AES memory card troubles

I just got a memory card today, and whenever I boot my AES (with UniBios 2.0) it gives me a failed hardware error in the memory card. Then if I try and use the memory card to save a game it tells me its unformatted. So I booted the AES holding down all four buttons and tried to format the card from the memory card menu, and then it tells me the memory card is write protected and it will not let me format it....am I screwed here? Or is there some way to get this card working?

Ackula said:

I just got a memory card today, and whenever I boot my AES (with UniBios 2.0) it gives me a failed hardware error in the memory card. Then if I try and use the memory card to save a game it tells me its unformatted. So I booted the AES holding down all four buttons and tried to format the card from the memory card menu, and then it tells me the memory card is write protected and it will not let me format it....am I screwed here? Or is there some way to get this card working?

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I think its knackered m8.I changed the battery in one that was giving the same errors to see if that would help but it did nothing to remedy it.

At the time I made a post about it but no-one could help so I assume its a dead-un.

Man..that sucks...how do you change the battery? is there a thread somewhere telling how to?

Ackula said:

Man..that sucks...how do you change the battery? is there a thread somewhere telling how to?

Click to expand...

You need a razor blade first to get under the aluminium covers to lift them up enough so you can remove them.Do not remove any of the sticky stuff from off the covers as you will need it when you put them back on.Don't let them get dusty.

Then you can see the pcb and the battery.Its better to desolder the battery connectors from the board next so you don't damage it.

Then to get the connectors off the battery you have to be very careful as you don't want to break the battery and have lithium all over you.I used a hand craft drill,to just break the 'weld' points that hold the clip to the battery.Then you can carefully prise the clips off,you just need top break the weld points DO NOT go through the battery casing.

Then you just need a new battery(CR2016 if I remember rightly).Prepare the surfaces properly and attach the battery connectors to it remembering not to get the battery too hot(trips to the hospital to remove battery splinters from ones face and eyes isnt fun).Resolder the battery connectors on and then put the case back together.

Oh..well thats a bit much for me..never soldered anything before...hopefully the person I bought it from will give me a refund or exchange it with another one.

Ackula said:

Man..that sucks...how do you change the battery? is there a thread somewhere telling how to?

Click to expand...

http://www.hardmvs.com/html/battery.htm

Have you ever tried another memory card in the system..?

Make sure there are no bent pins or dust or dirt maybe creating a bad connection.

Blow into the memory cards pin holes..

Try the memory card in another system.....I don't think the card is bad,IMO..

The Uni Bios chip may be not recognizing the card...Try the Uni Bios chip in different regions/settings..
What setting are you currently set at?

Try restting the Back-up memory on the system...(not sure honestly how to do that or if it's possible/thinking MVS)

same prob.

Reviving this thread: using unibios 2.0 with my memory card and I get an error message regarding the card.

Don't think the card is bad; it was fine up until I had unibios 2.0 installed. My system is a JP AES. Any help regarding this would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

Uh... is it a Neo card or is it some other brand of card? If it's some other brand of card, look around the edges for a teeny tiny write protect switch.

RJ

Hi, I am currently looking into a issue like this on a AES system I have here. The memory card worked fine up until the Bios was installed im lead to believe. I think that maybe a trace was damaged when the socket was fitted. I only have one memory card though and cannot rule out a fault in the memory card. If you find the cause please let me know. I will post the same here if I find the problem.

On looking at the memory card memory region it seems that maybe the address lines are not working correctly. The problem is I don't know which lines from the memory card are address lines.

As a matter of interest what revision AES PCB is yours?

Raz

Ok, I have fixed the problem with the AES I had here (ver 3-4). The symptoms of the fault were a memory card error on power on and a card write protected error while trying to format it. Be aware the bios worked fine, only the memory card did not.

The fault in my case weas broken traces on the bios socket. Basically there should be continuety between the following (at least rev 3-4 AES).

BIOS socket

21 --> Neo EO (pin 64)
22 --> Neo EO (pin 1)
23 --> Neo EO (pin 2)
24 --> Neo EO (pin 3)
25 --> Neo EO (pin 4)
26 --> Neo EO (pin 15)
27 --> Neo EO (pin 16)
28 --> Neo EO (pin 17)
29 --> Neo EO (pin 18)
31 --> Neo EO (pin 19)
32 --> Neo EO (pin 20)
33 --> Neo EO (pin 21)
34 --> Neo EO (pin 31)
35 --> Neo EO (pin 32)
36 --> Neo EO (pin 33)
37 --> Neo EO (pin 34)

Raz

I just PMed you Raz the following:

I'm not very knowledgeable about the technical aspect of the NG. But, the unibios 2.0 simply states that an error has been detected in the memory card. About the possibility of a broken trace-does that mean I have to open my NG up to fix something?

I have another problem with my modded NG AES-S-video won't display in consistant color on my Sony WEGA LCD TV (the s-video works fine on a regular tube TV). The image turns from color to black and white. Have any ideas as about this prob? Works fine on a regular tube based TV.

Thanks for your help, greatly appreciated.

K

PM read and replied, I'll paste it here also...

If you have the same symptoms as I describe (memory card error plus card write protected while trying to format) then it can mean the socket is not installed correctly and traces were damaged during the process. To fix this you will need to open it up and fix the damage, it will be broken traces between the lines I explain in the post. It's also possilbe that some of the memory card socket pins are bent so you could check that first.

The TV problem is something different and more related to the TV not being able to support NTSC.

Raz

Thanks for the info. Well, I guess I'll have to open it and take a look inside. How can I tell which revision my system is? Are there pics of each version somewhere? I'll google it I guess, and I'll try to post a pic here. Maybe that can help.

Regarding the TV issue I'm inclined to think it's an LCD TV thing as my Wega is NTSC; I live in Jp. I'll try to post some good pics.

The revision is written down the right side of the PCB once you have it open.

Raz

Gotcha. I'm going to check it ASAP. Thanks.