Article View: sci.electronics
Article #16980Re: NINTENDO: How do ya clean'um
From: slmdj
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 17:51
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 17:51
42 lines
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2700 bytes
In article <1993Jan7.170714.14089@phx.mcd.mot.com>, schuch@phx.mcd.mot.com (John Schuch) writes:
> The game carts for my kids Nintendo are really getting flakey. I'v
> found that if I clean the contacts with Q-tips and alcahol, they
> work for a couple of days but quickly crap-out again. Anybody
> know the proper ( or at least a better ) way to solve this problem?
>
> Thanks,
> John
>
> --
> +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
> | John R. Schuch - Motorola Computer Group - Manufacturing Engineering |
> | N7XVS - schuch@phx.mcd.mot.com - (602) 438-3008 - CompuServe: 70733.3330 |
> +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
I know this isn't exactly an orthodox method, but it works _really_ well!
I had much the same problem. (I assume... :-) [you almost couldn't play the
Nintendo because it took several frustrating minutes to finally get the
cartridge to make a good connection]) My solution was to take the Nintendo
apart *gasp* (it wasn't under warranty or anything, and I have some
troubleshooting experience) and take a look around. What I found was that the
large connector (spring-type connections, not sure how many pins) that is to
connect directly to the cartridge had been used so much that it wasn't really
reliable anymore. My solution (I'm cheap if I have to... :-)) was to use a
thin, narrow pen knife to _GENTLY_ bend each individual spring contact towards
the one opposite it. (ie: make the space between the two rows of contacts
smaller) After this was completed, I re-assembled the machine and Voila!... It
works like a charm again. One note, however, after this is done-- It is
somewhat harder to remove some cartridges, so just pull a little harder to get
it out :-)
Hope this helps!
--
********************************************************************************
Paul Cowley * "If you tell the truth,
==EE Undergrad== * you don't have to remember anything."
Utah State University * --Mark Twain
C/A1C CAP Utah Wing *
slmdj@cc.usu.edu *
********************************************************************************
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!europa.asd.contel.com!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!agate!dog.ee.lbl.gov!hellgate.utah.edu!cc.usu.edu!slmdj From: slmdj@cc.usu.edu Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: NINTENDO: How do ya clean'um Message-ID: <1993Jan11.115133.62621@cc.usu.edu> Date: 11 Jan 93 11:51:33 MDT References: <1993Jan7.170714.14089@phx.mcd.mot.com> Distribution: usa Organization: Utah State University Lines: 42