Use Unibios to test AES hardware?

[acem77]

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I want to confirm if my hardware is failing or my AES is being a little 5vdc bitch.

I have a some more small gfx issues on Vengeance Hunters.(big issues with Kruat Busters needs a cold boot to start) In there discord some suggested a diagnostic bios. That had me check if unibios 4 had a hardware test and it does. Is it meant for this purpose?

When I try it my systems seems to reset?
Is my AES shitting the bed or did the test run and compete with no errors? I tried to find a video to see how it runs but no luck

Soon I will get my NeoSD PRO I will assume it won't work 100% as I have a 5vdc AES.

a working test may show other issues VS the voltage/amps

Based on the results I an to get a 9vdc conversation.


The system runs all owned retail carts and some after market carts with no issues.

Video is stable no or very little jail bars, no bypass.

Has big issues with Kruat Busters and the BT dongel.

 

[Neo Alec]

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I want to confirm if my hardware is failing or my AES is being a little 5vdc bitch.

I have a some more small gfx issues on Vengeance Hunters.(big issues with Kruat Busters needs a cold boot to start) In there discord some suggested a diagnostic bios. That had me check if unibios 4 had a hardware test and it does. Is it meant for this purpose?

When I try it my systems seems to reset?
Is my AES shitting the bed or did the test run and compete with no errors? I tried to find a video to see how it runs but no luck

Soon I will get my NeoSD PRO I will assume it won't work 100% as I have a 5vdc AES.

a working test may show other issues VS the voltage/amps

Based on the results I an to get a 9vdc conversation.


The system runs all owned retail carts and some after market carts with no issues.

Video is stable no or very little jail bars, no bypass.

Has big issues with Kruat Busters and the BT dongel.

My 5V AES works great with all of those things. I prefer the 5V one myself.

Which power supply are you using currently? If you're still using the original, you should try getting one of these:

Triad Magnetics 5v 3A UL Certified Power Supply Transformer for early Neo Geo AES 3000mA

<p>High-quality, <strong>genuinely UL certified</strong> power supplies for 5v input consoles and add-ons.</p> <p><strong>Ratings:<br />Input: </strong>100VAC - 240VAC<br /><strong>Output: 5</strong>v, 3000mA<br /><strong>Plug:</strong> 2.1mm x 5.5mm x 1

console5.com

 

[acem77]

My 5V AES works great with all of those things. I prefer the 5V one myself.

Which power supply are you using currently? If you're still using the original, you should try getting one of these:

Triad Magnetics 5v 3A UL Certified Power Supply Transformer for early Neo Geo AES 3000mA

<p>High-quality, <strong>genuinely UL certified</strong> power supplies for 5v input consoles and add-ons.</p> <p><strong>Ratings:<br />Input: </strong>100VAC - 240VAC<br /><strong>Output: 5</strong>v, 3000mA<br /><strong>Plug:</strong> 2.1mm x 5.5mm x 1

console5.com

When I had received my Kraut Busters usa&jap they had issues. I bought 2 of the triads. Unfortunately it did not improve any thing for me.

 

[wyo]

You could try replacing the power jack on the console. That solved a similar issue for me.

 

[Neo Alec]

You could try replacing the power jack on the console. That solved a similar issue for me.

Yeah, perfect next step. After that you need to start looking at the components in the system, replacing caps. If you're not confident about doing that, you can probably trade the console. I'm sure someone will want the 5v system -- They are less common.

The 5v systems got dragged through the mud when the converters started coming out, but it doesn't deserve the bad rap. The only difference is the 9v+ systems have a voltage regulator inside that pulls the voltage down to 5v anyway. The problem with the 5v systems is they use a regulated power supply, so that PSU had better be quality, have the voltage dialed in just right and enough wattage. You need to feed them good power.

 

[acem77]

Yeah, perfect next step. After that you need to start looking at the components in the system, replacing caps. If you're not confident about doing that, you can probably trade the console. I'm sure someone will want the 5v system -- They are less common.

The 5v systems got dragged through the mud when the converters started coming out, but it doesn't deserve the bad rap. The only difference is the 9v+ systems have a voltage regulator inside that pulls the voltage down to 5v anyway. The problem with the 5v systems is they use a regulated power supply, so that PSU had better be quality, have the voltage dialed in just right and enough wattage. You need to feed them good power.

