FYI: how to (probably) fix your none/half displaying gold card reader

Pretender

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Jarod "pretender" Parker
just found another person having trouble with their reader, here's a bit of info that I apply whenever its not working again.
i have 3 spare readers of which 2 stopped working due to, uhm.... "water damage" 1 which only works if i push the bottom and the top together and 1 that works fine, but didnt before.

everyone that uses readers reguarely gets the non displaying / error # something and half displayed numbers. some tips and info on how to (usually) fix this below


tips and tricks
theres 1 thing readers hate, and thats water. or rather, the reader can take it (the one that works has the chain all rusted) but the batteries don't make contact very well and stop the card from displaying anything, or just half screens. to fix this simply take a screwdriver that is small enough to unscrew the little screws (lots of use of the word screw here) and open the cardreader. carefully lift up the side of the battery holder that is NOT attacked to anything so you can carefully push out the battery. (there is 2 of them) take some soft fabric and wipe them clean, blow away any dust inside the reader if there is any, and place the batteries, cover and screws back. just in case, you might want to check if the batteries have any power left (leaving the card in the reader kinda drains it somehow). if needed, replace batteries. (should be able to get them at just about any local electronics shop they're pretty standard, 2230 if i recall correctly)

mind you, the screws are TINY and + headed. if you do not have the proper screwdriver just go to an electronics store they usually have them. to test if the reader works again just stick in the card backwards (will give some random error but it will tell you what you need to know).

if this does not work....take the spare one you should have and repeat process :)


now that i think of it, ill post this bit of info in technical.
 
Thank you!!!

I need to order my second reader . . . but now I at least know the

"Care & Feeding of Gold Cards"

lol

;>
 
The most common error is 'Error 72', when the reader doesn't have good access to the contacts. 9/10 this is resolved by simply sliding the card backwards into the reader several times then using as normal.

Please try this first, as while taking it apart can work, with WoF on atm, it'd be pretty awful if you break it :laugh:

I'm kinda curious what you're doing to make the chain rusty :scratch2:
Personally my decoder sits along with the bank decoder in the safe.
 
The most common error is 'Error 72', when the reader doesn't have good access to the contacts. 9/10 this is resolved by simply sliding the card backwards into the reader several times then using as normal.

Please try this first, as while taking it apart can work, with WoF on atm, it'd be pretty awful if you break it :laugh:

I'm kinda curious what you're doing to make the chain rusty :scratch2:
Personally my decoder sits along with the bank decoder in the safe.

thats why i have backups :)

but incase the backups fail (which they do at the most unpleasent of times) i always try to fix the old one. ofcourse i could just send them to MA but you will ofcourse see (murphy law) the backup break during that time.
 
the only error code I tend to get is when I foolishly try to get a code by putting my cash card in the reader...thats easy sorted tho go to bed and try again when i'm sober :)
 
the only error code I tend to get is when I foolishly try to get a code by putting my cash card in the reader...thats easy sorted tho go to bed and try again when i'm sober :)

thats probably the best solution heheh.

i've had some comments about it so far, and if anyone wants something to be elaborated upon just tell me and ill try
 
this could use a bump.
 
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