Help with Bill Validator Comm Failure - Options Verification Required Error

[evieceli]

Hello, I work as a tech in a retail store repairing gaming machines of all kinds.  I was employed at Bally, Aristocrat, GLI, AGS, Colossal Gaming as well as a couple of start-up companies in Las Vegas.   I've been around and have seen many interesting issues with gaming machines but can usually solve them eventually.  This time, I might be beat though.   

I have an iGame with originally a WBA 12 (ID-24) that renders the game to display "Bill Validator Comm Failure - Options Verification Required"

So the first thing I tried was to use another working WBA from a different IGT machine in the store just to test to see if it clears up.  I've tried a combination of WBA 11-13 all ID24.  Same issue.  I then figured that I'd try to use an MEI Cashflow (the older yellow ones) which seem to be much more reliable than JCM WBA.  Made sure it was ID24... same result.

The second thing I tried was to test the main board in a different iGame and it worked just fine.  The BV worked.

The third thing I tried was to replace the backplane board (behind the main board).  I tried 6 boards.  Same issue.

The fourth and final thing that I tried was to tone out the harness from the connector on the backplane board all the way to the BV connectors where they plug into the actual BV.  That all tested OK.

I haven't used a hammer (yet) but admittedly "did" take one spare BV and smashed it on the ground.  That felt great (no worries, it was a parts/junk BV). 

Wait... yes I did RAM clear it several times in between tests.  Just in case that would do anything but of course I wasn't so lucky.

Does anyone here know what possibly can be causing this?  I don't have much experience with IGT but have noticed that this brand is somewhat "delicate" and fussy.

Please advise.

Thanks! 

Mod Note: Topic split and edited

[Stayouttadabunker]

I'm hoping a moderator can split this post above by evieceli.

Evieceli,
You posted on someone else's 8 year old post....you need to start your own.
Anyways, go to this link I've posted for you below...>>>

https://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?action=search2


There are several posts about your "Options Verification Required" in the link I gave you.
Type in" Options Verification Required" into the empty search box and you will get to the related posts.
Read them and you will find your answer.

[Tilt]

Options verification required is not an error message, it's an informational message letting you know that the machine options have changed and need to verified.  It usually happens after a RAM error and normally has an OK button to touch below it.  Since you have a hard error message BV Comm error, you won't have that yet until you clear that error.

The BV uses the Netplex bus, which on an I-game is shared with the Ticket Printer, and monitor touchscreen.  Try disconnecting the ticket printer, depending on which printer it has there's a ribbon cable on the back that can get pinched and damaged extending and retracting the printer.  If that doesn't work, then try disconnecting the touchscreen (that will result in a touchscreen comm failure message), but see if it clears the BV comm error message. 

Most likely one of the two is bad, and I'd put my money on the ticket printer first.

[evieceli]

Thank you.  I apologize for posting this as a reply to an old thread.  I don't have a "post new" button or similar.  I seem to only be able to reply to existing topics.  I am a contributing member as well but will contribute again soon.

[Tilt]

You'e fine.  This is your topic, you started it.  Did you get this problem resolved?

[Tater]

Hey Evie

For a new post, try this.

Go to the forum you want to post in.
Go to the bottom of the page.
Look for a button that says "New Topic".
Should work OK

Tater

[evieceli]

Hello again.  Yes I got this resolved.  Thank you for your responses.  What I ended up finding out is that the actual female socket barrel pins in the molex connectors "some" of them got stretched open too far just enough to cause absolutely zero connectivity between the back plane board connection and the wiring harness plug connector.  That alone drove me crazy because I toned out every wire from the back of the connector and never suspected this could happen.  After using a different harness from a donor machine to find out that the problem was my old harness, I then removed the backplane and then toned out between the back of the harness plug connector to the back of the board.  I was surprised yet relieved that I finally found it.  I then squeezed in each barrel connector in the harness plug and tried it back again in the machine.  It worked.  Go figure.  Finding what caused this was just about as painful as getting a hammer banged against my head.

[Tilt]

Wow, yeah, that would be a difficult one to trace down.  Glad you got it fixed and thanks for reporting back what your resolution was.