apple pro problem (is it the chip?)
 

I just installed an apple pro in a customers V4 gap bios PS2. I have installed many chips before how ever this is only my second apple pro that I have installed. The first one worked great and that was just installed 2 days ago on a V5 machine. The V4 that I am working with now wont boot any back ups. It boots originals just fine. I checked all the points with my continuity checker and looked for any shorts and everything checks out just fine. Then I got to looking at the chip its self. The file I attached shows an apple pro (from the apple web site). I have marked the area in question. The question is...in the picture shown you can see what looks like a solder bridge and a small component of some kind at the top. When I look at mine the component in not there. Its just one large bridge. Does anyone have an apple pro lying around that they can look at and tell me what they have. This might be a manufacturer’s change I don’t know.

here is a picture of the install. See anything wrong? I dont.

click here

check pins 12 and 14 for possible bridge, Just got a batch of apple pro's from modchips.cc, they all have a solder blob at the point you questioned, no component, so far all have worked great. Also it looks like you are using using enamel coated wire, hard to tell from the picture, if so check it for scrapes or breaks in the coating. Good luck, Hope you get it sorted.

yes it is enamel wire. I normaly use the kynar wire. This is the first time I have used it. I am thinking of pulling it out and using the kynar wire. What do you think?

I have never liked enamel wire though many installers use it without any problems. If you have checked all points and are confident it isnt the install then i would definately change the wire.

enameled 32awg or smaller power and grond could wel be your problem
24 awg

The Kynar wire is difficult on the VIAs. Once you get the hang of Enamelled wire it's great. We only use Enamelled wire.

The power and ground wires are 22GA awg. Like I said this was my first time using the enameled wire. It was very easy to use and turned out looking very good. However this is the first mod chip I have installed that didn’t work at all and the only thing I have done differently is the enameled wire. I might rewire it using the kynar wire and cross my fingers.

Does any one know alternate points on a V4 ntsc gap bios board for the apple pro points 1,2,3 and 6,7 so I dont have to solder to the via's. I would rather solder to the DVD controler legs.

Ok, here is my update. I reinstalled the mod chip with the kynar wire. I am still getting the same results though. All though I did get it to boot a PSX back up once (the mummy) all though I cant get it to boot again. It still boots originals fine. Any ideas? Sounds like it might be a lazer issue. I have read posts about similar issues with a V4 before and people stating that its something to do with the laser.

could it be cos you have a faulty chip?

Could be. All though it did boot that one back up and I beleave it could be the lazar because I cant even boot originals with out booting from the browser some times. Bighap your a apple pro buff. What do you think?

OK, here is my most recent update with this issue. After rewiring the mod with the kynar wire and it still not booting I decided to open up the cd/dvd rom and do some work there. I cleaned the lens with a q-tip and alcohol and then turned each of the pots (CD and DVD) 1/16 of a turn clockwise. Now I can get DVD-R's to boot but not CD-R's. So I now know the mod chip is working but the lazer is old and worked. I had this same problem with a messiah2 chip on a V4 a while back and I just ended up changing the lazer all together. But on that V4 I could still get the DVD based games to boot so I knew the mod was working. In this case I couldn’t get anything to boot that’s why I thought it was the chip or maybe the enameled wire. Turns out it was neither. I was starting to think badly about the enameled wire also, but now I think I am still going to give it a try on the next machine I chip. Any ways thanks for all the help.

One last post. I did a little more tweeking of the CD pot and now it boots everything.

Ahhh. You gotta love the headaches of the v1-v4 machines.:)