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Requesting advice on Chihiro (netboot/update/repair)

UrQuan3

UrQuan3

Student
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USA
I am attempting to help a friend/local arcade operator get their Outrun 2 cab back to being reliable. Current status: the system often fails to boot, complaining that the GDROM lid is open. It will sometimes be running fine and stop, complaining that the GDROM lid has been opened. They have bought a replacement GDROM, and refurbished their original. All with the same unreliable result.

I am unclear on which version of Chihiro this is. No one on the internet seems to have posted and labeled photos of both. It has a main board, and a daughter board on top of the same size, with one of two DIMM slots filled (512MB RAM) and a smaller daughter board on top of that that has a second Ethernet port. The cab was originally part of a linked pair of cabs and had an Ethernet switch inside connected to the upper Ethernet port on the Chihiro.

Firmware versions:
Main Board
Region: USA
Boot Version 2.05
QC Firm 1.08
SC Firm 1.09

Media Board
DIMM Board(Type 3)
Memory Size 512MB
Firm Version 1.12

Network Board
Firm Version 12.07

We recently attempted to netboot it, first with a Pi3 and Piforcetools. We changed jumper 9 to 2-3 and it would now wait on the network. We set up static network settings for both the (core) Ethernet and the (media) Ethernet using different IPs. The result: Piforcetools could not ping the Chihiro. One-by one, we tried both a crossover cable and using the built-in switch into both Ethernet ports using both IPs.

Next, we borrowed a Windows laptop and tried pinging the Chihiro. The result: the (core) IP would respond from *both* Ethernet ports and the (media) IP would not respond from either. An average of about 25% of all pings were dropped with a “General failure” error. Needless to say, TransferGame.exe would always fail. We never got far enough to bother with the zero key.

So, any advice or opinions? There is much less info out there for the Chihiro than for the Naomi I am more familiar with. I am not convinced I can update firmware with these problems still active. It is even slightly possible that whatever flaw is causing a 25% packet loss might even be related to the GDROM problems.
 
Can you show a picture of your Chihiro setup please ?
 
In this order try:
1) Replace scsi cable to GDROM.
2) Check voltages (at the case) and/or replace power supply. 5.1v and 3.3v should be spot on. The "lid open" might be a catch-all error for the disc stopping spinning for whatever reason (power loss?)
3) Reseat all boards.
4) I'm a dummy and I was able to netboot my Chihiro fine with the Naomi instructions. Use the top ethernet and "media" settings. I'm using an ancient version of piforce that only loads one game. It requires Pi1 or Pi2, it won't work with Pi3. The point is, make sure your Pi is compatible with the version of piforce you're using. If the cab still needs to be linked, the basic netboot settings might not work.
 
Can you show a picture of your Chihiro setup please ?
Click to expand...
Dang. I knew I forgot something. Got pictures of the BIOS screens, ping results, even the force feedback belt (I'm trying to find where to buy them). No pictures of the Chihiro. I really should have taken a photo of the top board and its jumpers. In looking through this forum, it looks like these two, so I guess it's a type-3:

https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/2x-chihiro-type-3-512mb-motherboards-gdrom-drive.31430/

I wonder what a Type 1 looks like?
In this order try:
1) Replace scsi cable to GDROM.
2) Check voltages (at the case) and/or replace power supply. 5.1v and 3.3v should be spot on. The "lid open" might be a catch-all error for the disc stopping spinning for whatever reason (power loss?)
3) Reseat all boards.
4) I'm a dummy and I was able to netboot my Chihiro fine with the Naomi instructions. Use the top ethernet and "media" settings. I'm using an ancient version of piforce that only loads one game. It requires Pi1 or Pi2, it won't work with Pi3. The point is, make sure your Pi is compatible with the version of piforce you're using. If the cab still needs to be linked, the basic netboot settings might not work.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the suggestions! #2 is a good thought. Brownouts can cause all kinds of strange things, and I know from experience the GDROM pulls a fair amount of power. #4 also tells me something is fundamentally wrong. Neither ethernet port responded to the "media" IP address, and both responded to the "core" IP. Good mention on the 'linked' settings. I need to find where that is configured.
 
UrQuan3 said:
I wonder what a Type 1 looks like?
Click to expand...
it's basically the bottom part with a Netdimm on top (from a house of the dead 3):

IMG_3673.jpg


For your "issue", especially if it's for an arcade, check this post with a procedure to get rid of the gdrom and have a CF card running instead.
need for 2.19 firmware to allows any cf or ssd :( ... soooo this won't help your updating issue I am afraid.



Perhaps it's just your network board that's an issue even though they are usually pretty resilient:
IMG_4663.jpg


That top board from the top part should be easy to find (I have a few) since it's the bottom board of the bottom part that usually burns up from a non working fan (make sure they are good!)
 
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Once you have it netbooting, update it to the Darksoft CFBOX firmware (link) and then install a CF card reader as per Mrhide's post. This is the best solution. I've done this to five OutRun 2 cabs now and all of them run without any issues at all.

As for why you can't connect to the media board, you probably have the addresses set wrong. Check my Triforce guide, everything there applies to Chihiro as well:

https://www.arcade-projects.com/thr...3-to-use-cf-cards-tutorial.18576/#post-289416
 
Seems I have signed my self up for an ADVENTURE. I will let everyone know how it goes. Thank you everyone for your help so far.
 
With all the holiday activity, I never posted an update. I seem to have gone backwards on this project.

I purchased a pair of Type-3 Chihiro for practice. I have every reason to believe that they went into the shipping box working, and the bubble-wrap was done very well, but the both had broken mount points when they arrived. The bubble-wrap was holding the bits of plastic in place, so these systems clearly had a VERY rough trip. Neither are working.

I'm using the same power supply and cable I use on my Naomi. All three power LEDs light up (I like having those lights), but neither of the red and green status LEDs at the top of the filter board light up and no video seems to come from the bottom board. I've tried both video jumper cables, as well as running an Xbox cable straight to a TV. I've tried three different monitors as well. I have also tried disassembling one of the Chihiro and re-seating all the cables.

Anyone know someone who does shock based repairs in North America?
 
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