Need help with cleaning Gameboy Advance games!

[psx95]

I went to clean the contacts on some of my Gameboy Advance cartridges with a Q-tip and rubbing alcohol, and discovered that the Q-tip is a very tight fit through the opening to the contacts. I don't want to damage the cartridge if the Q-tip is too tight! What is the best way to clean GBA cartridges?

Another question I have is that many GBA cartridges seem kind of loose, like the circuit board is moving around slightly. Is this normal and what causes this? Is there a way to tighten them back?

[gokugohandave]

I use a qtip with no problem, it may be tight but the qtip usually is soft enough to form without damgage. Your only doing it once or twice hopefully. The pcb is slightly loose on a lot of them, the qtip my pry the plastic up slightly, or the screw isnt tight, or it was a poor molding for the supports inside. All of these should be no problem, if the game works. If it becomes too much of a problem that the game doesnt work because the contacts dont line up, or the support is broke, it is possible to put a dab of hotglue in place to hold it in the correct spot.

[psx95]

I use a qtip with no problem, it may be tight but the qtip usually is soft enough to form without damgage. Your only doing it once or twice hopefully.

What do you mean by once or twice? Do you mean cleaning the game itself or sliding the Q-tip across the contacts once or twice? How often does it happen that the cartridge would loosen up enough to make the game not work? Hopefully this is rare.

[Rickstilwell1]

Also, some brands of Q-tips are not as thick as others. I find Safeway and Albertson's store brand Q-tips to be skinnier.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't GBA carts use a tri-wing bit? I'm away from home right now, so I can't look.

If so, buy this so you can take apart your GBA carts.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=210991987&listingid=41560611

Gamebits and Tri-wing screwdrivers are must own tools for any person who collects classic games.

[gokugohandave]

Yes they do use triwings. Once or twice as in swiping the qtip. I have found loose pcbs before, but its only caused a problem once, where the support was broke inside. BTW this one was super loose, you will actually get a tiny tiny amount of movement. If its super loose like flopping around youll have to open it up to hot glue it.

[psx95]

Yes they do use triwings. Once or twice as in swiping the qtip.

You are supposed to swipe until the Q-tip is clean, correct? Why is it bad to swipe more than twice?


I have found loose pcbs before, but its only caused a problem once, where the support was broke inside. BTW this one was super loose, you will actually get a tiny tiny amount of movement. If its super loose like flopping around youll have to open it up to hot glue it.

You are saying that it is normal for the cartridge to have a small amount of movement, correct?

[gokugohandave]

Dont take numbers so literally, once or twice should do it, if it needs more than by all means go for it. There is a very very tiny amount of movement of the board in the case, very tiny. If it slops around loosely then theres something wrong.

[BetaWolf47]

Dont take numbers so literally, once or twice should do it,
Hmm, I'm confused...

But yeah, finding bits to open GBA games isn't too hard, and then you can use an eraser. A tiny, tiny flathead screwdriver, which can be found in those precision screwdriver sets, will do the trick actually. Or you can just go to a Home Depot or Lowe's and get a tri-wing.

[gokugohandave]

I only said that because he wanted to know why more than two was bad, rape the hell out of with the qtip who cares as long as its clean and it works.