Help with a MV-1C, please

[Jesterzzn]

Okay, I bought this MV-1C from a local guy and he said it would power on but that he didn't have a game to test it with...well the price was right so what the hell, right?

Here's the problem. It will, in fact, power up but it never makes it past that first screen with the pastel colored blocks. Every game is the same thing. Every so often it will get past the pastel colored blocks and make it to a blank screen, but most every time it just stalls at the blocks and never changes.

Any thoughts?

 

[Xian Xi]

Make sure all the dips are off.

 

[mainman]

Sound almost like there is something wrong with the calender

 

[Hewitson]

Try resetting the system memory if that does no good then inspect the tracks going from the cart connector for damage.

 

[channelmaniac]

Sound almost like there is something wrong with the calender

Yup... stuck on green screen is typically a calendar problem.

Does this problem happen regardless of whether or not there's a cartridge installed? If so, check for damaged traces or liquid damage on the board to see if there's something there causing the problem.

If it doesn't and you always get the crosshatch screen without a cartridge installed then check the cart connector and the traces from the program rom pins on the cart.

RJ

 

[Xian Xi]

Wait, when you say pastel colored blocks do you mean a majority pink or majority green?

Pink - usually a bios problem
Green - Calendar

 

[Jesterzzn]

Make sure all the dips are off.

I did this, but to no avail.

Try resetting the system memory if that does no good then inspect the tracks going from the cart connector for damage.

How do I reset the memory? I can't access the service menu. Is there another way?

Wait, when you say pastel colored blocks do you mean a majority pink or majority green?

Pink - usually a bios problem
Green - Calendar

This I never payed much attention to. I'll check later tonight when I get home.


Thanks for the help so far.

 

[Xian Xi]

If it looks like this it is a bios error:

 

[Hewitson]

How do I reset the memory? I can't access the service menu. Is there another way?

Short the battery out.

 

[channelmaniac]

NOT a good idea. That can cause the battery to heat up internally enough to burst.

Besides... corrupt backup RAM will NOT cause the system to act dead. Bad Backup RAM will, but that's a different story. Killing the power to them to reset them will not affect that.

 

[Hewitson]

I didn't suggest doing it for a long period of time

I thought since bad backup memory can stop the system from booting then perhaps corrupt memory could too, but obviously not.

 

[Jesterzzn]

If it looks like this it is a bios error:

That's it.

So where do I go from here? The Bios is hardwired...uhg.

 

[Xian Xi]

Check for any broken traces.

 

[Jesterzzn]

I already did. Everything appears to be okay there. Can it simply be removed and replaced? Well, I say simply, but I bet its not.

 

[channelmaniac]

Use a logic probe and check for signals on the control, address, and data lines on the Work RAM and Backup RAM.

 

[Xian Xi]

Any updates?

Also I remember Bill had some corrosion under the pad on his MV1C and it did something like this. Check there.

 

[channelmaniac]

Any updates?

Also I remember Bill had some corrosion under the pad on his MV1C and it did something like this. Check there.

Did something like what? You forgot the link.

 

[Jesterzzn]

No, no updates. I do not have a logic probe, nor am I entirely sure what one is. I checked under the pad, and there was indeed some gunk, so I am going to clean it up tonight and I'll report back if that works.

 

[Xian Xi]

Did something like what? You forgot the link.

Link? Did something like the problem he's having and it turned out to be corrosion under the pad, check under the pad.