Topic: Need help figuring out what's wrong with my GameCube.

I dug out my old gamecube and it's apparently had some sort of breakdown. The fan spins when i turn it on but there's no signal at all on the TV and it doesn't spin the disc. Also the power indicator light flickered and then just went out and it won't come back on.

Any idea what it could be?

@Truegamer79 This is from my incredibly limited electrical knowledge, but could it simply be that the power port is broken/worn and needs replacing? Opening it up with a video could maybe give some insight, like if something looks burned or melted, or if there's enough dust that it could be interfering with the system? Turning it on when opened up (safely) and using a multimeter on the power port could also give a hint to if the system is getting the right amount of energy.

@chiiizu
I was thinking it could be a burnt out fuse or maybe i could just replace the power supply board inside. They are like 10 dollars on ebay. I've got a multimeter ordered. The light on the front came on briefly then just flickered out. Now it won't come on. Fan starts right up though so if it's a power issue that's weird.

@Truegamer79 Well good luck with the multimeter, the system could be getting only a little power, just enough for the light to briefly come on and the fan to run as they both should barely need any power.

My GameCube did the same thing when I dug it out a few years ago. Never figured out what was wrong because I just used my Wii to play GameCube games.

However I did read that it seems to be a common problem with the Gamecube.

It could be that the CPU is overheating due to a very dried up thermal paste. The fan spinning means that the system is hot even after turning on. Try replacing the thermal paste of the CPU and give us an update

@Truegamer79 I'd say it's unlikely to be a thermal issue given it doesn't power on at all - a thermal problem would likely shutdown after a period of time when it heats up. GC uses thermal pads rather than paste which don't really degrade like paste does. Sounds more like a short somewhere. Could be the power board as you mentioned - or maybe a fuse or something, but before you start opening it up and replacing bits that might not be faulty, I'd try unplugging everything except the power cable and try that (AV cable, Memory Cards, Controllers). You might be able to narrow down the issue as I've seen problems with the controller connector board, memory card slot and the AV connector causing power issues.

If it powers up without anything else connected, plug in the AV connector first, and if still ok try a controller, then memory card. If either of these cause it to power off, you've found the cause. Most likely a short at the connector of whatever causes it to shutdown and would probably need re-soldered.

Also worth ruling out a problem your power brick - check with a multimeter to make sure you're getting the correct voltage.

If you have to open it up, you'll need a Gamebit Screwdriver (4.5mm I think) to take the case apart. The power board is right at the bottom, so you'll have to take everything else out to get to it. ifixit has a decent teardown with pics if you haven't done it before. Check for any physical damage as you go - look for obvious blown components, cracked solder joints on connectors, or loose connectors etc. Might also be worth replacing the thermal pads if they're damaged while taking the GC apart. Checking the voltages on the Power board output will tell you if there's a fault on that board.

@dmcc0
I will try what you suggested. I have had my cube open before but it was to adjust the potentiometer. All it seems to be doing is powering on the fan. The power indicator light won't come on and the drive won't spin. There's no signal coming to the TV either and I've tried multiple cords and two separate power bricks.

Upon further inspection the drive Lazer won't move at all when powering up and the motor isn't making any sound like it's even trying to start up. Fan works every time though.