===============================================================================

                         Dreamcast Swap Trick FAQ (DC)
                   Version 1.2 - Last Revised on 03/31/2001
                        By Dallas (sdallas19@yahoo.com)

             http://www.gamefaqs.com - http://www.dallastm.cjb.net

===============================================================================

Legal Disclaimer

 This document is Copyright 2000-2001, Dallas (sdallas19@yahoo.com) and may
 not  be reproduced nor retransmitted in any form without advance permission
 from  the author.  It may not be altered, edited, sold, given as an incentive
 to  buy, published, etc. without prior consent from the author.  If the above
 terms are broken, legal action will take place on account of Copyright
 Infringement.  This document is unofficial and is in no way affiliated with
 any company.

===============================================================================

Table of Contents

  i.  Introduction and Revision History
  I.  Frequently Asked Questions
 II.  Precautions
III.  The Swap Trick
 IV.  Troubleshooting
  V.  Information

===============================================================================
                    i.  Introduction and Revision History
===============================================================================

Introduction
------------
This FAQ details how to perform a swapping method (known as the "Swap Trick")
which allows you to play import games on your Sega Dreamcast.  Please read
through all sections of the guide before e-mailing me asking questions, because
if you ask me something already answered in the guide, I will ignore it and
delete it.  Also make note that I am not responsible for anything that happens
to you, your Dreamcast, your games, or anything else.  Upon performing this
trick, you take full responsibility for anything that goes wrong.

Revision History
----------------
v0.1 (04/28/2000): Initial Release. Added all sections.
v0.2 (05/04/2000): Added 2 New problems. Fixed a few things in the FAQ.
                   Added some more to the Q&A.
v0.3 (06/24/2000): FAQ Reformatted.
v0.4 (07/02/2000): Added more to the F.A.Q. section as well as added a new
                   problem.
v0.5 (07/11/2000): Put Alternatives up to keeping the black switch back in
                   the Trick section. Also added 2 new problems (one of
                   which I encountered today while attempting the trick).
                   And finally, I added some more Questions to the Q&A.
v0.6 (07/27/2000): Reformatted the guide again, and added several tid-bits
                   of information thanks to Aoi Tsuki.
v0.8 (11/12/2000): More reformatting, nothing major.
v1.0 (02/23/2001): Reformatted the guide for the Xth time.
v1.1 (03/15/2001): Changed the top and bottom of the guide.
v1.2 (03/31/2001): Added an alternate method to resetting the Internal Memory
                   on a JP DC along with an alternate disk swapping method
                   rather than waiting 3 minutes.  Both thanks to Timothy
                   Borreson.


===============================================================================
                        I.  Frequently Asked Questions
===============================================================================

Q. What exactly is a "swap trick?"

A. A swap trick is a method in which you boot up your system with a local game
   and then exchange or "swap" it with the import you are trying to play.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Is it possible for me to play import games on my US Dreamcast without
   using a mod chip?

A. Definitely! And this FAQ shows you how. All you need is a screwdriver,
   a rubber band or some tape, a local game from the region of your dreamcast,
   a web broswer, and an import game you want to play.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Does this involve me opening my Dreamcast up, because I don't want
   to do that.

A. Yes, but you will only be making one slight modification inside your
   Dreamcast, nothing major and no tools involved other than a rubber band.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Isn't there a Game Enhancer for playing imports?

A. There is a GameShark utility that allows you to play imports, but it will
   cost you a good $50, versus $0 using this trick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Is this easy to do?

A. Very! In less than 10 minutes you will be playing all the imports
   you want, free of charge.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. What if I already bought and installed a mod chip?

A. Well, there's no need to do this trick, you just wasted $30!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Are there any alternatives to playing Imports on my DC?

A. There are currently 4 ways to play imports on your DC. You can purchase a
   GameShark CDX for approximately $50; You can have a Modification Chip
   installed into your Dreamcast for apprx. $30 (Do-It-Yourself) or around $50
   (Custom Installed); You can do this trick for no charge; Or you can download
   files for a Boot Disc and burn them onto a CD-R for a custom made Boot Disc,
   also free of charge. Out of all these methods, I preferrably like the Boot
   Disc method, but for those without burners, and don't want to spend any
   cash, this is the only method left.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Is there a downfall to using this trick?

