Neo Geo 120n1 cart issues

debaser138

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I've got a dedicated Neo Geo 4 slot system that is working 100%. I just bought one of the 120n1 carts from Nixs and got it in the mail today. Unfortunately I'm having issues with it working. At first I put the 120n1 cart in slot 1 and had original carts in the other 3 slots. When I turned on the system, it didn't boot into the 120n1 cart but the cart in slot 2. When I cycle thru the games and get to slot 1, the menu for the 120n1 cart came up. Once I selected a game and hit start, it starts the boot up process (screen goes green, etc) and then it just resets and goes to the game in slot 2.

So I pulled all the carts out except for the 120n1 cart in slot 1. Turn the system on and it goes right to the game selection menu. I choose a game and it shows the green screen and then goes back to the game selection menu.

On the cart there is a sticker that says "Push Sw1 4&5 is fast set any game the difficulty and players". Can someone explain what setting those dip switches on does? Does this need to be done in order for the 120n1 cartridge to work properly? I didn't have enough time today to pull off the metal cover to get at the dip switches to give it a try.

Anyone have any ideas?
 
Looks like the dip switch setting is only used to set the difficulty setting / # of players for the various games in the 120n1 cart and shouldn't have anything to do with the problems I"m having with the cart not working properly.
 
Played with it a little more. I've tried putting the 120n1 cart in each of the 4 slots of my MVS without any other cartridges in the system. It boots up fine to the menu, I select a game, it boots into the game and then about 3-4 seconds later while the selected game is in attract mode, it reboots and goes back to the game selection screen. It does this with every game I've tried running from that cart. It resets after the same 3-4 seconds in each game.

I've read other people have had no problems using a 120n1 cart in a 4 slot MVS so it should work. Bad cart perhaps?

Did SNK put out updated BIOS versions for the MVS 4 slot boards? If so, how can I find out what version my board is running and where could I get the most up to date bios? Or should I just install the universe bios?
 
I have a 108 in 1 cart in my neo 4 slot and it works fine.

Is your +5 low? sounds like the cart might be drawing too much power.
 
I have a 108 in 1 cart in my neo 4 slot and it works fine.

Is your +5 low? sounds like the cart might be drawing too much power.

I thought I recall the +5v looking good when I checked it originally. The 9v died in my DMM so I need to pick one up tomorrow so I can measure at the board what voltage I'm getting.
 
Sometimes the 4 and 6 slots are picky with cart order. Cycle through your original carts first in the 4 slot then add in the multicart and see which slot it works best in.

So try taking out all carts then try an original cart in slot 1 then multi in slot 4. If it boots then fill the other 2 slots and see if it still works. If it doesn't then rearrange the original carts.
 
Sometimes the 4 and 6 slots are picky with cart order. Cycle through your original carts first in the 4 slot then add in the multicart and see which slot it works best in.

So try taking out all carts then try an original cart in slot 1 then multi in slot 4. If it boots then fill the other 2 slots and see if it still works. If it doesn't then rearrange the original carts.

I've tried the 120n1 cart in each slot without any other carts in the system and it does the same thing everything. Boots right up into the game selection menu. I can choose any game and it starts up the game but then exactly 3 seconds later it reboots and goes back to the game selection screen.

Nerbflong is going to let me test my 120n1 cart in his Neo Geo this weekend to see if the cart works in his. I'm also going to try the Universe bios on my 4 slot board and see if that makes a difference. Not much else I can really do at this point.
 
I finally got the issue resolved with my multi-cart resetting and wanted to share.

The problem was the previous owner had wired up the player 1 start button incorrectly so that it was constantly engaged. Didn't cause a problem with normal Neo Geo carts but with the multi-cart, you hold down the player 1 start button for a few seconds to get to the menu selection screen.

So I wired it up correctly and now the multi-cart works great. I felt like a complete idiot and had a total Homer Simpson DOH! moment when I finally figured it out.

Time to play some Metal Slug!
 
Wow, it never ceases to amaze me the stupid things people do to arcade hardware.

Glad you caught it, game time baby.
 
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