Error "The Game Disc could not be read."

What the heck!? I was playing TWW and suddenly the screen went black and this text was shown:
"The Game Disc could not be read.
Please refer to your Nintendo GameCube instruction booklet for details."

So I did.
English version, Error Messages, MSG 2 (Page 31)
Procedure
- The Game Disc may be dirty or damaged. Open the Disc Cover, remove the disc and check for contamination, dirt, scratches or other irregularities. If necessary, clean the disc by wiping with a soft cotton cloth (do not use paper) from the middle of the outside edge.
- Insert the disc and try playing the game again or try a different disc.

Well, there was no dirt or scratches or whatsoever on the disc. I started to play again, and the screen was shown again! And I did this four times.

I really don't want to chance the game files by trying my precious TP, because a friend of mine had this exactly same error on her TWW - but all the files was damaged at that moment so she erased them. I've checked the memory card, every slot was still there.


Does anyone got a clue what this could be?

Clean it anyway.

No scratches at all? That seems unlikely, since in normal use every disk will end up scratched. However, a scratch from normal use likely isn't the problem here.

When you check for dirt, be sure to tilt the disc so that light catches it at different angles, that can make it show up if it didn't before.


However, before you check your disk again, try playing another game. If you get the same error message, then it's your Gamecube that's damaged, and there isn't much you can do about that, short of getting a new one (or a Wii).


Edit: Also, a disc-read error won't do anything to your save files, unless you're trying to save when the error occurs. It should be fine to just load a different game and play it for a bit to see if it also can't be read.

Get a disc cleaner and use it see if that works.

That happened with my friend's Melee game. I just put it back in, and it worked again. If the GC is broken... Well, that would be really annoying. Mine broke that way and I had to turn it in to get a new one. ( After months and months) I had no gamecube! Yeah, try cleaning it with something. If that doesn't work, try another game. If that game doesn't work... Your Cube broke ( i need to get to the point quicker )

That has happened to my GC as well. It was just because the disk was dirty.

But in this case, I'd say your GC is a goner. I base this accusation on the fact that you said your disk was clean, no scratches, no dirt or anything of the sort. You should still try another game.

The WindWaker?!
Thats weird mine does the same thing. When i was at the Forest haven for first time it kept stopping with black screen and had to restart. My disk is fine, barely any scratches (no more than when it used to work perfectly). Can't me my gamecube either (Fine with every other game). It hasnt done it in a while for me now.

The first time I played this game (when it came out), it worked perfectly. Happend to me about 5 or 6 times nearly at the same place. But seems to work fine now.

clean it with water and some cotton, the same thing happened to my Star Fox Assault, I cleaned it and it worked perfectly again, clean it even if there is no visible dirt.

What they all said. I encountered this problem once or twice with my old GC as well and usually a wipe of the disk will fix it or just leaving the Gamecube switched off for awhile and coming back later. It always happened to me after extended play sessions of more than three hours so it could be a factor.

No scratches, at least not anything that can damage the disc. I couldn't see anything.

Well, now I've tried TP, and nothing has happened. I saved the game and power down the GC, and started over again. Nothing happened. My GC is about five month old, so it would be strange if it's already broke.

I erased the TWW slot, and started TWW all over again. And it did the same thing, I was just about to enter the forest where Tetra is, and the black screen came again.

Originally Posted by varg

No scratches, at least not anything that can damage the disc. I couldn't see anything.

Well, now I've tried TP, and nothing has happened. I saved the game and power down the GC, and started over again. Nothing happened. My GC is about five month old, so it would be strange if it's already broke.

I erased the TWW slot, and started TWW all over again. And it did the same thing, I was just about to enter the forest where Tetra is, and the black screen came again.

Oh, come on! Did you even read Khao's post?! Fine, I will show you it again.

Originally Posted by Khao

clean it with water and some cotton, the same thing happened to my Star Fox Assault, I cleaned it and it worked perfectly again, clean it even if there is no visible dirt.

yes, you are right by saying i'm right, my Star Fox also didn't had any visible scratches or dirt or anything, it looked perfect, but the very same message appeared, I checked the manual and cleaned it, it worked as good as it was new.

i have that to, i also tried to clean it and there are no scratches on it.
if you have a wii, then i would try on it there, because it works for me
i know why mine would not work, there are little cracks in the little piece in the middle of the disk, i can't make it and i am not going to buy it over.

It might be that your GC has become too dusty indside, that happened to my first gamecube..
It was so annoying, my gc would just radomly stop playing. I got a brand new one from the nintendo help service though.

Originally Posted by HelmarocKing

Oh, come on! Did you even read Khao's post?! Fine, I will show you it again.

Yes, I did read that - and I did do that. And I still got the error message.

If thats the case, I don't know what the hell is going on...go with your Gamecube and the game disc to a game store, they might be able to tell you what happens.

It's probably scratched. Does it continue to not work . if it does then your screwed o_0