A. Yes, the only downfall I can think of is waste of time. The trick
   takes nearly 5 minutes just to start up an Import game, vs. 10
   seconds with other methods. But what do you expect for something
   free of charge?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Can anybody do this?

A. If you know how to unscrew a screw, then you can do this trick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. What about if I have a Japanese DC, or a European DC, can I still
   do this trick?

A. Yes.  This trick works on all North American, European, and Japanese
   Dreamcast consoles.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. What about games that have multi-discs? How can I swap them?

A. Simple, all you do is loop the rubber band outside of the DC and
   loosen it up so it releases the switch inside of your DC. (See Problems)
   Thanks to Sailor Bacon for this info. And if you have no idea what
   I'm talking about by this, don't worry, you'll learn once you read
   how to do the trick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. What's an "import?"

A. An import is a game that has been imported from another country.
   So a Japanese DC game to a US player is an Import.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Can I play imports on my Dreamcast without doing any tricks?

A. No, Sega has put a security lockout on the Dreamcast to only play
   US games, therefore you have to 'bypass' this with the swap trick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Will this trick work on Backup CD-R copies of games?

A. I don't know, considering I haven't done it. And I don't support this
   either. Remember, you play illegal games, gaming companies lose profits,
   they raise prices, and eventually stop making the game. If this trick
   does work with CD-R backups, I am in no way responsible for what you
   do.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Why even bother?

A. So you can play those awesome titles in Japan that won't be coming here
   for a long time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Is the trick worth all the trouble?

A. If you are a frugal person and don't mind waiting 5 minutes everytime
   you want to play an import, then yes, this trick is worth it. If you
   are a lazy #*@! and don't want to waste 5 minutes of your day trying
   to boot up an import, then you'd be better off spending the $50+ on
   another alternative, or burning your own CD-R for free.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Does it _have_ to be Sonic Adventure? Because I don't have that.

A. Before, I didn't know if this trick would work with any other game but
   Sonic Adventure. Just recently, I received a few e-mails confirming that
   it will work with any DC Game FROM THE REGION your DC was made in. So
   if you have a US DC, any US game will work for the trick. If you have a
   JP DC, any JP game will work for the trick, etc. I was previously
   informed that it only worked with Sonic Adventure, but it has been
   confirmed that any correct regional game will work for this trick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Where can I buy Imports?

A. There are several well-known Import Online Stores who have Secure ordering
   available online. I strongly recommend the following:

   National Console Support - www.ncsx.com
   TronixWeb Inc.           - www.tronixweb.com
   The Rage, Inc.           - www.therage.com

   I have ordered from The Rage and NCS, and both are great, trustworthy
   companies. TronixWeb is highly known for it's excellent service and
   selection as well.

   You can also see a list of Import retailers here at GameFAQs.com under
   the "Features" Section. Remember, if you find this FAQ anywhere but
   GameFAQs.com, it's an illegal version, and you should notify me ASAP.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. I've heard that doing this trick may cause the GD Drive in my DC to
   burn out after long usage. Is this true?

A. Unfortunately, I do not know the answer to this question. Some people
   claim their Drives have been burnt out after long usage, but there are
   many other variables that could have caused this. So far, I have not
   had any trouble with this...yet. If something happens to your Drive,
   let me know so I can investigate a bit. But please, keep in mind that
   if your drive does burn out, or if something goes horribly wrong when
   you do this, I am in no way responsible (nor is this site) for anything
   that happens to anyone performing this trick. I am merely an informer.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. How do you know all of this?

A. Sailor Bacon and Battosai (2 authors/users at GameFAQs) helped me with it.
   So I give them my thanks and credit.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. Are you sure all games work with this trick?
A. No, I'm not. Currently, here is the list of games I know of that don't work
   with this trick:

     Sakura Taisen 3 (Thanks to Timothy Borreson)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. So, how's the trick done?

A. See below for the simple steps to pulling off this swap trick.


===============================================================================
                                II.  Precautions
===============================================================================

Before you perform this trick (or even read the swap trick section) you must
read this section which contains crucial information you will need to know
before performing the trick. Below are some key facts you need to be informed
of prior to performing this trick.


