Never experienced this before and tried to search on pinside without finding anything.
I tried reseating the display ribbon and all the cables that go to the DMD controller. Also plugged in a spare DMD and same issue. Push on U9 chip to make sure it was seated really well.

I turn on the game and the DMD just displays this. No dots move..everything stands still.

D19 OFF = GOOD
D20 LED blinks rapidly ..so MPU seems to be ok.
D21 - FULLY ON = GOOD

I also get one sound tone at the boot which should mean that U9 is ok.

Any help would be appreciated.

//*///-- HERE's WHAT has been tried so far--///*//
- Pulled and reseated all ribbon cables
- Tested specifically the ribbon going from the DMD controller to the DMD by using ribbon from a Stern machine
- Tried another DMD
- Pulled and reseated U9 Chip

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This is what I get when I first boot up. The DMD doesn't change so I cannot access service menu.
I unfortunately do not have an extra set of ribbons arghh.

I only have Stern games so I can't test all ribbons but I did try the DMD ribbon from my ST Pro and still same problem

I'm either blind or we are not talking about the same era Stern games. My ST and TWD only have two ribbons. 1 for the DMD and one that bridges the two boards (that is too small).

Yeah I tried that cable and no dice

I can't reseat the u9 because I need a Plcc puller unless you guys know of another way
*off to store to get puller*

Pulled U9 chip out with plcc puller, reseated....still same problem

Sorry but how do you test ram blindly?

Just did as you asked. Game pattern only changes right before I hear the 1 "bong" tone. Then it stays the same. I tried accessing the menu but even that doesn't do anything. Pattern always stays the same.

If I press start button soccer ball starts and goalie starts to swing back and forth. Balls don't eject. Tried starting again and now GI doesn't turn on and game won't start. Something bigger is at play.

I saw that two connectors where going no where? But they're doesn't seem to be a place to put them. Most of my references images were wiped out in my computer crash so I'm basis myself on other things I found online. Here are images of how things are wired currently maybe someone can spot something. One of the free wires seems to be hooked to the coin door in some of my old imagery but the new coin door I purchased doesn't have such connector.

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Something is happening with the door menu, I get light flashes when I first go in the menu, then nothing if I hit select a few times. Once I hit back enough times the lights will turn off and back on...like as if I am exiting the menu. DMD stays the same throughout.

I put it all new fuses and checked them before putting them in. Will check who knows.
How would I go buy checking the input voltages.. I'm good when it comes to everything but this electronics mumbo jumbo.... babysteps learning in this sector.

D10 led on DMD controller is fully lit. Pulled out fuses and they are both good....

Did that a few times already but since I don't have extra ribbon cables I cannot tell the culprit is the ribbons.

Noticed that power driver board LED3 is on but in my book it says normally off. Not sure what that entails since pinwiki states it should be on.

I tried another DMD and same garbage was showing up.

If I take W11 off then led 3 turns off. I'm going to have to wait a few days. A friend as kindly offered is ribbons and DMD controller to starting testing parts.

Thanks for all your help so far and will keep you posted.

Tried that. At this point I'll just wait until next week to really get my bearing once I get the good parts to test out

I placed my friend's good DMD board in first. Got the same symptoms but different dot pattern on the DMD. Put the functioning cables and no change.
So now I'm bound to think that the ribbons are ok and that the DMD controller is ok as well. Which now brings me to the other question...what else could this be?

Decided to measure the driver board TPs
TP1 - 15V
TP2 - 5.3V
TP3 - 12V
TP6 - 0 (this seems strange, unless you need to start the game for it to power the coils).. Ièm no expert just wondering.
TP7 - 24.9V
TP8 - 20.8V

Also now lights don't turn on.

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Would that account for gheGI not coming on?

If I put my MPU board in working a shadow would that work to test the MPU or do I have to take out the working MPU and put it in my board? Friend is willing to put my MPU board in his shadow but wondering if we have to change Eproms etc before performing the test?

In other words, placing my MPU on the shadow board would be the safest play?

Already tried that twice. I'm heading over to my friend tonight to try and diagnose the problem. I think I'm going to bring all my boards.

So I get to my friend's house and we plug in his DMD board and his wires to start back the Shadow. Game freezes exactly like mine. We both looked like deer staring down a gun barrel and felt completely defeated. Now I was on the hook for his DMD controller as well. We put my DMD board in same thing. He then proceeds to tell me that we will try is fish tale's controller board in because things just don't make sense. Same issue. We finally take a closer look and bam...the AV ribbon is not seated properly. So folks after trying my cables 3 times and my friend's cable twice and can now confirm that I had reseated the cable wrong 5 times in a row. I was missing one row of pins on the AV board. Due to the connector's cables right beside the IC connector I always thought I was in.

WORD TO THE WISE OR IN THIS CASE, THE DUMB SHIT LIKE ME. ALWAYS, CHECK, RECHECK, CHECK AGAIN, CHECK SOME MORE to make sure your ribbons are seated properly.

Turned on the game and it booted up and started purring like a kitten (well maybe not a kitten) but you get the point.

Now all that is left are a few adjustments. This game will be up and running 100% soon.