New Life Games Tech Forums

First off, I know there is a ton of posts on here about Netplex Link Down and there are even ones about it flashing as well. I've read every single one at this point and I'm still stuck. I bought 3 S2000 5 reels that were missing software. I've gotten all of the software but I'm getting this flashing Netplex thing and don't know where to go next. The machines came out of a batch that a friend picked from as well and over 20 of the 24 he bought started up right away without issues. I for some reason picked 3 out of 3 with problems.

The machine will light up when turned on, reels stiffen up, and netplex link down is shown. After about 3 seconds it starts flashing in 1 second intervals and it acts like its not getting power. Ticket printer flashes, VFD flashes, and 3 lights on the MPU flash. The top 2 green lights, the bottom 2 amber lights, and bottom green light stay on all the time. The top 2 amber lights as well as the red light are on the same cycle as the VFD and ticket printer. I've tried clearing it several times just to be sure and I have a key 31 which appears to do what its supposed to do when I put it in.

Out of the 3 games, 2 of them have enhanced MPUs so I'm focused on those 2 at this point since they are the same. I'm getting the same symptoms in both machines even after trying 4 seperate power supplies, 3 different MPUs, 3 different base chips, different I/O cards, and 2 completely different cabinets. I took one of the machines competely apart down to the bare cabinet just so I could unplug and reseat everything within the machine with no change in outcome. I've tried uplugging the ticket printer and bill validator to eliminate some of the netplex devices to see if that would help and nothing has changed.

I'm at the end of my troublshooting knowledge so hopefully somebody has some ideas I can try. I'm almost to the point of scrapping these things and going back to an S+ since my excursion into S2000s hasn't been so great thus far :279- If it wasn't for my girlfriend wanting to play these things, they might have ended up at the curb already  :200- If there are any particular pictures anyone would like me to take, just let me know.

I know you said you tried a Key 31
But did you clear the machine with a 97 clear chip?
I think the actual number of the chip is IVC00097

That should clear CMOS and EEPROM
Not positive that this is the issue, but it is the first place to start.

Otherwise get a known good working CPU from your buddy for testing purposes.

I hope you are only putting the key chip in long enough to get the 2 amber lights then re-install the base chip.
Check to make sure that none of the harness is not damaged or being pinched in the door hing if an upright machine.
Both batteries are still on the Enhanced MPU, and voltage is good on both, 2.7V or higher is good (button 3V, rechargeable 3.6)
It sounds like your green battery is not holding a charge
I created the symptoms you are having when I disconnected rechargeable battery on my enhanced mpu because I wanted to remove it like many do on the 50X boards
You can not remove either battery

Since you know how to take the machine apart maybe I or someone closer can test the MPU/motherboard and I/O cards for you. to make sure they are not the issue
I can if they are 3 reel themes (no vision or reel touch themes) no cost other than you pay shipping each way.

Thank you foster for the offer. My friend that bought the 20+ machines has a few 5 reels up and working so I guess my next step is to get ahold of him and get the boards tested. I wondered if the green battery could cause the issue, I left the machine running for a few hours last night to see if it would charge up and I did for a little bit get it to stop flashing but couldn't get any further. I need to let it run for a bit again and then test the voltage to see how dead it is. If its dead I'll find a battery store around here and get one of them replaced to see if thats the issue. I did see that one of the batteries looked like it was just starting to corrode so that's probably my issue. I need to get them off of there before they do any real damage to the board.

I appreciate the suggestions and I'll check back in once I make changes or progress.

Ok it took me a while to get the batteries shipped in and installed. Stupid work always getting in the way.

Both batteries were definitely dead. Coin cell battery was at .1 and the green battery was at .8

I replaced them both but I still get the exact same flashing netplex link down issue. I'm going to start over from a full clear and key to see if that helps. I looked to see if any wires appeared damaged and nothing seems to look wrong. Everything inside the machine is clean and looks good.

