IGT i-Game 044 MPU Flashing Red Light No Boot No Video

[CaptainHappy]

Howdy folks,

I have an IGT LXS 19" Slant Top i-Game configured with the 044 setup. On the 044 MPU Board all of the Green and Amber lights are solidly lit, but the Red light keeps slowly flashing and the machine is dead,  No Boot No Video. The lights and fans do come on fine, but the monitor does not come on, and there is no static feel if you touch the screen. It never boots up, and the bill validator never tests or enables.

I am guessing/suspecting that the MPU board has a problem as I have tried several different flash game boards with the same problem.

Has anone ever had this problem and knows how to solve it???

Before you ask, I do not have a spare 044 MPU Board available to try it in this machine.

Doing my research first in case it is an easy solution! Hopefully someone can help me get this machine going again. Otherwise I will have to get some parts...

It used to work perfectly, noone ever touched any of the boards or anything, they just turn it on and play.

Thanks!

CaptainHappy

[Jimise]

Have you checked the fuses on the backplane?

[CaptainHappy]

Have you checked the fuses on the backplane?

No, but I will now that you asked... I didn't bother at first since everything seemed to be getting power, but now that I think of it the monitor may not be getting power? I also did not bother as I was probably too lazy to try to move everything out and get to them! LOL

CH

[Buzz]

Mark  I don't want to get rid of this board, but do you want for me to send it to you for testing ???  No hurry to get it back I don't even have a backplane for it.

[CaptainHappy]

Have you checked the fuses on the backplane?

No, but I will now that you asked... I didn't bother at first since everything seemed to be getting power, but now that I think of it the monitor may not be getting power? I also did not bother as I was probably too lazy to try to move everything out and get to them! LOL

CH

Jimise, Fuses are OK.... also in an awkward spot! HA HA!

Buzz, I was about to call you anyway so I will call. (Oh crap, now he knows not to answer!!!!

CH

[CVslots]

Have you checked the fuses on the backplane?

No, but I will now that you asked... I didn't bother at first since everything seemed to be getting power, but now that I think of it the monitor may not be getting power? I also did not bother as I was probably too lazy to try to move everything out and get to them! LOL

CH

Jimise, Fuses are OK.... also in an awkward spot! HA HA!

Buzz, I was about to call you anyway so I will call. (Oh crap, now he knows not to answer!!!!

CH

Oh good lord, don't call him!! He needs his beauty sleep! Haven't you seen the guy?!?!!!!!!???!

[Yoeddy1]

Mark, if you do call him, call him something good for me.

Jason

[cowboygames]

Cap, start by looking for the usual suspects. Bad connections, possible shorts, pull and reseat all chips and daughter boards and check battery(s)

[Buzz]

Jason   Roz

[CaptainHappy]

Howdy,

Just a friendly bump  as it has been a few days... all of the normal stuff does nothing to help.

Hopefully new eyes can see this topic and lend some thoughts and answers about the diagnosis of the flashing red light???

Thanks for the help and ideas thus far!

CaptainHappy

[Mirage_Chaser]

There are two places that could be the source of your flashing red light.

One is, is the flashing red light coming from the fiber connection because the stopper is missing? Or two is the flashing red light the last led and looks just like the other led's (except its red) and is right inline with the green and amber ones?

I am going to assume it is option two because I have the most to say about that. If that is blinking it usually indicates a short on the board or a improperly installed (like a bent pin or backwards) or incorrect chip (wrong boot chip or wrong key chip). Also you could look for bent pins on your flash board as that could cause it also.

Lastly yes it could just be a bad board...

If it was option one then that is totally normal and your problem is somewhere else as the fiber optic is suppose to send out a wake up bit to check for connected devices.

[CaptainHappy]

There are two places that could be the source of your flashing red light.

One is, is the flashing red light coming from the fiber connection because the stopper is missing? Or two is the flashing red light the last led and looks just like the other led's (except its red) and is right inline with the green and amber ones?

I am going to assume it is option two because I have the most to say about that. If that is blinking it usually indicates a short on the board or a improperly installed (like a bent pin or backwards) or incorrect chip (wrong boot chip or wrong key chip). Also you could look for bent pins on your flash board as that could cause it also.

Lastly yes it could just be a bad board...

If it was option one then that is totally normal and your problem is somewhere else as the fiber optic is suppose to send out a wake up bit to check for connected devices.

Thanks for the reply... You were correct in thinking that option two is the correct scenario! BAD BOARD!!!
(Coincidentally option one would also be correct as there actually is a stopper missing and there is the red flash on the fiber port, but I knew what that port is for and that it is normal! LOL)

The machine was working fine and one day it just did not come up when someone went to turn it on, so it was not a result of being fiddled with.

I am positive now that it is a bad board as I was able to pull (in reality... actually brave enough to take the risk in the name of troubleshooting!) another 044 MPU board from a working machine and plug it into the suspect machine, and voila it started to boot... I had my answer.

Now I guess I need to get another MPU board for this machine, and my question gets much more technical... has anyone seen this type of bad board scenario and actually fixed their bad MPU??? Any pointers for potential easy fixes for these MPUs, such as try replacing the i960 processor, etc. Any insight on what goes wrong on these 044 MPU's? (Not the flash boards, as I know those are static sensitive for sure, I am wondering about the trouble shooting for the MPU that failed.)

It may not be worth much effort, but I am always up to try to learn a little more. Plus this would possibly be helpful to our members on NLG as these setups become more common for them. Always looking to expand our knowlede base here!

Regards,

CaptainHappy