Author Topic: General NES help (Read 8189 times)

warpzone · « **on:** March 28, 2008, 03:56:36 PM »

I have a few games that don't work. The system works, the games don't seem to be missing any contacts or have any loose parts rattling inside. I cleaned them but to no avail. I tried different ways of putting the games in. I gently coaxed and pleaded with the nintendo gods. I tried 'restart' at every possible interval you can have a game after you insert it. The screen flashes different colors like lime green or blue for instance and at some point a flicker of a messed up picture comes up and/ or a half note of music that repeats with each flicker. That's the best I can get it. Does anyone know

-if maybe the system does have something to do with it
-what causes these games to not work
-what if anything I can do to fix it

Any help is appreciated.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2008, 04:24:51 PM »

Clean them with rubbing alcohol or lighter fluid on a q-tip first of all. Alcohol will probably work better. Second, while the cartridge is wet, slide it in and out of the NES to clean the NES as well. If after several tries this still does not work you may consider purchasing a replacement connector to replace the one inside your NES.

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2008, 04:33:31 PM »

Blow on the cartridge!

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2008, 05:20:07 PM »

Do not blow on the cartridge.

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2008, 05:22:08 PM »

Wow, that pretty much ruined the joke.

kirbyman · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2008, 06:05:53 PM »

Are you pressing the cartridge down in the NES?

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2008, 06:09:58 PM »

Dude, that's just common knowledge right there. If warpzone is doing that, then he really shouldn't be playing NES games in the first place. I highly doubt this is the case, however.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:10:11 PM »

You mean, if he isn't?

goodie · « **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:40:49 PM »

The reason they don't work is because the NES's cartridge connector was poorly designed, and wears out quickly. So the pins on the the cartridge don't make good contact with the connector. The lockout chip is what causes the blinking. If there isn't a good connection between it and the game, it will keep on blinking. So, to fix the problem:

1. Replace the cartridge connector.
2. Disable or remove the lockout chip.

Just replacing the connector should help a lot, but if you disable the lockout chip, it will run even more stable.

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:42:38 PM »

Quote from: Chupperson Weird on March 28, 2008, 09:10:11 PM

You mean, if he isn't?

When I said "Doing that," I meant he's trying to play without pushing down the cartridge.

goodie · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:47:05 PM »

If you have a really good connector, It will work even without being pushed down.

kirbyman · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2008, 04:43:06 AM »

No way. Are you being serious?

missingno · « **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2008, 09:22:25 AM »

buy a top loader
:o)

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #13 on:** March 29, 2008, 10:05:36 AM »

Quote from: PaperLuigi on March 28, 2008, 04:33:31 PM

Blow on the cartridge!

Quote from: Chupperson Weird on March 28, 2008, 05:20:07 PM

Do not blow on the cartridge.

Quote from: PaperLuigi on March 28, 2008, 05:22:08 PM

Wow, that pretty much ruined the joke.

This struck me as funny for some reason...

Well, warpzone, welcome to the Gamer's Ritual. Ah, so many afternoons spent pushing different games into my parents's old NES at my grandparents's home, the screen and POWER button flashing on and off... the games and console never reliablely working no matter how many times you blew into either one... A shoebox full of old Nintendo stuff, stored in a cool, dry place (seriously, why did they even need to mention that? Did they think everybody who bought videogames said to themselves, "You know where would be a really great place to stick these? My jacuzzi.")...

goodie · « **Reply #14 on:** March 29, 2008, 05:14:29 PM »

Quote from: kirbyman on March 29, 2008, 04:43:06 AM

No way. Are you being serious?

Yep. On my NES, I soldered in a straight-edge connector from a Game Genie. Works perfect every time, and you can even push the cartridge up and down while the game is running and it won't crash. :)