Having an issue with my Houdini pin. Just bought new in box. Set it all up and turned it on. Everything seemed legit as working but I went to update the code as this was made back in Nov 2018. The code update was successful so I followed thru unplugging usb stick and rebooting the game except now it won't boot up. It flashes some small print on the screen and I can't get into diagnostics & nothing else happens except the black screen with some small writing I can't really make out what it says. Anyone else ever have this issue? My first American pinball pin so I'm lost so any help would be greatly appreciated.

#2 4 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

Hopkins, MN

12y 191K 56,936 24 7

Please go to https://www.american-pinball.com/support/service/ and open a ticket for help.

People here might have ideas. Like try reloading again, or AP people might chime in. rosh said they have a committee helping with tech support. So hopefully others here or AP tech support will help you.

LTG : )

#3 4 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

Hopkins, MN

12y 191K 56,936 24 7

I checked the manual. If you need to start over with a full install, it looks like you'll need AP's help on that.

Best wishes.
LTG : )

#4 4 years ago

GSO

GSones

Pinside+ Frequent

11y 68,400 882

Make sure all the connections to the MPU are firmly seated. The weight of the wiring tends to pull them loose over time or during transportation.

#5 4 years ago

RIC

PBMAN

Pinside member

Exton, PA

6y 78,550 387 2

Sent you a PM with my Cell #. Call me. For LTG I will explain. American Pinball said on games with the much older code you have to trick the update. What you do is rename the file you downloaded by removing the v19.4.7 at the end. Call me if that doesn't make since.

#6 4 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

Hopkins, MN

12y 191K 56,936 24 7

Quoted from PBMAN:
For LTG I will explain.

Thank you for this. I don't have much experience with American Pinball games. I appreciate the help,
LTG : )

#7 4 years ago

TOM

pinballinreno

Computer Extreme

9y 134K 15,505 31

OP
Quoted from product-of-74:
Having an issue with my Houdini pin. Just bought new in box. Set it all up and turned it on. Everything seemed legit as working but I went to update the code as this was made back in Nov 2018. The code update was successful so I followed thru unplugging usb stick and rebooting the game except now it won't boot up. It flashes some small print on the screen and I can't get into diagnostics & nothing else happens except the black screen with some small writing I can't really make out what it says. Anyone else ever have this issue? My first American pinball pin so I'm lost so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Per @rosh:

Change the name of the new code file to be houdini-gamecode.pkg remove any version info from the name. In the future it will not be necessary to do this.

#8 4 years ago

DDT

BarryJ

Pinside member

Carol Stream, IL

6y 40,300 287

Your update was corrupted.

Remove the software package from your computer
Re-download the software from API's website
re-install on a new 4GB or bigger FAT 32 formatted drive.. Needs to be a name brand drive Kingston or Lexar are known to work. Off brand and freebies should just be thrown in the trash.

You shouldn't have to change the name as the games were updated with a new SMPS and code before leaving the factory.. If your game does not have a SMPS installed then you will need to change the install package name on the USB drive to houdini-gamecode.pkg

#9 4 years ago

JBD

product-of-74

Pinside member

Dickinson, ND

7y 27,150 26 9

Thanks all for your feedback. I was messing around with trying to reinstall latest code a few times and finally the update screen popped up so I went through the install again and it worked. Had a few issues with the screen opto not reading so it would sit there until the pin went into the ball search mode and dropped it down as it should but I went into diagnostics screen and messed with the screen section a few times with lowering/raising the ball that's inside as well as re-calibrating it and rebooted the game and now it seems to be working as it should as well. Hopefully I don't run into other issues so soon as I got away from the older pins because I was sick of working on them all the time, never expected to have these issues with a brand new pin, guess you win them all...as they say..

#10 4 years ago

TOM

pinballinreno

Computer Extreme

9y 134K 15,505 31

OP
Quoted from product-of-74:
Thanks all for your feedback. I was messing around with trying to reinstall latest code a few times and finally the update screen popped up so I went through the install again and it worked. Had a few issues with the screen opto not reading so it would sit there until the pin went into the ball search mode and dropped it down as it should but I went into diagnostics screen and messed with the screen section a few times with lowering/raising the ball that's inside as well as re-calibrating it and rebooted the game and now it seems to be working as it should as well. Hopefully I don't run into other issues so soon as I got away from the older pins because I was sick of working on them all the time, never expected to have these issues with a brand new pin, guess you win them all...as they say..

Youre gonba live this game, its amazing!

#11 4 years ago

MDG

Vegas9

Pinside member

Arlington Heights, IL

8y 54,800 245 10

OP
Quoted from product-of-74:
Thanks all for your feedback. I was messing around with trying to reinstall latest code a few times and finally the update screen popped up so I went through the install again and it worked. Had a few issues with the screen opto not reading so it would sit there until the pin went into the ball search mode and dropped it down as it should but I went into diagnostics screen and messed with the screen section a few times with lowering/raising the ball that's inside as well as re-calibrating it and rebooted the game and now it seems to be working as it should as well. Hopefully I don't run into other issues so soon as I got away from the older pins because I was sick of working on them all the time, never expected to have these issues with a brand new pin, guess you win them all...as they say..

Hi Joshua. I'm just seeing this thread now. I am glad you were able to get your Houdini working. If you have any other issues, please open a ticket here: https://www.american-pinball.com/support/service/

Happy flipping, and I hope you enjoy

-Michael

1 year later

#12 2 years ago

MCG

Snugs

Pinside member

3y 30,800 63 3

Quoted from pinballinreno:
Per rosh:
Change the name of the new code file to be houdini-gamecode.pkg remove any version info from the name. In the future it will not be necessary to do this.

My AWSOME GF bought me early 2018 build for a bday gift this year. Had to update from original code and jump straight up 11.2.21.Game wouldn't update. Did the above on the advice from Dave at AP and it worked flawlessly. D/L'd 10.25.21 this AM. Put my usb in to then install and it bricked my machine. Wouldn't make it past blue boot up screen. would go back/forth between the black DOS screen and blue screen on an endless loop. Tried again using the above method and all was well once again. Don't know about not needing to use this method on a future update but its worked on back to back updates for me.

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