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I am Christina Aguilera
Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 159
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Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:42 pm Post subject: Performing intensive surgery on SNES carts |
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So I just got a copy of Earthbound for super-super cheap from a pawn shop, right? Here's the thing: when I got it, I knew very well that it might not work -- there was light green oxidation on a bunch of the contacts, the oddball Nintendo screws were rusted, the board looked slightly discolored, the whole thing looks like it was in a wet basement or something. I did hardcore cleaning of the contacts and outer case with the 91% alcohol, Q-tips, and a toothbrush, and it does look a lot nicer now, but some of the green oxidation still couldn't be removed from a couple of the contact pins (corrosion even, maybe?), and I'm getting naught but a black screen when I turn it on.
My question to this expert assembly: is there anything more that I can do for this valuable patient, especially if it turns out that it's only the contacts are at issue? I haven't tried opening up the cart yet, since I don't have a game-screw screwdriver, and the screws are rusted to hell in the first place, so I'm not sure if it's even doable. |
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Smeg Staff
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 1600 Location: beneath enemy scrotum
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Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know whether it will help where your attempts have failed, but my preferred contact cleaning method is to use a pencil eraser. Good luck dude. |
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Evan
Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 948
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Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:33 am Post subject: |
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Do you have a multmeter? You could test each connector pin to make sure there is a contact with the pins on the ROM and RAM chips.
Edit: sorry, I didn't read that you don't have the means to open the cart. However, the above method probably is the way to go. |
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gamegeezer
Joined: 08 Jan 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Spaced Out in Binary Land
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:22 am Post subject: |
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The following can also work, if used carefully. Try them in this order exactly...
91% Isopropyl Alcohol
Wesley's Bleach-White (then clean with alcohol)
Brasso (then clean with alcohol)
Buffing-wheel with metal polish (at low speed! with gold compound, then clean with alcohol)
Muriatic acid (diluted in water; try different solutions, then clean with alcohol)
Carburetor cleaner (then clean with alcohol)
The last three are more drastic solutions, but can work if done carefully...
-GameGeezer |
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BMF54123 Staff
Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 743 Location: Henderson, NV
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:46 am Post subject: |
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I'd try DeoxIT before moving on to such drastic solutions. I've heard Brasso in particular is rather bad for the long-term health of cartridge connectors. |
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Skrybe Staff
Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 1610
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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I'm curious now to what the official cleaning procedure was at Nintendo Repair Centers. |
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shawnphase
Joined: 22 Dec 2005 Posts: 216 Location: baltimore, md
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 1:48 am Post subject: |
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almost all the things listed in this thread are corrosive and bad to use on electronics. if you want to use what will no doubt give the best results, use amyl nitrate, aka vhs headcleaner. try a qtip and dont use too much, its very expensive. any electronics shop should have it. its more expensive, but better for boards and any electronics than even isopropyl, thats a little too corrosive. most of the other methods like a pencil eraser et al are all too abrasive too. amyl nitrate is actually used for this sort of thing. you could also alternately use lactone, but you dont want to get that because you could get into some trouble having/finding it.
amyl nitrate works the best for a variety of reasons, but its the best solvent to use for cleaning things. i once had an ex gf's cat jump onto a table and knock a whole cup of apple juice into a pretty expensive guitar pedal that i swear by..i put it aside for 2 years until i had the proper tools to take the case apart and clean it. i feel like if i would have had that headcleaner around that i wouldnt have been able to get thru all the gunk that solidified. very good stuff, i always try and bring this up in threads like this though. good luck getting eb working again. |
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Deadguy2322
Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 130 Location: Inside your mind...
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:01 am Post subject: |
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gamegeezer wrote: |
-GameGeezer |
Seriously, dude, this is some pathetic shit. Knock of the moronic fake sig. If anyone wants to know who posted this, they can look to the left. Doing this makes you look like a lonely, sad attention-whoring douche. |
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TheRedEye The Internet's Frank Cifaldi
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 4192 Location: Oakland, CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:13 am Post subject: |
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Deadguy2322 wrote: | gamegeezer wrote: |
-GameGeezer |
Seriously, dude, this is some pathetic shit. Knock of the moronic fake sig. If anyone wants to know who posted this, they can look to the left. Doing this makes you look like a lonely, sad attention-whoring douche. |
Hey. Be nice. |
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Smeg Staff
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 1600 Location: beneath enemy scrotum
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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Deadguy2322 wrote: | gamegeezer wrote: |
-GameGeezer |
Seriously, dude, this is some pathetic shit. Knock of the moronic fake sig. If anyone wants to know who posted this, they can look to the left. Doing this makes you look like a lonely, sad attention-whoring douche. |
So what does this make you look like? |
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I am Christina Aguilera
Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 159
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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So I took Earthbound to my friendly neighborhood retro game store, and there's too much water damage to the contacts to be fixable
I got Illusion of Gaia too though and it works, so that's something. |
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Deadguy2322
Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 130 Location: Inside your mind...
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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Smeg wrote: | Deadguy2322 wrote: | gamegeezer wrote: |
-GameGeezer |
Seriously, dude, this is some pathetic shit. Knock of the moronic fake sig. If anyone wants to know who posted this, they can look to the left. Doing this makes you look like a lonely, sad attention-whoring douche. |
So what does this make you look like? |
A douche who doesn't annoy people with a stupid faux-sig, of course! |
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