Nintendo GameCube Troubleshooting

GameCube does not power up

If your power cord is plugged in but the GameCube will not power up, unplug the power cord from the back of the GameCube. Check the port to see if in is dusty or dirty. If it is, gently blow on the area to remove the dust and replug in the power cord.

If the GameCube will not turn on, check on the left and right sides to see if the fan port is clogged. On the sides there is a gridded square that allows air to flow through the console to cool it. If the port is covered with dust you may just need to clean out the port to allow cool air to flow through the console again. You may need to repair or clean the fan. Also, to decrease the chances of this problem happening again, try to keep your GameCube in an open location where it will not easily suck in dust.

If none of the above options work then your Optical Drive may have malfunctioned. The optical drive is the drive that reads the disc and transmits the images to your TV. If your GameCube will not turn on, your optical drive may have malfunctioned. You will need to buy a new optical drive and replace it. To replace the drive follow the Replacing the Optical Drive Guide.

If none of the problems above seem to fix your GameCube, it may be a Motherboard malfunction. In Nintendo Products this problem is extremely rare so be sure that none of the solutions above work before you try this. You will need to buy a new Motherboard and replace your old one, following Replacing the GameCube Motherboard Guide.

The GameCube turns on but your TV screen stays Black (or Blue)

Open the disc drive and remove the disc. The laser lens is located in the back, and is mounted along a track. You should see a glass bulb, which is the laser lens. DO NOT TOUCH THE LENS. If the bulb looks dirty or smudged the laser cannot read the disc and no picture will appear on your TV. Get a cue tip and gently clean off the lens with rubbing alcohol.

If the lens looks clean, you may have a problem with your laser. As GameCubes get older their ability to read discs decreases. You will have to follow The Turning Up the Laser Power Guide, to open your GameCube up and turn up the laser's power, which will increase its ability to read discs.

If none of the above options work then your Optical Drive may have malfunctioned. The optical drive is the drive that reads the disc and transmits the images to your TV. If your GameCube will not turn on, your optical drive may have malfunctioned. You will need to buy a new optical drive and replace it. To replace the drive follow the Replacing the Optical Drive Guide.

The GameCube turns on but the Memory Card Screen Appears and the Game will not start

Open the disc drive and remove the disc. The laser lens is located in the back, and is mounted along a track. You should see a glass bulb, which is the laser lens. DO NOT TOUCH THE LENS. If the bulb looks dirty or smudged the laser cannot read the disc and no picture will appear on your TV. Get a cue tip and gently clean off the lens with rubbing alcohol.

If the lens looks clean, you may have a problem with your laser. As GameCubes get older their ability to read discs decreases. You will have to follow The Turning Up the Laser Power Guide, to open your GameCube up and turn up the laser's power, which will increase its ability to read discs.

Your GameCube turns on but will not stay on

If the GameCube will not stay turned on, check on the left and right sides to see if the fan port is clogged. On the sides there is a gridded square that allows air to flow through the console to cool it. If the port is covered with dust you may just need to clean out the port to allow cool air to flow through the console again. You may need to repair or clean the fan. To decrease the chances of this problem happening again try to keep your GameCube in a open location where it will not easily suck in dust.

(Ordered in order of most accessible to least accessible. This is operating under the assumption that you have a confirmed working GameCube disc to test the system with.)

Open the system’s disc drive lid when the system is off, and clean off the laser lens with a q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol.

The potentiometer, which controls the power going to the optical drive laser, may be incorrectly adjusted. Refer to The Turning Up the Laser Power Guide

With age, the laser lens can be worn down from use, and may need to be replaced. Refer to The Turning Up the Laser Power Guide for the process of replacing this part.

If an error message appears when you insert a clean disc, or none of the above worked to fix your issue, the issue may rest in the capacitors of the disc drive’s motherboard. The disc drive has an independent motherboard from the rest of the system, and if the capacitors on it are dead or dying, that will cause voltage issues for the disc drive system, which in turn will cause it to incorrectly read discs. Refer to

for a tutorial. Keep in mind that you will need soldering equipment for this solution.