New Life Games LLC
**Reel Slots** Gaming Machines => Bally Alpha Reel Games => Topic started by: allen84 on September 02, 2019, 09:56:47 PM
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I haven't played my Bally Alpha S9000 in over a year. Decide to boot it up. I decided I would clear the machine first. I reinstalled the mystic lamp with no issues, went through all the setting to setup the tito. Which left 1 problem on the right top corner of the settings screen. Nvram battery 2 low. Ok no problem. I have 10 spare of the CR2032 batteries in an unopened package. Used the voltmeter I have, and they tested 3.5 to 3.53 v from the package. Still good.
Pulled out both of the batteries from MPU, NVRAM 1 battery tested 3.05v, NVRAM 2 battery, 2.44v, the backplane battery, 0.50 (not sure why the machine didn't tell me to replace that one)
So I put back in the MPU, and turned it on, the buzzing sound happens. Searched this board on this forum for "buzzing" and read virtually every topic posted about this problem, which similar to whats happening to me. Tried almost every solution posted:
-took out mpu and plugged in the power from the wall along with the monitor. Still buzzing.
-took out mpu inspected the pins on the back, and slot on the backplane, looks good. reseated it a few times already. still buzzing.
-took clear card out, cards in, OS and game card out and in, still buzzing.
-batteries are seated properly sitting flat, with the battery wording facing upwards, still buzzing.
The one thing that confused me was, one of the solutions of the boot up sequences. I've tried just about every combination, but to no avail. Still buzzing. What would be the correct sequence? (Probably doesn't matter as I may have tried it all in different orders).
You have (from left to right in order):
1. Main Power rocker switch
2. Cabinet rocker switch
3. The PSU rocker switch on the MPU
4. the tiny toggle throw ATX switch in the green lettering
Is there anyone else have any other solutions, not posted on here yet?
Thanks
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Hope someone replies, same exact issue here with a 512 box after changing batteries.
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Remove the two button cell batteries and power up to see if you still have the buzzing sound. Do it with mpu out of the system, just plugged into power and a monitor of some sort (I just use my pc monitor). If it powers up, then replace the batteries and try again.
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Remove the two button cell batteries and power up to see if you still have the buzzing sound. Do it with mpu out of the system, just plugged into power and a monitor of some sort (I just use my pc monitor). If it powers up, then replace the batteries and try again.
Pulled both the new batteries out, turned out with no batteries. Still Buzzing. Even put back the old batteries, same problem. Could it be that the ram information is wiped out while changing the batteries, which causes the buzzing? That it needs this for the board to post? How on earth do I even get the info back on there???
If I do end up having to buy a new mpu, and the batteries need changing next time, I pull out the mpu, feed it an outside power source, turn it on, and then change the batteries while it's on ? Would that be safe to do?
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Found this after a search. I have the same issue going on currently.
You can solve the "buzzing" by installing a AVBPROD0R807-00ST U16 BIOS chip. Boot the Engine with a 317 CLEAR card and Clear. Then Boot the Engine with a 317-2 OS card (the game doesn't matter), and you'll now notice the Engine doesn't "buzz" anymore. And you no longer have to toggle the ATX switch to boot the game.
The OS Updates (from 336-05, 336-09, 336-11) never updated the sequence because it was being "held" non-volatile by the batteries. Since casinos leave their machines on 24/7, batteries drying during normal machine life span, and OS updates, wasn't an issue.
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Also found in a search, by replacing the bios chip had resolved the issue.
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The Nvram information is not important because it gets rebuilt after a clear and initial setup of game. The reason I had you remove the batteries is because I ran into the issue once and that fixed the issue. After the mpu came up with a normal boot screen, I put the batteries back and haven't had an issue since. Your issue might be related to something else. I would try another mpu power supply to see if that fixes the issue. Sometimes, things just go bad for no good reason and it just so happens that it happened when you needed to replace the batteries, but it is probably not the cause of the problem. I would look for another known good mpu (they are plentiful and cheap) and if the game works with the new mpu, I would try move the power supply from the good one to the old one to see if it fixes the problem.
