Mr. Backup Z64 BIOS failed

This isn't Neo related, but I'm desperate for some advice on EPROM programming...

At a swap meet a few weeks ago I purchase a Mr Backup Z64 that did not boot. Back in high school I owned one of these and loved it (until the darn Zip drive failes and it became a paper weight).

The unit I acquired turns on but fails to initiate the Power On Self Test (indicated by 2 rows of black bars across the LCD panel followed by a welcome text). The Zip drive still spins up but since the BIOS is not loading the drive is inoperable.

With nothing else externally to try I opened it up to reseat the BIOS chip and check all of the internal wiring. None of the wiring was bad nor were any traces damaged, so I'm wondering if the BIOS could be the culprit?

The chip used is an SST 28SF040 and the BIOS images (both official and unofficial) are available from the web.

I do not have an EPROM programmer, but would programming a fresh chip help things? Do people have a recommendation on a cheap but good one, hopefully that could be used for Neo Geo BIOS too?

Well, no luck with reflashing the BIOS or replacing the Zip drive.

Is anyone familiar with the Z64 or know about this LCD/No Boot issue? Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

go to cherryroms.com then there forum section look and post under the backup/copier section

acem77 said:

go to cherryroms.com then there forum section look and post under the backup/copier section

Click to expand...

No rhymes? Or do you have to log off for that.

??

I have a z-64 the guy I bought it from replaced the zip drive with a laptop hard drive

i have a laptop HD in my z64 now. + the zip drive.
if you have both connected you can use a bat file on the HD to run a bat file on the zip drive to load and or save files from the hd to zip drive or zip to HD.
its great dont have to remove the HD from the z64 ever again.

acem77 said:

go to cherryroms.com then there forum section look and post under the backup/copier section

Click to expand...

It seems phpBB crashed on them

No matter what computer I log onto their site from I get an internal application error to create a new session when loading http://forums.cherryroms.com/ , any ideas?

The Dextrose forums didn't have anything on this type of crash so any info is greatly appreciated.

This unit will power on AND will play the game in the cartridge slot, but there is never any text printed to the LCD screen nor will the OSD ever come on.

The Zip drive would not spin up so I replaced it, no luck... but now it spins up

The BIOS chip was taken out and reflashed with an EPROM programmer, no luck...

Swapped out the SIMM chip with some spare ones I had around, no luck...

Any ideas?

give cherryroms a few days. that forum worked jut a few days ago.
the guys are pros there. if they cant help nobody can

Man I would love to have some thing like that to back up my SNES and SFC games. It's a bitch dragging that stuff out of the garage.

I have z64 is possible replaced the zip drive for jaz drive or other stuff

I purchased a z64 brand new over 15 years ago from HK. I used it for about two years. One summer i didn't use it at all, I was just playing perfect dark. Turned it on after 3 months of none use and all i got was a blinking lcd screen. Trying to fix it now. Looking for blown fuse or something. Anybody ever have any luck with this?