CPS 2 "B" Boards with a white screen.

dbstallman

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I just picked up a copule of CPS 2 "B" boards in a lot figuring I would be able to get them up and running quickly with a set of phoenix ROMs.

Unfortunatly, there seems to be something wrong with the boards. I replaced the ROMs, but the system is still booting to a white screen. I have also tried Raz's tester ROM imagage and it boots to a white screen.

I have moved the ROMs to a different board and they work, so I'm sure it isn't the phoenix code. I have tested the boards on several "A" boards with the same result. I have read online somewhere (maybe here) that when the QSound hardware doesn't boot you will get a white screen, but I have check the code and reseated the ROMs at location 1 and 2 to no avail.

Is there anyone here who has some experience with toubleshooting "B" boards and could give me an idea of where to look?

Thanks,
Brian
 
check for bent pins between the board connectors. check your voltages at the roms, make sure you're getting good +5 there.

probably onto something with the Q-sound failure, but the items I listed are basic precautionary things to check. :) did you try connecting the boards with the cases removed? I usually got blue screens (very similar to the suicide screens) if my boards weren't connected by like a hair off even with the clips installed.

I don't know much else about CPS2 though.
 
I've fully inspected the connections on both boards and they have been tried without the case as well.

I would also note that the battery has been removed and the capacitors around it have all been shorted to ensure that there isn't any security code in the memory.

Thanks for the suggestions, mecha.
 
PHOENIX CPS2 ROMS will not work on a CPS2 game board as long as the CPS2 decryption code remains on the game board.

So, to get rid of the encryption code on the game board, PHOENIXers remove the battery, short the board (or put the battery in backwards), and then (in some cases) let the board sit with out the battery for over an hour.

Once the encryption code is lost from the board, then the PHOENIX rom are ready to work with the board.

But, as far as I know, the revive process is not a sure thing.
 
There's a small capacitor next to where the battery used to be on the board. Short the two leads together with a screwdriver and count to three.

Try the board with the phoenixed ROMs afterwards.
 
PHOENIX CPS2 ROMS will not work on a CPS2 game board as long as the CPS2 decryption code remains on the game board.

So, to get rid of the encryption code on the game board, PHOENIXers remove the battery, short the board (or put the battery in backwards), and then (in some cases) let the board sit with out the battery for over an hour.

Once the encryption code is lost from the board, then the PHOENIX rom are ready to work with the board.

Or:

- Look at the solder side of the P.C.B (B board) and locate position 'EXC1'. It is positioned
a little above the 03 to 10 ROM sockets.

- Using a multi meter or small piece of wire short the 3 solder points of 'EXC1'
together for a few seconds.

Taken from Raz's guide here:

http://vvv.snutt.net/arkad/suicidetester/readme.txt
 
I have shorted all of the EXE caps just for good measure, but these boards came from a lot I purchased about a year ago. I first tried to phoenix them then, so they have also been without any type of battery for that entire year. This is the first chance I have had to get back to them to figure out why they only boot with a white screen.

Thanks for the suggestions. I am not above the thought that I am missing something really simple. In fact, I bet I am since they are both exhibiting the exact same symptoms.

I have phoenixed about 20 boards and haven't seen this happen on any others, though.

Brian.
 
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