You can get boxed Dreamcasts in GameStation for around £30.00 and the
benefit of a quick return if they go wrong.
I've tried the WD40 trick on the power pins and it worked on 2 out of
2 occasions, however it didn't last long on one.
It could well be due to the laser unit being misaligned and feeding
faulty data to the CPU, although sometimes it happens to me and
nothing is loading.
Your best bet is to keep the machine very well ventilated and off the
carpet/away from walls and TV sets. The little fan keeps an airflow
going so don't obstruct this and let plenty of air get to the vents
all around (including the raised feet on the base).
Also, by pressing down all four fire-buttons and start you can reset
the machine to the main OS so try not to do that accidentally in a
frantic Streetfighter 3 match!
Another thing you might want to consider with the Dreamcast is that
the CR2032 batteries for the VM units cost £2.50 per unit. There are
tips on the net for powering the VMs from 2x AA batteries with a
non-invasive external battery pack (for when you want to play Pacman
or Space Invaders on them etc.)
:-D
