Pinball2000 Update FAIL - about to give up :-( HALP

JohnB

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Pinball2000 Update FAIL - about to give up :-( HALP

SOS all p2k masters, I need your input... I have been trying now since I got my RFM to update my software from 0.9 to 1.5/1.6 - the issue is whatever computer I have connected to it will not connect to the machine, I get an error cannot connect to com1.

I am a pc tech so I not an utter retard when it comes to this stuff so it is baffling me at the moment. I ordered this null modem cable http://www.ebay.com/itm/220594826427?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 and have tried on a dell latitude CPx laptop with Windows XP and also I just tried a dell d620 with a fresh Windows 98 SE installed. I checked device manager and both com ports on both laptops report that the device is working properly, so it cant be the laptops...

I thought maybe the extension serial cable was damaged so I bypassed that, removed my marquee and plugged directly into the parallel / serial card on the p2k computer - and THAT didnt work, still wont connect to the machine...

Is there any way to check in the command shell or something if the parallel serial interface card on the computer is not functioning? I dont know any of the commands to diagnose that. Or is it possible I was sold a bullshit null modem cable?

I am flabbergasted and pissed off I cant update my RFM and refuse to buy a pub card @ $150+ to do this! :-(

HALP KLOV! :D
Thanks in advance,
John
 
It's pretty easy to check the null model cable wiring:

800px-D9_Null_Modem_Wiring.png


I assume you have the baud rate set to the max?
 
I was going to try and update mine with a computer but I didn't have the proper port. I tried to find an older laptop on craigslist but had no luck. Fortunately one of the local pin guys had a pub card with 1.5 loaded and he let me borrow it. Really easy to do and only took about 10 minutes total. The update is a huge difference over what I had. Is there a local pin group in your area that may be able to help? - Barry
 
Have you tried changing the port address and\or IRQ? This can be done in the properties sheet for the device in the device manager under "Port Settings".

I've never dealt with P2K, but I've made my own console controller adapters, and depending on the drivers\software in use, different address assignments were required.
I would assume if the P2K is expecting communication on a specific address\IRQ then this would correct things.
 
As far as the cable - if you have access to two laptops, can you communicate between the two of them using that cable without issue?
 
As far as the cable - if you have access to two laptops, can you communicate between the two of them using that cable without issue?

Valid! I will check this tomorrow. There is someone from klov near me with a rfm... I will ask him if he has a pub card. As far as the irq assignments on my laptops - no errors were reported in windows for the comm device so i did not change the resource from their sustem assigned defaults. Due to process of elimination i am leaning toward the comm pci card in the p2k box being dead... But I will reseat it tomorrow to be sure.

Thanks guys,
John
 
Valid! I will check this tomorrow. There is someone from klov near me with a rfm... I will ask him if he has a pub card. As far as the irq assignments on my laptops - no errors were reported in windows for the comm device so i did not change the resource from their sustem assigned defaults. Due to process of elimination i am leaning toward the comm pci card in the p2k box being dead... But I will reseat it tomorrow to be sure.

Thanks guys,
John

There won't be an error...there's nothing "wrong" with using any valid address\IRQ for a communications port, unless of course there was a conflict.
 
Valid! I will check this tomorrow. There is someone from klov near me with a rfm... I will ask him if he has a pub card. As far as the irq assignments on my laptops - no errors were reported in windows for the comm device so i did not change the resource from their sustem assigned defaults. Due to process of elimination i am leaning toward the comm pci card in the p2k box being dead... But I will reseat it tomorrow to be sure.

Thanks guys,
John

There's not actually a comm card... the COM port comes from a header off the motherboard. Boot the P2K computer outside the pin (just hook up a keyboard and monitor) and go into the BIOS settings to make sure that COM1 is enabled.
 
There won't be an error...there's nothing "wrong" with using any valid address\IRQ for a communications port, unless of course there was a conflict.

