Dk3 sometime boots upside down

MonsterBash

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I working with a know good PS (from another game) and a know good monitor.

When I boot my Donkey Kong 3 it does some weird things.

Sometime it boots normal..then flips and locks up.

Sometimes it boots flipped and just stays there (locked up)

Basically any time the screen flips the game locks up

If I let the game sit (locked up) for 5-10 minutes the next boot always boots normal

When it finally comes up normal the game will play fine (for days) as long as you don't shut it off..then you play he game of booting it until it boot normal again

The self tests (RAM and ROM) come up fine

I've reseated all the socketed chips on the boards..the ribbon cable and the rainbow cable

I've been to brasington site and read over his "flip" page but know pertain to the DK3 board

It sounds like a power issue as i would image the board pulls the most power at boot


Any ideas?
 
Last edited:
I did check that...
Also played a 2 player game and it played normal.

Tis strange...once it's booted it'll run and play with no issues..

I also removed the edge board from the metal cage and have the harness plugged directly into the board

Make sure cocktail isn't selected on dip switch had this happen to me once on a Jr
 
It is indeed power. Common issue with DK-series boards and aging original power supplies. Recap the PSU or possibly adjust the voltages up using the pots inside the PSU.
 
Thanks...
I trying to find a cap map (or kit) for the PS...

That was my next move

I even tried the PS from the DKjr and it was doing the same thing..gonna rebuild both of them


It is indeed power. Common issue with DK-series boards and aging original power supplies. Recap the PSU or possibly adjust the voltages up using the pots inside the PSU.
 
This just FYI...
Several of the nintendo games of that era (dk, dkjr, dk3, mario, popeye...)
The hardware powers up with the flip screen ON. That was probably by
design, as one of the first things the game does is flip it back to normal.
This can signal some "life". A dead board that never runs (eg. stuck in
reset or bad cpu or bad roms) will powerup with garbage on the screen
with the screen upside down until the software can flip it and clear the
screen.
 
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