TI Extended BASIC cartridge blue screen

[Onlyfordj]

Hi, I have a problem with the TI EXTENDED BASIC cartridge not loading and getting a blue screen.

1 - I insert the TI extended BASIC cartridge and connect the memory expansion module to the computer.

2 - I turn on the memory module, then I do the same with the TI 99/4th, the TEXAS INSTRUMENTS HOME COMPUTER...etc. display screen appears.
press a key to start.

2 - The screen appears with "TEXAS INSTRUMENTS HOME COMPUTER" and the options of
PRESS
1 FOR TI BASIC
2 FOR TI EXTENDED BASIC

3 - I press 2 and instead of giving a screen with some message "READY" or similar. I press 2 and instead of getting a screen with a "READY" or similar message, it only shows a screen in a bright blue color and constant beeping,  that occupies the whole screen and does not allow me to write anything. I need to turn off the computer for it to react.

Things I have done.
Cleaned the cartridge tracks with isopropyl alcohol.

 

I have two Texas TI 99 4/A and the same thing happens on both computers.

 

Any solution? Thanks

[RickyDean]

32 minutes ago, Onlyfordj said:

Hi, I have a problem with the TI EXTENDED BASIC cartridge not loading and getting a blue screen.

1 - I insert the TI extended BASIC cartridge and connect the memory expansion module to the computer.

2 - I turn on the memory module, then I do the same with the TI 99/4th, the TEXAS INSTRUMENTS HOME COMPUTER...etc. display screen appears.
press a key to start.

2 - The screen appears with "TEXAS INSTRUMENTS HOME COMPUTER" and the options of
PRESS
1 FOR TI BASIC
2 FOR TI EXTENDED BASIC

3 - I press 2 and instead of giving a screen with some message "READY" or similar. I press 2 and instead of getting a screen with a "READY" or similar message, it only shows a screen in a bright blue color and constant beeping,  that occupies the whole screen and does not allow me to write anything. I need to turn off the computer for it to react.

Things I have done.
Cleaned the cartridge tracks with isopropyl alcohol.

 

I have two Texas TI 99 4/A and the same thing happens on both computers.

 

Any solution? Thanks

You may try disassembling the ti99 and cleaning the cartridge port: https://www.arcadeshopper.com/wp/ti-99-4a-faq-maintenance-cleaning-cartridge-port/    http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/minimem/cart_fix.html

[Onlyfordj]

Hello. All cleaned. 

 

Video problem

[RickyDean]

Ah, but did you take the TI99 apart and clean the port as suggested? Not just the cartridge.

[Stuart]

Could just be that one of the cartridge chips has gone bad. Had one do that once. Easiest just to get another cartridge in that case.

Edited November 21 by Stuart

[RickyDean]

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

Could just be that one of the cartridge chips has gone bad. Had one do that once. Easiest just to get another cartridge in that case.

That's where I was going next if cleaning didn't fix it. 

[Onlyfordj]

I haven't really disassembled the computer.
I have several game cartridges, in total 7 cartridges + Flasrom99 and they all work perfectly.

I have two TI 99 4/A computers and on both computers the TI EXTENDED BASIC cartridge does not work.

Tomorrow I will disassemble the computer and tell you things.

Thank you very much for your help!

[RickyDean]

15 minutes ago, Onlyfordj said:

I haven't really disassembled the computer.
I have several game cartridges, in total 7 cartridges + Flasrom99 and they all work perfectly.

I have two TI 99 4/A computers and on both computers the TI EXTENDED BASIC cartridge does not work.

Tomorrow I will disassemble the computer and tell you things.

Thank you very much for your help!

I would say, if it's doing the same with two computers, then @Stuart's post is probably the most likely. Nothing last forever, though the TI99 can pretty much last a lonnnnnnng..... time, but IC chips, capacitors, resistors, etc. will fail, and probably has on yours. Maybe can be fixed, but most likely best to look for another XB cart. Since your familiar with a FlashRom99, then maybe it's worth investing in a FinalGrom99, with which you can just about use an image of any cart. you can have multiple flavors of XB to include @RXB's XB and XB2.9 from @sometimes99er. This may be the better route.

Edited November 21 by RickyDean

[+Ksarul]

Note one odd little bit about TI cartridges: there are pins in the cartridge port that are only used by the GROMs. A ROM-only device won't exercise those pins, and so will work perfectly. Another point is that the pins that are GROM-dependent are on the bottom of the cartridge port, the place where the connector gunk will be the worst in that cartridge port oiled felt. You really want to make sure those felts (hidden inside the cover protecting the cartridge connector and only accessible by removing the case from the TI to get at it) are gone. You could clean them, add some non-conducting oil and put them back, but the best solution is to remove them and put the cap back onto the connector.

 

If this has no effect, you probably have a bad chip in your XB cartridge (generally not repairable unless you have a source of the original GROM chips and some TMS3532/TMS2564 chips to replace the mask ROMs).

[+arcadeshopper]

•  finalgrom99 uses more pins than xb.. if it works, likely xb would
•  i have plenty of xb carts if you need a new one.. hit up my store
•  i can look at your 'bad' cart and see if it's bad, lmk
• clean your cart port if it's been used all this time, unless its new in box its dirty and felt is causing you issues you just don't realize

 

[Onlyfordj]

Hello friends.
I disassembled the Texas and slowly cleaned the cartridge socket.
It came out very clean.

Then I tried the Extended Basic cartridge again... and it doesn't work either.

The cartridge is probably broken.

Thank you all very much