Welp, I am home sick today with a nasty stomach bug so I have some time between bathroom runs to sit down with the RFM.

I have not found any documentation that implies the p2k 586gx-av mobo / p2k program looks for a specific irq address but if anyone has such information I would like to read it.

I took the pc apart to do the hsf and pasting replacement I had put off to inspect the com 1 and com 2 pins on the mobo. Looks like whoever did the last service connected the parallel adapter cable to com1 and the db9 serial ribbon cable to com 2 pinout on the mobo, an "ah haaa" moment I thought. I left the parallel cable disconnected and plugged in the db9 ribbon cable to com 1 pinout association on the mobo and tried connecting again to the machine, no dice.

Now I am testing out cable to cable direct connection with my null modem cable... if the cable was falsely advertised and i had to rewire it im gonna leave some nasty ass feedback on ebay and i hate doing that.
 
There's not actually a comm card... the COM port comes from a header off the motherboard. Boot the P2K computer outside the pin (just hook up a keyboard and monitor) and go into the BIOS settings to make sure that COM1 is enabled.

yea just noticed that today... the bummer is I dont have a freaking AT KEYBOARD! ARGH lol... I havent seen one since 93'...

beh.

Also the asshat who did the last HSF CPU Fan replace in '05 used a low profile heatsink AND fan which looked total cheap shit and they used a thermal transfer pad which I guess is fine but I put a sleek clean coak of NS5 paste on there instead ;) the cyrix proci isnt dying from overheating thats for sure! LOL
 
Have you done any updates at all with it? If you did, completely remove the updater software and then install it again. The software is VERY buggy and communication issues are common.
 
Have you done any updates at all with it? If you did, completely remove the updater software and then install it again. The software is VERY buggy and communication issues are common.

Zero updates, havent been able to get a connection... but guess what.

The two xp laptops wont connect via the null modem cable i got, so clearly its just a reg db9 serial female to female and not a cross over/null modem cable ... cracking open these adapters and using Matts diagram to see wtf is going on here.. FFS!
 
Just cracked open the cable.... nothing is crossed... mutha fucka! I have sausage fingers man... gonna need my bro to resolder this for me.

Ill keep you all posted! >.<
 
I took the pc apart to do the hsf and pasting replacement I had put off to inspect the com 1 and com 2 pins on the mobo. Looks like whoever did the last service connected the parallel adapter cable to com1 and the db9 serial ribbon cable to com 2 pinout on the mobo, an "ah haaa" moment I thought. I left the parallel cable disconnected and plugged in the db9 ribbon cable to com 1 pinout association on the mobo and tried connecting again to the machine, no dice.

If the parallel cable wasn't correct then the game would be unplayable, as that is the interface to the driver board.
 
If you need to borrow a Null Modem cable, I can send you mine to use temporarily.

ALso, before you tried the update, did you se the "UPDATE GAME CODE" option to "NO"?

Chris
 
If the parallel cable wasn't correct then the game would be unplayable, as that is the interface to the driver board.

I meant the db25 header, I confused the two they look similar - my apologies. I am going to go hunting at work tomorrow for an at keyboard or adapter. Maybe if I reset the mobo bios to default it will erase any doubt that the com port could have been disabled by whoever owned the machine or serviced it prior.

The cable my brother soldered up for me didnt work :/ here is what we did:
 

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I dunno squat about P2K, but I have to "LOL" at the fact these things used Cyrix. Oh. My. GOD. I never had a computer with a Cyrix that wasn't a total PITA/epic fail back in the day. Looks like the trend continues!
 
I dunno squat about P2K, but I have to "LOL" at the fact these things used Cyrix. Oh. My. GOD. I never had a computer with a Cyrix that wasn't a total PITA/epic fail back in the day. Looks like the trend continues!

Trufax.

Guess they saved a buck or two with the mediagx. I yhink it was one of the earlier all in one boardsets.
 
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