DISCONNECT POWER CORDS
----------------------
Before you do anything at all, disconnect all power cords and controllers
from all ports on your Dreamcast.  There should be no wires attached anyway
to the outside of your Dreamcast when you perform this trick.  The reason for
doing this is to reduce your chance of electrical shock (which can kill you.)
If you go against this advice, and end up frying your brains while doing this
trick, don't come complaining to me, as I am in no way responsible for any
result of this trick.


WHAT THIS TRICK DOES
--------------------
Many people may be confused about what this Swap Trick actually does for the
Dreamcast and gameplay itself. The Sega Dreamcast was constructed with a
security lockout feature which prevents gamers from playing any video games
outside of their region (i.e. - US gamers wouldn't be able to play Japanese
games.) What the Swap Trick does is bypass the Dreamcast's security feature
by "tricking" it into thinking the lid of the Dreamcast is closed, when it
is really open (allowing you to switch CDs.) This trick does work on games
from the same region as your dreamcast, but there is no point at all in
using this trick on any game other than games out of your region.


MESSING UP
----------
Upon performing this trick, you are required to open up your Dreamcast and
make adjustments inside (this voids your warranty.)  Of course, there are
always people out there who are careless with their items, and naturally,
reckless people are somehow going to screw up their Dreamcast by not being
careful.  And by not following my advice, some people may even get seriously
injured while performing that trick.  For that very reason, I strongly
emphasize that I am in no way responsible for any result that comes out of
doing this trick.  In other words, if you mess up, that's your problem.  Not
mine.


===============================================================================
                             III.  The Swap Trick
===============================================================================

ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:
--------------------
o  1 Phillips Head Screwdriver

o  1 Rubberband, small or large or a piece of tape, string, etc.

o  Any local Dreamcast game from your region

o  DC Web Browser [Version that came with the Dreamcast upon purchase]

o  An import to test the trick


THE TRICK:
----------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|                                                                             |
| *WARNING - Disconnect all power cords from the back of your Dreamcast, as   |
|            well as the controller before opening your Dreamcast. Failure to |
|            do so could result in electrical shock.*                         |
|                                                                             |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1  First, take the Phillips head screwdriver and unscrew the first 3 screws
    you see on the bottom of the Dreamcast. Keep them in a safe spot so you
    won't lose them later.


 2  Look at the Back Right corner of the Dreamcast, see the modem? Pop it right
    off. It's detachable, so don't worry. Once it's off you'll see the 4th and
    final screw. Unscrew it.


 3  GENTLY, Take off the top of your Dreamcast, showing it's insides, cool eh?


 4  Look in the back right corner of the inside of your Dreamcast, do you
    see that small little black switch? It's the one capable of being pressed
    back. This is the little guy that tells the Dreamcast if the CD lid is open
    or closed, you'll have to make it stay back in order to play imports. So...


 5  Take the Rubberband and use it to hold the little black switch back as
    far as it will go, but DO NOT force it to go any more than it can, or it
    will break. This is one way of  keeping the switch back, but you can also
    use tape or something else that will keep it down.


 6  As an alternative, you can use some tape instead of the rubberband, but
    I recommend the band if you plan on playing Multi-disc games. Use the tape
    (As much as needed) to hold the little switch back. Or you can use any
    of the methods listed above.


 7  Once the switch is pushed back, either by tape or rubberband, or some other
    method. Put the lid back onto your dreamcast, and screw in all the screws.
    Pop the modem back in place and you're ready for the fun part.


 8  Once your DC is all closed back up, pop in the Web Browser CD (Default
    Browser that came with the DC when you purchased it), and boot it up. When
    you boot it up Hold down B+X on Controller #2, but remember to take out
    your VMU before doing so, otherwise your net stuff will be erased on it.


