OLYMPIC Pokie machine (Version 40) - MACHINE DISABLED ERROR

[Straps]

Hi guys 👋
New owner of a 1997 Olympic "Spot Dog" machine.

Can't work out how to fix "GAMES DISABLED" error

Thankyou in advance

[shortrackskater]

 

This is going to be a tough one.
For starters, use Google search (rather then our NLG search) and put in the words "Olympic Video Newlifegames"
You will get results from our old archive site (newlifegames.net) and the current site. There's some information there and a couple of active links to gaming companies, which may or may not reply to you.
If anyone else knows about this AU Olympic machine, they'll chime in. 

I acquired an obscure video poker machine a few years ago. There were not manuals, nearly nothing on the internet. However there's a lot you can check: cables, connectors, make sure IC's are all seated, check for any dead batteries, etc.
My machine powered up. I had no video signal but there was static on the screen. I ended up determining that it was a bad voltage regular, simply because there was ONE on the MPU board that was cold, while the others were warm. I replace it and got a working machine.
Try some of these steps and see what happens.

[Straps]

Thankyou for the advice Shortrack 👍

I've looked at nearly every search result including "Olympic Poker Machine" on Google for days, which lead me to creating an account here to hopefully find some members with insight.

I'm hoping this fix is just something in the settings to rectify but I'm not educated enough on these machines to correct it

Cheers

[Stayouttadabunker]

Googling it...I keep getting this...

[shortrackskater]

Googling it...I keep getting this...

You must be getting that weird Canadian Google!!

[Heihachi_73]

From my completely untrained eye, it looks like a non-NSW Australian video slot (not poker) and is most likely trying to talk QCOM to /dev/null in place of a site controller and disabling itself until /dev/null responds and allows it to be used. You might be able to get it running with a QCOM emulator/simulator if that is the case (I don't have such a thing unfortunately).

Australian slang: pokie (machine) = poker machine = slot machine (not video poker, which in Australia is called... video poker).

[Stayouttadabunker]

Some of these older poker MPU's carried an onboard chip that had a built-in battery on top of the chip under a plastic cover to help retain its memory.
I think they were called DALLAS NVRAM chips.
If the battery goes low inside them, the game won't start up, it loses time setting, etc. etc.
Leave the machine for overnight...sometimes that may help give a charge to it...worth a try.
Then turn it OFF for a minute then flip the power switch back ON.
Let us know if that gets your game back on.
If you can slide out the MPU board and snap a good clear photo of it, that may help us, help you.

[Straps]

From my completely untrained eye, it looks like a non-NSW Australian video slot (not poker) and is most likely trying to talk QCOM to /dev/null in place of a site controller and disabling itself until /dev/null responds and allows it to be used. You might be able to get it running with a QCOM emulator/simulator if that is the case (I don't have such a thing unfortunately).

Australian slang: pokie (machine) = poker machine = slot machine (not video poker, which in Australia is called... video poker).

Thankyou for clarifying my slang 😄 I only know them as "Pokies"  along with "Pinnies" for arcade machines and "Pinballs" for Pinball machines.

The machine looked good to go on the screen, filled up the hopper and now the disabled message just popped up

[Straps]

Some of these older poker MPU's carry an onboard chip that has a built-in battery on top of the chip to help retain its memory.
I think they were called NVRAM CMOS chips.
If the battery goes low inside them, the game won't start up.
Leave the machine for overnight...sometimes that helps give a charge to it.
Then turn it OFF for a minute then flip the power switch back ON.
Let us know if that gets your game back on.
If you can slide out the MPU board and snap a good clear photo of it, that may help us, help you.

The machine came with the MPU separate in a box. Apparently it had been repaired but not yet reinstalled before the sale. The battery was also apparently replaced. Here are some extra pics if it helps 👍 Let me know if you need a zoom in photo anywhere

[Stayouttadabunker]

Pictures are helpful, although small but your last photo was very revealing.
First of all, it shows that the machine was made in 1997.
That photo also shows the top of three chips that contain 27 year old Lithium batteries.

Now would be a good time to pull one off, noting it's orientation for re-installation later, and to see how much battery corrosion lay beneath the black plastic cover.
See if you can get a voltage reading of any kind, with a voltmeter.
I cannot imagine how hard it is to find  replacements, should they be dead.
Which brings to mind the question of whether or not you have ever seen this machine working? 
Zero history of this machine has been forwarded.

[erbs]

Looks like they may be available here   https://www.digipart.com/part/M48Z32-85PC1

[Straps]

Finally found a guy in Australia that walked me through the issue.
The problem was one of the ribbon cables was around the wrong way... Red stripe to Pin 1

Ram cleared by removing battery and ES2, ES3 and ES4 chip and restarting machine with "RAM CLEAR" button pressed in 👍

The only "issue" now is that bonus feature/free spins don't seem to activate in game?

Thankyou for all of your advice members 🙏