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Anyone have that older software clear and OS card, as well as that boot chip? Need to try on mine. like the other poster, removed batteries, power up, still buzzing.
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Anyone have that older software clear and OS card, as well as that boot chip? Need to try on mine. like the other poster, removed batteries, power up, still buzzing.
PM sent.
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The Nvram information is not important because it gets rebuilt after a clear and initial setup of game. The reason I had you remove the batteries is because I ran into the issue once and that fixed the issue. After the mpu came up with a normal boot screen, I put the batteries back and haven't had an issue since. Your issue might be related to something else. I would try another mpu power supply to see if that fixes the issue. Sometimes, things just go bad for no good reason and it just so happens that it happened when you needed to replace the batteries, but it is probably not the cause of the problem. I would look for another known good mpu (they are plentiful and cheap) and if the game works with the new mpu, I would try move the power supply from the good one to the old one to see if it fixes the problem.
Rick, would I be able use any psu to plug in to test it? I looked at the mpu, it looks like the only thing that plugs into the motherboard is the psu. I have a spare corsair 650w psu.
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I had the 336 OS buzzing issue and switched to the 317 OS and the buzzing is gone. There is a difference in the operating system, so I don't know if this is the answer for all games. It did work well for my 2 coin single line 3 reel stepper game. But there has to be a way to stop the buzzing issue as I know the tribal casinos move there Alpha machines around in the building and also move the Alpha's to there sister sites. So it seems to me that this issue has to happen when they unplug these machines for the move.
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Sunrise found my post from a while back.:
You can solve the "buzzing" by installing a AVBPROD0R807-00ST U16 BIOS chip. Boot the Engine with a 317 CLEAR card and Clear. Then Boot the Engine with a 317-2 OS card (the game doesn't matter), and you'll now notice the Engine doesn't "buzz" anymore. And you no longer have to toggle the ATX switch to boot the game.
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[/size]After the 317 sets up the watchdog circuit, the batteries hold the "confirmation" data. Flipping the ATX switch does the same confirmation check if the boot shows any corruption (garbage code generated from low back up voltage). Once the watchdog circuit is saved, no more checksum error (buzzing). You can then update all the way to 336-11 if you so desire. No clue why the 336s don't reset the watchdog info also, but they don't. Maybe a costly jurisdiction reason (???).
[/size]
[/size]Hope this helps!
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I have the AVOS00000336-05 OS card.
Also a AVSO00000317-02 card, but this isn't an OS card, it's a clear card (I believe someone had put a clear card files on a OS branded card) I wish I had taken a picture of the clear screen, so I would know what clear card version it exactly is, I'm positive it's a clear card as I've cleared the machine with it. It's the only card I have.
I only own 1 Bally alpha machine, with 2 games. Mystic Lamp & Black Gold Wild.
My Bios chip is a AVBBP26S300M-03 ST U16 CS: F1BD 11/17/2009 S2010-070
According to this link, on Page 2 of 52 on the MPU compatibility matrix, there is no such thing as a 317 clear card. https://www.scribd.com/document/410487580/Bally-Alpha-Setup-With-Progressive-Payout-Tables (https://www.scribd.com/document/410487580/Bally-Alpha-Setup-With-Progressive-Payout-Tables) If following this chart, in ascending order, my BIOS chip should be newer than the AVBBPRO0R807‐00 one. Did the older BIOS chip retain the boot sequence? I find it odd that it was taken out in the later revisions of the BIOS chip.
I'm in the process of getting another MPU, I think the next time the battery goes low and needs replacing, I'm going to take the MPU out of the machine, give it power from another power outlet, and replace the batteries while it's on. I'm thinking of sliding some electrical tape, inbetween the pin holding down the top battery, lift with the tape and pull the battery out.
Then, put the new battery attached with tape, but having someone holding the pin up, so you can slide the battery in. The whole point is to becareful as to not drop the battery into the board, bouncing around, and shorting something.