 9  By pressing B+X on Controller #2 for a few seconds, some boxes will appear,
    this resets the Dreamcast's Internal Memory and it also deletes all Web
    browser stuff you have stored on your VMU, so take it out before doing
    this.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|                                                                             |
|  RESETTING THE INTERNAL MEMORY ON A JAPANESE DREAMCAST (METHOD 1)           |
|  ================================================================           |
|  The Japanese Dreamcast is different than the US as far as structure is     |
|  concerned. You will have to perform a different method in order to reset   |
|  the internal memory on a JP DC. Thanks to Lord Ukyo for this info...       |
|                                                                             |
|  HOW TO RESET THE INTERNAL MEMORY ON A JP DC                                |
|  ===========================================                                |
|  DC Figure:       -----------------                                         |
|  ----------       |            S  | <-- S: Switch                           |
|                   |               |                                         |
|                   |    B          | <-- B: Battery                          |
|                   | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | <-- 1,2,3,4: Controller Ports           |
|                   -----------------                                         |
|                                                                             |
|  What to do:                                                                |
|  -----------                                                                |
|  The battery is about the size of a quarter. Around the edge, it is wrapped |
|  with blue plastic and looks like a quarter standing on it's edge. Below it |
|  you can see a '+' or "positive" sign. It is connected on both sides. You   |
|  can disconnect one side by gently pulling it apart with pliers. You can    |
|  reconnect it again with tape or rubber band but you don't really need the  |
|  internal memory anyway. Without the battery the set time screen comes on   |
|  every time you turn on your Dreamcast.                                     |
|                                                                             |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|                                                                             |
|  RESETTING THE INTERNAL MEMORY ON A JAPANESE DREAMCAST (METHOD 2)           |
|  ================================================================           |
|  Would you like to know a safer method of temporarily disabling the         |
|  Dreamcast Internal Memory while using the swap trick?  This method could   |
|  prevent possible damage from using plyers on the battery of a Japanese DC. |
|                                                                             |
|  Locate the battery behind controller port 2.  Notice that there are two    |
|  pieces of metal connecting the battery to the board -- a thicker one in the|
|  back, and a thin one in the front.  I simply use a straightened paper clip |
|  to touch these two pieces of metal together while the DC is powered off.   |
|  This shorts the battery's signal, wiping the memory.                       |
|                                                                             |
|  One point of warning is that leaving the two battery terminals connected   |
|  will discharge the battery, and possibly overheat it, causing damage to the|
|  board.  You only need to touch them together briefly to clear the memory.  |
|                                                                             |
|  This method seems to be a lot safer than physically disconnecting the      |
|  battery.  However, you'll have to leave the case off for easy access to the|
|  battery, any perform the touch each time you boot.                         |
|                                                                             |
|             Thanks to Timothy Borreson for this alternate method!           |
|                                                                             |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


10  Now that the Internal Memory is reset, pop in Sonic Adventure (or any other
    game from the region your Dreamcast was made in) and keep the lid of the DC
    open! Remember, the switch inside is being held back which makes the
    Dreamcast THINK the lid is closed, that's the 'trick' to it.


11  When the game loads, you will be taken to the set clock page, because
    remember, you reset the internal memory. Go ahead and set the clock, but
    DO NOT press OK yet.


12  a)  After about 3 minutes of waiting, Sonic Adventure (or the game you put
        in) will stop spinning in your Dreamcast. Now it's time to swap! Take
        Sonic Adventure (or the game you put in) out, and put in your Import,
        NOW you can close the lid, and hit OK.

    b)  If you remove the spinning CD and wait 2 or 3 seconds, the CD drive
        will stop and you can insert another CD right away.  (It may be easier
        to remove the CD if you push down on the center spindle to slow the
        drive -- I get the feeling that this is probably bad for the drive's
        motor, though.)  -- Thanks to Timothy Borreson for this alternate
        method!


13  If done correctly, the Import should run fine, it has been tested
    and it works. If you do it correctly, you'll be playing Imports in
    less than 10 minutes. Enjoy!


14  If you have found any errors in this Swap trick or have a list of games
    that do or do not work with this trick, please notify me.


===============================================================================
                            IV.  Troubleshooting
===============================================================================

Current Problems:
-----------------
PROBLEM:   VMU Data Erase

REASON:    When in the process of resetting the internal memory, if you have
           a VMU (Virtual Memory Unit) in any port of your controller, some
           data may be erased. I have no tested this (as I don't care to lose
           my VMU data) but I do warn you ahead of time that your data can
           be erased if the VMU is left in the controller port when resetting
           the internal memory.

