What is wrong with my SNES game?

[Geno Bomb]

Hi. I just bought a copy of Harvest Moon for the SNES off of eBay. The game plays fine and saves correctly. I can even take the game out of the system without losing my save files, so from what I hear the battery is not the problem. Whenever I accidently bump my SNES the game freezes, and when I reset the game all of my saves are gone. Anyone got some help? Thanks.

[Chrome]

I'm suspecting a possible loose battery connection? Save a file, then take the cartridge out and shake it with the same force as if you bumped the system. Put it back in and see if you still have a save file.

Later,
Chrome...

[Sailorneorune]

I wonder if that's wrong with my brother's poor old Shining Force II cart as well (SAME PROBLEM!). Is there any way to fix it?

[InsaneDavid]

I wonder if that's wrong with my brother's poor old Shining Force II cart as well (SAME PROBLEM!). Is there any way to fix it?

If it's a loose battery then open it up and take a look. If the battery clips are loose from the board (cold solder joint) just resolder them in place. If the battery has broken loose from the clips then tape it down or affix it with a dab of hot glue.

[JLukas]

Try cleaning the cart contacts.

[InsaneDavid]

Try cleaning the cart contacts.

That should be done by default, yes, but dirty contacts wouldn't explain loss of save data in a SNES game (with many battery backup NES games it would) unless the lockup / data loss was during file operations. In other words if I'm playing Zelda III and I have good save files, they shouldn't dissapear if I hit reset during normal gameplay. (not during file operations)

Now cleaning the cartridge contacts and the cartridge slot should prevent the lockup upon bump from happening in the first place, but their also may be a battery issue.

[nik]

Yeah sounds like a loose battery, fixable!

[Leo_A]

Doesn't sound like a loose battery at all. Sounds like it's operating like it should. Most SNES games will erase your saves, especially as the cart connector wears and ages, and things start getting dirty. How many of you can move your SNES around or bump the cart and not have the game screw up? Whenever that happens to me with most battery backed SNES games, your data will be erased.

Cleaning is the only way to help it.

Common sense should tell you that it's not a loose battery if it's only happening in that specific situation, so I'd say you diagnosed it correctly as not being the battery. Not sure why everyone is saying loose battery, unless most of these people think you mean your hitting your SuperNintendo really hard when you use the term bump...

[Matt-El]

I concur. Such is the reason why the problem happens. Same way as one would risk damage to the game if removed while power is on. Same reason that Nintendo says similar things with games that save, such as Legend of Zelda and HOLDING DOWN THE RESET BUTTON AS YOU TURN OFF THE SYSTEM.
Different situation, but you get what I'm sayin' right G? Doggy dogg? Pimp? Should I stop the ghetto talk now?

[nik]

When I bump my SNES, or my cat even jumps on it.. nothing happens.. I think we need him to be more specific, can you hear rattleing in the cart, somthing loose, etc?

[Geno Bomb]

Thanks for the help. When I shake the cart I do not hear anything except for the chip sliding back and forth. By bump I dont mean kicking my SNES, more like "Oh shit my elbow just bumped my Super Nintendo".

[zektor]

Heh...maybe we are looking at this from the wrong direction. Maybe it is not the cart as fault, but the system itself.

[Geno Bomb]

Cant be my SNES. I have a collection of about 180 games, and this is the only game that has this problem. Thanks.