Troubleshooting complex CPU boards

So the real question is: what do you intend to accomplish?

Find that a part that isn't available anyway fails?

It only makes sense to troubleshoot boards for which parts are available. And with the boards you mention, they come with diagrams and troubleshoot instructions. Or not at all :-)

Over the years, because I am in the business, I have accumulated quite a number of these boards. Most of them work but there are quite a number that don't. I will buy up non-working boards for the custom parts in hopes of keeping games of mine running, if they ever fail. If I can track the problem down to a chip I can sometimes find that chip on another board. But I need help in tracking down these problems.

to do this. I am hoping for a computer based system that has allot of depth to it., Unless someone has better ideas on how to do this. If so please share them. The price of the new Huntron and ABI stuff is to high at the moment. I will have to wait until I can afford it. I do have a Huntron 2000 but with SMD stuff and huge boards and chips, and not enough experience I can't seem to get anywhere. Most of the games don't come with board level troubleshooting or schematics. They use too on the old systems but not anymore. I heard that Huntron had the patient on the ASA method and that prevented others's from introducing similar equipment into the market. But the patient ran out. If anyone knows of a system or systems that can do what I am looking for please let me know about it. I have been searching for years on how to repair these boards. Thanks

There is also a digital counterpart.

Especially useful if the CPU is in a socket. Then you can sandwich a 'free run ficture' (presenting a NOP instruction, regardless of the instruction pointer.)

But I'm afraid most current CPU's are not in a socket :-)