Neo Geo help.

smitymike11

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Messages
1,635
Reaction score
16
Location
Twin Lake, Michigan
I bought a 4 slot neo geo from someone that had it sitting in a barn for 9 years. I took it home and when I plugged it in all I get is the test screen. I can cycle thropught all of the test screens but cannot get to any of the game screens. I cleaned 1 cart with electric cleaner and nothing. I cleaned a second one with the pencil eraser method and still nothing. I pulled the board out and cleaned it with a Q-tip and alcohol. I have put it back together and will test it tomorrow and see if anything changed. I am attaching some picks. If any of you guys see something that looks wrong let me know.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 510.jpg
    Picture 510.jpg
    103 KB · Views: 11
  • Picture 509.jpg
    Picture 509.jpg
    101.4 KB · Views: 10
  • Picture 508.jpg
    Picture 508.jpg
    99.5 KB · Views: 9
  • Picture 507.jpg
    Picture 507.jpg
    97.4 KB · Views: 9
  • Picture 506.jpg
    Picture 506.jpg
    100.3 KB · Views: 15
More picks. Also what are the dip switches supposts to be set at? They are all off.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 505.jpg
    Picture 505.jpg
    101.5 KB · Views: 5
  • Picture 504.jpg
    Picture 504.jpg
    100.5 KB · Views: 2
  • Picture 493.jpg
    Picture 493.jpg
    102.3 KB · Views: 2
When you say test screen, do you mean the cross hatch screen (below)?

----------------------

Also, 4 Slots NEO boards are notorions for having bad batteries.

You should remove the battery on the board. Examine both the battery and board area. Look for evidence of a bad battery: wetness, leaks, corrosion, etc.

Also prepare to replace the OEM battery: either prepare to use a new Recgargable NI-MH battery OR modify the board for to use with a NON-rechargable Li battery.

--------------------------

DSCN7342.jpg
 
Last edited:
Looks like the battery leaked. I see some green in the connector next to it...

Pull the battery and look closely at the traces under it. You probably have one or more bad ones. These carry the ROM data from the Program ROMs and if they are bad the system will never see the carts.
 
That is the first screen but I can also go through the rest. The calander screen, the button test screen, the memory card screen.

When you say test screen, do you mean the cross hatch screen (below)?

----------------------

Also, 4 Slots NEO boards are notorions for having bad batteries.

You should remove the battery on the board. Examine both the battery and board area. Look for evidence of a bad battery: wetness, leaks, corrosion, etc.

Also prepare to replace the OEM battery: either prepare to use a new Recgargable NI-MH battery OR modify the board for to use with a NON-rechargable Li battery.

--------------------------

DSCN7342.jpg
 
I will do this and post some more picks. If this is the problem how do I fix it? I do not have a good solder gun. Do I need the battery or is it just for saving settings and high scores?

Looks like the battery leaked. I see some green in the connector next to it...

Pull the battery and look closely at the traces under it. You probably have one or more bad ones. These carry the ROM data from the Program ROMs and if they are bad the system will never see the carts.
 
Pulled the battery and here are the picks.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 516.jpg
    Picture 516.jpg
    97.8 KB · Views: 23
  • Picture 511.jpg
    Picture 511.jpg
    87.8 KB · Views: 27
  • Picture 514.jpg
    Picture 514.jpg
    89.7 KB · Views: 24
That is the first screen but I can also go through the rest. The calander screen, the button test screen, the memory card screen.

1. Ok, all that that you just described above called the TEST MODE.

2.A. What happens when you turn the NEO board on with Dip Switch #1 set to UP? Can you still cylce through the TEST MENU?

2.B. And, what happens when you turn the NEO board on whith Dip Switch #1 set to DOWN? Can you still cyle thourgh the TEST MENU?

3. And how did the battery look? Was it leaking? Did it explode? Did it have any little green or brown specs on it (like very tiny particles or specs)?
 
Sitting for 9 years, there's a good chance the battery has started to leak. The first thing I did with my 4 slots was cut the batteries out. Get a little baking soda and mix some water with it until it's becomes pasty. Take a toothbrush and gently scrub around the battery area and let sit for about 20 minutes. Then rinse off and let the board dry. This will neutralize and acid that may have leaked. If you don't have a digital multi meter, you should probably get one. Set it to continuity and check the traces in that area. Especially the one that run across the front of the battery.
 
All the dip switches are up.
I have not tried running it with #1 down.
The battery came out looking clean.

1. Ok, all that that you just described above called the TEST MODE.

2.A. What happens when you turn the NEO board on with Dip Switch #1 set to UP? Can you still cylce through the TEST MENU?

2.B. And, what happens when you turn the NEO board on whith Dip Switch #1 set to DOWN? Can you still cyle thourgh the TEST MENU?

