Flintstones ROM issue??

[lozpeters]

Just taken delivery of a Flintstones, it won't boost past the settings restored on the DMD, it just sits there. So I have started investigating one thing I noticed when I pulled the mpu out is that U6 the ROM doesn't have a cover over the holagrame bit in the middle, could this cause the ROM to be wiped??
I will try to upload a picture when I get to work

 

[pinballmania]

Have you replaced the batteries and made sure they are providing 4.5 volts for the memory back up? Have you pressed the diagnostic buttons to escape from the warning message?

 

[lozpeters]

Doing the batteries today, none of the diagnostic buttons work so also checking for acid damage.

ROM


Is this acid damage on the mpu?? If so doesn't look as obvious as older machine's I have had!!

 

[Paul]

Hi Loz,

Acid damage usually start to appear below the batteries themselves... Need a better pic of the whole board really
EDIT - Oh hang on it's the later version isnt it - WPC-S, where the batteries are mounted on a separate board... So as Andy says, check there's 4.5v on the connector where it goes into the main MPU itself...

No cover on the Game rom Could cause the Rom to wipe, however unless it's been out in direct sunlight or under UV then i suspect it's fine... Just push in the ASIC (big square chip) and anything socketed to make sure all is making decent contact...

Also check the status of the LED's on the MPU, and compare here - this is for WPC, however as far as i can remember they are similar...
http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Williams_WPC#LEDs_on_the_MPU

 

[PBrookfield]

That bubbling is not a good sign. I would check all the pads for continuity and resistance down there.

And you are probably right, whoever removed the sticker from that EPROM is a moron. ROMs with windows like that are almost always UV-erasable EPROMs, and although it won't have experienced much UV light exposure in a backbox, all that does is increase the time it takes, rather than stopping it altogether. It will erase randomly and gradually over years, so if that window has been exposed for any length of time, you could easily have your problem right there. You don't need a complete wipe, you just need enough odd bits to suddenly flip and you've got yourself a corrupt ROM.

If you manage to rule out dirty/failing contacts as mentioned above, you can send me the chip and I can re-write it for you, if you'd like.

EDIT: Rule out the simple things first, just had a thought... do you know for certain the door sensor and the test switches work properly? You need to access the service menu to get the game to progress beyond 'factory settings restored'.

 

[lozpeters]

T

And you are probably right, whoever removed the sticker from that EPROM is a moron. ROMs with windows like that are almost always UV-erasable EPROMs, and although it won't have experienced much UV light exposure in a backbox, all that does is increase the time it takes, rather than stopping it altogether. It will erase randomly and gradually over years, so if that window has been exposed for any length of time, you could easily have your problem right there. You don't need a complete wipe, you just need enough odd bits to suddenly flip and you've got yourself a corrupt ROM.

I

i will have a check of all that this evening and see if i can get any joy. the backglass and translite have been missing for the game for a few years so a far amount of light could have got in over the last few years

 

[lozpeters]

Success remote battery installed, a few suspect solder joints repaired and i got the main menu button to work intermittently but none of the others buttons worked tested with the multimeter and now none register the push.

i can now get past thru the menus by shorting the button wire! so time to find similar buttons at work, or buy a new button set and prob a new ROM anyway as it is LX-2

 

[PBrookfield]

Success remote battery installed, a few suspect solder joints repaired and i got the main menu button to work intermittently but none of the others buttons worked tested with the multimeter and now none register the push.

i can now get past thru the menus by shorting the button wire! so time to find similar buttons at work, or buy a new button set and prob a new ROM anyway as it is LX-2

Ah, nice one!

If the ROM is okay then there's no need to get another one - just put a sticker over the window. It probably didn't get nearly enough UV light to do anything.