If the clear/key doesn't help I guess I'll swap out the power supplies again to see if that is the issue. Then if that doesn't work I guess its time to drive to a test machine  :25-

Just an update to what I've done so far. I replaced both batteries on 2 enhanced MPUs and tried with both of them (including 2 different daughter boards). I also tried both MPUs in 2 different cabinets to test with different power supplies/IO cards/motherboards. Both boards have the same flashing Netplex Link Down in both machines.

Odd things I found...
It doesn't flash when clear or key chip is in the machine.
The clear never shows a 2nd amber light, it has 2 green and the first amber (I don't know if that is normal or not on an enhanced board)

I'm stumped at this point.

Bent leg on a chip???  Not just your clear or key chip, but all that have been removed/reinserted...Got the same thing before on 1 Amber light.....I don't know, just a thought.  :103- :103-

I've only had a Netplex Down that wouldnt clear from a power supply, and you have eliminated that.  

Have you tried swapping motherboards with known good ones?

I don't have any known good ones. I just tried the 2 motherboards in the 2 cabinets that I have.

As for the bent pins, I did check all of them but didn't see anything. I tried two different daughter boards with different game, version and base chips and got the same result with either set of chips.

I have 1 more power supply to try in a machine. One of the 4 I have is bad since I see a busted cap but still I wouldn't think 4 out of 4 would be bad. My buddy bought a butterfly 7s 5 reel out of the same group mine came from and his was working. He had it turned off for a couple weeks and turned it on the other day. He's now getting the same flashing netplex link down as well.

You know...a question, and no offense in any way, but did you check the voltage on the new batteries AFTER you installed them?? More than once, we've grabbed a "new" battery, soldered it on, and no dice....sounds simple, but its happened!

Roslyn

I haven't messed with enhanced boards very much but I seem to recall there is a fuse on the mother board.

You'd be right Buzz, two of them in fact at the bottom center.

Also as far as daughter boards go, check the enhanced memory board connections.
Remove the 6 screws and pull the board. Then check the board for bent connections. This is where I find many of the issues where everything else at that point checks out good. Those pins are tiny and alignment has to be perfect or a pin will bend when installing the board.

I'll definitely check for bent pins on the daughter boards today. I'll also check the fuses on teh motherboards.

I checked both batteries on both boards. The coin cells were both around 2.8 and the green batteries were around 3.1.


It has to be something simple that I'm missing since its happening in 2 machines with multiple parts. Its frustrating to have no change in symptoms but I'll keep plugging away until I figure out the reason.

Ok so I checked the fuses on both motherboards and both sets tested fine. No bent pins in sight anywhere.


Am I at the point now where I just break down and start throwing money at it with working parts? My buddy's only working 5 reel that I was going to use to test is the one that just started having the same issues I'm having now.

Since I'm clueless as to what it might be, which parts should I start with first? I'd hate to buy more extras of parts that won't help me.

Have you checked the voltage on the Green battery NiMH on the MPU?

Foster  Reply #13

Have you checked checked your Power Supply behind the Reels?

Other things that can cause NP Down, bad BV or Printer

Harp

On an S2000 the netplex components are your Bill Validator, Thermal Printer, VFD, 7 Seg, and Spectrum Display.
Anyone of these that have a bad connection will give you that message.
And as mentioned, check your power supply by loosening the thumb screw and pulling to the left and reseat it.

Ron (r273)

crgadyk  I think in your reply #5 you gave away a problem with this puzzle.   you are not getting the 2 amber lights with the clear chip WHY ???  If your starting out with a BAD clear I don't think your ever going to get the machine to work. I don't know which clear chip your using, I would try a 97 as suggested by Neon. If your using a 97 are you sure it's a good one with no bent legs.

A friend gave me the clear chip and I think its a 97 but the label just said clear chip on it. He said he's used the same chip copy to clear machines but who knows if it actually works or not. I was starting to wonder the same thing about the clear chip. I don't get the 2nd light and then I don't get any errors that the step by step instructions on here say I should get when I put the base chip back in.

I guess I'll add a clear 97 to the shopping list. I was going to buy a known working power supply as well just to be sure I have a good one.

