Need some Help Gentlemen! Game rebooting!

Hello Gentlemen!

Picked up Windjammers yesterday, and have already contacted the previous owner about the issues and he stated he had never had an issue with the cart.
(A trustworthy gent by the way)

I have not been able to start the game even once. What is happening is after I turn on the cab it will boot to the data east logo, then into the windjammers title screen and sometimes it will play the attract mode/demo and sometimes it seemingly will reboot the cab, like it is being turned on again.

I took all other carts out of the motherboard because sometime some carts do not like to play correctly next to one cart or another, (this is a well know issue amongst neo cab owners and operators) so to avoid all possible chance of this happening I have done this in one of my cabs.

I have tried the game in both cabs and the same issue is present in both of them. The game will also reboot just like it does on its own after the title screen when I try to start the game with either player 1 or 2 start button.

This is really weird because this is the ONLY game that I have had issues like this before.

Cart has been cleaned and the backup memory was cleared from one of my cabs to test that theory out.

NOTE: I have checked and noted the following (Original cart, original bios, pcb traces checked, checked both motherboards for warping, re-seated cart multiple times in multiple boards and slots).

Any suggestions?

Thanks to everyone for all of your help and time in this matter!

Are both of your cabs 6 slots?

Thank you very much for your time bro! Both are 4 slot cabs!

Anyone else? I really do not want to have to return the game!

Larry do you by chance have a memory card inserted during boot?

check your 5v my two slot gets picky with some carts and not others.

I have a memory card inserted in the one cab and in the other there is currently no memory card reader as the original in the one had a couple pins missing so I took it out James

I have a replacement reader on the way though!

I do not think that is the problem as it reboots in both cabs the same.

jimc787
What am I specifically looking for with my 5v lead? I doubt there would be a problem with both cabs, ... but maybe. I do have a multimeter if need be.

Thanks guys!

Just make sure with the board connected you are getting 5v, if you are getting anything under that then adjust it to 5v.

SniperElite said:

I
What am I specifically looking for with my 5v lead? I doubt there would be a problem with both cabs, ... but maybe. I do have a multimeter if need be.

Click to expand...

How much juice is it outputting?

Checking... will get back to you guys soon with a report!

It would be pretty weird if that's the problem considering WJ has few chips in it and not a high meg game compared to the others.

But it's always good to check your +5v level periodically.

On the one it is ~5.39 and ~12.18 and on the other it is ~5.30 and ~12.23

I guess that's not it?

Anyone else?

Thanks again guys for any and all suggestions, I truly appreciate it!

That's pretty high actually. You might want to turn it a tad down. Maybe to 5.1v.

This is with the board connected, correct?

I could not get the prongs to the edge with the harness connected, so it may not be the actual draw when connected. I pulled the readings directly from the harnesses.

Yiou sure it's an Original right?

Got board pics,..

Connectors Might need an extensive cleaning..

Pull the cart out of the mobo slightly then try it thus making a different parts of the games board connections and mobs connections connect

Last resort..Take the boards out of the case and try them in the mobo.


Otherwise I'm with everyone else on it..try everything mentioned.

SniperElite said:

I could not get the prongs to the edge with the harness connected, so it may not be the actual draw when connected. I pulled the readings directly from the harnesses.

Click to expand...

Get the reading with the board connected from the pins. You still might wanna turn it down a bit tough..

The cart looks like it could be in a nos kit! I t may be the cleanest cart I own, that said, I still cleaned the connectors several times using alcohol and Q-Tips.

Chris, I tried pulling the cart up in the slot about 1/8th inch after inserting it in the mobo prior to the post …so that's not it. Thank you very much for the suggestion though brother.

T and James, I will try to get readings directly from the board while connected.

Be back soon guys!

It was a little difficult to keep the harness on enough to keep the boards running while testing them at the same time, but was able to obtain readings of 5.01 and 5.08!

Do I still need to adjust the power supplies?

What is the acceptable range for the neo boards? Is the range for 5V different between boards with a certain number of slots (single, 2, 4, and 6 slot boards)?

5.01 and 5.08 are good levels. Just like I said I doubt it was that.

When you test the cart is it the only cart in the mobo?

Alternately, have you tried it in a different slot?

The mobo with the 5.08 reading had all 4 slots filled, and the 5.01 had just the 1 cart.

I have tried the cart in all 4 slots of each board both with and with out some or all slots filled, I have tried every possible way with the cart(s) installed.

Anyone else want to give this a crack?


I think I'll be forced to return it tomorrow.

Are you using a unibios?

That's a negative on both cabs!

Hope to pick them up soon though!

This is the last thing I could tell you to try:

With the board that DOES have the functioning memorycard slot, take the memcard out. Boot it up and go to the test menu. Pull up Windjammers soft dips, change everything (doesn't matter to what) and then clear the backup RAM). Do this two-three times)

If that doesn't work, get ahold of a unibios and run a CRC check on the cart.


I know it seems odd, but that's the only way my puzzle bobble cart works. It's a legit cart (rental cart even). It would make it into the first stage then just reset.

I'll let you know brother!

And..

Go into a deeper cleaning method of

Scotch Brite on the connectors with 91& alcohol to clean off the dirt..You'll see a big difference in the cart connectors then..
This is the cleaning method I've been using for years as some carts just don't work unless I clean them this deep..

Otherwise substitute fine grain sandpaper for the scotch brite.

I buy the industrial red scotch brite from home depot..