Few quick NES questions

[dlopez9069]

OK i have a few NES questions that I kinda need answered so ill go from important to least

1. I just replaced the 72-pin and put everything back like i got it, but now the games are extremely hard to get out and in

2.I bought Spy Hunter from a local pawn shop and it needs the contacts cleaned BAD, but i cant get it open. i have the NES cart bit but it dosent fit.

3. In breakthru how do you get past the landslide in stage 1?

advise please?

[Cornelius]

1) New pins and 'refurbs' often result in that stiffness. It isn't ziffy, but that is reassuring to me, since a stiff breeze will no longer reset your game. I think I could drop one of my NESs down the stairs and it would still play fine.

2) Can you get by just cleaning the contacts with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol? Opening it up and using an eraser is better, but alcohol will work.

3) no idea

[JSoup]

3. In breakthru how do you get past the landslide in stage 1

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/game/587157.html

[retroman]

Mine did the same thing...U get use to it..

[InsaneDavid]

1. I just replaced the 72-pin and put everything back like i got it, but now the games are extremely hard to get out and in

Leave a game in it pressed down overnight, it'll loosen up some.


2.I bought Spy Hunter from a local pawn shop and it needs the contacts cleaned BAD, but i cant get it open. i have the NES cart bit but it dosent fit.

You need a special security bit to open the cartridges, look for a tool kit on eBay, shouldn't run you more than $15 including shipping. Try to get one with multiple sizes.

[dlopez9069]

Is it just this game that needs that special tool or is there several? and what is this special tool called?

[InsaneDavid]

Nearly every NES cartridge is going to need it to open, some very early releases will take a standard screwdriver. Additionally pretty much every cartridge from the NES generation forward requires a special gamebit.

Here is the toolkit I use, a very old and out of date blog post, wrote that a long time ago (http://cyclictedium.blogspot.com/2004/03/review-ultimate-game-tools.html). The fork bits are used to open NES power supplies.

[Jorpho]

Wait, is this something different from the "NES cart bit" Mr. Dlopez already has?

[dlopez9069]

No I already have the 3.8 bit, but it won't open this game. it has 5 screws and they are wierd shaped.

[InsaneDavid]

No I already have the 3.8 bit, but it won't open this game. it has 5 screws and they are wierd shaped.

Those are normal freaking slotted screws. Use a precision (small) flathead screwdriver to remove them. I swear, this must be amateur week.

[spanks_4]

and yall attack me for not knowing about the neo geo aes!

[InsaneDavid]

and yall attack me for not knowing about the neo geo aes!

I saw that thread, dunno what the big deal was. There's nothing wrong with asking questions, that's one of the ways you learn. :) However a standard screw is a standard screw. And yeah, that toolkit also has standard flathead bits - one that's small enough to remove the ones in NES games.

[8-bitNesMan]

You say this:


I saw that thread, dunno what the big deal was. There's nothing wrong with asking questions, that's one of the ways you learn. :)

And you also say this?


Those are normal freaking slotted screws. Use a precision (small) flathead screwdriver to remove them. I swear, this must be amateur week.

What gives?

[exit]

What gives?

Because it's so easy, even a Caveman could do it.

[XxHennersXx]

Because it's so easy, even a Caveman could do it.

seriously dude, it's a normal screw. That's like being confused by a doorknob.

[8-bitNesMan]

Don't worry about me bro... I'm well versed in screwing. I just didn't understand the double standard for helping out fellow gamers in need of assistance.

[JerseyDevil65]

Those are normal freaking slotted screws. Use a precision (small) flathead screwdriver to remove them. I swear, this must be amateur week.


Its not a normal slotted screw. The 5 screw carts have a combination slotted and philips head, so the screw looks a little different than either one.

[XxHennersXx]

Its not a normal slotted screw. The 5 screw carts have a combination slotted and philips head, so the screw looks a little different than either one.

a combination phillips and slotted? do you mean some are phillips and some are slotted? Or is there another type of screw? Pics please. If it's just two types of screws, both of those are standard.

[InsaneDavid]

Don't worry about me bro... I'm well versed in screwing. I just didn't understand the double standard for helping out fellow gamers in need of assistance.

spanks_4's questions about Neo Geo systems in another thread were valid, he knew very little about the company and their hardware history outside of their great games. The big question in this thread is how to remove a standard flathead screw. Big difference.


Its not a normal slotted screw. The 5 screw carts have a combination slotted and philips head, so the screw looks a little different than either one.

Um, no... lesse... Solstice, Space Shuttle Project, Spelunker.. ah, here it is.. Spy Hunter...

http://www.classicplastic.net/digitalpress/NESscrew01.jpg

Wow, look, a standard flathead screw. There is no philips screw head there, not by any stretch of the imagination. Use a normal flathead screwdriver to remove it. ;)

[JerseyDevil65]

spanks_4's questions about Neo Geo systems in another thread were valid, he knew very little about the company and their hardware history outside of their great games. The big question in this thread is how to remove a standard flathead screw. Big difference.



