Memory Card Issue

Lord Igniz

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Hi all,

I have been needing a new memory card since my current official card's battery is dead. I wanted to buy the Neo Save Masta, but it seems to be out of stock for a while, so I went on Stone Age Gamer and purchased the JGo memory card.

However, when I insert it into my console, it does not detect any card is inserted, even though the LED light is on and everything! My official card is recognized just fine. Is there something else I'm supposed to do to "activate" this card, or did I just get a dud?
 

pier

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what does this hiraganas mean?
EDIT: ka-tonasashitekutasai that italian google translation is strange as the english one: " a variety of carts"
 
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Lord Igniz

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what does this hiraganas mean?
EDIT: ka-tonasashitekutasai that italian google translation is strange as the english one: " a variety of carts"
The Japanese means: "No card inserted." It says it on every menu option, just doesn't detect it.

Have you tried both banks?
Yes

I'd return it.
I already did. Pretty annoying process, all I wanted was a working memory card for a week filled playing Neo Geo while I'm stuck inside. Hope the NeoSaveMasta will be back in stock sometime soon...
 

pier

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The Japanese means: "No card inserted." It says it on every menu option, just doesn't detect it.


Yes


I already did. Pretty annoying process, all I wanted was a working memory card for a week filled playing Neo Geo while I'm stuck inside. Hope the NeoSaveMasta will be back in stock sometime soon...

the bad is that this quarantine period is not easy to live and every little problem becomes more difficult
 

Neo Alec

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You should ask for a replacement instead of a refund. Give them another chance.
 

Lord Igniz

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You should ask for a replacement instead of a refund. Give them another chance.

I did ask for a replacement but the one that they sent me also doesn't work. The second I put in my official memory card the console detects that immediately, so I know there's nothing wrong with the slot or the anything like that.
 

Lord Igniz

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Has anyone else used this card? The last thing I can think of is that this card doesn't support a Japanese bios system for some reason. I spoke with SaG and they told me the card worked fine on their console, as did the one they just mailed me. Pretty weird.
 

RAZO

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Did you check to see if any pins on your console memory card reader are jacked up?
 

Digmac

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If all of the pins on the memory card port are ok, then you have bad traces for the memory card pins. When I got my AES it would recognize the memory card but it wouldn’t access any of the data on it. Turns out there was a trace that was corroded and I had to jump it with a wire. Now everything works great. I’d say you need to open your AES and check the pins and the traces from the memory card slot on the top and bottom of the mobo. It’s not the card that’s the problem, it’s for sure your AES.
 

Lord Igniz

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If all of the pins on the memory card port are ok, then you have bad traces for the memory card pins. When I got my AES it would recognize the memory card but it wouldn’t access any of the data on it. Turns out there was a trace that was corroded and I had to jump it with a wire. Now everything works great. I’d say you need to open your AES and check the pins and the traces from the memory card slot on the top and bottom of the mobo. It’s not the card that’s the problem, it’s for sure your AES.
If it's for sure my AES, why does my official SNK memory card work with no issues??
 

Digmac

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If it's for sure my AES, why does my official SNK memory card work with no issues??

That’s a good question. If there aren’t any bent pins, carefully inspect the traces around the memory card slot on the top and bottom of the motherboard. If you see any that look black or look like they have a break or cut in them, it needs fixed. That’s what I would inspect next.
 

Lord Igniz

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I opened up my console once again and checked the traces on top and bottom, again, they looked fine to me, but I'm not an expert with the AES. I cleaned the traces and whatever I could on the motherboard. I even plugged in my official SNK Power 3 power supply to see if the issue was the AC cable I was using- again, no cigar.


 

TK86079

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Has anyone else used this card? The last thing I can think of is that this card doesn't support a Japanese bios system for some reason. I spoke with SaG and they told me the card worked fine on their console, as did the one they just mailed me. Pretty weird.

I use this card and never had problems with it. Maybe the pins are corroded.
 

ChuChu Flamingo

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If you got two of them either you got two duds or the contacts on the memory card itself (thickness,pin spacing) are not identical to an og memory card. Wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened. Hence a bad connection and it not recognizing it.

Last hail mary would be to get some Isopropylol Alcohol + Q-tips. Put some on the contact ends of the card and insert the memory card a few times in and out. Do this with the power off. Wait several minutes and see if it made a difference.


On a related note the NeoSaveMaster card is awesome. Have had mine for several years.
 
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Lord Igniz

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If you got two of them either you got two duds or the contacts on the memory card itself (thickness,pin spacing) are not identical to an og memory card. Wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened. Hence a bad connection and it not recognizing it.

Last hail mary would be to get some Isopropylol Alcohol + Q-tips. Put some on the contact ends of the card and insert the memory card a few times in and out. Do this with the power off. Wait several minutes and see if it made a difference.


On a related note the NeoSaveMaster card is awesome. Have had mine for several years.
Yes, but SaG said the memory card I sent them back works perfectly on their console.

I also tried cleaning the contact ends of the memory card with alcohol & cue tips, but no luck.

I want to get the NeoSaveMasta, but it's not going to be in stock for a while, and these next couple months will probably be the last time I can play my Neo Geo for quite a long time.
 

Neo Alec

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It's conceivable that something wrong with the connections would prevent a third party card from working, while an official card doesn't have issues. I've had one that would read a NeoSaveMasta, but not third party rechargeable cards, although those cards worked fine in a good AES. I think these cards can use some of the connections differently.

I would just stick with original cards, or perhaps the NeoSaveMasta for your particular AES. I'll bet those cards you bought could work in other systems. Not sure this is worth the effort of trying to fix.
 
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shadowkn55

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Perhaps it is a logic level issue. The original model AES had discrete logic buffers that could handle TTL and CMOS logic levels. The later gen chipsets had an asic that may only handle one logic level and not the other.
 

Lord Igniz

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Perhaps it is a logic level issue. The original model AES had discrete logic buffers that could handle TTL and CMOS logic levels. The later gen chipsets had an asic that may only handle one logic level and not the other.

This sounds like the most plausible situation. I believe my AES is one of the later models produced, might be the culprit.

Anywho, going to just return this card and order the NeoSaveMasta when that finally goes back up for sale. Thanks for all the help in trying to diagnose this problem though!
 

xneogeo

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hello, I have a Neogeo AES 3.5, and I have a similar problem, my Neogeo sees the card, but cannot read or write, and when saving the game it gives an error, which I can fix since I see very few problems of this type, thanks!
 

Digmac

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hello, I have a Neogeo AES 3.5, and I have a similar problem, my Neogeo sees the card, but cannot read or write, and when saving the game it gives an error, which I can fix since I see very few problems of this type, thanks!
Open the console and check all traces going to and coming from the memory card slot pins. Use some way to magnify the area to help you look for broken or corroded traces on the top and bottom of the board. I’m 99.9% positive that’s your issue. My 3-5 had the same problem and it was a broken trace going to the memory card slot.
 
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