Thanks for the help everyone, its keeps hope alive that these will work  :89-

I think the going rate for a Power supply is about 40 dollars. I think I've had one or two bad power supply in like 200 machines. I've never repaired one but here's a link         http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=1988.msg14955#msg14955

If you're gonna buy one anyway get the newest bestest and get a 224 clear and you might as well get a 45 key chip while you're at it. Try to get origionals or at least get them from a reputable dealer here on the site. There's been quite a few complaints from people who got them on Ebay

Buzz,
I noticed that my 97 clear chip when used on an enhanced board, I only get one amber light.
The clear works and the machine resets and I'm able to access all the menus.
Has anyone else experienced this with the 97 clear on the enhanced boards?

Also for what's it's worth, I turned on a machine this morning and all I got was the flashing Netplex link down.
All lights were on the MPU and the red led would come on and then off as the machine tried to re-boot.
I pulled the MPU board and reseated it along with the reels and it booted back up as normal.  :103-

I wish mine was that simple lol I've tried reseating the MPU along with every other connection I can find. Sounds very similar though, all lights are on on the MPU and then the red and first two amber lights flash when the power cycles.

I'm picking up a power supply from CV slots. It doesn't hurt to have a known working one as a test. Should I also have her send a clear chip or is mine acting normal? From Neon's post it sounds like mine may be ok but again it wouldn't hurt to have a spare.

Update: I received the power supply and clear chip from CVSlots today (thanks again!). I installed the power supply and turned it on with the base chip installed. I didn't get the flashing netplex link error anymore (YAY) but it was just solid and I couldn't get it to do anything. So I installed the new clear 97 and I only get the two green and 1 amber light like I did before. I put the base chip back in and tried it and now I don't get anything on the display. All lights on the mpu are on and the bottom red light is flashing. I'm assuming that isn't good.

So now I'm going to research that and try a different MPU to see if its the same. Hopefully I don't have fried MPUs on top of power supply issues but that would be my luck  :208-

  :60- :60- :60-  That's not good....good to hear the power supply worked for you, but no good about the rest of the story.  I'm sorry...I was hoping your troubles would be over!

Roslyn

Apparently I was just kidding... I pulled the MPU out again (with the power off of course) and pushed it back in. Now I'm getting the flashing netplex again. With a known working power supply in the machine, can I officialy mark power supply off the list as a suspect?

Could the mpu or motherboard cause this?

These things better be really really fun when I get done with them  :5-

I don't remember if you said, but did you check / change the I/O on the door?

I posted before that I had a machine with the flashing Netplex Down and cleard it with re-seating the reels and MPU. You then replied that you checked that and they were good.
Well my machine did this again. The fix this time was the door I/O card. Re-seated both connectors and my machine came up again.

FWIW, I hope this helps.

I reseated them in the beginning but that was weeks ago. Its worth a shot. I'll run down to the garage and give it a shot.

No dice... I tried multiple sets of IO cards in 2 different machines with the new power supply and without. I had a 3rd MPU that I hadn't tried so I replaced the battery and tried it and failed (I think that one is dead though since no lights come on at all).

So I think I've checked the power supply off the list as well as something loose or oxidized since I unplugged and replugged everything on the motherboard as well as on the IO door cards and the IO card by the MPU. They are inching ever closer to being expensive clay pigeons
 :97- :200-

Have you tried disabling all netplex devices in the keychip menu? If it works you could then add them back till the problem reoccurs

I can't get to any menus... I turn on the machine and I get the flashing netplex and can't make it any further.

When I put a keychip in it doesn't do anything.

What if you clear it and put the keychip in before the SB?

A motherboard seems to be about the only thing left.  Slots4home had a strange one the other day involving a blank VFD (Netplex device).  He threw about every part at it and it ended up being the bill validator (Netplex device) that was causing the VFD to go blank.  Did you disconnect and reconnect on those devices as well?

Jason

Yep unplugged all of the displays, bill accepter, printer, etc.

