Viper GC Extreme, failed install?

[Raymonte]

I just installed a Viper GC Extreme in my cube with a case mod to accomodate full size discs.
When I tried to flash the BIOS I got an error saying it could see the USB adaptor but not the chip.
I took it apart and verified all soldering and made sure all cables were propery seated, and I even re-soldered the yellow wire because it was the hardest and I thought maybe I did it wrong. I also made sure DIP switch 2 was ON.
The second time I tried, I did it with the cube still dis-assembled and saw that the Viper had a blue LED lit up (that's good, right?). I tried the ribbon cable in every possible way and left it with the blue side up on both the chip and the programmer.
Now, I can boot Gamecube discs but nothing else and I still can't flash a BIOS.
Did I miss something?
I installed according to REV A & B from the Viper manual but it doesn't seem to be an exact match. The board is identical to REV A & B except the part where you solder the black wire is bridged like in REV C.
It's a Platinum model from around 2001 or 2002, is this a different board?

Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ray

[v1p3r]

I had a similar problem with flashing, turns out it's somthing to do with my Windows user.

Try a fresh user or a different system :)

[Raymonte]

You mean I have to sign in a an administrator or something.

I'm pretty sure that the chip isn't doing anything. Shouldn't I be able to lauch some kind of menu from the BIOS that the chip came with? If so, how?

I'll try hooking up the cube to my PC (I was using a laptop) and see if it connects.

[Raymonte]

Same thing happened on my PC.

I adjusted the POT to about 200 while I was in there. Would you believe it was low? It was about 165, never been touched. Anyway, I thought maybe it was working and just couldn't read a DVD-R but that didn't help either.

It's like there's no chip in there. Shouldn't the chip be bypassing the lid? When I open it the disc stops. Would I be able to play Gamecube discs if the chip was properly installed, on, and had no BIOS? If so, maybe the USB adaptor is no good. Can I flash a new BIOS from a disc? I see that there's ISO images of Cobra 1.5 & 1.6, are they just for upgrades?

Help!

[19Ripper75]

Have a good look at your soldering points to make sure everything is still connected. When I installed mine, I had issues with the yellow wire disconnecting.

[Raymonte]

The yellow wire had me concerned from the beginning so I actually re-soldered it. I guess I could pick up a de-soldering braid and do it over right.

I'm going to try again tonight. I need to pull the board out and see if I should connect the yellow wire underneath like a REV C board. If not then I'll re-solder it again.

[Raymonte]

OK, so I uninstalled and re-installed the chip.

I still can't flash it, the utility still says it can see the programmer but not the chip.

This time however, the cube does nothing if the chip is on but boots NGC discs if it is off. Before it was as if there was no chip in there whether it was on or off.

Is there a way to flash a new chip without using the USB programmer?

[Raymonte]

Divineo is going to replace my chip, I just have to pay shipping.

[Raymonte]

Bad chip. I got my new one and it works. Just need to tweak my laser to play DVD-R's.

[Raymonte]

My new chip is effed up now. I flashed a few different BIOS's and got to the BIOS menu every time. I was trying to tweak my laser. I would tweak it a little, re-assemble it and see if it played a DVD-r, and repeat. I did this 9 times. The last time I did it the disc wouldn't spin and I got a black screen. When I turn the chip off, I get the original Cube BIOS, but the disc still does not spin. I took it apart one more time to find that I broke the lid sensor switch.

That explains why I can't spin a disc with the original BIOS, but the chip should bypass the switch so why doesn't my Viper BIOS kick in.

Also, I can't flash a new BIOS now, it says it can see the programmer but not the chip so I'm right back where I started.

Is my NEW chip broken? If I replace the lid sensor switch, I think I'll be able to play GC discs but will that fix my chip?

WTF!