MiSTer FPGA Forum

I picked up a pre-built Ultimate MiSTer Pro system recently and it's been working fine until the other day. When I turn on the power the power light doesn't light up and there is no image on the screen. However the cooling fan spins up and I can see a blue light on the board beneath it. Also the right hand side light on the NIC is still working.

Having looked around the forum I have tried a few of the suggestions such as the dip switches, checking everything is seated correctly and I have also built a new microSD card but still no joy. I also tried the original 2A PSU rather then the usual 4A supply but that made no difference.

The MiSTer is hooked up to a Panasonic SD plasma (848x480) via VGA with a cheap Trust brand USB keyboard and a USB Neo-Geo stick connected to the USB hub. The PSU is a 4A Greenwell supply as recommended by the vendor.

A few days before it stopped working I had run the update_all script but couldn't read the text so lowered the resolution to 640 x 480. The individual cores I left at 240p as the TV supports both 15 and 31kHz. When I next tried to run the update script, to get the 32X core, I was advised I needed to update the .ini file to enable frame buffer support or the vga scandoubler. This same error message appeared when I tried to use the script to alter the .ini file. The cores were still working at this point.

I tried removing the microSD and tried it in both a Windows 10 and MacOS computers but wasn't able to read the card to edit the .ini file. It was after this the MiSTer stopped working. As noted earlier I bought a new microSD card and prepared it with MiSTer Fusion but still noy.

Any advice would be gratefully received. I'm getting Progear withdrawal symptoms! Thanks.

You don't have the original sdcard i've sent with it? I usually recommend you keep that and build a new one.
If you need i could sent you an sdcard image or step by step how to do it.

When no lights but fan spinning is usually some issue on sdcard configuration.

I solved a similar problem by using MiSTer Fusion to create another SD card and copying files from that over to the existing non-booting card. Your mister.ini file can most likely be kept unchanged.

And maybe check the existing card for file errors on a PC (with the standard properties->extra->error checking function of Windows).

rickdangerous wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 9:12 am You don't have the original sdcard i've sent with it? I usually recommend you keep that and build a new one.
If you need i could sent you an sdcard image or step by step how to do it.

When no lights but fan spinning is usually some issue on sdcard configuration.

I still have the original SD card you supplied. When I insert it into my Windows 10 system it tells me the card needs formatted before it can be used. I couldn’t view its contents on my Mac either.

If you could send a image or guide I could try that on the new microSD card I purchased. Thanks.

LamerDeluxe wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 10:24 am I solved a similar problem by using MiSTer Fusion to create another SD card and copying files from that over to the existing non-booting card. Your mister.ini file can most likely be kept unchanged.

And maybe check the existing card for file errors on a PC (with the standard properties->extra->error checking function of Windows).

Unfortunately I am unable to view the contents of the original microSD card on my computers. I guess the card may be at fault.

CMcK wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 1:34 pm

LamerDeluxe wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 10:24 am I solved a similar problem by using MiSTer Fusion to create another SD card and copying files from that over to the existing non-booting card. Your mister.ini file can most likely be kept unchanged.

And maybe check the existing card for file errors on a PC (with the standard properties->extra->error checking function of Windows).

Unfortunately I am unable to view the contents of the original microSD card on my computers. I guess the card may be at fault.

LamerDeluxe suggests that you make a new SD card from scratch über MiSTer Fusion. In short, try another SD card.

CMcK wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 1:34 pm

LamerDeluxe wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 10:24 am I solved a similar problem by using MiSTer Fusion to create another SD card and copying files from that over to the existing non-booting card. Your mister.ini file can most likely be kept unchanged.

And maybe check the existing card for file errors on a PC (with the standard properties->extra->error checking function of Windows).

Unfortunately I am unable to view the contents of the original microSD card on my computers. I guess the card may be at fault.

Sorry to hear that your card got corrupted somehow. You should normally be able to view the contents when connected to a computer.

MiSTer Fusion makes it easy to prepare a new card, but you'll have to copy the console and computer games you had on there again.

I did buy a new microSD card and used MiSTer Fusion & Win 32 Disk Imager to prepare it but once it was installed in my MiSTer I still had the same problem as before.

Best to try it via HDMi to a modern TV rather than add the extra complexity of a VGA monitor

Can you rule out your computer's MicroSD card reader/adapter/whatever you're using to write the cards?

Because a lot of those are cheap and terrible. It could be that your MiSTer is fine, and that the problem is actually your computer corrupting every MicroSD card it touches.

CRTified wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 10:36 pm Can you rule out your computer's MicroSD card reader/adapter/whatever you're using to write the cards?

Because a lot of those are cheap and terrible. It could be that your MiSTer is fine, and that the problem is actually your computer corrupting every MicroSD card it touches.

That's a good point, both cards were inserted into my inexpensive HP laptop and then failed to work. I'll try using the card reader in my Mac mini to write a new microSD card.

PM me that I sent you a new SDCard to test if you need.

I tried the new microSD card with my Mac and balenaEtcher to write the MiSTer Fusion image and I’m happy to report the MiSTer is working fine. It even has green lights next to the active peripherals on the USB hub now. And the wi-fi is working just fine too.
Does look like the SD card slot in my laptop is best avoided.

Thanks for all the advice guys.