3. And how did the battery look? Was it leaking? Did it explode? Did it have any little green or brown specs on it (like very tiny particles or specs)?
 
Under the board that had the battery there is a red thing there. Do I need to take it off to test? Do I test from the bottom? Never did anything like this yet.


Sitting for 9 years, there's a good chance the battery has started to leak. The first thing I did with my 4 slots was cut the batteries out. Get a little baking soda and mix some water with it until it's becomes pasty. Take a toothbrush and gently scrub around the battery area and let sit for about 20 minutes. Then rinse off and let the board dry. This will neutralize and acid that may have leaked. If you don't have a digital multi meter, you should probably get one. Set it to continuity and check the traces in that area. Especially the one that run across the front of the battery.
 
Looking at that second picture...you got some damage there... have you cleaned it up and check those traces for continutity,,,

No not yet. What should I clean it with? I have never done any of this before. So how would I check the continutity? Is this something I do from the bottom and if so how do I get the red think off? Does it just pull off? Do I need to put it back on?
 
1. The red thing on the bottom of the board is a padded cover.

2. You will need to tear off the part of the padded cover that covers the bottom of the battery contacts.

3. Then you will need to remove (pick off) some of the black spongy padding material to expose the pattery contact points.

4. Once the battery contact points are exposed on the bottom of the board, then you can de-solder these two poitns and remove the battery legs from the board.

5. After you clean up the battery area, and check the traces, on the top side of the board, and pick a new battery (either recargable Ni-MH or board modification & a Li Coin Cell battery), then you will put that battery on the board and solder the contact points on bottom of the board. This will probabbly be the last thing you do.

Note: (4.5) IF corrosion in the battery area is stoping the board from seeing the carts, then you will most likely fix the traces or replace the parts in that area to fix the problem before you put a new battery on the board.
 
Last edited:
Clean the board with either a slightly acidic (distilled vinigar) or a slightly basic (baking soda) solution and either a Q-Tip or a SOFT tooth brush.

Dip Tip or Bursh in solution and clean board.

After the area is clan of dirt, then clan area again with a water solution.

Let area thourally dry.

Keep an eye on area and make sure corrosion does not return.

-------------

Some other GENTLE cleaning agents--like unseted Soft Dish Soap and Windex--are ok to use too.
 
Last edited:
I will try cleaning it and see how it looks. Do I need the battery? If the traces are bad how do I fix them? Would I be better to send it to someone that know what they are doing? Is it hard to fix the traces if they are bad? I did look where the battery was and some of the traces are green. Does that mean there is nothing left there? Thank you for all the help so far.
 
1. Keep the old battey on the bench until the job is done. You never know when you need to refer to old parts. After the job is done, then you can toss it.

2. You will need a Muli-Meter that has an Ohms (resistance) test and a Diode (continuity) test in order to check traces.

3. And, at a bare minimum, you will need a soldering iron, some Sn-Pb (Tin-Led) Flux core solder, and a desoldering brade or a desoldering pump/bulb/iron to remove the through hole parts that are soldered to the board.

4. Also, at a min, to fix any broken traces, you will need some 30 Awg wrapping wire, some wire snips, and some Hot Glue (or some dark green non-metalic acrylic nail polish).

5. To find bad chips, you need, at a min, you need a probe and some datashees (which are free online). But, there are so few chips invovled in the battery circuit that you hardly ever need one. You just replace the next chip, or part, in the series.

6. Good Traces look BRIGHT GREEN. Coroded Traces look DARK GREEN. Just look at all the other traces on the board. Note: Just cause a trace is DARK GREEN does not mean that it is causing the fault so that is why you need to test it. A bad Traces will fail a test however a "Good" treace will not.

7. Anways, if you're looking for someone to fix it for you, for whatever reason, then check with channelmanic. ;)
 
Last edited:
I don't think my skills are there enough to try fixing this yet. I found some kits on the radio shack web site that are pratice kits for things like this. I might have to pick one up and start that way so I do not damage something I need.

channelmanic is who I have been talking to and think I will send it to him. I cannot buy a good soldering station for the price he charges. I would feel better having someone who know what they are doing fix this and I can learn for the next time something needs to be fixed. I have done some soldering, I have raced R/C cars for a long time, but nothing this fine.
 
Need a little more help with my neo geo and thought I would just add to this thread insted of starting a new one. I took the CP apart and want to repaint it. The problem I am having is with the board for the memory card/headphone jack. I want to take that board off so I do not get paint on it. Where I need help is with the headphone jacks. How do I take them apart so I can take the board out? Do I just pull them out from the front? Do they just plug in? Is there something on the memory card slot that will stop it from comming out?
 
Back
Top Bottom