game error: process fault=GameMgr (955) What does this mean?

[slotdoofus]

I finally have my Monte Carlo Royale up and running.

I was playing it for a short time when this error popped up:

game error: process fault=GameMgr (955) What does this mean?

This occurred right after the "roulette wheel" spun and game me my winnings.

I have to turn the key do a re-boot.....Do I have something in the set incorrectly in the set-up, or is this error a sign that my machine has a problem(s)?

I just wanted to do a follow up on this topic...

The machine is running fine now. I replaced the DIMM memory and it solved my problems.

Thanks for the help guys...

[rickhunter]

The game manager errors always kick me.  They seem to be inconsistent in my experience.  If the same error happens again, I would try a different MPU.

[slotdoofus]

Thanks Rick,

I've alreadd the same error twice within a short time.

I hope I don't need to buy another MPU board...

[rickhunter]

I just remembered one other possible cause.  Do you have an original Bally CF card?  I once bought a kit that came with an aftermarket cf card, the game kept giving me game manager errors.  I found an original bally card and the problems went away.  Sometimes these cards a too slow causing a timeout in the game access. 

[slotdoofus]

I have the originally Bally card

[rickhunter]

In that case I would pull an MPU from another machine and have a go at it.  If you have a 1GB mpu, even better.

[slotdoofus]

UPDATE

I've had the machine on all day. Haven't had the error in over 1000 plays.

Here's my thinkin'....(pinball repair influenced)

I might have something as minor as a capacitor failing. Maybe it just needs time to charge up.

Although I'm still a newbie in the slot hobby, I get the impression most people just replace stuff rather that fix it....I Don't blame them. Surface mount components are a PITA to deal with, unless you have the right equipment, which I don't.

Looking for your opinion here....am I thinkin' in the right direction?

[slotdoofus]

Today's update....

 While playing the machine, without it being turned on for very long, the machine gives me that same error EVERY time the wheel spins. This happens immediately after the machine  pays me my winnings.

 Is this a sign of a bad MPU, or maybe one of the power supplies failing?

 Any help would be greatly appreciated,

[rickhunter]

Unfortunately, swapping parts with known working parts is the best way to troubleshoot these issues for home owners.  Without a direct line of support from Bally, trying to trace your issues to a cap is not going to be the most effective way, especially since most casino's do the swap anyway.  Nowadays, they just send the stuff out to be refurbished, so there's no notes on what cap causes what issues.  About the only thing you could easily fix with caps, are power supplies.  And those are easy to tell as the caps usually bulge out.  A recap usually fixes most power supply issues, but your issue does not appear to me as a power supply issue.

This is what I would do.

1.  Clear and re-setup.
2.  If above doesn't work, I would try a different MPU.
3.  You can run diagnostics on the top wheel "reel" to see if there's anything wrong with the controller, though I doubt it since it appears to spin correctly.

[slotdoofus]

Another twist...

I just turned the game back on....hit a few wheel spins, (all very small payouts), on the 4th wheel spin, (200 payout), I get that error again.

It seems that payouts over $100 causes the error, until the machine is warmed up.

odd....

[slotdoofus]

After playing the game for the last couple of days, it seems this error in coming up randomly.

I have some other Alphas here that I can use to swap parts with in hopes of diagnosing my problem w/ this Monte Carlo Royale.

Where do I start?

I'm not sure I can swap out the MPU's...they're different versions. The one on the left is the Monte Carlo. All of my other Alphas have the MPU that is on the right.

[rickhunter]

The monte carlo is using a 1ghz/1GB mpu.  Given the new facts, and how intermittent your error is, I would start by replacing the ram Simm on your mpu.  Ram can cause these kinds of errors.  Then Power supply in the mpu.  I would assume the other mpu is a 512mb mpu, if it is, you could try the game on it, just use whatever OS is in other mpu (not the 1ghz mpu).  What game id does your monte carlo card show (i.e. is it a 3xxxxx number or is it ASGxxxxxx ?)

[slotdoofus]

Thank again for the continueing help Rick,

All of my Alpha OS cards are the same... 3ACP7UC0

Here is what is written on my Monte Carlo game card:
176261E
C803655584135704D779
9C0A0270
11/01/2010   S2010-2022

1GB DMA
PRGM,CL3,OS,3.52-04

I have some other PC RAM here. The one that is in my machine is 1gb DDR 400 DIMM, the PC RAM I have is 1gb DDR 240 DIMM. Will that work?

I couldn't locate the DIMM RAM on the other MPU boards.

[slotdoofus]

Just realized the PC RAM I have lying around is DDR2, not DDR

[rickhunter]

The older MPU's do not have removable ram.  Only the newer 1ghz board like the one you have.  The only ram that works is DDR ram, but they are cheap enough to get on e-bay or amazon.  I upgraded all my 1ghz mpu's to 2gb of ram.

You will need a "300" bios to run the monte carlo card.  I don't think the 1xxxxx series card will work with older OS cards.  The OS cards should all have something that starts with AVOSxxxxxx as the version number, the number you posted does not identify the card, at least to me.  All OS cards I have seen have the AVOS plus a series of numbers.

[SlotFreak]

I have a Monte Carlo Royale and it never gave me a problem. Ive had it for about 3 years now.

[777sizzler]

On the ram,  It is best to match specs exactly.  There are various diff. companies that made them.  I have a Bally alpha 1, 1-gig Monte Carlo Royale-Rich and famous,  Which is the rarest  of the three titles there were on the 3-reel.  Normally,  On anything Bonus,  If the bottom works fine and you get a spin and the game tilts/issues -you need to be looking at top box issues. ---Reel driver board/comm. link etc.