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Initial D Stage 3 Card Reader issue

Posted: October 11th, 2020, 11:09 pm
by Genma
Hi Everyone,

2nd post here hoping to have much more experienced people assist my as I restore a childhood Cabinet back to its glory days.

I picked up an US version Initial D Stage 3 twin linked cabinet for a steal. Currently i'm having issues where suddenly the card reader stopped working, when we brought the cab home the reader failed to work. After spending a good afternoon we cleaned the card reader slapped it back into the machine and BAM reads and prints cards.

Most recently my buddy and I were playing on the master cab (slave is inop waiting for a new DIMM but thats a story for another day) excited as I just recently acquired brand new Sega Initial D players cards. We finished the night playing on a Car waiting for the card reader to spit it out when it had an error "unable to save" displayed on the screen and spat out the card. We thought it odd so we booted up another game and inserted the card with no avail. "Error occurred while reading
card. Card will be ejected without saving data. Please press the Start and Change View buttons.". Naturally we tested a 2nd known good card we've played in the past and same issue. Card reader would take the card cycle it back and forth in the reader and spit it back out again.

*Please note this is on a Naomi 2*

Following this we went into the test menu under C/W test.
Initialized: ok
Check R/W: this would get to SAVE then fail
"CAN'T SAVE NG"

So far i've tested..

-Cleaned the Card R/W sensors of dirt and dust
-Harness from card reader to master harness (Continuity good no breaks)
-Checked Card R/W PCB for breaks (Continuity good no breaks)
-Swapped harness from card reader from Slave machine
-Swapped Card reader from Slave
-Transferred over components to Slave (same error occurs)


I'm stumped as to what it could possibly to suddenly fail Is it possible that a "official Sega cleaning card" is the cure all? what I understand its just a phelt card. Can anyone suggest where I should continue diagnosing my issue?

Best Regards,
Genma

**Update 1**
Tested harness to confirm 5V on yellow wire, 12V on both red.
Performed manual cleaning on Card R/W test (had to burn 1 new card to confirm step)

Issue still remains, While in game read will take 7-8 attempts to read and 90% wont read the card. IF it does read the card 100% of the time will not save. Any further suggestions?

Re: Initial D Stage 3 Card Reader issue

Posted: October 12th, 2020, 9:35 am
by nem
Genma wrote: October 11th, 2020, 11:09 pmIs it possible that a "official Sega cleaning card" is the cure all? what I understand its just a phelt card.

That's right, it is a felt card. However, there is some kind of cleaning solution in the packet, because the card is wet when you tear the packet open and take the card out.

Error occurred while saving data. Please notify a store attendant. Please press the Start and Change View buttons.
Leave the card in place and press the Start button and Change View button at the same time to retry the save operation. Remove the card and press the Start button and Change View button at the same time to restore or end the game. If this error occurs several times, use Test Mode to perform manual cleaning.

According to the manual it could help.

Re: Initial D Stage 3 Card Reader issue

Posted: October 14th, 2020, 3:40 am
by Genma
nem wrote: October 12th, 2020, 9:35 am
Genma wrote: October 11th, 2020, 11:09 pmIs it possible that a "official Sega cleaning card" is the cure all? what I understand its just a phelt card.

That's right, it is a felt card. However, there is some kind of cleaning solution in the packet, because the card is wet when you tear the packet open and take the card out.

Error occurred while saving data. Please notify a store attendant. Please press the Start and Change View buttons.
Leave the card in place and press the Start button and Change View button at the same time to retry the save operation. Remove the card and press the Start button and Change View button at the same time to restore or end the game. If this error occurs several times, use Test Mode to perform manual cleaning.

According to the manual it could help.
Used the cleaning card and passed the R/W test. However reading and writing in game still inop.

Re: Initial D Stage 3 Card Reader issue

Posted: October 14th, 2020, 10:14 am
by nem
With both card readers?

Re: Initial D Stage 3 Card Reader issue

Posted: October 14th, 2020, 4:01 pm
by Genma
nem wrote: October 14th, 2020, 10:14 am With both card readers?
Thats correct.

Re: Initial D Stage 3 Card Reader issue

Posted: February 16th, 2021, 11:19 pm
by Sbdesign
I acquired a card reader that was intermittent.
90% of the time it did what you are saying. This was from the moment I got it.
But to Load it, I could attempt and get it to accept perhaps after 3 times attempting but sometimes up to 10 attempts (approx).
But then it would fail to save most of the time.

I did everything you are doing, the cleaning, the checking of voltages, concerned about interference, or something wiping the cards.

In the end I tried another card reader from a forum member which worked every time. So I then knew all cab and conditions were fine after all.

I then managed to source one that was no longer needed.
I have left it all in a working state, but before giving it hours of playing I’m waiting to cosmetically restore it, doing a full strip down!.

I know and understand the use of real cards. But have you looked into netbooting the cards? Instead of physical?