Genesis Freezing issue.

[TylerDaniels]

Hi Everyone
I went and picked up my old sega I owned when I was a child and I have the system all set up and ready to go but it appears none of my games are working.

I do get the sega logo to load in one game(street fighter 2)but I get an odd adokess error that appears after(im assuming this is related to the game) I have one other game I am using(sonic 1) and I get a glitched out sega logo, and the sonic logo tries to appear then freezes. I can move the cartridge in the game slot and I notice the glitched picture can come in alittle clearer.

I have used rubbing alcohol with a qtip and I am still running into the same problem although I feel like there has been some improvement.

My questions are is there anyway to properly clean the cartridge slot? I feel I may not be properly be getting inside, is there any other repairs I can do, I ws thinking of a pin alignment, but the pins appear to be straight so I am not sure what I can do to improve my situation. I would really like to continue using this sega genesis considering it is a Sega Genesis 1 model....


Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Gameguy]

There are actual cleaning kits to clean the cartridge slot, though they're not so easy to find now.

[FoxNtd]

Some ideas and info:

1) Try your carts on a known-to-work Genesis/Mega Drive to make sure it's not your games that are the problem.

2) What video output connection are you using? Did you try any others besides the one you're trying right now?

Just trying to help eliminate some variables and narrow down what and where the issues lies. :)

[TylerDaniels]

Cleaning kit..I am kicking myself in the ass today because I saw one yesterday at the flea market, but I always thought they were basically useless so I did not waste my time with one.

As for the video I don`t think that is the issue I can get a sega logo to appear on the screen I have added some photos of genesis i`ll take some in a few minutes on whats appearing on my television screen.

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/Tylerdaniels_2010/100_3213.jpg

[BetaWolf47]

Nice camera! That picture doesn't tell us very much, unfortunately.

What I do to clean the contacts on my consoles is use the games. Wipe some rubbing alcohol onto the contacts of your least favorite game, insert the game into the system a few times, then wipe off the contacts.

It is possible for the "Produced By or Under License from Sega Enterprise Co., Ltd." screen to appear even when there is dirt in the system, so dirt might still be the issue.

[jb143]

I've had luck cleaning Genesis console contacts by folding a piece of cloth (old T-Shirt) over an old library card and wetting it with alcohol. Then pushing that in and out of the connector slot a few times.

[TylerDaniels]

Oh the message im getting is not the published by sega copyright message, my sega is a model one and those models did not include that message.

I am going to take your advice put some rubbing alcohol on a game and put it in the slot a few times see if that will budge anything out. I felt I had a slight improvement in detail when I cleaned it but unforutately this model may be done if I can not figure anything else out with it....Its a shame really, I really love the look of this model and the case was in perfect condition.

[BetaWolf47]

Don't toss it then. If the system is in that good of a shape, you can always swap the guts with a crappy system that works well.

[TylerDaniels]

my conclusion on what the problem is for this console is that card slot has been damaged, probably by it being pushed on with cartridge in because I can only get the sega logo properly display when I lightly push up on the cartridge either way the game freezes, like I said in the picture above the pin alignment appears to be okay the cartridge slot itself does feel secure, its just with a game inserted that it feels loose.

Tested both games on another console and the games also have been working correctly so I know the games are not an issue.

[BetaWolf47]

It's normal for games to be able to wiggle while inside of a system.

[FoxNtd]

It is possible for the "Produced By or Under License from Sega Enterprise Co., Ltd." screen to appear even when there is dirt in the system, so dirt might still be the issue.

I can confirm this. I've had games fail to load after displaying that message.


Oh the message im getting is not the published by sega copyright message, my sega is a model one and those models did not include that message.

I have a model one. It does show that message. :?

I saw a mod somewhere though where the Genesis will effectively skip the screen with that message...

Regarding the slot, I have not heard of someone trying it and I have never tried it myself, but I did once hear about using fine sandpaper wrapped around a credit card and inserted and removed in and out of the cart slot a few times. The purpose of this is to shave off the corroded surface of the contacts in the slot and.. you probably should have some compressed air handy to shoot out the loose particles. I want to note that I simply heard about this technique, I don't know how good/bad it may be to actually do it. You've been warned... :)

The photo is looking straight down at the slot and not at an angle so I can't tell but if you've tried absolutely everything maybe it's worth a shot.

Has anyone heard of this technique though?

[TylerDaniels]

Some of the model ones have the lockout added, here is the videos on youtube that explain which models have the lockouts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bz6KWEh2_g&feature=related

Mine is most definately one does not have lockout its an original with a similiar serial mentioned in the video.

I am going to make an attempt at trying to clean it with some sand paper, if I can`t get anymore luck with that, I am not sure what do, I have heard these crazy stories with people have soaked there electronics in like a tub of water and then let them dry out and have had some success, I don`t know if this would be a good idea in my case though.

But I am open for hearing anymore ideas :) Thanks for everyones help so far!

[TylerDaniels]

Some of the model ones have the lockout added, here is the videos on youtube that explain which models have the lockouts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bz6KWEh2_g&feature=related

Mine is most definately one does not have lockout its an original with a similiar serial mentioned in the video.

I am going to make an attempt at trying to clean it with some sand paper, if I can`t get anymore luck with that, I am not sure what do, I have heard these crazy stories with people have soaked there electronics in like a tub of water and then let them dry out and have had some success, I don`t know if this would be a good idea in my case though.

But I am open for hearing anymore ideas :) Thanks for everyones help so far!

[channelmaniac]

Get some stiff posterboard - the rough kind. Cut a piece out that is as wide as the slot and a few inches long. Fold it over several times until it's as thick as a cartridge board. Douse it with rubbing alcohol and insert/remove it a dozen or 2 times. You'd be surprised at how much gunk comes out of the slot.

Next, clean the cartridge edge connections with a pink pencil eraser.

This is what I do to Neo Geo, Atari, Colecovision, and other game systems that have cartridges/slots.

RJ

[nomad1]

Check the solder joints on cartidge port on the pcb board. The can break loose after years of plugging and unplugging games. This could be why a system is sensitive to any sort of touch. It could also explain why the initial screen works but freezes after. Get a soldering iron and some solder flux and reflow the solder joint.

[cynicalhat]

Just use alcohol and an old toothbrush to clean the contacts inside the genesis.

[alec006]

Some of the model ones have the lockout added, here is the videos on youtube that explain which models have the lockouts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bz6KWEh2_g&feature=related

Mine is most definately one does not have lockout its an original with a similiar serial mentioned in the video.

I am going to make an attempt at trying to clean it with some sand paper, if I can`t get anymore luck with that, I am not sure what do, I have heard these crazy stories with people have soaked there electronics in like a tub of water and then let them dry out and have had some success, I don`t know if this would be a good idea in my case though.

But I am open for hearing anymore ideas :) Thanks for everyones help so far!

I'm guessing I have one of the ones without a lock out chip because it doesn't have the bios logo at the beginning saying produced by Sega, not to mention the sound is amazing on it :)

Ask for the tub suggestion...ironic you say that, of course it's not the same but I had an old pager that got washed didn't work anymore, ten years later I turn it on and I'll be damned it worked, usually after electronics dry,and I mean completely dry they work again.

I sure hope that you get that sucker fired up, there's many great suggestions here.