Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Help with Megatouch IONs  (Read 6642 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jas155

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2
  • Last login:January 04, 2021, 09:02:02 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Help with Megatouch IONs
« on: October 11, 2017, 12:38:41 pm »
First post, but I have spent a total of 9 hours searching through here. I just purchased 3 megatouch games and I am having some issues getting them working. Two of the machines are I believe the IONs. Silver cabinet with the 2009 version on them. The third one a Megatouch Force Evo and runs on sdram and the large IDE hard drive.

1. The first one is not displaying video. I got it up and running, my wife played on it for about 15 minutes then no video. If I am correct it seems that it could be a motherboard issue (maybe needs new caps?).

2. This one I am getting a kernel panic while loading. Something about syncing and CPU. I honestly don't have it in front of me. I will update this post later with that info.

3. This one is kinda a hot mess. All of the equipment is there but it crashes and reboots itself. On this one I was wondering if there is a way to just upgrade the hardware to something newer and run the software for the games.


Any help is appreciated and I apologize if some of this is listed in the forum and i just could not find it.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 12:41:33 pm by jas155 »

lilshawn

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7363
  • Last login:Today at 07:29:58 pm
  • I break stuff...then fix it...sometimes
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2017, 02:35:53 pm »
upgrade the hardware to something newer and run the software for the games.

going to nip this one now....

short answer, no.

Longer answer, Merit locked the software from running on anything but very VERY close match boards. IE exact same make/model. you can swap the hardware for newer boards used in other merit games PROVIDED you have at least the version of software that that particular board was used on. if you have at least ion 2009 so you could swap it out for either the original purple ECS board it currently has, an Asus board used in the aurora... or the intel board used in the RX (with some modification to mount the other 2 boards) the machines all have a security key to allow it to run that particular years version of software. you can't just "upgrade" by installing 2014 and be good, you'd have to get a 2014 security key as well. so if you have a security key for 2009, you'd have to stick to installing 2009 software with that machine or buy another security key to upgrade. you of course could just toss in whatever... install windows or something and play flappy bird with the touchscreen.

1: could be caps... but does it play blind? is it maybe an issue with the monitor backlight? or does it go "no signal" or just crash? could be overheating CPU. you should probably remove the heatsink off the CPU and clean off all the old thermal paste stuff and replace it anyways. it was garbage to begin with. also could be bad ram. if it has the original factory stick, it's probably failing (or soon will). i have a box full of dead ones. 512mb is more than ample for even the newest version of software if you do replace it.

2 : probably just needs the software reloaded.  if it is 2009 as well, try swapping the hard drive from the "goes blank" machine into this one and see if it boots proper. if it's not 2009, you'll have to swap the security key from the other one over so it will boot otherwise it will throw an invalid key for version error. if it works fine with that drive, reinstall the software on the old drive and see if it works... if still crashing replace the hard drive. anything 20gb and up will work just fine.

3: could be bad ram or failing hard drive. you can try reloading the software... but if it is the harddrive and it is failing...and if the version of software on it is 2004 or earlier, you must use a merit drive to replace it...mid 2005 and after, merit unlocked the software so it would install on any harddrive. (after a nag screen warning you about using a non-merit approved drive.)


jas155

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2
  • Last login:January 04, 2021, 09:02:02 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2017, 02:53:54 pm »
That was what I was thinking. I was hoping that I could just put some new hardware in and use the case and monitor for the same thing.


1. I don't know if it plays blind, didn't let it stay on long enough to find out. The machine just says dsub error on the monitor. No powering down or anything. Of course I only let it stay on for about 2 minutes before shutting it off and playing with cables. I don't have any RAM laying around, but I did try the ram out of the other one and same same.

2. I had already did the swap and the same thing happens. I also did the ram thing.

3. So I guess my options on this is to fix it and let it run the way it is or buy new/used stuff to upgrade it to a ION setup


Edit:

1: It doesn't make any other noises but it also does not turn itself off.

2: The Kernel panic is Not syncing: CPU context corrupt
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 07:59:22 pm by jas155 »

lilshawn

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7363
  • Last login:Today at 07:29:58 pm
  • I break stuff...then fix it...sometimes
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2017, 12:04:07 pm »
1. sounds like a board problem. i'd still look into the CPU though it seems most likely. also....

2. this could possibly still be bad ram.  if someone has swapped it it could be improper speed for this board. this could also be caused by an overheating CPU. It's possible if it's been chronically overheated that the CPU is getting sketchy. also check the board for "bad caps" with swelled up tops on them. it's an issue with all these boards because of the tight quarters they are in and the poor ventilation.

3: a FORCE system cannot be upgraded to ION it uses a different set of hardware altogether. (IO/touch/motherboard/security key) last version released for FORCE is 2011. The force system was discontinued after. it's TECHNICALLY possible to convert a force to ION by swapping everything out, but at that point you may as well just have bought another ION.

Onitsons

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Last login:July 21, 2019, 09:53:07 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2019, 07:59:02 pm »
Hi there I can't send you a private message because I just made my account but you seem to know a lot about megatouch machines. I recently bought an older force machine 2006.5 I think it's a fun Jr but I'm not 100% my question is can I just upgrade the drive and key to a 2011 software?

mahkeymike

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 742
  • Last login:Today at 10:01:02 pm
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2019, 11:51:45 pm »
Hi there I can't send you a private message because I just made my account but you seem to know a lot about megatouch machines. I recently bought an older force machine 2006.5 I think it's a fun Jr but I'm not 100% my question is can I just upgrade the drive and key to a 2011 software?

Yes you can upgrade a fun jr to Force 2011.

Onitsons

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Last login:July 21, 2019, 09:53:07 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2019, 02:26:14 pm »
Thank you I've had time to look it over and it's actually a radion so I'm hoping that works as well?

mahkeymike

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 742
  • Last login:Today at 10:01:02 pm
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2019, 05:14:56 pm »
Thank you I've had time to look it over and it's actually a radion so I'm hoping that works as well?

Yes. Force 2011, not Ion.

Onitsons

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Last login:July 21, 2019, 09:53:07 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Help with Megatouch IONs
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2019, 05:19:47 pm »
Perfect that's what I want to do thank you!