What's new
By:
Filters

4 wire key soldering questions, plus red screen issue during install of DS Kit. (Solved)

Oh man. I really thought this was gonna do it.

Same problem. I really worked hard to clean it well too. I pressed all the boards on super tight with as much precision as I could even using a clamp to assist me.

@Blackfish I'm using the Roll Up packs found here on the site with the keys included in the games. I'm also using the Avalaunch games as well just to mix things up.

I guess my next step is to remove everything again and try out the old ROMs that came with the board to make sure the board it still good.
 
It might be worthwhile to take a bunch of pictures of the board assembly from multiple angles so we can see if all pins are aligned correctly, the interconnect is in the right orientation, and most importantly, that the wires are soldered properly, etc. Basically, if you wonder whether or not it would be useful, take a picture anyway. Heh. The more pictures we can all see, the more likely someone will notice something and we can get this working.
 
I'd reformat your sd card and just load up the MAME pack to start.

Also mount the B board without a shell on the A board just to make sure you have it connecting.
 
Make sure you don't have the interlink board flipped around upside down - I made that mistake. It should look like my picture below (without the key-writing wires).

Also make sure you're using the latest Smokemonster Rollup Pack. Each game folder should have a keyfile, and the contents of each keyfile should be real data and not just FF.

If you do take it back apart, do it CAREFULLY. Those pins can bend or break very easily!

Please post pictures of your setup if you can.

IMG_4419.jpg
 
Okay guys. I can do that. Gimme a little time please. I've been focused so hard on this the last 48 hours and it's just got me feeling that special feeling when something just won't work. I'm sure you all know it :P

I'm okay. I'm just a bit demoralized at this point. I'm not giving up yet though.

@ekorz I have been doing a no shell connect since the very start. So we can rule that out. Thank you for suggesting though. As for the MAME pack. Which one are you referring to? I have been formatting the SD card to FAT32 each time I make any changes.
The ROM packs I'm using are from this page: Important Info About the CPS2 Multikit (when I'm trying the Avalaunch files)
and this page:
CPS2 Roll-Up Packs: All roms for the CPS2 kit

(for the keyed ROMs)


I'll get pictures soon.


Thanks fellas.

*Edit*
Hello again @ShootTheCore . Thank you. I did actually have that correct so we can rule that out. I'm not sure what the smokemonster pack is. Is it in either of the links I'm using?
 
Yes, the pack I'm referring to is "CPS2 Roll-Up Base Pack 2017-11-19.7z" located here: Link

It's under the CPS2 Roll-up Packs link posted by our esteemed forum member Smokemonster.
 
So just checking...I have a first batch board running fine with the last no-keys firmware/roll-up pack. Crackle fix and auto reset done by Mitsu.

In order to change out to key writing, my order of operations would be:

1: Update firmware
2: Remove the current auto-reset wire
3: Add new wires
4: Update SD card with new roll up pack

Correct? And once I've done step 1, there's really no going back until I've finished step 4, if I'm not mistaken? Just want to be 110% sure here. Love this kit, don't want to do anything to screw it up.
 
@ShootTheCore Okay yep, I checked that link and those are the same ones I'm using.

@Jdurg Here's all the pictures I took.
https://imgur.com/a/vQwP7

Kinda hard to tell with a couple of the photos because they are kind of blurry but I feel it might look like the pins aren't flush to the connectors but they are as far down as I can possibly get them to where the jacket around the pin or whatever it's called it pressed down to the connector.

*Edit*
Something that occurred to me. Could a faulty capacitor result in a problem with writing the keys perhaps?
 
Last edited:
Do the avalaunch game directories have key files in them? You need 'blank' key files for those at the very least. The MAME pack has a 'blank' one in the halfway to hell directory I think. I can check it when I get back home, but I recall that game being in the base pack. If you open it in an editor it's just all 0's, but it has to be exactly 16 bytes so don't save it (your computer may add bytes upon saving).

What happens when you boot it up to a game from the MAME pack?
 
No the Avalaunch do not have key files. Strangely enough though I was able to get it working using those same files when it was originally 'sort of' working after about 30 attempts or so of resetting the caps and reflashing before I did the 4 wire mod.

Am I supposed to use the base pack first, then add stuff on top of that? Aside from the card having a /games/gameXXXX directory I'm not sure if there is anything I'm supposed to do in terms of the setup for the memory card.

Also, a side note.
I just reinstalled the original ROMs and turned it on and it was the same reddish screen. I turned it off, discharged the caps, then turned it back on and the game is running fine.

I'm starting to think. If my connections are all good. Maybe my ROM memory card setup or writing is bad?
ekorz said:
What happens when you boot it up to a game from the MAME pack?
Click to expand...
Do you mean the 'Base Pack' ? If so, I'll give it another go. Any specific game? I usually do AvP because that's the one I want to play the most lol.
 
Last edited:
Well, if you've got the new firmware like @Mitsurugi-w says, then every folder needs a file called 'key' in it. I didn't think the old avalaunch games had that, which is why I asked. They don't have a key, really, they're decrypted, but the new firmware needs to see that file and use it to write the game's key. That's why you put a 'blank' one in a directory of a game that's decrypted.

