What's new
By:
Filters

Namco System ES3 Teardown and some basic info

IZANAGI said:
Hello Franco!

I have a Time Crisis 5 ES3 system with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 760. The GPU died and am looking for a replacement. Do you know if it is possible to replace the GPU with any GTX 760? I found many options on new egg.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=Nvidia+Gtx+760

Thank you!
Click to expand...
You just can’t pop in a retail GTX760 and expect it to work. The arcade cards have a different BIOS that are tied with the HDD and if you put one that isn’t the same, bitlocker will be tripped and brick the ES3 HDD. I unfortunately can’t share any details here.

One last thing I forgot to mention, the ES3 used different models of the GTX760, each has a slightly different BIOS. So, even if you find one from another ES3, make sure it’s the same make and model or else you’ll end up with a bricked HDD.
 
Last edited:
Franco23444 said:
You just can’t pop in a retail GTX760 and expect it to work. The arcade cards have a different BIOS that are tied with the HDD and if you put one that isn’t the same, bitlocker will be tripped and brick the ES3. I unfortunately can’t share any details here.

One last thing I forgot to mention, the ES3 used different models of the GTX760, each has a slightly different BIOS. So, even if you find one from another ES3, make sure it’s the same make and model or else you’ll end up with a bricked system.
Click to expand...
This is great info!

Thank you so much!

I'll be sending my PC to NAMCO for repairs. The last Tekken 7 PC I sent in for repairs had an $800 charge for the GPU and $150 in labor. Kinda pricey.

I do appreciate it. You saved me the headache of getting an unsupported card.
 
I have replaced the CMOS battery of the system only that the namco es3 does not restart anymore it gives me japponesi writings. help thanks
 
darkgame said:
I have replaced the CMOS battery of the system only that the namco es3 does not restart anymore it gives me japponesi writings. help thanks
Click to expand...

There is a jumper pin on the motherboard that can power on system, near the 24 pin power cord.
 
darkgame said:
I have replaced the CMOS battery of the system only that the namco es3 does not restart anymore it gives me japponesi writings. help thanks
Click to expand...
Do you have a picture of what you’re seeing? Most likely when you removed the battery, it probably wiped something and may have caused the HDD bitlocker to trip, but I’m not sure. Was the system working properly before you did the battery change?
 
Replacing the battery won't reset the TPM keys but they might reset the bios settings. Default settings should be ok, so... It shouldn't be a problem neither.

You have a different problems like a change in bios, CPU, PCI stacks, etc... If during the extension of the PCR value there is a small change, then PCR won't be good and will prevent bitlocker deciphering.
 
Screenshot_20221017-120851844.png
 
problem similar to this i would like to enter the bios but it asks me for password
 
Did you change any parts (battery excluded) between the time it worked and then failed ?

If you didn't change anything, then try to unplug and reseat the graphic card.
 
Rom1 said:
Replacing the battery won't reset the TPM keys but they might reset the bios settings. Default settings should be ok, so... It shouldn't be a problem neither.

You have a different problems like a change in bios, CPU, PCI stacks, etc... If during the extension of the PCR value there is a small change, then PCR won't be good and will prevent bitlocker deciphering.
Click to expand...
Actually, since I do have a retail C7B75 motherboard, looking into the bios settings, there is an option to save any setting changes as default settings, however that’s the retail motherboard, not sure about the ES3 version unless it’s the same thing. If any parts weren’t changed, probably the RAM has been installed backwards as I did get this issue with one of my ES3s. Like @Rom1 said, make sure everything is plugged in properly.

Edit: retail BIOS and ES3 BIOS menus are exactly the same, nothing is really different other than the custom color bar boot splash screen the ES3 has to hide the SuperMicro text screen.
 
Last edited:
Franco23444 said:
You just can’t pop in a retail GTX760 and expect it to work. The arcade cards have a different BIOS that are tied with the HDD and if you put one that isn’t the same, bitlocker will be tripped and brick the ES3 HDD.
Click to expand...

This is wrong. If Bitlocker trips, it doesn't brick the HDD. I just tripped mine and subsequently had the game booting again with the "correct" card.

For graphics card replacement, I'm pretty sure you can pop in a retail 2GB GTX760, but you have to flash the firmware from the original card to it. The chip that holds firmware is U505 on the backside of the card. It's a 2Mbit serial flash memory.

The replacement MSI card I have is unfortunately broken (pic below), but I'll report back once I have found a working card and have tried it again.
 

Attachments

  • t7_gpu_replacement.jpg
    t7_gpu_replacement.jpg
    64.8 KB · Views: 85
nem said:
This is wrong. If Bitlocker trips, it doesn't brick the HDD. I just tripped mine and subsequently had it running again with the "correct" card.

For graphics card replacement, I'm pretty sure you can pop in a retail 2GB GTX760, but you have to flash the firmware from the original card to it. The chip that holds firmware is U505 on the backside of the card. It's a 2Mbit serial flash memory.

The replacement MSI card I have is unfortunately broken (pic below), but I'll report back once I have found a working card and have tried it again.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I found that out the other day lol, but it is possible to trip it accidentally if you press enter with a keyboard connected to the unit (in which, why?). As long as you don’t press enter and have the incorrect card installed, remove it, flash it with either the original correct bios the original card shipped with or find an exact replacement. You can upgrade the card but for that to happen, you need to have the bitlocker removed, basically have the HDD decrypted. Examples of a PNY GTX760 I flashed with the arcade black GTX760 bios. Am I going to be sharing the BIOS file, no… 🙃
3DF0A86A-AEB0-411B-9AA2-AD96ADE05271.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Most PNY card are first generation GTX760 so yes, they work with both stock ES3 GTX760 firmwares. You don't even need to share the bios as it's already online on techpowerup.
Try to flash it on other model, they won't work and have funky glitches like "half screen" working or whatever.

About U505: yeah why not do a soldering/flashing job, but it's far simpler to just use nvflash. Having a freedos+nvflash usbkey is enough, and you can use the ES3 itself as it can boot on USB.
 
Rom1 said:
Most PNY card are first generation GTX760 so yes, they work with both stock ES3 GTX760 firmwares. You don't even need to share the bios as it's already online on techpowerup.
Try to flash it on other model, they won't work and have funky glitches like "half screen" working or whatever.

About U505: yeah why not do a soldering/flashing job, but it's far simpler to just use nvflash. Having a freedos+nvflash usbkey is enough, and you can use the ES3 itself as it can boot on USB.
Click to expand...
Your expertise is always a pleasure bro! I used this PNY card and yeah, flashing the BIOS is the exact same process as flashing a card for the Taito systems.
image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg
 
I have two ES3. I swapped the cards between the two units and I tripped Bitlocker. I'm not sure I understand how a generic BIOS is going to work.

Rom1 said:
About U505: yeah why not do a soldering/flashing job, but it's far simpler to just use nvflash.
Click to expand...

I don't have a computer that can take these cards. Easier for me to just flash and solder.

EDIT: oh right, I guess I could have just used the ES3 for it. Maybe next time.
 
Last edited:
nem said:
I have two ES3. I swapped the cards between the two units and I tripped Bitlocker. I'm not sure I understand how a generic BIOS is going to work.



I don't have a computer that can take these cards. Easier for me to just flash and solder.
Click to expand...
Do you happen to have a picture of the broken card? I only have the BIOS dumps for the green text and all black blower style GTX760 cards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top