Salvaging a Dreamcast

Just picked up my DC from storage to find out it won´t even read red book audio CDs.

I opened up the console and did a quarter turn on the laser pot. Now it´s fully working again.

Steps:

open up the DC, (4 screws)
remove the laser drive cover (3 small screws)
lift the CD drive from the rubber suspension
disconnect the ribbon cable to the CD laser read
the pot is right by the side of the ribbon cable connector
turn it 1/4 clockwise
reassemble everything
voila!

Notice this isn´t a permanent fix as your DC it´s bound to failure soon. By giving more power to the laser head the wear out process accelerates too.

You can do a half turn to the pot before declaring it dead.