PDA

View Full Version : Problem with NES Cart


Shaq-Funaki
05-02-2009, 07:41 PM
I got a copy of metroid and was trying to play it but the sprites were all messed up and the sound is off. Samus looks like an orange rectangle and none of the text comes out. I have cleaned the contacts extremely well. Is there a solution or should I just chuck it against a brick wall:D.
MachineGex
05-02-2009, 08:07 PM
Use an emory-board and then clean it again with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol.
Repeat until it works, but make sure to use enough q-tips to make sure the cart is clean before testing.
Shaq-Funaki
05-02-2009, 08:11 PM
What's an emory-board? I cleaned the hell out of this cart already. The q-tips come out white and the contacts are shiny. I think it's probably dead. I don't know....
joshnickerson
05-02-2009, 08:25 PM
Might sound a bit funny, but try pulling the cart out a very tiny bit. I actually have quite a few touchy carts that won't play at all unless they're inserted just right...
Mnemonic
05-02-2009, 08:49 PM
It's a long shot, but check to see if the resistors on the cart's PCB are okay (if any).

I only mention this because I once had an issue with an NES game (Adventure of Link) where the sprites were all messed up. As it turned out, one of the resistors on the cart PCB was burnt out (open). Works fine now (I resoldered a new resistor in).
Jorpho
05-02-2009, 09:18 PM
Mightn't this be a problem with a worn-out 72-pin connector?
Shaq-Funaki
05-02-2009, 09:20 PM
I'm pretty sure it's not the 72 pin I replaced it a few months ago and all my other games play without problem. sorry I forgot to mention that :embarrassed:
aclbandit
05-02-2009, 11:20 PM
Wow, that's impressive: I've never found a "broken" NES cart yet that couldn't be fixed with a good cleaning.
Shaq-Funaki
05-03-2009, 12:17 AM
I can't believe it either. I have some pretty beat up carts that still work but this one doesn't. Oh well...
Jorpho
05-03-2009, 01:34 AM
I'm pretty sure it's not the 72 pin I replaced it a few months ago and all my other games play without problem. sorry I forgot to mention that :embarrassed:I suppose an easy way to double-check would be to try it with a Game Genie, if you have one of those hanging around.
jperryss
05-03-2009, 11:54 AM
Might sound a bit funny, but try pulling the cart out a very tiny bit. I actually have quite a few touchy carts that won't play at all unless they're inserted just right...

Yep, I have a couple of carts like this (SNES Prince of Persia and NES Megaman 6). I think it has to do with the angle of the pins on the cartridge slot and the thickness of the cartridge board.

I also swear that some of my games work only when the NES is 'warmed up' (ie playing for a little while) but I haven't confirmed that one yet. It's a toploader BTW.
aclbandit
05-04-2009, 01:31 PM
Yep, I have a couple of carts like this (SNES Prince of Persia and NES Megaman 6). I think it has to do with the angle of the pins on the cartridge slot and the thickness of the cartridge board.

I also swear that some of my games work only when the NES is 'warmed up' (ie playing for a little while) but I haven't confirmed that one yet. It's a toploader BTW.

If it's a toploader, you should really not have any problems with the 72-pin connector. At least, it should be a much less-common problem than with the toaster model.
jperryss
05-04-2009, 04:34 PM
If it's a toploader, you should really not have any problems with the 72-pin connector. At least, it should be a much less-common problem than with the toaster model.

I know. Like I said, only a couple carts.

I'm so anal about keeping the connector tip-top that I even take the carts out of the system when not in use. Actually I do that for all my systems.
Gameguy
05-04-2009, 05:10 PM
I'm not quite sure, but don't NES games have 2 chips for the game inside and one is for graphics? Maybe it's gone bad or there's a bad solder joint for one of them.
Mnemonic
05-05-2009, 01:07 AM
I'm not quite sure, but don't NES games have 2 chips for the game inside and one is for graphics? Maybe it's gone bad or there's a bad solder joint for one of them.

I agree. Like the problem I had (above) with a bad resistor, all it takes is one bad solder joint or an unintentional jumper to mess up the graphics, without necessarily making the game unplayable.

I still recommend cracking her open and checking the PCB. One speck of metal lying across a couple IC legs is all it takes to muck it up. In the very least, it can't hurt to look.