Big Buck Hunter Pro (open season, world, safari, etc.) replacement boards

[lilshawn]

HELOOOOOO FUTURE PERSON!!!

The Big Buck Hunter Pro series is a pretty popular machine to sell off now, but unfortunately the computer inside (described as the "microtel" computer) is pretty trashy. it comes in an unbranded square black or white case.  It suffers from bad caps and often will straight up die if you don't change them out...or die shortly after.

Should you end up with a dead/dying BBHP, BBHOS, BBW (and some BBsafari)... and the mainboard dies, you can replace it with some other more available and more reliable parts...

the original red 6100 and later green 6100 boards are both terrible and prone to failure. They can be changed with 10099.999% compatibility, provided you run the latest version of the OS.

M2N-MX SE+
M2N86-AM-SE2
M68S+
M2N68-AM
M2N68-AM+
K9N6PGM2-V2

EDITED TO ADD:

N68-GS4/USB3_FX R2.0
N68-GS FX
TForce 6100 AM2

other boards might be compatible too as well, but I have tested and verified these in particular. Lots of these models are available on ebay with ram and CPU's ready to go for often under 100 bucks.

I've found that more or less if the northbridge is either a nVidia 6100 or 7025 series

AND

the sound chip is a Realtek ALC662 or ALC665 chip

It will work with the software without any farting around.

should you end up having to replace a safari computer (most where Dell computers.) you can replace those with either...

CN-0YP696
CN-0HX340

both are nearly identical to the original board but with additional internal ports. (sata etc)

 

EDIT: Aug 2018

the latest versions of the software are as follows...

Big Buck Hunter Pro - 1.25
Big Buck Hunter Open Season - 1.50.05
Big Buck Hunter Safari - 1.02.22
Big Buck Hunter World - 1.17

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!PLEASE NOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have replaced the motherboard with the "M2N-MX SE+" motherboard with the nvidia 7025 chipset, ... the computer WILL NOT BOOT the BIG BUCK PRO v1.25 and earlier or the BIG BUCK HUNTER OPEN SEASON v1.50.00 and earlier installation CDs... but DOES run the BBH software just fine.

You can install the harddrive in another computer, boot and install the software off the CD, then install the drive BACK into the M2N-MX SE+ computer. this is an issue with a BIOS component and a configuration in the boot CD that conflict. This could be remedied with a BIOS update or a modified OS install CD. The motherboard manufacturer has not released an updated BIOS for this motherboard to make it compatible with the boot disk, but the install outlined above works. I believe modifying the CD boot itself to eliminate looking for the offending component is possible, but i'm not a linux person.

the newest open season (1.50.05) and big buck world (1.17) boot just fine. I have not tested on safari, as we have since sold off our safari machines.

you may run into this issue with some of the other boards i listed above as replacements... if you run into an issue like this with another model, please post an update.

EDIT OCT 2023 to add more boards

[bjordan314]

Can the bbhp be upgraded with the same dongles


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[lilshawn]

kind of, sort of, yes and no. the dongles are specific to that version... BUT... software came in 2 flavors

if you bought an "upgrade kit" version with a new dongle it must be installed in ADDITION to the originally supplied dongle. so the computer would have a Big buck pro dongle AND an open season or world dongle installed. (if you upgraded to open season...then later to world, you can remove the open season dongle, as it's no longer needed, and install the world dongle. but you must retain the original pro dongle)

if you buy an original version of software, (IE from an original big buck open season or big buck world) it needs only THAT dongle.

so yes, if it's an "upgrade" and no, if it's an original version.

[bjordan314]

so I need to replace this motherboard which one u recommend


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[lilshawn]

any of them. they are all virtually identical having the same/similar northbridges and audio systems. this is why they work.

M2N-MX SE+
M2N86-AM-SE2
M68S+
M2N68-AM
M2N68-AM+
K9N6PGM2-V2

the one you have there is the green 6100 series board made by biostar. any of those models will replace it. I recommend either sourcing a board with a CPU/memory already included or purchase new ones for your new board. depending on the board you get...the replacement board may or may not be able to reuse your CPU or memory from your old board.

[bjordan314]

any of them. they are all virtually identical having the same/similar northbridges and audio systems. this is why they work.

M2N-MX SE+
M2N86-AM-SE2
M68S+
M2N68-AM
M2N68-AM+
K9N6PGM2-V2

the one you have there is the green 6100 series board made by biostar. any of those models will replace it. I recommend either sourcing a board with a CPU/memory already included or purchase new ones for your new board. depending on the board you get...the replacement board may or may not be able to reuse your CPU or memory from your old board.

Ok I will get back to u when I get the new board


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[bjordan314]

it stay on this screen now


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[shredso]

I can confirm the M2N-MX SE works.  I changed the motherboard, RAM, CPU and SSD all at once, so I'm not sure what had the biggest impact.  The game boots and loads so much faster now. 

bjordan314 Try reinstalling the game using the restore discs. 

[gregdole7]

I have just replace a BBHPro motherboard with the M2N-MX SE+.

System boots to the loading "please wait" BBH splash screen, then goes black.

I reinstalled from recovery DVD, and have same issue. Recovery DVD is v. 1.0.5.

If I am understanding what I am reading above, this MB has issues with BBHPro. To remedy, I need to find another computer, remove the HDD from that computer, insert BBHPro HHDD and boot from DVD and run the recovery software. Is that correct?

[lilshawn]

Most likely. The OS used to boot the install disk does not like something in the BIOS and causes it to hang. If the OS was updated it would work, but someone more knowledgeable in Linux would have to take a stab at it

[Classicarcades.co.uk]

 Hi There, did this issue get resolved? if So any advice, just had the same issue after replacing a dead Biostart 6100 Motherboard. Replaced with M2N68-AM+ supplied with is own cpu and 2GB of ram - reused hdd and get the same issue.

Thanks in advance

Phil

I have just replace a BBHPro motherboard with the M2N-MX SE+.

System boots to the loading "please wait" BBH splash screen, then goes black.

I reinstalled from recovery DVD, and have same issue. Recovery DVD is v. 1.0.5.

If I am understanding what I am reading above, this MB has issues with BBHPro. To remedy, I need to find another computer, remove the HDD from that computer, insert BBHPro HHDD and boot from DVD and run the recovery software. Is that correct?