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Author Topic: SRAM not working?  (Read 15311 times)

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Offline Grambo

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SRAM not working?
« on: November 28, 2012, 05:39 AM »
Hi Krikzz,
I just received a new SuperEverdrive unit and I've been having all sorts of problems with saving games. At first, I thought it might be something to do with the SD card, but now I'm realizing that I'm still having problems without loading or saving the SRAM.

All roms are (!)(U) unless otherwise noted.
SNES is NTSC. SD card is 2GB SanDisk (same problems with FAT16 and FAT32). OS is v12, Firmware v5, PCB v1.6.
Here are some examples:
- Super Metroid brings up the Anti-Piracy screen. (It can play the [f1] rom, but can't save games)
- Legend of Zelda crashes and erases games if I try to edit a save (crashes as soon as I select "Erase Player")
- SimEarth cannot load a file, even after immediately saving
- SimCity causes errors on loading
- Earthbound immediately says that the save files have been lost

http://img207.imagevenue.com/gallery/loc439/328_1935_SuperEverdriveSRAM.php

Also, when I load a 32k SRM, it seems to be very fast. Instant, even. Not sure if this is normal.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hoping I don't have to send it back :(
« Last Edit: November 28, 2012, 06:36 AM by Grambo »
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Offline Grambo

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2012, 06:41 AM »
Just found this:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?30692-Having-with-problems-with-Super-Everdrive-s-saves

I didn't want to attempt this because it's an old post and an older version, but if you could say that it might be the same problem I'm having, I would be fine soldering the resistor in.

Here's my PCB:
http://img171.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=78656_IMG_0482_122_801lo.JPG
« Last Edit: November 28, 2012, 07:05 AM by Grambo »
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Offline KRIKzz

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2012, 06:55 PM »
current revision does not have those old problem.
may you make a photo of front side of cart?
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Offline Grambo

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2012, 07:06 PM »
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Offline KRIKzz

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2012, 09:57 PM »
probably you should send your cart to me for test/repair
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Offline JimmyMz

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2012, 07:57 AM »
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« Last Edit: February 28, 2013, 06:00 PM by jimmyemunoz »
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Offline Grambo

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2012, 01:25 PM »
Yeah... I was thinking about uploading another picture. I saw that too (once I had blown up the picture) and ran back to it in higher hopes, only to find that it was just a speck of non-conductive dust (this is going under the assumption that you mean the M29W640FT, unless maybe you're seeing something that I can't somewhere else).

That portion of my board seems to be working fine... it still plays games perfectly until I want to save or load anything (not including games that check the SRAM, such as Super Metroid)

As a side note, the blob on the FRAM chip (on the back of the board, nowhere near the solder points, next to the letter "A") just appears to be a blob of rosin and not any sort of physical damage.

It's a shame that I'll probably be losing this cart for a bit... I'm enjoying it a lot, but it'll be worth it to have this great unit working at 100%.
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Offline JimmyMz

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2012, 08:11 PM »
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Offline Grambo

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2012, 07:26 AM »
SOLVED!

Wow. This was interesting...
So jimmyemunoz, after your post, I decided to give it another crack before sending my Everdrive away. I thought it just might be a cold solder joint on the FRAM somewhere. Poked at each pin, put the PCB into my SNES... OHMYGODITWORKED!

Obviously very happy at this point, I went to put it back in its plastic shell, put it back in the SNES... OHMYGODITSTOPPEDWORKING!

I was determined to make this thing work again. I was messing around with almost seemingly random tactics for a few hours... (this included destroying NHL '95 with a belt sander)

Eventually, I figured out that if the PCB was loose and I applied some force it towards the back of the console, it would work more consistently.
I thought it might be a bad connection on the 62-pin connector, so I cleaned it... took off and dismantled the 62-pin adaptor (worst thing ever to take apart) bent all the pins in slightly... still nothing.

Another couple hours later, I found that if I put the 62-pin connector back into the SNES in the reverse direction... I had to apply a bit of force towards the FRONT of the console.

I went and bent all the pins inwards on the SNES board ever so slightly (the ones between the main PCB and the 62-pin connector).
Voila!! Everything works perfectly now! For some damn reason, my Super Everdrive was the ONLY cart that I own experiencing any sort of problem, even though the Everdrive was functioning perfectly all along. Go figure.

Big thanks, jimmyemunoz. Even though it didn't end up being the FRAM after all, if you hadn't replied, I wouldn't have seen the cart working the one time that drove me into a frenzied determination to make it work.   ;D
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Offline JimmyMz

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2012, 05:45 AM »
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Offline Grambo

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2012, 07:26 AM »
Sigh... I had a good streak, but it didn't last. Intermittent problems are the worst. I'm still strongly leaning towards the 62-pin connector being the problem, so I've ordered a solder type instead of the modular one that my SNES came with (I figure one set of springy pins is enough, let alone two). If I can wiggle the cart into the perfect position, it works 100% on every power cycle.
Does anyone know or have any speculations if (and, if so, why) the Everdrive might require better continuity than a standard cart? It seems that the FRAM has a rather wide operational voltage range (2.7V to 5.5V) so I certainly don't think that's it. I don't think I've mentioned it yet, but my SNES is an early NTSC one.
I sure hope this new 62-pin connector does the trick... it seems logical that it would, but I've certainly come across stranger problems before.
Now I play the waiting game.
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Offline dvd2vcd

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #11 on: December 05, 2012, 08:53 AM »
ah man :( hope u get it sorted matey
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Offline JimmyMz

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2012, 08:51 AM »
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Offline Grambo

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #13 on: December 06, 2012, 03:59 PM »
Here's the one I ordered - http://www.ebay.com/itm/160920764840?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

The modular style previously in my SNES - http://www.nesrepairshop.com/online_shopping/products_pictures/snspt005b.jpg

I'm still suspecting (and hoping) that it was a bad connection between the 2 pieces of the stock 62-pin connector, (as opposed to between the cartridge and the 62-pin connector) since when I reversed the top part (the portion that "adapts" between the cartridge and the bottom of the 62-pin connector) so that pin 1=31, 2=30 ...... 33=61, etc. the same problems were persistant, rather than developing a new problem that might be caused by a non-connecting pin on a different address bus.

Anyways, I figure the one piece solder solution will either fix it or, at the very least, identify what the problem wasn't  :P
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Offline Grambo

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Re: SRAM not working?
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2012, 08:30 PM »
Well, the new pin connector is awesome, but it wasn't the problem.

After desoldering and resoldering EVERY component on my Super Everdrive, I found the issue.
I finally found a cold solder joint on the EPM240T100C5N's left side (the right side of the PCB, since the chip is upside down).
What a crazy problem to have..... to think the connection was so touchy that just touching the board with almost no pressure would cause the connection to open/close.

So it works perfectly now!
Thanks for all the input, suggestions and good wishes everyone :)
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