My friend got his working with a new battery so I might just take all of my parts down to him to throw in his machine to see if they work. It just seems odd that I have 2 machines doing the exact same thing and can't pinpoint the root cause. I'm sure its something stupid but I just don't see anything.

QUESTIONS:

What about on a clear? Did you clear the machine clear with the new clear chip? (If not, then is the chip socket itself the culprit?)
What settings did you use originally for SAS and Remote Hand Pay?


Did you key it as cowboy suggested? What happened?

I hope that there is ultimately a solution to this problem because I have 3 enhanced boards doing the same thing. They all had bad green batteries but I replaced them with new ones. I have tried all of the suggestions above as well. I have decided to just change the backpane boards out and install non-enhanced boaeds. The machines of mine that have those type boards in them have never given me a problem what so ever.

I've tried a full clear a few times. I'm going to try going from clear to key tonight (again) to see if it helps. I've gotten a few PMs on the subject and it appears the MPU can be problematic on the enhanced boards.

My friend has a couple spare boards but its going to be next weekend before I can get down there. Hes going to let me test all of my parts in his working machine so maybe we'll get to the bottom of it.

I saw on the delphi forum that someone had pinpointed U67 (I think) which is the Intel chip. I don't know if that is the only issue but it might be a common one.

I dont mean to hi-jack the thread, but Ive been following along because this really intrests me as a new person to slots. But could someone explain what "enhanced boards" are or what they do over a regular board?
Thanks.

Ok update time. I went down to see my friend today to test my MPUs in his machine. I'm really starting to not like s2000 5 reels with enhanced boards. I saw his machine work successfully when I got there. We pulled his working board and tried one of mine, immediately get the flashing netplex down. We tried a 2nd board of mine and got the same thing. Then the odd part, we put his board back in and it started giving the flashing netplex down as well. We had to reboot it several times and kept fooling with it and it eventually started working again. So machine is back up and running 100%, we put a couple dollars through it to make sure (for research purposes only of course  :200-). Then we grabbed a couple boards from a pile of spares that he bought from his supplier. First board we put in gave the flashing netplex right away and no amount of fiddling with it would get it to work. The 2nd board didn't have the same flashing, it was just a solid netplex down on the screen. I brought that board home since it was the only one that might have a chance but I'm now getting a different issue.

The board in the machine now isn't flashing netplex down but I'm getting every light on but the 2nd green one (from the top). The reels aren't stiffening up and I can't get it to do anything else. I tried putting the key chip in to see if that would help but it didn't. Any ideas?


On a different note, I have a non enhanced 5 reel that had a dead board. Picked up a new board and got it to go through the initialization stuff, pushed the white button, turned the key 3 times. Stuck in a loop. Read on here that it probably mean the wrong game chips. It had 362s in it for a Double Diamond Run 5 reel non Vision. I had an extra set of 363s that I threw on the board and then it started giving me a flashing netplex down now as well. I really do have nightmares about this stupid flashing netplex down  :279-

Open and close the main door latch 3 or 4 times.

Are you by chance changing the daughter board with the software? I installed a new battery the other day and when I put the daughter board back on and fired the game up I got this same thing. It turned out that I bent a pin where the daughter plugs into the mpu. very difficult to see but I had the same symptoms. installed a new daughter board and the mpu that I changed the green battery on and the game worked

I'll trying opening and shutting the latch a few times first. If that doesn't work I'll throw a different daughter board in and see if anything changes. I'll report back in a few

 :25-

Doesn't the red light usually mean something bad? I hate red lights and flashing netplex down errors  :208-

Ok I opened and closed the latch on the door while it was shut about 30 times and nothing happened. I swapped out the daughter board with a different one and no change as well.
I've attached a picture of how the LEDs on the board are when the machine is on. The 2nd light from the top is the only one that isn't on. Something is definitely not right but I'm fresh out of ideas at this point.

Through all this have you swapped the motherboard ever?

Well kinda, I have two machines with enhanced motherboards and its doing the same thing in both machines.

