Donkey Kong Country 2 Save is gone!

[HappehLemons]

This really sucks. Me and my friend sat down and played DKC2 for about 2 hours, saved a few times during our game and then got a game over. When we were sent back to the main menu to reload our save it was gone! We didn't even shut off the console or anything.

Then after shutting the snes off and starting a new game, saving the game at the first save point, and shutting the game off and back on the new save was there.

What the heck?
If the battery was bad wouldnt the second save not of worked? I'm afraid to play the game now because I don't want to lose my progress again..

[RP2A03]

It is my understanding that the battery is only needed to keep save data after the power is shut off. While it is possible that your battery is getting flaky, I would suspect dirty contacts as the culprit as that has been known to cause save files to disappear.

[buzz_n64]

Man, I've lost my 102% score twice already to the memory wiping for some reason. :( It's still saving, but I always keep that thought in my mind that it'll happen again. Are the SNES cartridge batteries easily changeable? I love this game to death!

[jammajup]

hi
I think the battery used in most carts back then were CR2032,i also found this which may be of use to you
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/11/how-to-change-snes-game-save-battery.html

[rkotm]

That sucks-ive had NES/SNES games still keep saves to this day. However, time is a bitch..and naturally after some years its all gone. Waiting for Donkey Kong Returns!

[HappehLemons]

That sucks-ive had NES/SNES games still keep saves to this day. However, time is a bitch..and naturally after some years its all gone. Waiting for Donkey Kong Returns!

Same here dude! I figured I'd play all of the SNES ones (which i've never played before) before playing the newest one.


hi
I think the battery used in most carts back then were CR2032,i also found this which may be of use to you
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/...e-battery.html

Thanks for the link, but my question isnt really how to change the battery.. its if the battery is actually the problem here? I've been getting back to where the game left off before and save fine now..

[Gameguy]

I don't think it's the battery, somehow the save just got corrupted and erased. I've had that happen to a copy of Donkey Kong Land for the Gameboy, I started over and the cart still has my current saves intact after several years. Even when I've played carts with dead batteries, the saves don't disappear until the console is turned off.

It can happen with dirty contacts, just make sure the cart and system is clean and you should be good to go.

[badinsults]

Sometimes Nintendo's anti piracy triggers will delete save files. If the contacts are dirty, it is possible that they were triggered.

[HappehLemons]

Thanks everyone, when I got the cart it was really dirty and I gave it a clean with water and a q-tip because I was out of rubbing alcohol but I have a feeling that after reading all this the game still needs a good cleaning.
This was pretty much exactly what I wanted to know though! Thanks again!

[skaar]

Also if you have a retrode you can back up your save data :)

[diskoboy]

I think it is the battery.

Even most worn down batteries will fire up again, for a few brief seconds, if not used for a few moments - This is probably the case.

What you're describing sounds like what happened in my copy of Phantasy Star before the battery crapped out. It wiped out my almost completed game from 1989, then I managed to save a new one, then a few months later, the new save would delete. Then after a few months, I had to start a new game everytime I played because it would no longer save.

[Gameguy]

I think it is the battery.

Even most worn down batteries will fire up again, for a few brief seconds, if not used for a few moments - This is probably the case.

What you're describing sounds like what happened in my copy of Phantasy Star before the battery crapped out. It wiped out my almost completed game from 1989, then I managed to save a new one, then a few months later, the new save would delete. Then after a few months, I had to start a new game everytime I played because it would no longer save.
The save got erased without turning the console off, is that what happened with your Phantasy Star?

[diskoboy]

The save got erased without turning the console off, is that what happened with your Phantasy Star?

No, but aside from it happening while the power is still on, the symptoms sound very similar. My guess is the battery could have a trickle of energy left when the game is powered on, but while you play for a period of time, the battery completely dies, losing your data in the process.

If it's a chip saving the games, the only thing that could erase that would be a heavy barrage of UV light - and only if the EPROM chip has a window. And the cartridges shell should prevent any light from erasing the saves...

The easiest way to find out the real culprit is to buy a 3.88mm sceurity bit to open the cartridge shell, and test the battery with a multimeter or battery voltage tester.

[Gameguy]

I still feel the battery isn't the problem, if the system stays powered on the saves shouldn't disappear. I'm pretty sure while the system is powered on the SRAM is powered by the system, not the battery.

Donkey Kong Country 2 isn't really that old compared to other games with battery saves, it was released in December 1995. Most copies of Zelda I come across still save properly and those came out in August 1987. Most likely the battery is still good. Even if it's starting to go bad, the save shouldn't have erased while the console was still on.

[HappehLemons]

Well I've been playing for the past few days and my save still working with no problems now. I guess it was just a fluke or dirty contacts.