Interesting the 9vdc is just a regulator for 5vdc. Can you confirm the hardware test behavior of the unibios v4 (B)+(C)+(D)Test Mode. I am trying to determine if it's failing/bad components. Hope to avoid unnecessary work. Do have any info on the diagnostic bios? I saw that as an option.

Possible solutions?
Recap
Voltage mod
Unibios test and or diagnostic bios test.
Detect repair off spec component (test to determine)

 

[Neo Alec]

Interesting the 9vdc is just a regulator for 5vdc. Can you confirm the hardware test behavior of the unibios v4 (B)+(C)+(D)Test Mode. I am trying to determine if it's failing/bad components. Hope to avoid unnecessary work. Do have any info on the diagnostic bios? I saw that as an option.

Possible solutions?
Recap
Voltage mod
Unibios test and or diagnostic bios rest.
Detect repair off spec component (test to determine)

I wouldn't expect any of the tests in the built-in Hardware Test Mode to fail. You said your system is working just fine with official cartridges. I also wouldn't expect any tests from the diag bios to fail.

Your first step is replacing the DC barrel jack on the back of the system.

 

[acem77]

Are you able to confirm / how your system behave with the hardware test. My short version of the post is to know what it does and how it should look when running. If there is a test to run I'd assume id see some output vs a flash and reset.

As for the power socket what leads you to believe that's the issue. I never seen something like that with a system that has stable power. I have seen cold broken solder joints. Maybe some corrosion. This is clean and solid.

I have Project Neon and the NeoSD on the way.
It will be interesting to see how they perform.


I find it interesting the artifact is always the same with Vengeance Hunters and Kruat Busters will work on 1st boot if left unplugged for a couple of minutes and runs fine for hours until rest or shut off and on within seconds.

 

[Neo Alec]

Are you able to confirm / how your system behave with the hardware test. My short version of the post is to know what it does and how it should look when running. If there is a test to run I'd assume id see some output vs a flash and reset.

That's exactly what the Unibios hardware test does on my 5v AES, and that's normal. It even warns on the screen "system will reboot." It does a few flashes (kind of similar to the MVS startup test) and then reboots.

As for the power socket what leads you to believe that's the issue. I never seen something like that with a system that has stable power. I have seen cold broken solder joints. Maybe some corrosion. This is clean and solid.

I know it sounds silly, but that's a known fix that has worked for a number of people over the years in the community, not just @wyo. It's always surprising when it works.

 

[acem77]

That's exactly what the Unibios hardware test does on my 5v AES, and that's normal. It even warns on the screen "system will reboot." It does a few flashes (kind of similar to the MVS startup test) and then reboots.


I know it sounds silly, but that's a known fix that has worked for a number of people over the years in the community, not just @wyo. It's always surprising when it works.

Thanks for testing.

Damn I find a replacement jack would be a fix unless it looked beat and broken.. If it was loose I'd assume it would be really fickle with wiggling
I'd think a good cleaning should be good in most cases unless someones cat pissed in it.

I'll search a bit more, found one post so far but that did not help them.

My symptoms seem very consistent and repeatable

The cool down period for my two Kraut Busters is the oddest but hints at a compacitant and or fatigue through a thermal relation.
If the system disconnect from power for about 10+ min and reconnected and power up the games work with no issues until reboot or power cycled. On a cold boot I can play for hours or leave it the demo mode. Oddly once booted it does not degrade.

 

[wyo]

Have you tried testing the cart on a different system? When I was having problems with one system that resulted in the power jack replacement I confirmed the cart and PSU worked fine on a second system.

 

[acem77]

I went ahead and burnt a diagnosis bios v.19.
What a damn pain had to find an old working laptop(2k or XP) that supported my PGR-018 True-USB Willem universal programmer / GQ-2X

Z80 not tested that should be for sound issues if any and needs a chip in the cart.


No errors reported
But interestingly there are different artifacts on the test screen depending on the game.

Retail Last Resort it looks clean and normal.
Always works with no problems

161-1 cart looks normal no issues. seems to work normally other than boot leg jank.

Kraut Buster has the font verticaly over lapping and a color bar to the left.

Vengeance Hunters has an odd color block in the top left corner.

NeoSD PRO looks normal but games have all types of gfx dot pattern glitched in most tiles.
Fonts look good.

 

[Neo Alec]

That's not real surprising that the unofficial games work weird with the diag bios. They cause weird graphics or don't get along with the Unibios as well.