well book keep is stored with the 3 triple A battery's. Have you check or changed those lately? Also I had similar Issues with my BOP when my Game ROM was bad. Try reseating game ROMS.

You did get the ribbon cable, right,

You check mpu board Asic chip and U20. I had really similar issues after I fried mine. I needed to replace game Rom Asic and U20 if I remember right. Yours is intermitted so should be bad connection on one of those. Also did you test all your Voltage test points? I always check power first. ASAP Always Start At Power. Low voltage causes strange behavior

If you sell em i'd be interested in the package deal.

New boards aren't any more reliable than the originals. The originals just need a little maintenance occasionally.

John so needing more maintenance vs. No maintenance at all is equal in your book? Is that an Oxymoron LOL! If new boards need less maintenance doesn't that make them more reliable by definition. I think I understand what you are saying that they work good when they are working good, but an old board that hasn't been touched is not as reliable as a RD board IMO. RD boards are very solid and less of a pain in the ass for someone who has Money and no time. If you are penny pinching and have time on your hands then yes its great to work on old boards but if you don't care and $300 isn't much money to you then plug and play RD boards are the way to go.

From what I've read rd boards dont work real well in tz

Id send the boards to john wart to get them redone

Cpu lights? Voltages at test points? Did you actually re-seat that ribbon connector? Sounds like a stupid problem like a cold solder joint.

Seriously, do not replace all the boards in the back box, or any boards in the backbox, you will have even more trouble. Calling a tech is a lot cheaper and makes a lot more sense. These boards are extremely and infinitely repairable.

First I agree with Jalpert and was giving him solutions. But if he doesn't want to fix it and wants to replace it that's his business. RD has updated boards that will work fine. Hell I got a Sys 11 RD board for a Taxi that didn't work great but Jim sent out a new revision board that worked fine. I am sure they figured it out by now. But OP I strongly suggest you follow Jalperts advice 1st. If you have time

Wasn't saying you weren't providing solutions, my questions were pointing out the lack of answers. Without those answers, you don't just go to the soldering iron.

Sure. However, it is my opinion that he could probably pay a knowledgeable tech something like $100 and be fine for many years. Replacing all the boards is a complete and total waste of money.

The poster doesn't want to work on the game, and maybe doesn't realize that having someone fix it is very much in his best interest.

I love rottendog stuff, but if I see rottendog boards in a game, I always think twice. A PPB board has to be pretty jacked up to make a Rottendog a viable option. When I think that, I start thinking about what else could be so jacked etc. Also, they are really compatible, but problems do happen. Just because it's a drop in replacement, doesn't mean it doesn't come with other risks / potential headaches.

Stick to the original boards, pay a known, knowledgeable tech to come out and fix the game, be up and running quickly. If the tech is good, there are very few problems they won't be able to fix on the spot.

This happened to me last night. My GNR stopped booting. PIA light on solid, +5V light on solid, no blanking.

Checked connectors, all the symptoms lead to a bad EEPROM. Burned a new EEPROM, nothing. Burned the DE Test EEPROM, 1 blink on the PIA light, bad 6264 RAM.

I went to look at the slot, there was no 6264 RAM. That's because a couple months ago I was in the middle of swapping it with a Anyping NVRAM, got distracted and just forgot about it.

Pretty dumb mistake, but the moral of the story is non booting games can be REALLY simple fixes. Could be a bonehead mistake like mine, or a socketed chip etc. You don't just shotgun a whole boardset until you know what's going on.

I put RD boards in my TZ when I had issues, played perfectly. Sent my original boards to Chris Hibler and put them back in after he rebuilt them. I keep the spare set of RD boards (mpu and power driver) as a backup.

Depends on your area. My area has no knowledge techs that do work. So that's why I learned to do it myself. Now I am considered the "knowledgeable tech" in my area and have tons of work that I can barely get to. So if he doesn't have that option, like I didn't, and he has the money who cares. If he has the money and no tech available and nickle and dimming repairs isn't what he wants to do, I say, as long as he is not throwing boards out, do whatever you feel comfortable doing.

Replacing all the boards seems like a bad choice. You probably simply need the BR2 or associated cap replaced.

The original boards are still the absolute most dependable boards out there.

