Pulstar MVS cart problem -- only works on unibios, scrambled name in service menu

I bought a PULSTAR MVS cart from a forum member, but the cart will only boot on an MVS with a Unibios installed (and even then, the game's name in the service menu is scrambled). When the cart is tried in another MVS with a USA bios, the cart just displays the grid screen.

Those issues aside, the game itself seems to play correctly.

I should note that to get the cart to work in a unibios, I had to majorly clean it with an eraser twice and isopropyl alcohol. The contacts on the bottom of the cart seem to be somewhat visually damaged (like something metal dug holes in the copper), but I checked each of them for continuity with a multimeter and seemed to be okay.

Pictures below.

Thoughts/Ideas?

Considering that you got some results by cleaning the contacts, I would go after them again more aggressively. Hit that shit up with some de-oxit. And SCRUB.

Do a CRC check in the Unibios. NG = bad P1, or dirty connection to cart edge or to P1 chip.

Clean the contacts with Metal Polish. Get the contacts nice and shiny. Try again.

Also try the cart in another neo.

Clear your backup RAM.

Tyranix95 said:

Also try the cart in another neo.

Click to expand...

I’ve tried it in two MVS units that I have. Pulstar will only boot in one with a Unibios.

Xian Xi said:

Clear your backup RAM.

Click to expand...

Okay. Done on both MVS units. (Flipped all dip switches to on, powered on, then turned them off and restarted.)

GadgetUK said:

Do a CRC check in the Unibios. NG = bad P1, or dirty connection to cart edge or to P1 chip.

Click to expand...

-- MVS-1FZ default USA bios
Only ever shows the “Cross Hatch Test” upon boot-up of the Pulstar Cart. I’ve tried it with both the cart and bare boards.







-- MVS-1FZ with Unibios 3.2

This one is rather interesting as it shows a couple of different behaviors depending on how the game is put into the MVS.


1.) Errors On Boot is the cart is properly put together.
(I suspect this is due to the contacts not making a proper connection due to the damage on the contacts...)










2.) Game Works, but scrambled name in service menu.
This behavior happens with either:
-bare boards/no case or
-the cart put back together with everything as it should be except the plastic spacer in backwards.

Tyranix95 said:

Clean the contacts with Metal Polish. Get the contacts nice and shiny. Try again.

Click to expand...

Jibbajaba said:

Considering that you got some results by cleaning the contacts, I would go after them again more aggressively. Hit that shit up with some de-oxit. And SCRUB.

Click to expand...

I'll see about picking up some type of metal polish or de-oxit. Thanks for the suggestion.

It's either dirty contacts or a bad p rom. To clean the contacts use a thick piece of cardboard with some contact cleaner applied to it like Deoxit-D5 and insert and remove it a couple times.

From memory, Once the game name is stored in backupRAM its not changed so to fix that you will need to clear the backupRAM so it stores again. Also some games (metal slugs) do not store to backupRAM correctly if the first store is done in console mode. Make sure yousr in arcade mode and experience a game over and then look at the soft dips.

Raz

Doubt it's the NEO.

He tried a two.

Backup ram needs to be cleared in the Hardware test menu.

Test Mode > Hardware Test > Clear Backup Ram Screen > Enter Command.

If you're worried about damaged traces, get a multi-meter, set it to diode test (aka continuity test), and put one probe at the edge of a pin on the edge connector, and then use the other probe to find the part that it connects to.

It should beep or buzz when you touch the corresponding rom or IC leg.

Tyranix95 said:

Backup ram needs to be cleared in the Hardware test menu.

Test Mode > Hardware Test > Clear Backup Ram Screen > Enter Command.

Click to expand...

AFAIK the dip switch route does the same thing... (see old old old post here).

Update:
I had a free moment to use the can of Deoxit-D5 that I ordered and it totally did the job.

I used it to with some cardboard to clean the MVS contacts, used a bit on a q-tip to clean the Pulstar cart contacts, and then flipped all the dip-switches again. That finally got the "Pulstar" game name to show up in the service menu.

Thanks again!