Genesis / SNES maintenance?

[radjago]

Recently I've noticed I have to push and pull on my games a lot to get them in just the right spot where they'll work for me.
I have 3 different Model 1 Genesis(es?) and 1 SNES and they all seem to be suffering these effects.
I've tried blowing them out with canned air and looking for anything stuck in the slot (found a nice lint deposit in one). Is there anything else I can do? I never thought my Genny and SNES would ever go the way of the NES.

[Grave_Addiction]

Maybe you just need to clean the connectors in the system.

I seem to remember these nifty little SNES/Genesis cleaners that looked just like a cartridge, but they were pink. You'd apply a solution on the part that actually connects into the system, and it cleaned it all up.

That may be what ya need.

[rockhero]

You could just go pick up some generic electronics cleanser and wash the connections.

[wubb]

I'd just use rubbing alcohol to clean it out. I have a bottle of 91% isop. from Target that I use to clean carts and systems.

For the SNES and Genny (I think) you can just push aside the plastic cover and kind of clean it with a piece of cardboard or folded over paper soaked in the rubbing alcohol. You push it between the connectors and wiggle it around. I guess if you aren't careful you could bend the pins, however. So be careful.

One site I looked at suggested using foam makeup applicators for this, but I don't have any of those.

Oh, and are you sure the carts are clean? Try cleaning one with some rubbing alcohol and see if the problems go away for that one.

[The-Bavis]

My advice, listen to wubb. He seems to always know his old school system repair/maintenance.

On a side note, please make sure to keep your SNES out of the sun. It will look like an Englishman's tooth if you don't.

[rockhero]

Electronics cleansing solution is better than alcohol. Use that if you can get it.

[wubb]

Where's a good place to get that and is it generally more expensive than rubbing alcohol? Would Radio Shack have it?

I might give that a try if I can find some, although I've had great results with simple isop. rubbing alcohol so I may not want to switch up my system.

There are a few carts I haven't been able to get working with rubbing alcohol, it would be an interesting test to see if elec. cleansing solution would work where the rubbing alcohol failed. I have a feeling the problem with those carts is more than just dirt on the contacts however...

[radjago]

Will rubbing alcohol discolor or damage the cartridge at all?

[SEGA128DC]

Hmm, doesn't EB Games and GameStop still sell cartridge/system cleaners for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo?...

[Wet Ninja]

Nintendo's online store sells cleaning "wands" that clean cartridges for all their systems. Link (http://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&langI d=-1&currency=USD&ignoreCrumbs=N&crumb1=&crumb1Ignore =&crumb2=%253CA%2BHREF%253D%2522javascript%253APas sOn%2528%2527X%2527%252C%2B%2527ChooseView%2527%25 2C%2527%2527%252C%2B%2527%2527%2529%253B%2522%253E Super%2BNES%253C%252FA%253E&crumb2Ignore=&crumb3=% 253CA%2BHREF%253D%2522javascript%253APassOn%2528%2 527C%2527%252C%2B%2527CategoryDisplay%2527%252C%25 2714758%2527%252C%2B%2527N%2527%2529%253B%2522%253 EParts%2B%2526%2BAccessories%253C%252FA%253E&crumb 3Ignore=&translateFrom=%C8%C9%C7&translateTo=EEC&u srSearchText=&searchText=&selSrchType=&page=&view= &productId=401&categoryId=14758&lastAction=Product Display&orderTotal=null)

[Rig]

All I know is: Don't ever blow (with your mouth) into games or systems. Everyone knows why their NES's crapped out right? ;) That's something everyone should know by now, but I thought I'd tip my hat to it. That ruins systems and games...

[wubb]

Will rubbing alcohol discolor or damage the cartridge at all?

All the cartridges have a warning on the back not to clean with alcohol (as well as a few other things) but IMO that is bunk. I've cleaned well over 100 SNES, Genesis, and NES games with isop. rubbing alcohol and I've gotten all but 4 or 5 working great. I actually clean anything I acquire before even testing it, so I don't slowly transfer gunk from dirty cartridges into my system.

And it hasn't discolored any of them. If you let it really soak into the label it might damage that just like any liquid would.

I've found some rubbing alcohol and a little elbow grease works wonders on the exterior of systems/games as well as the contacts.

But if you are nervous about it you could try rubbing a Q-tip with just warm water (or even dry) over the cart's contacts and see if it comes away dirty. If it comes out perfectly clean, probably isn't much point to cleaning it with alcohol.

Follow my advice at your own risk, but it's what I'd try.

[Senaz28]

All I know is: Don't ever blow (with your mouth) into games or systems. Everyone knows why their NES's crapped out right? ;) That's something everyone should know by now, but I thought I tip my hat to it. That ruins systems and games...

I partially agree with you since blowing in the cartridge introduces moisture/heat from your body carried on your breath which will cause oxidation on the cartridge contacts. However, it is not the reason why the NES' failed. Nintendo used crap 72-pin connectors in their consoles and all the other stuff is just salt in the wound (so to speak).

Best thing you can do is just replace the 72-pin with a better one (gold contact'd if you can find one).

-Brian P

[The-Bavis]

Will rubbing alcohol discolor or damage the cartridge at all?

