Brian E. Brzezicki
Copyright 2015
Version 1.00 05/8/2015

Disclaimer
Use this at your OWN risk, do NOT sue me if it breaks your board... if your doing this your board is probably already broken though ;)

Game Board #1 May 8 2015

Problem:

  • game would not boot, "P's" all over the screen flashing and reseeting.

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Did Fluke 9010A RAM short test on RAM ranges - OK
  2. Did Fluke ROM test on the first EPROM range (0x0000 - 0x0FFF) bad,
  3. Pulled ROM 1B and tried using EPROM reader on computer, did not match any signatures
  4. Pulled ROM 1E, tried to read on EPROM reader, did not match any signatures
  5. Pulled ROM 1h and 1k, they lost pins immediately when being pulled
  6. Programmed new TMS2532 with Rally-x ROM from MAME rallyx.zip (32kb) version, for 1B
  7. Used Fluke 9010a to verify signature for range 0x0000 - 0x0FFF - OK
  8. Programmed and tested ROMs 1e, 1h, and 1k - OK
  9. Game now boots but graphics are all messed up
  10. noticed when I touched the interconnect cables (especially the middle one, things changed)
  11. Removed old interconnect cables and replaced with ardrino jumper cables.
  12. Game works!
Game Board #2 May 13 2015

Problem:

  • game would not boot, random blocks everywhere
  • Board missing all ROMs
  • Board missing PROM chip at P3

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Did Fluke 9010A RAM short test on RAM ranges - got BTS 0C, 04 and 08 errors starting at 0x9800
  2. Found bad 2114 RAM @ 6M, replaced
  3. Burned 2 2764 ROMS, hacked ROMS sockets and board to accept them at socket 1B and 1K. (I didn't have enough 2532s left :)
  4. Verified ROM checksums for all ROM ranges are good.
  5. Board now boots, but graphics are all messed up
  6. found PROM at 8E was missing a bunch of pins, replaced
  7. Game boots and looks good, but is missing certain sounds, installed a PROM for missing P3
  8. Game works!
Game Board #3 January 26 2018

Problem:

  • Game does not boot up, no sync on monitor
  • D40K1 at Q6 is falling off

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Fluke 9010A cannot pass bus test, constant reset
  2. CPU clock is OK
  3. No video Sync on LCD, something must be wrong with sync circuit
  4. 74LS161 @ 3L jhas all outputs dead except #10, replaced that and now have sync
  5. Game boots, but there's a video issue, as small black line on the left side of the screen going up and down, stays in the same position
  6. interconnect cable is bad, gets wierd as you touch it, replaced with new one
  7. Found Bad 2147 RAM @ 9E, replaced
  8. Replaced D40K1 with a used pull from another board
  9. Game works!