Berzerk Problem, Help Please!

PModel

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So basically When i turn on the machine I get the first 4 beep noises.. Not the last 3. I looked through the manual and tried to do everything I could with it. Has anyone else been through this problem before? It would mean a lot to me if someone can give me an Idea. Thanks a lot!
 
Not all, but alot of the problems with Berzerk are those interconnect cables.

Re-seating them will generally clear up alot of problems.

There are some threads on how to use scsi cables. Just be gentle when removing them, and make sure the pins are lined up w hen replacing them.
 
No luck, I tried going through the connectors.. I found a sniped wire but it looks intentional. It was working two days and then just stopped. I could post a picture or something.
 
the interconnects aren't the problem, the problem is in the vsc board. Try changing the 23 and 4 dips to on.
 
Well he states that he's been through the manual, so I assume he checked those Dip switches. He also states that it was working and stopped. So I also assumed that no one has messed with the dip switches.

In either case he has a problem with the color board, and will need to probe it out.
 
4 beeps points to the BSC board
Well I had one BSC board here that generated 4 beeps. Replaced one of the RAMs and solved. The rams are 2114. I was lucky because the first one I tried at position B1 was the bad one.

Check the IC's, connectors and sockets on the BSC board because often the battery "acid" crawls it's way down there. However the board repaired was 100% clean. Simply a bad RAM was the only problem.
 
Friggen berzerk, lvl42 I followed alot of your repair as I was running mine. I just finished it, got it up and running but it was a bear getting to those 8 beeps. So it's still fresh in my mind and I'm still building the control panel harness.
If there was no action taken that provoked this it definitely could be bad ram. I found on mine that a previous owner had plugged in ram but there was an errant pin or two that missed the socket and was outside of it on the bottom side.
 
I tried everything again, The roms are good and no Acid on the ZPU. Here are some large pictures for all the experts to look at.

image0388e.jpg

image0384u.jpg

image0387.jpg

image0389l.jpg

image0390.jpg


Hopefully that helps :/
 
Well if you got past 3 beeps your well past the zpu. So that shouldn't be a concern at this point. Your on the BSC with 4 beeps. Dip switches 4&8 on. Address Multiplexor chips or Ram could be what's holding you up. Just basic manual step by step. I'd say it's probably ram more than anything else but a 40 year old machine - y'know. 4 beeps are better than none and no LED, which is what I had to deal with.
It really wouldn't hurt to have maybe 1 scsi cable to double check with. I did a meter check on all my interconnect cables and still I had a bad connection on an interconnect. Pay close attention to the condition of the header pins. Sandpaper can help but don't be too rough with it. I know it gets frustrating, believe me.
 
Not sure what the loose wires are you are holding in your hand ?

Still: 4 beeps _very_ likely means the ZPU board is OK and there is a problem with the Rams on the BSC board. Order a couple of 2114's and start replacing them one by one. (testing in between each one).
 
Not sure what the loose wires are you are holding in your hand ?

Still: 4 beeps _very_ likely means the ZPU board is OK and there is a problem with the Rams on the BSC board. Order a couple of 2114's and start replacing them one by one. (testing in between each one).

Rookie Question, How would I be able to test them? Also the Rams on the ZPU.. Correct?
 
Well, in that first shot you show some clipped wires that seem to be coming from the heat sink. there are only 3 wires that lead to the heat sink and mounted transistors and those plug directly into the power supply, which you show as occurring in your second photo. So those clipped wires are a mystery to me.
I still have the back off of my berzerk as I'm working on the control panel harness. Dunno if you've checked it out or not but perhaps www.zinfer.com/berzerk.htm may shed some light. If you need any photos it's not a problem at this point.
But your problems are well beyond the ZPU and you don't need to look backwards at that. Just gotta get that extra beep and your moving forward.
Myself, I took a meter to each corner of the ram and I actually found a leg outside socket that way. (part of my Williams Stargate ram training program)
 
What I did was swap the interconnects around. I used the sound board as the guinee pig removed that interconnect and used it for my spare.
 
I worked on a Berzerk last weekend that put out only three beeps, but the problem turned out _not_ to be the BSC but a bad RAM on the VFB board.

Do you see anything on the screen when it boots ? The machine I worked on showed 2 screens of garbage and then one screen with figures that represent RAM chips.
All of the chips were "black" inside except for one which was indicated "white".

The manual says that these are the RAMS on the VFB board. You will have to turn the image on the screen COUNTERclockwise 90 degrees "in your mind" to see what RAM is failing.

In my case, the on-screen one was top-right, so in reality it was the top-left chip on the board. Replaced that one with a known working RAM from another VFB board and presto: 8 beeps and a fully running game !

Lesson learned: 3 beeps doesn't always mean that the BSC is the cause....
 
hmm, I never actually went into that screen. I recall reading about it. My service switch is flaking out and needs replaced I had to short the thing to get it to go to the next screen to clear all the old bookkeeping out. Oh - hey and I think I found some replacement Reset buttons!!!
http://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data Sheets/C&K/KA Pushbutton.pdf

Check that out! Next order I need to replace my bookkeeping button I borrowed.
 
No need to go to service mode, it will display this when there is boot-up trouble anyway. You'll have like 2 garbage screen and then the RAM info. Then it cycles the two garbage screen again and the RAM screen etc. etc.

The machine I worked on has a ZPU that I have worked on before , removed all battery-"acid" etc. and the reset button was also defective. I simply removed it. There's not much need for it IMHO.
 
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