This must be a sure way to not lose the critical board settings.
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Thanks Fireball !!!
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I believe it's 317 OS that uses a 312 clear card . Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks!!
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I have shoe-boxes full of cards, etc. Let me get everyone a screen shot of the Clear screen that will show the version of Clear that I’ve had success with. That way there are no mis-understandings.
Stay Tuned!....
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Here's a screen shot of PDF that matches BIOS chips & clear cards with the OS.
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Okay. Yes I got rid of the 336 OS buzzing after battery change. Just like Fireball posted. Get a 312 Clear card, 317 OS card , 807 BIOS, and any game card along with your 335 clear card and you have everything needed to get rid of the buzzing due to battery change on the 336 OS. Thanks to all!!! Very Much Appreciated!! Tim
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Okay. Yes I got rid of the 336 OS buzzing after battery change. Just like Fireball posted. Get a 312 Clear card, 317 OS card , 807 BIOS, and any game card along with your 335 clear card and you have everything needed to get rid of the buzzing due to battery change on the 336 OS. Thanks to all!!! Very Much Appreciated!! Tim
That's alot of cards. But wouldn't the 312 clear card and the 807 Bios is all I need? If I manage to get rid of the buzzing with the 312 and along with Bios, I would technically be good then? I would just continue installing my game and my 336-05 OS card that I currently have.
How does the 317 OS card come into play??
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You need the 317 OS to go with 807 BIOS to boot up the game. You need the 312 Clear to get to the boot point. And that will get rid of the buzzing error. Then you can install your original OS & BIOS and do a clear
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You need the 317 OS to go with 807 BIOS to boot up the game. You need the 312 Clear to get to the boot point. And that will get rid of the buzzing error. Then you can install your original OS & BIOS and do a clear
Probably not economical for me to spend money to try and fix this, when I can buy another mpu for less than the cost of trying to hunt down these 3 items. When it's not even guaranteed it might fix it. I'm talking with a buyer right now to get another mpu for dirt cheap
I'm curious to try the method above to try and revive my mpu. I guess if someone that has these 3 items can mail them to me, and then I mail it back. Has it been tried with the other bios that I have? Using those 2 cards? I would love to test this theory to confirm if it really see if this fixes it. If it does, It would be the once and for all final solution.
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What will you do the next time the batteries die? Not sure what game you have and if it will work with the 317 OS. If it will work with 317 OS , you could switch to 317. No more issues when changing batteries. I don't think you have a MPU issue if all you done was change the batteries on your 336 OS.
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What will you do the next time the batteries die? Not sure what game you have and if it will work with the 317 OS. If it will work with 317 OS , you could switch to 317. No more issues when changing batteries. I don't think you have a MPU issue if all you done was change the batteries on your 336 OS.
I'm wondering, on the MPU compatibility matrix list, if my unknown clear card is a CLEAR0335-01? I can never know, because I can't see the screen again to find out until I fix it. I have a Mystic Lamp and Black Gold Wild. Not sure if it plays on all the OS cards.
I've explained it on in my previous posts, that I'm going to change the batteries while powering the MPU out of the machine, live. Whether using some sticky tape to grab the battery or use some non conductive material like a static bag or ESD material, and cut out spaces where the batteries protrude and lay over the board to do the change.
What about the Bios chip that I have? How would I go back to that? I'm guessing the 807 is an older version. Even doing this fix, would swapping out the BIOS chip be a problem?
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I've explained it on in my previous posts, that I'm going to change the batteries while powering the MPU out of the machine, live. Whether using some sticky tape to grab the battery or use some non conductive material like a static bag or ESD material, and cut out spaces where the batteries protrude and lay over the board to do the change.
Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but if you have a source of dirt cheap MPU boards then go for it.
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Who can sell me all the needed cards and bios for this fix?
317 OS to go with 807 BIOS and 312 Clear
Please pm me with information.
Thanks
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PM sent