I have about 20 WPC's on route, many on 24/7, they are solid as a rock, all with original boards.

The CPU board must be the single most reliable pinball board on the planet!

The only board I would consider replacing is the DMD board, as they do develop problems related to heat dissipation over time.

I have dealt with some rottendog boards, but I'll leave my opinion out in regards to them.

John, who responded above, and Chris Hibler would be my recommendation for board repair.

However I would double-check all your voltages, especially your wall outlet voltage, before sending it in.

You really don't need to worry about repeat failures. Once John or Chris goes over and " bullet proofs " your boards, another failure is very rare. They replace questionable parts, as a matter of preventative maintenance in addition to whatever blew. I have not personally heard of anyone who had to go back and get a board done again. I'm sure it happens, but I think it's rare.

I think experience and history, as I noted above tells a pretty accurate story on what to do.

But in the end, it's your game - I would never replace all the boards and I never have in over 20 years of owning WPC's, but if you think you will get a more reliable game then fill your boots.

Bet I could get your game up in running in 30 minutes or less tho.

This is key. I would take a rebuilt board (by a known professional) over a rottendog any day of the week. But I'm not even saying that. It's probably a lot easier and about the same price to call a tech. Living in San Antonio, I can't imagine there isn't a qualified tech in the area. Just have them come in, do what they need to do, then start playing. Just make sure you get a good tech.

Don't get me wrong though, Rottendog has it's time and place. I picked up a TZ once (ironic) that had about 50% of the CPU board covered in battery acid. I noped my way right to their website and ordered a new CPU board (back when you could still order from them).

A rottendog CPU board is actually not 100% new. The WPC CPU ASIC has not been manufactured in 15+ years. So, you're either using a used pull, or a NOS piece, which exist but are getting harder to find.

I've heard a few stories where people had issues with Rottendog boards. I admittedly don't have much personal experience with them, as I repair boards, and a guy who repairs boards doesn't really have much experience with repro boards.

Based on past precedent, I would *not* plan on putting Rottendog boards in a game and have it be the silver bullet that solves all your problems. I *would* suggest replacing all the ribbon cables in the backbox, as 20 year old ribbon cables have deteriorated over the years and will cause all sorts of wacky problems that are fun to try and diagnose.

You would also want to look pretty close at several connectors in the backbox that will deteriorate, GI input and ouput, secondary input, Z connector between the CPU and driver, etc.

I also hate fuse clips with a passion, and that's what RD uses on his boards. Probably comes from replacing them left and right over the years on DE power supplies and WMS sound boards.

Parts fail. New parts fail. Old parts fail. RD uses pulled 6821s on his boards that use 6821s (TZ doesn't use any...).

Nobody in the world can guarantee a part - new or old - won't fail in a week, month, year, etc. We can certainly look at ratings on a cap, or pull based on our experience, but there will always be some that outlast others, and some that fail before others

Do whatever makes you comfortable. I don't repair boards because I find it's the cheapest choice, I truthfully feel original boards in good condition are the *best* choice. But you get to make that call for you, just like I get to make it for me. Thankfully, it's a pinball machine, so whatever you decide isn't a life or death decision

Seriously, have you replaced the ribbon cables??? I've now run into this twice. If I had sent the boards out for repair, they would have been returned as "good" with wasted money invested. Those tiny data lines carry signals required for system booting, the display, etc... and they weren't meant to be bent (take a look inside a desktop computer). The end connectors expand, the thin traces in the cable become brittle, all of these leading to extremely odd behavior with a perfectly good board.

Haha. I think by saying this you are saying you don't like em.

John, Yes your right the ASIC is old. But that is 1 part, the ASIC chip in your rebuilt boards is ALSO OLD so that being said, RD boards have 85-95% newer components then the 5-15% new components that are part of a rebuild.

RD has great support and will warranty and replace everything if their is a problem.

Ultimately its your money and your decision but I do recommend poking around your board first for easy stuff as like WXforecaster stated if its a $10 ribbon cable neither a new RD or Johns rebuilt board will fix your problem. Double check everything do a bit of due diligence and in the end if you'd rather spend $300 for a RD vs. $150-200 on a rebuilt board that is your call.

Smart move going with John he is one of the best, you won't be disappointed and you'll be making all the purests happy! Good luck!!