All the cartridges have a warning on the back not to clean with alcohol (as well as a few other things) but IMO that is bunk. I've cleaned well over 100 SNES, Genesis, and NES games with isop. rubbing alcohol and I've gotten all but 4 or 5 working great. I actually clean anything I acquire before even testing it, so I don't slowly transfer gunk from dirty cartridges into my system.

And it hasn't discolored any of them. If you let it really soak into the label it might damage that just like any liquid would.

I've found some rubbing alcohol and a little elbow grease works wonders on the exterior of systems/games as well as the contacts.

But if you are nervous about it you could try rubbing a Q-tip with just warm water (or even dry) over the cart's contacts and see if it comes away dirty. If it comes out perfectly clean, probably isn't much point to cleaning it with alcohol.

Follow my advice at your own risk, but it's what I'd try.

I have used alcohol on all of my NES cartridges b/c that's what Nintendo told me to do when I sent the system in for repairs in the '80s. That's the isropopyl (sp?) stuff wubb mentioned. Also, I have a Nintendo brand NES cleaning kit I got to clean the connectors and it tells you to use a 1-part alcohol, 1-part water mix. Just don't soak it in alcohol. Use a little and it will be fine.

[rockhero]

Will rubbing alcohol discolor or damage the cartridge at all?

All the cartridges have a warning on the back not to clean with alcohol (as well as a few other things) but IMO that is bunk. I've cleaned well over 100 SNES, Genesis, and NES games with isop. rubbing alcohol and I've gotten all but 4 or 5 working great. I actually clean anything I acquire before even testing it, so I don't slowly transfer gunk from dirty cartridges into my system.

And it hasn't discolored any of them. If you let it really soak into the label it might damage that just like any liquid would.

I've found some rubbing alcohol and a little elbow grease works wonders on the exterior of systems/games as well as the contacts.

But if you are nervous about it you could try rubbing a Q-tip with just warm water (or even dry) over the cart's contacts and see if it comes away dirty. If it comes out perfectly clean, probably isn't much point to cleaning it with alcohol.

Follow my advice at your own risk, but it's what I'd try.

Alcohol will wear down the connections over time, whereas an electronics cleanser will not. Either is ok, but I always only use the cleanser.

I would not recommend using water. It evaporates too slowly.

And yes, you can get electronics cleanser at Radio Shack. It'll cost like $10 and last a long time.

[icemanjmw13]

This is exactly the reason all old games need to be rereleased for the next generation of systems. I like the classic titles for GBA, FF Anthology, etc. because it gives me a chance to have those great games on a (somewhat) more reliable system. The price is a killer though, come on Nintendo needs to suck it up and use GCN discs to their max and release like a compilation with like the top 50 old games or something.

[Rig]

All I know is: Don't ever blow (with your mouth) into games or systems. Everyone knows why their NES's crapped out right? ;) That's something everyone should know by now, but I thought I tip my hat to it. That ruins systems and games...

I partially agree with you since blowing in the cartridge introduces moisture/heat from your body carried on your breath which will cause oxidation on the cartridge contacts. However, it is not the reason why the NES' failed. Nintendo used crap 72-pin connectors in their consoles and all the other stuff is just salt in the wound (so to speak).

Best thing you can do is just replace the 72-pin with a better one (gold contact'd if you can find one).

-Brian P

Yes, the pin connectors were crap, but I meant the NES in general suffered from so many people blowing into their systems and games. Same deal with the Genny and SNES too. Hell, some of my friends still blow into their N64's, and they don't get to borrow any of my games. Blowing into them may make them work sometimes, but eventually, it destroys the games and the system playing them...

[MrSneis]

I own about 100 cartridge based games and have bought them all used.

I have never bought a game that refused to work after a brisk cleaning, only once did I buy Metroid on accident with loose plastic or a connector floating around inside the case which i returned.

The connector's on the system come in contact with the gold contacts of the cartridge, in most systems all it takes is minimal surface contact, so IMO having clean games is MUCH more important.

The procedure is simple, buy some isporopyl alchohol at your local grocery/market for about a dollar, it's clear and comes in a bottle and is usually located near prescription medicine. Make sure to buy some q-tips, the q-tip brand ones are best because the stick is way stronger.

You can dip your q-tip directly into the bottle or find some way to get the alchohol onto the end of the q-tip, you can use as much as you want.

Using the now wet end scrub the gold contacts on both ends, you'll find lots of dirt on even "clean" looking games. Your going to need several q-tips for each game, to be complete I clean the edge of the PCB board with a paper towell and alchohol and wipe down the actual plastic casing too.

The alchohol dries pretty fast, you can use both ends of the q-tip, one to dry scrub and one to wet scrub, or both to wet scrub, etc. As I said, it dries fast, not much need to dry them by hand though. You can stop when your q-tips are no longer black!

This always works for me, it never hasn't.

As for degrading connectors, I think it's a load of crap.

[Senaz28]

As for degrading connectors, I think it's a load of crap.

So with a statement like this it begs the question:

How many 72-pin NES and 62-pin SNES connectors have you replaced, hell, I'd like to know how many you have opened to just inspect? Because if you ever had, you'd know the frailty, bent/warped pins, dirt/dust piled on them, etc.

-Brian P