IPac Losing Programming

[LandShark]

I just finished a new Control Panel Last week and the I-PAC4 worked fine for the first week. However, the last two days it is losing it's memory at reboot.

I know this topic was brought up a while back and I have researched those threads. At that time, Ultimarc suspected a bad batch of EEPROm's. However, that was two years ago. Of course, I could still have a bad EEPROM and that's probably my first instinct. Typically though, you will encounter Bad EEPROM's in a lot and I haven't seen many recent complaints yet about this failure mode.  I'm just wanting to check to see if anyone has had any other issues lately or there maybe another problem I haven't looked for yet that someone has discovered a solution to.  All the other topics regarding this issue have not had much feedback other than sending the board back for a replacement to Andy, but again they are not very recent either.

[Tiger-Heli]

Does your board have a MAME/ALT jumper and is it set to ALT?

[LandShark]

Hmmm, that's a good point. Honestly, I can't say for sure right now because I am at work, but I was thinking this board did not have a jumper on it like that. However, I do know the IPAC2 does have a jumper to set all the standard MAME functions. But this is a brand new IPAC4... I will have to look into that. Thanks!

However, it is interesting that the encoder worked flawlesslyfor about a week. Didn't need to reprogram it. Thisjust started two days ago without me making any system changes to use as a start. And the system does retain the program when I reprogram until I re-boot.

I would like to note, that for some reason I did lose some of the shift key ability a few days before this started. After that, I did double check all the wiring and it was all good, so there were no shorts detected.

[Tiger-Heli]

I don't think the newer ones have jumper.  It is sounding more and more like a failing component to me, but mostly b/c I can't think of anything else to explain it.

[vibez]

I got a replacement jpac when my when wrong with the eeprom. I've had it about 4months now & the eeprom is going again. It keeps forgetting what I programmed it with after re-booting

[LandShark]

I don't think the newer ones have jumper. It is sounding more and more like a failing component to me, but mostly b/c I can't think of anything else to explain it.

Yeah - I have pretty much came to the same conclusion, but I am just needing some reassurance, ya know! That shipping time back to the UK is a little lengthy... especially when you are wanting to show-off the cabinet to a few friends. 

IMHO - As far as EEPROM, typically you buy them in lots. So, like anything else that is an off the shelf electrical part, when you run into one bad part, you'll typically find more in the same lot. Depending on demand there could be a few more of these. <shrug> Just part of the game you play.... (no pun intended)

[vibez]

If you email Andy. He will probably sort you out for free. (he may ask for shipping)

[LandShark]

Ok - after a few emails with Andy, I believe this problem I was having has been fixed. I completely overlooked looking at the control panel in windows (device manager) or that would have tipped me off right away. I think sometimes you forget that your control panel is being recognized by the computer as a keyboard and will show up there.   

Anyway, I  thought I would post Andy's reply which eventually helped me fix my problem to enlighten anyone else that might have the same problem:

==========
 When the I-PAC is not working, are there any yellow exclamation marks
against anything in Control Panel, Device Manager?

Can you try going into regedit, and opening
Hkey_Local_Machine/System/CurrentControlSet/Enum/HID and delete the keys
containing VID D209
Also Hkey_Local_Machine/System/CurrentControlSet/Enum/USB and delete the
same keys. You might have to right-click and set permissions to do this.

Then click "search for new hardware" or unplug/reconnect the I-PAC.
==========

[AllisterFiend]

Ok - after a few emails with Andy, I believe this problem I was having has been fixed. I completely overlooked looking at the control panel in windows (device manager) or that would have tipped me off right away. I think sometimes you forget that your control panel is being recognized by the computer as a keyboard and will show up there.   

Anyway, I  thought I would post Andy's reply which eventually helped me fix my problem to enlighten anyone else that might have the same problem:

==========
 When the I-PAC is not working, are there any yellow exclamation marks
against anything in Control Panel, Device Manager?

Can you try going into regedit, and opening
Hkey_Local_Machine/System/CurrentControlSet/Enum/HID and delete the keys
containing VID D209
Also Hkey_Local_Machine/System/CurrentControlSet/Enum/USB and delete the
same keys. You might have to right-click and set permissions to do this.

Then click "search for new hardware" or unplug/reconnect the I-PAC.
==========

Mine works about every 1 in 5 times I reboot my arcades computer.  When mine is not working, I do not get any errors in my device manager.  I tried to delete those files anyway just to see what happens and it will not let me delete them.  Should I even bother if I do not get any error messages.

also, does it matter if I plug my usb keyboard into the bypass on the IPAC4 (using a usb to ps2 converter) or into any available usb jack?

Thanks for any info.

Allister Fiend

[Bill Mote]

Did you guys ever get this figured out?  Mine has recently started doing the same thing.  I'll have to try the registry stuff when I get home tonight.

Thanks.

[vibez]

Did you guys ever get this figured out?  Mine has recently started doing the same thing.  I'll have to try the registry stuff when I get home tonight.

Thanks.

The 1st time I got it sorted using a new epprom. the 2nd time I thought it was happening again. Basically the drivers had got corrupted. I just unistalled the device & plugged it back in. Windows installed the drivers again & all is good now

[Bill Mote]

I read on the Ultimarc site that the problem can be caused by frequently swithing the USB port the device is connected to.  That's a possibility as I recently reworked the control panel to replace all the crimped connections with soldered connections.  I also moved   That means it's possible that the CP was moved to at least 2 new USB ports.

dot

[walls83]

Ok - after a few emails with Andy, I believe this problem I was having has been fixed. I completely overlooked looking at the control panel in windows (device manager) or that would have tipped me off right away. I think sometimes you forget that your control panel is being recognized by the computer as a keyboard and will show up there.

[Doc-]

Mine does not work either (USB) - I have to reprogram it every time.  I contacted Andy some time ago and he said to ship it back to England due to a bad EEPROM.  I figured by the payed for overseas shipping again and then went through all the hours of rewiring it I would have spent more time/money than it was worth.

I now have the IPAC panel on autoboot, so I just press the program button once it comes up and then start up MAMEWAH.

Doc-

[brophog]

Doc,

Have you tried to load an ipc file through mamewah instead?

[Bill Mote]

Okay.  I checked my arcade when I got home and the CP was working.  I rebooted the machine and the CP was toast.  I checked the device manager and I did have the "?" on one of my HID (Human Interface Device) devices.  Awesome!  I deleted the suggested registry keys and unplugged/re-plugged the IPAC.  After a quick new hardware detection everything was working.  I rebooted the arcade and the programming stayed.

Thanks to everyone for the help!

dot

[Doc-]

Doc,
Have you tried to load an ipc file through mamewah instead?

I tried that - it did not work either.

I have not tried modifying the registry, so perhaps that is worth a shot.

Doc-