Replaced 3.6v Battery on JVL Vortex now getting "Activation Key Not Found"

[chocklett2]

I have a JVL Vortex that I was getting a red screen saying it could not detect the SRAM.
I replaced the 3.6v battery on the motherboard and now I'm getting the error "Activation Key Not Found"
Anyone know what the cause of this could be? I checked the JVL manual but I see nothing with this error code?
Everything seems to be plugged in properly and the activation key for iTouch 9 looks fine in the back?

[chocklett2]

btw I am a newbie to these machines, so don't chew me a new butt hole 

[lilshawn]

make sure all your plugs are plugged in. there is a ton of them, and it's easy to miss one, or get one trapped under the board and be out of sight.

also, try rebooting the machine while holding down the service button (the one on the IO board that you have to press to bring up the operator manual)
and see if the game boots to give you the option to reload all the software. this will let you know if the game is properly detecting the IO board.

if it does not, you have probably plugged a cable on the motherboard into the wrong place. there is a 12 or 14 pin connector that is essentially a serial connection to the IO board. there is a few spots on the motherboard it can slot into, but it only works with one. i don't remember what happens when you plug it into the wrong one, but it certainly doesn't work. i outline the sockets with plugs in them with white paint so i know which one goes where.

if it does boot up to the reload screen, give it a reload and see if it smartens up.

[chocklett2]

Sounds right, you're talking about the VGA cable that connects to the front of the I/O panel?
I'm looking on the main board and I don't see any connection that would fit that piece at all.

[chocklett2]

make sure all your plugs are plugged in. there is a ton of them, and it's easy to miss one, or get one trapped under the board and be out of sight.

also, try rebooting the machine while holding down the service button (the one on the IO board that you have to press to bring up the operator manual)
and see if the game boots to give you the option to reload all the software. this will let you know if the game is properly detecting the IO board.

if it does not, you have probably plugged a cable on the motherboard into the wrong place. there is a 12 or 14 pin connector that is essentially a serial connection to the IO board. there is a few spots on the motherboard it can slot into, but it only works with one. i don't remember what happens when you plug it into the wrong one, but it certainly doesn't work. i outline the sockets with plugs in them with white paint so i know which one goes where.

if it does boot up to the reload screen, give it a reload and see if it smartens up.

I'm 100% not getting any reaction from the reset button at all. So this could be it, I guess I'll have to try to plug these cables in differently.

[chocklett2]

make sure all your plugs are plugged in. there is a ton of them, and it's easy to miss one, or get one trapped under the board and be out of sight.

also, try rebooting the machine while holding down the service button (the one on the IO board that you have to press to bring up the operator manual)
and see if the game boots to give you the option to reload all the software. this will let you know if the game is properly detecting the IO board.

if it does not, you have probably plugged a cable on the motherboard into the wrong place. there is a 12 or 14 pin connector that is essentially a serial connection to the IO board. there is a few spots on the motherboard it can slot into, but it only works with one. i don't remember what happens when you plug it into the wrong one, but it certainly doesn't work. i outline the sockets with plugs in them with white paint so i know which one goes where.

if it does boot up to the reload screen, give it a reload and see if it smartens up.

Would this plug be on the inside of the motherboard, or on the outside of the motherboard near the shield, I think I've tried almost every plug this connector fits into and I'm still getting the same error? Red and yellow light is lit up on the I/O but I'm not getting anything from the reset button.

[lilshawn]

yeah, it sounds like the lead from the IO board is not connected proper.

it's inside the computer. you'll have to take it off and have a look and see where it's plugged in. it's going to be one of the flat cables plugged onto the motherboard. it's going to have like 12 pins on it i think. it will reach and plug into like 3 different places with the same pincount, but only works in one of them.