Williams Pharaoh not getting out of settings mode

[WHJ]

Hello all,

I have a Williams Pharaoh pinball. Nice machine and it has worked for over a year, but now it is 'stuck' in the settings mode and no matter what I try, I can't seem to be getting out of it to be able to play. According to the manual I should go to setting 50. I can get there but it should exit to game over when I depress advance with switch set to auto-up, but it never does that.
Another option at setting 50 would be to reset to factory settings. I should operate the credit button until 45 is indicated in player 1, but all I see is the number 65 there. I can move this one up to 66 (and no futher) or go down but then player 1 is blank. Nothing else, no matter what combo I try or how often I press credit button.
The same 65/66 thing is also in other places, like for example setting number 18 (maximum credits) which should be set to 0 for free play but that also can only be set to either blank or 65 or 66.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can get to playing again? Is something broke or am I overlooking something?

Kind regards,
Wieger

[Ken Layton]

Any battery leakage damage to the board and/or the battery holder?

[WHJ]

Hi Ken,

No there doesn't appear to be any leakage damage, at least not visible. I had also replaced the batterys just to be sure, but it had no effect and the batterys coming out also looked fine.

The weird thing is that the problem happens with all settings it seems, I can only seet it to either empty, 65 or 66. I just tried to set number 13 which is for 'Current highscore to date' and although it has 6 trailing zero's (million) the number before that which I can change is either 65,66 or empty so it makes 65000000, 66000000 or 000000.

[Ken Layton]

Sounds like the 5101 ram chip has gone corrupt and needs to be replaced.

[WHJ]

Thanks Ken. Will try to find a replacement and see if that works.

[pbj]

Turn it on, off, on, off, on quickly. That can bypass the 5101.

Also replace batteries and make sure the holder is making solid contact.

[WHJ]

Hello pbj,

I've tried to on/off as fast as i can several times, but it didn't work. I had already replaced the batteries and the holder does seem to make solid contact.

I found a pinball repairman close to my home, so will take the board to him to replace the 5101 chip.

Thanks and kind regards,
Wieger