still makes and sells the SD Media Launcher, which includes a memory card to MSD adapter, as well as an action replay disc to launch the exploits. Only £19.99

https://www.codejunkies.com/Products/SD-Media-Launcher__EF000580V.aspx <

tech3475 · Jun 28, 2021

Tom Bombadildo said:
You don't need to spend $90 for an Action Replay. Datel still makes and sells the SD Media Launcher, which includes a memory card to MSD adapter, as well as an action replay disc to launch the exploits. Only £19.99

https://www.codejunkies.com/Products/SD-Media-Launcher__EF000580V.aspx <

Alternatives I can think of:
1) Modchip
2) Exploitable game and method to inject save (e.g. Wii)
3) ODE
4) Wii with something like DIOS MIOS

nemwolf · Jun 28, 2021

To burn a disc for a gamecube you need to find miniDVDs/camcorder DVDs. They are 1.4 gb. You need to download handbrake on your PC and then pop the blank disc in. then make sure the iso file is good and burn at the slowest speed possible. This does require a modchip. the way I recommend is getting either a GCloader or a SD media launcher and SD card to load with Swiss

KleinesSinchen · Jun 29, 2021

Starting homebrew software on a GameCube is more or less the question "How to start Swiss?". A while ago I started writing down a bit about this topic (and hope to continue once my mental condition allows it).

I would not recommend running games from backup discs. Blank Mini-DVD-R the GC likes are increasingly hard to find; the drives/lasers are old and often worn down. Normally I just use the drive to boot up my burned Swiss DVD and load homebrew software and backups from SD. This way the drive is only active for seconds each time.

Booting directly from burned media requires at least a XenoGC and most likely laser adjustment.

GCLoader is arguably THE best thing to have replacing the drive altogether.

Good luck and have fun!

Edit:
About the question with reading/writing 8cm optical discs: On most devices it is not a problem and no different from regular sized CD/DVD/BD. A blank medium contains information about it's size (memory) and therefore the drive and the burning software know what they have to do and where the medium ends.

A: Slim laptop drives with a spindle to put the disc on are obviously not a problem with small discs:

B: Common full-sized drives have an additional small bay for the small discs in the center:

C: Less common slot-in drives will most likely not catch the small discs (Wii RVL-001 load the discs -- special slot-in drive):

← This drive will NOT work... and it is the only one I have.

The Real Jdbye · Jun 29, 2021

GoldenPickAxe said:
Hello!

I was wondering, how do you burn GameCube disks? I was wondering that because I wanted to Homebrew my GameCube and I don't want to shell out $90 for an Action Replay. I believe that if I found the ROM file, I could burn it to a disk.

The problem is that I know GameCubes don't take regular disks. I don't have a Panasonic Q, so I was wondering. Can I burn MiniDVDs? And if so, is there a good tutorial? I'm not sure if any disk burning tools support MiniDVDs, and if the standard disk reader can even read a MiniDVD.

Are there any tutorials you can recommend to me? I'm a newbie to GameCube modding.

Thanks!

There are a number of game exploits you can use to run homebrew if you own any of the compatible games.
This appears to be a fairly complete list: https://gchomebrew.com/gamesave-exploits/
You will need a way to install the save exploit to a memory card, a homebrewed Wii is an easy way.
Once you can run homebrew, you can load burned discs, or load ISOs directly off a SD card if you have a SD adapter such as an sd2sp2 or a SD Gecko.
You can also get the SD Media Launcher mentioned which comes with an "SD Gecko" style memory card adapter and saves you the need for an exploitable game and a way to install the save exploit but you will still want to get an sd2sp2 as well although it's not required. That's because SD Media Launcher doesn't support SDHC so every time you want to play ISOs you have to load Swiss through SD Media Launcher from a small SD card and then get up and swap to the SDHC card that has your games on it. sd2sp2 plugs into the second serial port underneath the console so you can leave it plugged in and boot Swiss from SD Media Launcher and it will be detected.
I recommend loading ISOs from a sd2sp2 over burning discs. Quality MiniDVDs are hard to come by these days and the GC is picky with burned discs. And they are very expensive. Some people have resorted to trimming their GC shell to accept full size DVDs, as custom shells that used to be available for that are no longer able to be found and quality full-size DVDs are still cheaply available. But it's not worth the hassle and "destroying" your original GC when SD loading is so good.

Tray loading desktop DVD drives have a circular groove in the middle that is designed to center a MiniDVD so it will work. Laptop style drives (including external USB ones) also work fine. Only slot loading drives won't work.

rmorris003 · Jul 2, 2021

I have my gamecube shell switched out to one that will accept full size dvds. Try and find one of those if you are going the modchip route but I def recommend gcloader as I went that route instead and it works great with the laserbear sd card mount to fill in the gap.

trunkit · Jul 29, 2021

i dont believe you can on normal disk burners due to copy protection and the fact that gamecube disks are smaller than normal

Abstract3000 · Jul 29, 2021

oh goodness, I suggest you choose another route. I modded many GC's years ago and I can tell you with experience, the modchip/burning discs method is more of a hassle than it's worth. The only Discs that have any amount of consistency are Ritek Media (Not readily available everywhere) and thats the Smaller Format, While their "Was" special cases that allowed full Size DVD's such as Icedcube & Viper back in the day, try searching for them on eBay and look what they are currently going for. The other issue with using the burnt media you destroy your Laser, and have to keep adjusting the POT till it is just dead, and replace from there.

In the event of Modding a GC, the only logical step to go in this day and age is a GCLoader ODE, get a 512GB MicroSD for the entire rom set with a compressed/trimmed file standard. Also get yourself a Carby and you are set. You can boot up the system select whichever ISO you want and load quickly with upscaled graphics.

GCN How Do I Burn GameCube Disks?

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