I tried keying it, then tried clear and key...

that acts like the bent daughterboard pin or eprom in backwards that Ive done many times

yeah I checked the eproms to make sure they weren't in backwards and I tried 3 different daughter boards on the same MPU and they all act the same. I just swamped cabinets again to try a 2nd motherboard and it lit up the same.

you got an 039 board and mother board? you could try that and eliminate anything to do with the cabinet and the software. it would narrow it down a bunch

Thats kind of a funny story... I do have a non enhanced motherboard and MPU but I think the MPU is messed up for it lol

The one I had from the machine when I got it fried. Heard the pop and smelled the magic smoke come out. It went completely dead and didn't do anything. I just got another one today from my friend and it seemed to be working. I put it in and it started up its initializing stuff but came up with a type mismatch error (as it should) which I hit the white button and turned the key 3 times. It went back through that whole loop again 3 times before I stopped. Looked on here and found a forum topic where they talked about it and it said most likely a mismatch of game chips to base chip. It had 362 game chips in it so I swapped out with a set of 363s and tried again. Got the netplex down flashing error afterwards. So I put the key chip in (key 17 since its not enhanced) and ran the key. When I put the base chip back in it didn't go into initializing or anything. It just had all of the lights on and the red light was flashing. I checked the battery and it was extremely low (like 0.7) so I unsoldered it out and put on a battery holder and good battery. I'm still getting the same thing with it (all LEDs lit steady except for red which flashes faintly).

So yes I have a set but I think there is issues with those as well. Just luck of the draw when buying unshopped machines, you win sme you lose some. I like a good challenge but this is getting redonkulous.
 :97-

I noticed reading your last post that you never mentioned a clear chip. I have, a couple of times, gotten rid of the flashing by clearing the game. I know this just confuses the issue here.

the 363 and 362, I've had experience with. either one should work. I could always get the game to come up fine with either. I had issues and could never run 362's but you're not hooked up to a tito system.

I think your just running around chasing you tail. Let's go back and review what I think you have said. You bought 3 machines with no software, two with enhanced boards and one with a 902/904 board.  All three of these machines seem to have the same error. So what do all three machines have in common ??  Software from the same person ??  Did your friend get his software from the same place you did??  Do all three machines have the same software ?? ( SB chip )  

At your friends you said your board would not work in his machine, but what if you go back up there and put all four of your chips on his board and give it a try in his known good machine.  That way we would know if they are a good set and quit talking about bent pins and so forth.

Are you still using the clear chip that your not sure what it is, or if it's any good ??     Another question, did you clear and key your board when you installed it in your friends machine ?

Lets see if I can capture all that I have and all that I've done in one post.

The base chips came from CVslots so I know they are good or at least different than my friends software. The game chips and version chips all came from my friend. He's used backups from the same set of files in other games successfully. He got the software from his supplier. As far as base chips, I have the correct base chip for each game and all are different.

As far as machines, we've had around 30 that all came from the same warehouse. I think out of the 30ish there has been six 5 reels and the rest were mainly 3 reels with a 4 reel or two mixed in. He's had 0 issues with all of the 3 reels (which were bought parts complete w/ software). Out of the six 5 reels, all of them have had problems. 5 of them came from the same casino load. He has 2 w/ enhanced and 1 without just like I have. He has 1 with intermittent issues (but has successfully worked) that was our test machine today, 1 that has a coin in jam that won't go away (he's replaced just about every part in it), and a 902 machine that now works but had several issues as well.

I seem to be having a different issue with my non enhanced cabinet now. I got the flashing netplex for a few minutes but now I don't get anything on the screen and just get the mpu leds all lit with the red one being the only one flashing. I now have a total of 5 enhanced boards in the garage now. 1 is dead as a doornail (no lights, no stiff reels, nothing), 3 flashing netplex down over and over again, and the 1 that has all of the lights on but the 2nd green one from the top. I've got 4 daughter boards and I've tried them on the different boards and in both cabinets to test with different motherboards. I'm using 363 game chips and GX1 multi denom version chips. The two enhanced machines were bought without software while the non enhanced had it in there already.

