the Goat
Grand Master
DARKSOFT The Definitive Guide to Fixing Your CPS2 Multi Kit
- Thread starter xodaraP
- Start date
no more confusion
that1crzywhtguy
Student
This is a redo from this post.
My darksoft modded cps2 just started having graphical issues a couple weeks ago (attached below). I've been running it without issue for years... Until a July 9th!
I confirmed today that the issue is the multi. I borrowed a working A+B board (complete with his own Darksoft multi) form a nice guy (mann0mann on this forum). I started by trying his B board on my A, and vice versa. The pair with my B board still had the issue. I tried swapping the SD cards, and still the issue was on my B. Then finally, to be fully thorough, I carefully swapped the multis. The board with my multi sadly still had the issue.
So! Any ideas what might be the cause, and if it might be fixable!? I'm hopeful I'm nearing the cause and thus a fix, but most of all, I'm eager to play my CPS2 again!
Thanks in advance!
My darksoft modded cps2 just started having graphical issues a couple weeks ago (attached below). I've been running it without issue for years... Until a July 9th!
I confirmed today that the issue is the multi. I borrowed a working A+B board (complete with his own Darksoft multi) form a nice guy (mann0mann on this forum). I started by trying his B board on my A, and vice versa. The pair with my B board still had the issue. I tried swapping the SD cards, and still the issue was on my B. Then finally, to be fully thorough, I carefully swapped the multis. The board with my multi sadly still had the issue.
So! Any ideas what might be the cause, and if it might be fixable!? I'm hopeful I'm nearing the cause and thus a fix, but most of all, I'm eager to play my CPS2 again!
Thanks in advance!
Attachments
Most common cause of this issue on cps2 multi (if not an installation or cps2 hardware issue) is a failed buffer near the top of the main multi pcb.
that1crzywhtguy
Student
I reflowed them and it changed. Not fixed, but better. So I think you're spot on. Any good ideas on narrowing down which buffer failed? Swapping 1 seems tricky. Swapping 14 seems daunting.
that1crzywhtguy
Student
Thanks for the idea! I tried that again and no change... But then I maybe made a breakthrough.
Found that with one of the buffer chips (circled in red), if I pressed on it, the glitches shifted...
So, I swapped it for another neighboring buffer chip (circled in yellow).
Not easy working those off, but doable.
I'm chicken shit with hot air. Always seems too uncontrollable.
Now I have different glitches. Looks like that's the problem! Ordered ten of em from digikey since apparently these are known to fail.
Not a cheap chip these days, about $1.50 a pop. $20 after shipping for the ten.
Hope when they arrive I can get back to gaming on this beast!!!
Found that with one of the buffer chips (circled in red), if I pressed on it, the glitches shifted...
So, I swapped it for another neighboring buffer chip (circled in yellow).
Not easy working those off, but doable.
I'm chicken shit with hot air. Always seems too uncontrollable.
Now I have different glitches. Looks like that's the problem! Ordered ten of em from digikey since apparently these are known to fail.
Not a cheap chip these days, about $1.50 a pop. $20 after shipping for the ten.
Hope when they arrive I can get back to gaming on this beast!!!
Attachments
duffcon
Professional
Watch some youtube vids on hot air rework; use some foil as shielding for the neighboring chips and it's like magic.
that1crzywhtguy
Student
Oh I've done it successfully, I just don't like it. lol
These boards at least don't have a bunch of electrolytics to heat up and pop anyway, and if I'm removing chips that are malfunctioning anyway no risk overheating them and killing them.... But yeah, I still don't like hot air. I got both of those chips off with just a soldering iron.
I recently had to do some really detailed rework on an incredibly rare/irreplaceable board in a Sony CRT projector. There was just no way I was using hot air on that, but chipquik got it done!
-Cheers!
These boards at least don't have a bunch of electrolytics to heat up and pop anyway, and if I'm removing chips that are malfunctioning anyway no risk overheating them and killing them.... But yeah, I still don't like hot air. I got both of those chips off with just a soldering iron.
I recently had to do some really detailed rework on an incredibly rare/irreplaceable board in a Sony CRT projector. There was just no way I was using hot air on that, but chipquik got it done!
-Cheers!
duffcon
Professional
Chipquik is also magic, just expensive!
that1crzywhtguy
Student
Congrats dude.
Everyone who has a fault in their CPS2 multi can now send them to @that1crzywhtguy for repair!
(Joke)
Everyone who has a fault in their CPS2 multi can now send them to @that1crzywhtguy for repair!
(Joke)
that1crzywhtguy
Student
I may never have found that fault by myself, but I am handy with the iron.
Bjt
Enthusiast
My darksoft cps2 Multi started having graphical issues 
. Avp game won't start at all.
5 Months ago there where no any problems. Carefully removed the entire casing. PCB reassembled several times. no change. is there any first aid for this? Please Help 
. Avp game won't start at all.5 Months ago there where no any problems. Carefully removed the entire casing. PCB reassembled several times. no change.
is there any first aid for this? Please Help Attachments
Check for broken or loose pins. Make sure interconnect pcb is well connected. Try new SD card. Try a different b-board.
Bjt
Enthusiast
I'll take it to the technician today. Hope it will still work….
Trol
Professional
Back up and running. Sd card was corrupt. ffing Kingston again ... replaced with a Sandisk
Bjt
Enthusiast
Thank you very much 
cruzlink2
Grand Master
Friend sent me an old kit he had bought but never got around installing cause most of the pins had taken damage in shipping. I replaced all the damaged pins and installed the board on a Asia board set with a version 6 B board. I tested it an noticed no matter what game I flashed the graphics are always messed up. Now I flashed the key writing firmware then connected the cables after as per instructions. I double checked the pins and they were all intact, made sure the sandwich was tight and it made no difference. I even moved the kit to a version 7 USA board set and the results were exactly the same. At this point I pretty much did everything mentioned at the beginning of this thread. I am starting to suspect maybe the flash chips or buffers on the multi. Any help you lbe greatly appreciated.
