Dead SNES cart - Maybe the battery?

[saferkefka]

I was fortunate enough to pick up a $5 copy of Earthbound, and am glaring it at, willing it to work.

When I got the cart, the outside was crunchy with caked on dust. The inside wasn't so bad. I cleaned it inside and out, and still no luck. The board looks beautiful, but it won't work. (I did test my SNES :P)

Do you guys think replacing the battery would do any good? Are there any other secrets that might get this thing to work? Thanks in advance!

[b1aCkDeA7h]

It might, but my copy of Chrono Trigger with a dead battery at least boots.

Unless it's the only SNES game that doesn't work with your SNES, I would have suggested trying another SNES.

Failing that, check all the solder points?

[jb143]

Unless it leaks or something, a dead battery shouldn't affect a game working or not, only it saving.

[izarate]

You should check the traces with a multimeter. Damaged or broken solder pads and traces can render a game inoperable. If you find such damage you can solder a cable to where the damaged trace is supposed to connect to:
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/5095/img1819t.jpg

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Unless it leaks or something, a dead battery shouldn't affect a game working or not, only it saving.

Super Metroid will start you off with 0 Energy if your save battery is dead, resulting in you dying when starting the game. It's the only game that goes something like that, AFAIK.

[jb143]

Super Metroid will start you off with 0 Energy if your save battery is dead, resulting in you dying when starting the game. It's the only game that goes something like that, AFAIK.

It still boots up and runs though.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Indeed. I would try the method suggested above, as that seems most likely.