What's new
From factory. Kabuki isn't a Z80 but a clone of a Z80 with extra stuff inside. The Z80 pin RFSH had it's function changed to be the power input for the battery backup circuit for the security key storage RAM. The CPS2 A board has a jumper in it which is left open for Z80 so it doesn't short the RFSH (DRAM refresh pulse) or closed for Kabuki. Shorting the "RFSH" pin on Kabuki to GND tells it to work as if it was a regular Z80 (aka turn off decryption logic).
 
Ok, interesting. Thought it was something more special than that, lol
Hehe nah its not needed for the mobo since the original Z80 is enough. I just thought it a bit funny to find it :). I doubt any user had a extra and decided to use it here, but who knows.

I will save it as a backup for my Warriors of Fate (with Q-sound board)
 
@Darksoft, @Mitsurugi-w, do you know what firmware version has the batch from late january 2016?, is there a url to get the instrutions how to put the bootloader in case it would be necessary, I read references of what the people do in this thread but didn´t saw any link.

Hat´s off!
 
Mine is from 2016 (September) and it had the correct bootloader already if that helps.

To update to key writing I just added the firmware to the microsd and loaded it
 
Successfully updated to key writing (finally) and all seems to be working great. Removed the minisd extension because really... I don't see the rom pack getting updated much anymore. The way I see it, all we're likely to get is a few new/previously uncracked/undumped regions of games, and I just want 1 region of each. If a truly new proto shows up, or an interesting new hack, it doesn't take that long to unscrew the board and pull the minisd.

Now I gotta get back the new plexi cp covering for my big blue so I can get it installed in its permanent home rather than a candy cab!

Thanks again to everyone involved in this masterpiece, been loving it for years now! :D
 
Pinout for board revisions 93646B-3 and 93646B-4
CN2 interface pins:

DATAArduino #2→ CN2 A32
SETUP1Arduino #3→ CN2 A30
CLOCKArduino #11→ CN2 A31
SETUP2Arduino #12→ CN2 A29
I have everything to install the new version on my 4 rev board, but I have a question, this board have a capacitor in the CN Interface, do I have to remove it or do I have to leave it, the photo in the manual doesn´t have that capacitor in this kind of instalation.

Thanks a lot
 
Pinout for board revisions 93646B-3 and 93646B-4
CN2 interface pins:

DATAArduino #2→ CN2 A32
SETUP1Arduino #3→ CN2 A30
CLOCKArduino #11→ CN2 A31
SETUP2Arduino #12→ CN2 A29
I have everything to install the new version on my 4 rev board, but I have a question, this board have a capacitor in the CN Interface, do I have to remove it or do I have to leave it, the photo in the manual doesn´t have that capacitor in this kind of instalation.

Thanks a lot
That's not a cap it is a resistor and it was there to keep the board from corrupting the key during power on/off when it was running using battery

Adding a bit here, since the Multi programs the key every time you power on or change the game, the resistor is now meaningless. But you might want to keep it in case you decide to return the board to battery state and forget that you removed it, you will have trouble. As it is there it doesn't help or disrupt the Multi in any way. So I suggest you let it be (as you've done already).
 
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Anyone has a good link to purchase the required tool for flashing the firmware? (EU based)
Unless your CPS2 is from the very first batches you should be able to update the firm by just copying the file flash.img into the root of your microSD. If everything went well, the file will be gone after the update (4-5 secs).
If you still need one you just need it to have a SWD port and follow the instructions. You can buy i.e. from ebay or from here:
https://www.tme.eu/es/details/stm32...anque-para-circuitos-stm/st-microelectronics/
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/STM32F0-DIS...hash=item237f2b6163:m:m-2uHwHq8t8d2DZojwae3Cg
Hello everybody!

finally this morning got venturous and try to install the final version of the firmware so I could use the original romset, didn´t get lucky and not sure why.
I did 2 test,

first one, got a 64 mb card, use sd_formatter first to format the card as CPS2, copy the flash.img in d:/
turn off the board, put the Sd, power on the board an get a message in the lcd screen 'No SD card detected!' turn off the board, get out the card, turn out the board and old game romset still working.

second one, same procedure but coping the flash.img in flash.img in d:/games
same result..
I guess my kit is the kind of the old ones, can please anyone confirm this?
the flash.img is still on the card, and another question, is there a manual tu update the bootloader using the tools Darksoft referees in the quote?

As always thank you very much indeed! :rolleyes:
 
Hello everybody!
finally this morning got venturous and try to install the final version of the firmware so I could use the original romset, didn´t get lucky and not sure why.
I did 2 test,

first one, got a 64 mb card, use sd_formatter first to format the card as CPS2, copy the flash.img in d:/
turn off the board, put the Sd, power on the board an get a message in the lcd screen 'No SD card detected!' turn off the board, get out the card, turn out the board and old game romset still working.

second one, same procedure but coping the flash.img in flash.img in d:/games
same result..
I guess my kit is the kind of the old ones, can please anyone confirm this?
the flash.img is still on the card, and another question, is there a manual tu update the bootloader using the tools Darksoft referees in the quote?

As always thank you very much indeed! :rolleyes:
1st one was OK. You need to copy to d:\

Are you using a SDXC microsd? those aren't supported. Only SDHC. Try using a small one, like 2Gb or 4Gb microSD. If that doesnt work either, then most probably your multi is REAL old and it would been it's bootloader updated with the new one. After that, you can upgrade the firm as we all do.
 
It was a thing on the Sd card, it is a 64MB( not GB) but seems to have problems loading the flash, I´m using the sd extender mod so I was thinking it might be related on that, but after your post, I just copy the flash.img in the 4gb sandisk card I use as regular card and after turn on the board, the kit´s screen stood for a few seconds and later said the no sd card detected error, but loading the sd in my laptop saw the .img was missing, so it has worked just perfect. I still need the soldering mod to be able to load the keys but firmware is updated.
Just as reminder for people who still didn´t upgraded version.
Once you have updated, you can still use the old roms on the fly, doesn´t need to solder anything, because i tried with my old roms and although no wire has been soldered yet, the roms are working fine, the NOW_KEY file has been created and since no key has been programmed you can still use new firmware with old roms WITHOUT soldering a wire, independently if thhe NOW_KEY file exist or not.

hope helps anybody..
Thanks DS!
 
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