I've been working through tech issues on 4 games... have 3 solved and fixed...now on to the most evil one: BSD.

Issues started during a game when the machine pretty much went dark and stopped working. Went back to that same state at start up. After poking around, found that F112 (7amp fuse) was blowing at start up. So, ordered a reset fuse so I could begin to trouble shoot. In the meantime, popped in a spare Rottendog board and could not get game to work.

Fastfoward a few weeks, got the 7amp reset fuse and was ready to rig it into place to start trying to trouble shoot and F112 was no longer blowing at start up. Hmmm. Game was booting, loading as normal, all playfield lights lit up... DMD working. Everything appears fine.

However... now the game instantly turns off and resets when the start button is pushed. The game also resets if I try to enter the settings menu. The game ALSO resets if I'm lifting and moving the playfield while the game is on. The game does not reset if I knock on the playfield...and I haven't gotten it to reset by jiggling various groupings of wires under playfield.

Man... I really want to drive a wooden stake straight through Drac's face in the worst the way! But I love it too much...would rather revive it to be tortured another day!

Alright. I'll start poking around during a break from work today.

Pulled J102... still can't get into the menu. 2 button presses and it reboots.

As I was inspecting the game, I gently placed my hand on the side of head... and the game reset. Then I started poking around in the backbox. If I ever so slightly flick the ribbon cable between the CPU and Power Driver Board, then the game resets. So, I replace that ribbon cable. Same thing happens. But I can gently rock the connection points and nothing happens. But the slightest tap on the head of the cab causes reset.

?

I gave the connectors a solid visual inspection... nothing looks off. Also made sure all of the boards are 100% screwed/grounded.

Weird thing, I can knock on the side of the cabinet or playfield and nothing happens. But if I give the slightest of taps to the head: Reset.

Goes from weird to weirder.

After poking and prodding, I noticed a little KAHR reset board on the CPU. I've had the machine 4 years... and honestly can't remember if I put it on or not. At any rate, turned the game off, pulled that board, turned the game on...and voila...BSD is back in action. Played two games. Everything worked 100%.

Powered game off.

Came back to game a little while later. Turned game on. Game freaks out. Coils firing, call outs raging, flippers flipping randomly. It's like hell is belching through BSD.

I turn the game off.

Turn the game back on... all GI is dead. All insert lighting is dead. All playfield coils outside of flippers are dead. DMD comes on and a game will start. But, no ball launched. Coils/lights remain dead. Switches work.

I'm starting to wonder if the CPU is toasty? No batteries are on the board. Perhaps there had been some acid damage in the past? Power spike f-ed up the chips?

Ok... you were right. I reset the ribbon cable one entire row over (which I couldn't see).

So. Back to this situation:

Game boots fine, loads a ball for mist.

However, the slightest knock to the side of the cabinet head, and it sets the game off into a flurry of activity (whether a game has been started or not). Flashers go crazy, DMD animations go crazy, Sounds go crazy, coils firing. Literally the machine freaks out.

ASICS chip has been reset

Alright... remote battery looks a-ok.

I think I have zeroed in on something: the opto board under the playfield.

Gently flicking the wires causes the machine to FREAK. Gently rocking the molex connector: nothing. Flicking wires: everything.

This is a brand new Home Pin board.

I'm wondering...is there a way for me to reseat the wires in the connector? Perhaps I should buy new pins and connectors?

So I'm 99% sure a lot (if not all) of these issues are related to some flaky wires attached to the J1 connector of the opto board under the playfield.

Anyone have any tips on reattaching wires to the connector without buying new pieces?

Not a slam tilt... total reset

Just the slightest touch to the opto wires sets the machine off like crazy...I have to try and solve that issue first. Then see what's left to deal with

I like this option... I'll make replace and will check back with results! Hopefully some of the ghosts in the machine will be expelled!