Donkey Kong Upright Comes Up With a Blue Screen

Les Manley

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I sold a Donkey Kong machine that was working completely and I never had any problems with it. Buyer got it and it worked for him for a few times, now when you turn it on you get a blue screen. I am trying to help him out with troubleshooting the game, anyone have any idea off hand as to what might be the cause of this? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
I sold a Donkey Kong machine that was working completely and I never had any problems with it. Buyer got it and it worked for him for a few times, now when you turn it on you get a blue screen. I am trying to help him out with troubleshooting the game, anyone have any idea off hand as to what might be the cause of this? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Solid blue screen with no images, no coin up? Or does it still coin and play but the screen is mostly blue? If the latter, suspect a bad chip.
 
when I bought my DK, it would freeze up after the high score screen when it goes into gameplay during attract. few power cycles later, all I got were 0's. I don't even remember where I saw it, but I read that had something to do with the Z80 CPU, so I disconnected everything (it's a 4-board, no edge connector, have to connect like 14 cables I swear) and went through the strenuous task of pulling all the boards out of the pushpins. (a bitch, I might add)

I started pulling every socketed chip, particularly the CPU was covered in corrosion on the legs. I tried an eraser first, then got fancy with some sandpaper. after doing that on every poo-pooed chip, I put it all back together and sure enough, the game worked fine.

now it locks up intermittently. nothing with a blue screen, but I would suspect that considering I just cleaned mine not but 1 month ago and already it's doing it again that it could be the same cause. :)

if you go that route, make note of the CPU's orientation. there were no markings on mine to designate which was the "keyed" end. I luckily had a spare 2-board set with the deal to use as a visual aid there.

EDIT: just out of dumb curiosity, is it running the original Nintendo power supply? mine has a switcher mod, I was just wondering if that would be another factor.
 
when I bought my DK, it would freeze up after the high score screen when it goes into gameplay during attract. few power cycles later, all I got were 0's. I don't even remember where I saw it, but I read that had something to do with the Z80 CPU, so I disconnected everything (it's a 4-board, no edge connector, have to connect like 14 cables I swear) and went through the strenuous task of pulling all the boards out of the pushpins. (a bitch, I might add)

I started pulling every socketed chip, particularly the CPU was covered in corrosion on the legs. I tried an eraser first, then got fancy with some sandpaper. after doing that on every poo-pooed chip, I put it all back together and sure enough, the game worked fine.

now it locks up intermittently. nothing with a blue screen, but I would suspect that considering I just cleaned mine not but 1 month ago and already it's doing it again that it could be the same cause. :)

if you go that route, make note of the CPU's orientation. there were no markings on mine to designate which was the "keyed" end. I luckily had a spare 2-board set with the deal to use as a visual aid there.

EDIT: just out of dumb curiosity, is it running the original Nintendo power supply? mine has a switcher mod, I was just wondering if that would be another factor.

It was all original. I am going to talk to him today so I will get more info on the issue and what he has tried.
 
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