PC Engine/Core Grafx 2 Hucard slot/board not working

Ergot_Cholera · 07/18/2015, 10:54 AM

I received a PC Engine and a Core Grafx 2 that were described as not working (not powering on). The PC Engine was an easy fix as it was just a blown fuse. The Core Grafx powered on but gave a white screen, I cleaned the console thoroughly and tried again but with the same result.
There was some dust/stuff? in the Hucard slot so for this reason I suspected the issue could be with the card slot, and I was right. I went through the painstaking process of transplanting the working card slot board over from the PC Engine and now the Core Grafx is working. I then put the faulty card slot board from the Core Grafx to the PC Engine and it is giving a pale blue screen.
The pins in the slot look fine and I cleaned it with some alcohol, but it made no difference.

pnauts · 07/18/2015, 11:36 AM

misalignement probably.

bozo55 · 07/18/2015, 02:45 PM

try to check continuity of the pins from the entry point to the solder point on the PCB to make sure none of them are corroded or cracked.

Ergot_Cholera · 07/19/2015, 05:54 AM

I already checked them for continuity. I have since fitted a different slot onto the slot board and I get the same result. Could it be a problem with the IC on the underside?

Ergot_Cholera · 07/22/2015, 06:21 AM

I have since checked the traces from the HSRM2264LM chip to the pins etc for continuity and it seems that a lot of them were not connected. I compared them to these same traces on another working PC Engine just to make sure. I reflowed the legs of the chip but it made no difference, so I connected the traces that were not geting continuity to the pins using wire but I just get a white screen.
is it likely that the chip is broken, and if so how common is this? I know that the rest of the console works as (I previously mentioned) I have tested it with another Hucard board.

pnauts · 07/22/2015, 04:54 PM

Why looking to this while you found that the problem came from your Huc connector ?

Ergot_Cholera · 07/22/2015, 06:00 PM

Quote from: pnauts on 07/22/2015, 04:54 PMWhy looking to this while you found that the problem came from your Huc connector ?

I don't understand what you mean. The actual connector slot is working, the rest of the console is working, the problem is with the daughterboard? that the Hucard slot is fixed onto.

thesteve · 07/22/2015, 11:00 PM

that is your work ram
its a common S-Ram

Ergot_Cholera · 07/23/2015, 05:50 AM

Quote from: thesteve on 07/22/2015, 11:00 PMthat is your work ram
its a common S-Ram

Is it common for it to fail? So it can just be swapped for a new one? When I search the part number I get a lot of Chinese. Seems that SRM2264LM10 is a more common number.

thesteve · 07/23/2015, 05:10 PM

the 10 or 12 is right
yes it can be swapped and does fail from time to time

Ergot_Cholera · 07/30/2015, 10:11 AM

It's ruined. Does anyone have a working PC Engine Core Grafx Hucard (daughter?) board spare that they are willing to part with? Can be with or without the actual slot.

thesteve · 07/30/2015, 11:29 PM

ruined why?
most things are fixable

wilykat · 07/31/2015, 12:18 AM

Guessing he fried a chip on the cart connector PCB or the connector itself, and some of the chips are NEC propriety chips that aren't available from any legit source. The connector hasn't been available since someone bought up old stock and made them into kisado converters.

A non working spare console is probably the only way to deal with this.

thesteve · 07/31/2015, 03:03 AM

the only chip on it is common and he isnt asking for the slot

Ergot_Cholera · 07/31/2015, 03:58 AM

The board is definitely ruined as it is snapped in to 3 pieces. I tried replacing the SRM2264LM10 (presnap) and it made no difference.

thesteve · 07/31/2015, 07:00 AM

i have fixed worse