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Author Topic: Revenge From Mars Pinball 2000 upgrade procedure  (Read 8685 times)

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lilshawn

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Revenge From Mars Pinball 2000 upgrade procedure
« on: July 22, 2014, 11:03:06 pm »
We got a Revenge from Mars pinball from another vendor last week for next to nothing. Overall in okay shape. Computer needed to be recapped to boot again. monitor is a little weak but nothing to worry about. Recapped the monitor to future proof.

I noticed the software version on the system was 1.1. the latest version is 1.5. while normally i wouldn't worry too much about it, they fixed some pretty serious game breaking bugs. (including resets and crashes) So I figure, what the hell. Seems easy enough. Just run the program on a computer, connect it to the Pinball 2000 machine, and update the software.

I've outlined the steps I needed to take here to complete the task.

items needed:

computer with serial port
"null modem" serial cable
Pin2000 update manager software
RFM 1.5 update

1: Find the software. This was easy enough. it was freely available at http://www.planetarypinball.com/mm5/Williams/tech/pin2000/index.html

2: Install the software on the computer

3: Find out the software won't install on Windows XP. (apparently only works with 95/98/2000 only)

4: Search around the shop and find an old computer

5: Download Windows 98 onto a USB thumbdrive and install Windows 98 on old computer.

6: Realize computer doesn't properly support booting from USB resulting in boot error.

7: Find another computer that is not so old.

8: Realize Windows 98 does not like booting from USB at all.

9: Burn Windows 98 to a DVD because who has CD's these days?

10: Realize that Windows 98 setup really doesn't like SATA CDROM drives and installation fails due to not being able to load the MSCDEX driver.

11: Drag out old computer #1 again and realize it doesn't have a DVD reader.

12: Search everywhere for a DVD drive with PATA connector. Find one in a Big Buck Hunter Pro computer.

13: Boot computer with Windows 98 DVD.

14: Realize the DVD drive from the BBHP doesn't work. (they never do... hell, I don't even know why I tried.)

15: Find a DVD drive in an empty computer case hulk in storage.

16: Boot computer with Windows 98 DVD.

17: Install Windows 98.

18: Transfer files downloaded from aforementioned site to a USB thumbdrive.

19: Plug thumbdrive into old computer to be greeted with "Add hardware wizard".

20: Find no drivers for USB.

21: Not burning a 4.7gb DVD for 5mb of data.

22: Connect the 2 computers with the null modem cable.

23: Load up hyperterminal on both computers.

24: Realize Windows 98 didn't install hyperterminal.

25: Run "Add Remove Programs" and install hyperterminal on Windows 98 machine.

26: Load up hyperterminal on both computers.

27: Transfer 3mb "Pin2000 update manager" setup program.

28: wait 5 minutes for it to get to 3%

29: realize it's connected at 9600 bps.

30: Eff that noise.

31: Connect that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- up at 115200

32: takes 10 minutes to transfer 5mb  :-\ Boy I don't miss those days.

33: Install Pin2000 update manager. Goes perfect.

34: Copy RFM update to "Pinball 2000" folder...execute the EXE file and unpack it just to be sure it will find what it needs.

35: Shutdown computer and move it to RFM pinball machine in warehouse...Boot pinball and computer.

36: Connect null modem cable to jack inside coin door.

37: Load pin2000 update manager and click connect.

38: Realize it can't connect.

39: Realize the ribbon cable that plugs the serial port onto the motherboard header is connected to COM2 instead of COM1.

40: Switch header connector to COM1.

41: Load pin2000 update manager and click connect.

42: Connected... click find update.

43: Found update v 1.5... Click update software.

44: Wait 15 minutes for the update to complete.

45: Revenge from Mars pinball will automatically reboot when complete.

46: Dismantle computer and vow never to do it again.

Total time to complete this simple update:

3 3/4 hours.

spoot

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Re: Revenge From Mars Pinball 2000 upgrade procedure
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2014, 11:13:42 pm »
So, that sounds about like how every upgrade/change works for me too.   ;D

ChadTower

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Re: Revenge From Mars Pinball 2000 upgrade procedure
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2014, 09:27:12 am »

...and then realize you have to do it again when you eventually convert the game to Episode 1.

I think at this point, anyone who has something like a Pin2k, really should have a win98 laptop around.  Just for these things.  I should get one myself.  They have to be super cheap now.