Um, no... lesse... Solstice, Space Shuttle Project, Spelunker.. ah, here it is.. Spy Hunter...

http://www.classicplastic.net/digitalpress/NESscrew01.jpg

Wow, look, a standard flathead screw. There is no philips screw head there, not by any stretch of the imagination. Use a normal flathead screwdriver to remove it. ;)

I use a very small philips head screwdriver to open old NES carts and have been for 20 years.

[InsaneDavid]

I use a very small philips head screwdriver to open old NES carts and have been for 20 years.

Okay, that's fine, but that's not a philips drive - so you are incorrect. The point of these forums concerning technical stuff (actually, this should be over in that subforum) is to provide the correct information so collectors and hobbyists can properly maintain, mod, and repair their games.

[jajaja]

Some unlicensed games from like HES and Color Dreams uses Philips bits.

[InsaneDavid]

Some unlicensed games from like HES and Color Dreams uses Philips bits.

But Spy Hunter or any other licensed NES game does not. Heck, Tengen carts take a star drive - but they're unlicensed.

[omnedon]

This is why I post so much less.

[Garry Silljo]

InsaneDavid is right. There is no discussion to be had. The screw is what it is, and the way to deal with it should be mastered knowledge by anyone over the age of 4. Quit giving him crap for expecting the rest of us to have even the most basic competance.

[jajaja]

But Spy Hunter or any other licensed NES game does not. Heck, Tengen carts take a star drive - but they're unlicensed.

Ye, true that, no official carts uses the Philips bits. Sachen games also uses a special bit, i think the same as Wii and GBA games uses, triwing bits (or whats it called) But i just wanted to mention that some NES games uses it since Philips bits were mentioned ;)

[InsaneDavid]

Ye, true that, no official carts uses the Philips bits. Sachen games also uses a special bit, i think the same as Wii and GBA games uses, triwing bits (or whats it called) But i just wanted to mention that some NES games uses it since Philips bits were mentioned ;)

But Spy Hunter or any other five-screw NES cartridge (which means the pre Rev-A three-screw gamebit shells) does not use philips head screws. And they sure as hell don't use a philips drive / flathead combination head screw.

Getting a philips drive screwdriver to catch the torque points of a flathead screw to get it to turn, does not make a philips drive screw into a combination head screw - it just makes the person operating the screwdriver a moron. ;)

I was just trying to douse the flames of confusion before things got more out of hand than they already were getting. I really do love this thread though, because there's real conversation taking place. Hope it doesn't get locked - although the original poster's questions have been answered.

[XxHennersXx]

But Spy Hunter or any other five-screw NES cartridge (which means the pre Rev-A three-screw gamebit shells) does not use philips head screws. And they sure as hell don't use a philips drive / flathead combination head screw.

Getting a philips drive screwdriver to catch the torque points of a flathead screw to get it to turn, does not make a philips drive screw into a combination head screw - it just makes the person operating the screwdriver a moron. ;)

I was just trying to douse the flames of confusion before things got more out of hand than they already were getting. I really do love this thread though, because there's real conversation taking place. Hope it doesn't get locked - although the original poster's questions have been answered.

Limed for great justice.

[JerseyDevil65]

But Spy Hunter or any other five-screw NES cartridge (which means the pre Rev-A three-screw gamebit shells) does not use philips head screws. And they sure as hell don't use a philips drive / flathead combination head screw.

Getting a philips drive screwdriver to catch the torque points of a flathead screw to get it to turn, does not make a philips drive screw into a combination head screw - it just makes the person operating the screwdriver a moron. ;)

The first time I ever tried to open a 5 screw NES cart, I used a small philips head and it worked. I have used the same screwdriver for 20 years.

I'm sorry that I offended the god of videogames by saying it was a combo screw, I assumed it was, since I thought you could use both.

[jajaja]

But Spy Hunter or any other five-screw NES cartridge (which means the pre Rev-A three-screw gamebit shells) does not use philips head screws. And they sure as hell don't use a philips drive / flathead combination head screw.

I know, i said so myself hehe. No official carts uses the Philips bits and Spy Hunter is an official game.

[dlopez9069]

OK Yall answered my question but heres another one that is more valid and dosent make me look like a moron. I have a game genie for the nes but the top two screws(i know theyre phillips) are strippped and Base Wars that has rusted whatever they ares. How do i get these out?

[Cornelius]

Normally with stripped screws you have to drill them out (using a bit just smaller than the threads). That will work, but when the screws are in plastic it is very easy for things to get hot and the plastic to melt. I don't have a different suggestion for you though.

[Jorpho]

Last time I tried researching this problem I read about some special reverse-threaded screws. The idea is that you drill it into the head of the stripped screw, and it then basically serves as a replacement head, allowing you to remove both at once. Google should inform you. (That time I was fortunate and still managed to budge the screw using just the right bit.)

[XxHennersXx]

OK Yall answered my question but heres another one that is more valid and dosent make me look like a moron. I have a game genie for the nes but the top two screws(i know theyre phillips) are strippped and Base Wars that has rusted whatever they ares. How do i get these out?

Get a clear bic pen. take the ink cart out of the pen. Heat it up so it's all melty. then shove that son of a bitch into the stripped screw. let it cool down really well. the melted plastic will have conformed too all the grooves on the stripped screw. Use it as a screw driver. For the other screw do the same thing. :)