Robotron RAM error 31

Wick

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I recently picked up a Robotron and have had several issues since I moved it into my house. The first night I turned it on and it played fine for about 20 minutes then it froze. After a reset it came up with RAM error 31(the sequence on the board was 1-3-1 and verified it through the system test), and I cycled the power a few times, reseated the RAM in row 3 position 1 and eventually grabbed a spare 4116 RAM out of my kit and the same error came up.

I suspected a power supply board was causing all the trouble. I knew that the one that came with the game had an issue and I thought I had a good one(bought it as working) but I am not sure it's good now. I have the switcher(kit installed) but the game has been giving me the same error with the switching ps and some other inconsistent behaviors that make me think it's a power brick issue. I hope it's not a bad RAM socket in the board. I am pretty sure it's not.

Any ideas what I should do next? This one has me stumped…
I am thinking I have a power brick, power supply board or wiring harness issue that I cant detect?

If I can get a list of Williams power supply board parts, instructions and an estimation on level of difficulty(my skills pretty much end at cap kits and basic stuff) I might be able to fix it and that would eliminate one variable. I am not sure where to begin with the power issues though.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

WICK
 
Check the voltage on the four corners of any one of the 4116 RAM and report back.
+1 (like it's needed...)

But my Robotron is the same way when my voltage is off even a little. It has to be withing .1 or so of it's, what I've started to call "happy voltage". It's off right now and against the wall... but I do remember that it's around 5.1... any lower or higher I get RAM errors and reboots after a few minutes. It's also on a switcher.

That's measured at the sockets.

Also, yeah... I'd save up a little and convert it over to 4164s. Mine has always been on 4164s, but the one at work has 4116s and you can just about make checkboarded toast on them.
 
If you are sure it's the power supply board and not some of the other common issues, burnt header pins or flakey power cable, I do have rebuilt power supply boards for $30 + shipping or I will rebuild your current one for $20 + shipping.

ken
 
The first thing you should do is search for Robotron ROM errors. It is a common problen with a common solution that is well documented on the WWW.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. I will check the 4116 voltage tonight or tomorrow depending on when I am home from work and provide the results.

Wick
 
Here is what you should be getting at the 4116s...

4116_voltages.jpg


If they are low (especially the +5v) I would reflow the solder on 1J3 of the CPU board and the header pins on the power supply board.

- Mike
 
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