Of the 3 original enhanced boards that I had, one was in the machine when we bought them. The others were from a box of motherboards on a different trip to the warehouse. Both could have possibly been pulled from a stack of bad boards for all I know.

When we tested the boards today, we did not clear and key them in his machine. I assumed it would be the same since I immediately got the same flashing netplex as I was getting at home and I had tried clear/key at home. I tried a clear chip that CVslots sent me to try and I got the exact same results so I'm assuming the clear chip I have is good. I should have tried my chips on his board but didn't think about it since I didn't want to potentially screw up the only working board we had at the time.

Whoa, hold on a minute....base chips didn't come from us  :60- :60- unless I am forgetting something???? We sent you a power supply, a battery, and a Clear 97, all of which were returned to me this week.

OUCH

 :72- :72- No, no OUCH...just don't wanna get blamed when the Base chips end up to be bad! That'd be my luck...

crgadyk I'll bet you don't make Ros's Christmas card list, you sent the parts back !! What are you gonna do when you break a leg on that clear chip, wait for someone to mail you another one ??  I'll bet I have 6 or 8 of them.

OK back to the machine, you may have three base chips with the right SB number but you don't know if they are corrupt chips or not.  I don't care who but who ever burned the chips, did they use the right speed chip, are their files corrupt ?   You just have to start with some known good parts. Slot machine is like a puzzle, one part at a time.

I got the impression your friend has a eprom burner, have him read your chips and post the check sums and SB numbers, I'm sure some of our members have the same game and can verify the check sums. Hell we don't even know which game themes were working on.   :211-

We've had 2 transactions, first one was 2 base chips. They were for a Triple Stars and a Double Diamond. I can find the original thread about it if you'd like further proof.


I'll have to talk to my friend about getting the checksums read. I'll run down in a bit and get a list of the SB numbers for the games but I have a double diamond run non vision 5r9l90cm, double diamond free spins 5r9l180cm, and a triple stars 5r9l45cm. The DDR is the cabinet with the non enhanced setup. I'll take a few pictures today as well.

Really?!?!? I completely forgot about it, which isn't unusual. Well, then DAMN! Now I AM on the hook if the base chips turn out to be the culprit!  :72-  No, No worries, we haven't had any problems with them, I wouldn't expect you to.

Roslyn

I don't think its a software problem. I think its an I'm cursed with bad luck problem lol

I'm just afraid that my MPUs and my friend's spare ones came from the same pile out of the same warehouse. Our luck they were pulled out of the bad pile. My friend lives about an hour and a half away so it might be a bit before I make it back down there. I'm going to continue working on these, just might be a while before any significant progress is made. Luckily they don't eat so it doesn't cost me anything to leave them in the garage  :200-

Ok I have a positive update finally for this.

I've gotten one of the machines up and running now. I got a couple new boards and when I swapped MPUs it came to life (after some work)

Here is what I figured out:

• I had bad MPUs
• The 363 game chips that I got from my friend appear to be bad. Luckily one of the new boards that I got had a set of 363s on it so I used them to test with.
• I think I got a bad base chip for the Double Diamond 5r9l180cm. I keep getting a Base Game error when I tried to use it even after a clear and re-key. I used a different base chip from the other game I have and was able to get it to work.

Now that I have a working game, I'm going to go through all of the chips that I have and determine which ones work and which ones dont to eliminate confusion. The game chips from my friend immeiately gave me a flashing netplex down error using the same board that was working.

My 2nd cabinet has a loose wire (I think) somewhere that I need to track down. The door optics wouldn't work (known good and currently working in a different cabinet) and I could never get it to show that the door was shut to get past the eeprom error during the clear and key process (even by trying to use a jumper wire between the two optics temporarily. Thats next on my agenda to work through but I'm happy at this point since I'm able to play a game. I'm having an issue with the multi denom touchpad but I haven't gone through it yet to see if its a bad touchpad or an incorrect setting on my part. I'm guessing its an incorrect setting.

I also ended up with a couple R boards but thats a different topic for discussion. I'll be posting about that one soon  :3-