SOLUTION:  Make sure your VMU is not inside the controller when you start
           to reset the memory. If you forget before resetting, quickly
           remove the VMU before the screen shows up. If you are lucky,
           some or all of the data will have been salvaged. I am not
           responsible for lost VMU data, you have been warned.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROBLEM:   Wrong DC Browser Version

REASON:    I tested the trick recently with another DC browser version (other
           than the one my Dreamcast came packaged with) and found that it
           didn't correctly reset the internal memory, causing the trick to not
           work.  You must use the Default Browser CD that your Dreamcast came
           packaged with, otherwise the trick will not work.

SOLUTION:  Simply use the Default Browser CD your DC came packaged with to
           reset the internal memory to solve this problem.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROBLEM:   GD Drive Burn Out

REASON:    Some people have claimed to have their GD Drives in their DCs
           "burnt out" after long usage when using this swap trick. I have had
           no trouble with this trick, and I've been using it for almost 3
           months now. I don't believe it does anything to your Drive, and
           some people just aren't careful. If you are having trouble with
           this trick, let me know.

SOLUTION:  Nothing. If your drive burns out, it burns out and you have a
           ruined Dreamcast. That's the risk you must take when doing this
           trick. I am not responsible for anything that happens to your
           Dreamcast when you perform this trick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROBLEM:   Phillip Head Screws

REASON:    Your Dreamcast was bought "un-officially" from somebody or some
           company. All current American Dreamcasts are equipped with Phillip
           head screws, and if they aren't phillip head screws, your dreamcast
           has been altered with. This makes it impossible for you to open
           your dreamcast up without the proper tool.

SOLUTION:  The only possible solution to this is to find a tool somewhere
           which is similar or matches the screws in your dreamcast. If you
           cannot find this tool, I cannot help you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROBLEM:   Resetting the Internal Memory on a Japanese Dreamcast

REASON:    The "B+X" thing does not work on the Japanese made Dreamcast for
           some apparent reason. Therefore you must proceed and disable the
           internal battery yourself.

SOLUTION:  Please see above in the "Swap Trick" section on how to disable
           the Internal Memory for a JP Dreamcast.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROBLEM:   Playing Multi-Disc Imports

REASON:    Because you have to swap in between every game you want to play.
           Once you close the lid, and reopen, the trick becomes ineffective.
           So you'll have to open up the DC and do it again to play the
           next disc.

SOLUTION:  When rubberbanding the switch, wrap the band so it comes to the
           outside of your DC, that way when you are ready to switch discs,
           all you have to do is loosen the band so the DC thinks the lid
           is open, swap discs, and enjoy!


===============================================================================
                               V.  Information
===============================================================================

Credits and Sources
-------------------
Timothy Borreson
  Sent me an alternate method to resetting the internal memory on a Japanese
  DC along with an alternate disk swapping method rather than waiting 3
  minutes, plus noted that Sakura Taisen 3 does not work with this trick!

Aoi Tsuki
  Provided a new method to keeping the switch held back in the DC, as well as
  gave me some random information about the trick.

Lord Ukyo
  Told me how to disable the battery to reset the Internal Memory on a
  Japanese Dreamcast.

Sailor Bacon - http://www.AnimeLyrics.com
  Told me about this Trick and how to do it.

Battosai
  Provided me with some useful information about my DC.

Jeff "CJayC" Veasey - http://www.gamefaqs.com
  For hosting this FAQ on his website.

Sega Dreamcast Newsgroup - alt.games.video.sega-dreamcast
  Useful source for Dreamcast information.


Contact Information
-------------------
Have any comments, questions, suggestions, complaints, contributions, praise,
constructive criticism, or anything else about this FAQ (or any of my others?)
Please contact me via one of the following, and I'll get back to you as soon
as I can.  All questions asked that have already been answered in the guide
will be ignored:

E-mail Address:  sdallas19@yahoo.com
ICQ Number:      100893080


Webmasters
----------
Want to host this FAQ on your website?  Please contact me via one of the above
methods and send me the URL of your site, and I'll give you the terms I have
for webmasters hosting my guides.  If you post this (or any of my other FAQs)
guide on your site without asking first, your host and/or ISP will be contacted
and notified of your illegal actions.

===============================================================================

          The latest version of this document can always be found at:

                      GameFAQs - http://www.gamefaqs.com
                      DS-99 - http://www.dallastm.cjb.net

===============================================================================

Copyright 2000-2001 Dallas Scott.  All Rights Reserved.

-EOF-
