Cuttle Cart 2 problem

[pinkstone]

Hi, after a few years stored I finally tested my 7800. It only started in 2600 mode so, I changed the two RAM ICs (TMM-2016P-1 for TMM-2016AP-1) and then everything worked fine. But, when I tried my CC2, I saw a screen reporting that the NVRAM was corrupted and next, the text in the menu showed up garbled. I rebuilt the menu.txt and menu.cc2, and also formatted the MMC but nothing changed. Then, I reflashed the CC2 with bootrom.cc2 (showed up that it was done correctly) but when the 7800 booted again, the screen was black with white vertical and diagonal stripes. The strange thing is that in the Emergency Boot, the screen is fine, only happen in the Main Mode. I tried to update within the emergency mode with bootrom.cc2 (2.01 and 1.01) but still do that (with and without the MMC). Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

PS: Reading (again) the manual, I noticed that the file I have to use in Emergency Mode is EMGBOOT.CC2 but I couldn´t find nowhere and schells.com is down. Someone has this file? Thanks!

[Trebor]

This post has the Cuttle Cart 2 web pages archived as well as all associated files complete in one zip archive.

[pinkstone]

Thank you, I used those files to update but they don´t have EMGBOOT.CC2 nor in the original CD that came with the CC2.

[+Mitch]

Here you go.

EMGBOOT.zip

[pinkstone]

Thanks, I was able to reflash the CC2 (renaming to BOOTROM.CC2) but it still do the same thing.

[Trebor]

Thanks, I was able to reflash the CC2 (renaming to BOOTROM.CC2) but it still do the same thing.

 

Was the full Emergency Boot process performed, including moving over the jumper? If the full process was followed and the issue continues to occur, replacing the internal battery may be necessary.

 

Both steps are mentioned in a snippet from the manual captured below:

 

[pinkstone]

Yes, I moved the jumper to Emergency Mode. I´m going to replace the battery but it still has 3 V, so maybe it´s not an issue.

Thanks for the replies.

[Mayhem]

I recently made a backup of my CD because I sold my spare CC2 (and the files are long gone from the website), but someone else has helped you out there

[Trebor]

Thanks to Mitch, the Cuttle Cart 2 archive has been updated to include the elusive "Emergency Boot" ROM file:

 

Cuttle Cart 2_20170414.zip

[pinkstone]

Well, I changed the battery. Nothing changed

[+MacRorie]

Well, I changed the battery. Nothing changed

 

 

I know this is a necrobump in the extreme, but I believe there may be some 7800s that do not work with the CC2. I have an N=3, but hear me out: I had a 7800 that was my main tester. Everything worked on it EXCEPT the CC2 that I had purchased used. The CC2 menu would show games as garbage, the emergency menu worked, but only so far. Sometimes I would get a whacky screen with it. I had no reason to suspect that the 7800 was in error, so chalked it up to either me not being able to properly format the MMC or the cart itself was weird.

 

Later, someone else sent me their CC2 for repair (MMC slot had broken). I repaired it and had the same results. Even with a known good MMC. Over the ensuing months I tried various things. Well, in the interim, I lent my 7800 to someone working with me on a UNO game project, so I had to use a different 7800 for testing.

 

On a whim, I tried it in that machine. Both worked like a charm, no problems whatsoever. Every game played, every MMC card work without a problem.

 

So, I would try the CC2 in a different 7800 and see what happens.

[RevEng]

Greatly appreciated necrobump, for the added info. This bit especially...

 

Everything worked on it EXCEPT the CC2 that I had purchased used.

...I've seen pretty much the same words used to justify that other flash carts were defective, and the problem couldn't possibly be with the console.

 

I think some of these old decks go out of spec, but still work well enough with mask roms that people don't know (or won't believe) the problem originates with the console.

 

In the case of the 7800, this is probably exasperated by the fact that Atari loved to chase component deals, and received stuff of varying quality.

[+DrVenkman]

Greatly appreciated necrobump, for the added info. This bit especially...

 

 

...I've seen pretty much the same words used to justify that other flash carts were defective, and the problem couldn't possibly be with the console.

 

I think some of these old decks go out of spec, but still work well enough with mask roms that people don't know (or won't believe) the problem originates with the console.

 

In the case of the 7800, this is probably exasperated by the fact that Atari loved to chase component deals, and received stuff of varying quality.

Stories like these also help explain why even after all these years there’s not a currently-available commercial flash cart available for the hobbyist.

[John Stamos Mullet]

 

 

I know this is a necrobump in the extreme, but I believe there may be some 7800s that do not work with the CC2. I have an N=3, but hear me out: I had a 7800 that was my main tester. Everything worked on it EXCEPT the CC2 that I had purchased used. The CC2 menu would show games as garbage, the emergency menu worked, but only so far. Sometimes I would get a whacky screen with it. I had no reason to suspect that the 7800 was in error, so chalked it up to either me not being able to properly format the MMC or the cart itself was weird.

 

Later, someone else sent me their CC2 for repair (MMC slot had broken). I repaired it and had the same results. Even with a known good MMC. Over the ensuing months I tried various things. Well, in the interim, I lent my 7800 to someone working with me on a UNO game project, so I had to use a different 7800 for testing.

 

On a whim, I tried it in that machine. Both worked like a charm, no problems whatsoever. Every game played, every MMC card work without a problem.

 

So, I would try the CC2 in a different 7800 and see what happens.

i had this same symptom (garble menu display) in a concerto cart with an X serial number 7800., but it worked fine I'm my other one.