Progear Halfway to Hell is a romhack, decrypted already, and part of the MAME base pack, so it should have a blank key file you can copy over into each avalaunch game directory.

But to save yourself from going crazy, and waiting for tons of files to copy, just format your SD card (i hope you're running windows, otherwise... other issues) grab one game (avsp is fine) from the MAME base pack, and put it on the SD card. If that boots, you can organize your files on your computer, adding all those keyfiles, etc., and reformat the SD card and copy over all the files at once. Sometimes adjusting files once they're on the SD card makes things wonky.
 
If you are ONLY using decrypted roms you don't need a key file. Just short the EXC5 and run all of the decrypted sets you want back to back. You only need the key file with the decrypted sets if you are switching between encrypted and decrypted sets.
 
@Mitsurugi-w @ekorz

Well I put it all back together again. I formatted the SD card using a slow format. I was still putting things together after it was done formatting so I copied over the entire base pack.

I tried Alien versus Predator and Dimahoo and I'm still getting the same red screen.

Maybe I’m not understanding this correctly so I will lay out my steps I’m doing.

  1. Finish putting the Darksoft components back together.
  2. Short out the capacitors because why not, then put system into supergun.
  3. Format the SD card using a slow format into FAT32 file system.
  4. Copy the entire ‘games/gameXXXX’ folder to SD card from the file from this link: http://filefactory.com/folder/85e68a1a5763b811 named CPS2 Roll-Up Base Pack 2017-11-19.7z
  5. Power on the system. Displays red screen.
  6. Select Alien versus Predator on the menu and press enter.
  7. Display says it is writing.
  8. Display says “Have fun”.
  9. I reset system. It displays a red screen.
  10. I then select Dimahoo and press enter.
  11. Then repeat steps 7, 8 and 9.

Hopefully this clarifies what I'm doing and maybe reveals a mistake.

*Edit*
Tried Progear Halfway to Hell also. Same red screen. XD

On a side note. Thank you everyone for all the help. I really do appreciate it. Even if we don't find a solution, it just means a lot to me. Thanks again.
 
Last edited:
#9 well the system should be resetting itself if it's hooked it right, that's one thing...

I'm grasping now but you can confirm you have connectivity between the cn9 connector and those solder points? Just making sure the pins in the connector were crimped right, and also noticed the other ends that are soldered on are crushed a little.

Otherwise @Mitsurugi-w you think it might be worth trying to reload the latest firmware? @Paranoid_Andy I would wait for someone to agree on that before trying it. Also you'd want to remove the cn9 connector from the b board if/when you do that.
 
It can't hurt to try reloading the fw but really sounds like it's something simple that's being overlooked. Especially since the LCD says the game is playing.
 
Mine is all packed up or I'd try it... assuming it's a MAME pack game it should also be saying "writing key" in there after the game is loaded, yeah?
 
@Mitsurugi-w @ekorz

Okay, some more information for you guys.

I decided to do a continuity test on all the pins on the entire board anywhere the Darksoft pins in, also test my 4 wires soldered. The 4 wires checked out fine. Every single one of the pins on the entire board from the Darksoft checked out except for 1. I can't for the life of me get it to check out.

My testing was using the bottom of the B board solder points to the top of the Darksoft solder points. So with that 1 not beeping out, I then tried the lower portion of the (pick?) that goes into the slot and it beeped. So it seems I'm not getting contact inside the actual slot?

I'll include photos pointing out the problem area.

https://imgur.com/a/f9kG6

Also, it does seem to reset the system after the writing is complete. I just didn't notice it because most of the time the screen is red and then it's just a quick flash back to red.

*Edit*
Took it all apart again. Looked at that specific slot. Nothing at all different about it compared to the others. Same goes for the pin itself on the Darksoft. Oyyyy what a mess.

*Edit 2*
Bleh. I think maybe the issue with the 1 pin was just a mistake on my understanding that it seems the data bus connects in more than 1 spot for some of these. Looks like I was testing the wrong spot. I'll put it back together and check. The 4 wires still check out okay though so that's good.

*Edit 3*
Tested it again. It's fine, was just me.

I'm willing to try any other ideas. Just lemme know.
 
Last edited:
Does the display ever say "Writing Key" after the game loads? If not, definitely try reloading the latest firmware - your kit may be running an older version. Unplug the key writing connector from the board before applying the new firmware.
 
Also, I can't see in your photos if you soldered in a reset wire. If you didn't, your board won't reset automatically after flashing the game and writing the key files. Strongly recommend you add one in there. The reset wire is the long wire running up the center in the picture I posted earlier.
 
ShootTheCore said:
Does the display ever say "Writing Key" after the game loads?
Click to expand...
Yes it does. It says exactly this when I load a game:
Flash Writing
Programming Key
All Done
Have Fun!
Now Playing "XXXXGame"


ShootTheCore said:
Also, I can't see in your photos if you soldered in a reset wire.
Click to expand...
Yes I did. It does seem to auto reset after the game writes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top