GDROM Repairs - Error 24

[RealMFnG]

My GDROM may be dead. Seems when I booted the GDROM with my Sun PSU, the PSU wasn't outputting enough juice to even power on the system. The Sun PSU may be on its last legs. I rigged up a separate JST connector to an ATX PSU to power the GDROM separately. Then used the Sun PSU to power the NAOMI only. The system powers up, but I still get Error 24. I know that is typically indicative of a bad SCSI cable, but I have used two different SCSI cables and they are the official GDROM cables. So it is likely not the cable. I can pick up the GDROM and hear the disc spinning inside, so I do have power to the GDROM.

Anyone ever repair a GDROM with Dreamcast parts can give me pointers? All I am trying to do is use the firmware disc to update some Dimm's. Then I can put away the GDROM.

 

[RealMFnG]

Welp, I did the swap of the GDROM unit with my Dreamcast. It was a cinch. And after plugging it in, I got GDROM access!!



But sadly, I got no firmware update action going on from revision 1.02



The good news is both of my Dimm's still work. I bought them sight unseen. The bad news, I am going to have to do surgery to get them to the revision I need. Sad that the old sega-naomi forum died before I got this far. Probably all the info I needed about what revisions could be updated with the firmware disc was there but is now in limbo.

I think I found some threads here where people were holding out about sending these Dimm's off to Mitsurugi-w to perform the surgery. Some were actively bidding on Yahoo for the disc. Should be noted that the 3.17 firmware disc can't update firmware 1.02. Hope this saves someone the trouble.

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

Good info to know.

 

[werejag]

yes you can downgrade, by holding down the test or service button (can't remember which) on the Naomi mainboard while booting the firmware disc (puts the Naomi into force mode).---andygeezer

maybe this can force upgrade?

 

[RealMFnG]

yes you can downgrade, by holding down the test or service button (can't remember which) on the Naomi mainboard while booting the firmware disc (puts the Naomi into force mode).---andygeezer

maybe this can force upgrade?

Does nothing for upgrading. Tried both service and test at different points during the boot sequence (from power up, from just before memory check, from just after reboot) without any luck.

 

[werejag]

sorry was just googling

 

[stylecity]

I had the same issue with my tabletop project. But after I cleaned out the gd-rom, and mounted the cable (different than original position) it hasn't given me a problem. I think it's my cable but who knows.

 

[RealMFnG]

I had the same issue with my tabletop project. But after I cleaned out the gd-rom, and mounted the cable (different than original position) it hasn't given me a problem. I think it's my cable but who knows.

When I opened the GDROM, it was caked with dust and grime. It must have been located in the seediest strip bar or the most dank of man caves. I don't even want to touch it. I'll either toss it or keep it for parts. In any case, the hope is to pick up the GDEMU and I can get the Dreamcast back up and going. For now though, that drive is going to sit in the NAOMI GDROM.

 

[stylecity]

I had the same issue with my tabletop project. But after I cleaned out the gd-rom, and mounted the cable (different than original position) it hasn't given me a problem. I think it's my cable but who knows.

When I opened the GDROM, it was caked with dust and grime. It must have been located in the seediest strip bar or the most dank of man caves. I don't even want to touch it. I'll either toss it or keep it for parts. In any case, the hope is to pick up the GDEMU and I can get the Dreamcast back up and going. For now though, that drive is going to sit in the NAOMI GDROM.

Ive seen floating around the internet something about being able to focus the laser on these too. Supposedly works.

 

[MetalliC]

yes you can downgrade, by holding down the test or service button (can't remember which) on the Naomi mainboard while booting the firmware disc (puts the Naomi into force mode).---andygeezer

maybe this can force upgrade?

Does nothing for upgrading. Tried both service and test at different points during the boot sequence (from power up, from just before memory check, from just after reboot) without any luck.

old topic, but let it be here.

I had look at DIMM 3.17 firmware updater for NAOMI - I see there no code which may put it into "forced update" mode if some key/switch pressed.
forced mode should be enabled in updater binary: open it in Hex-editor, change value at 7E0h from 0 to 1, save.
will also work for other updater versions, if someone need them.

 

[werejag]

thank you MetalliC

 

[RealMFnG]

Hi @MetalliC,

The whole thing about this thread was to attempt to upgrade a regular DIMM at 1.02 firmware to a higher firmware and eventually to 4.02 without performing Tyler Durden's surgery. The intermediate step is to swap the daughter card of the regular DIMM with a NetDIMM. But it doesn't seem possible as 1.02 has no networking features. Unless you can think of another way, the only way to upgrade from 1.02 is with surgery.

 

[MetalliC]

Unless you can think of another way, the only way to upgrade from 1.02 is with surgery.

no, there is no way to update 1.0x DIMMs to 2.x via software updater.
mainly because they are very different software, its like updating Lunux to Windows10 trying to install it on the top, ie impossible.

as 1.02 has no networking features.

actually 1.02 have networking features, but they are very different than VxWorks, and existing tools for >2.x firmwares like TransferGame.exe likely will not work.
also it might require special Network board for 1.0x DIMMs, like this one for example https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sega-Network-adapter-837-13988/153302361237?hash=item23b1886495

 

[RealMFnG]

Not worth the effort to obtain that special network daughter board over doing the surgery. Plus, NetDimm's were harder to come by at the time of the original post. Now that Yaton has flooded the market with these, not really worth the effort/cost.

 

[MetalliC]

Not worth the effort to obtain that special network daughter board over doing the surgery.

surgery in any way.
even if you'll be able to upload via network lets say 3.17 updater - it will not work because - see previous post.