Busted NES cartridge?

[anruiukimi]

I've seen some abysmal NES carts in hideous condition, and I've always been able to get them working.

However, I have a copy of Mario/Duck Hunt/Track that I got for a buck a few months back at a garage sale, and it looks great on the outside. However, I get nothing but a gray screen when I try to fire it up. I finally picked up one of those security screwdrivers, and took it apart...and the inside looks as good as the outside. I'm actually boggled. I've cleaned the contacts, and my NES Top Loader works fine, I was just playing  DWIII last night. Does anyone have any ideas?

[atarileaf]

Looks like it could still use a little cleaning, perhaps something more aggressive. What do you use to clean your carts?

On the other hand, some carts are just dead. Perhaps stored in a very cold, hot or humid environment, subject to some kind of electrical shock that killed a chip, etc. Or just a faulty cart, which sometimes happens.

[anruiukimi]

Looks like it could still use a little cleaning, perhaps something more aggressive. What do you use to clean your carts?

On the other hand, some carts are just dead. Perhaps stored in a very cold, hot or humid environment, subject to some kind of electrical shock that killed a chip, etc. Or just a faulty cart, which sometimes happens.

I just use rubbing alcohol, I've heard some other things to use, got any recommendations?

Yeah, that's true. Well. I'm not out a lot, it's more the principle of the thing.

[atarileaf]

rubbing alcohol is good, try to get the highest percentage possible. 99% is what I use. There are other methods that people use that I won't recommend as I haven't tried them. When all else fails and you're to the point of just tossing the cart, I'll sometimes use a very very fine grit sandpaper lightly on the contacts. That has fixed a couple of nes carts I thought to be dead, one being a Bubble Bobble.

[ffxik]

Hit it some more especially on either end.  The contacts there are still corroded, not too bad mind you but you never know.

[ffmaniac2050]

Use wellmans glasstop cleaner.  Put a small dab on each side if the pins, run it with your fingers and then remove it until dry with a dry was cloth.

[fazerco]

It may sound stupid, but did you check if it was a ntsc or pal version?

[anruiukimi]

It may sound stupid, but did you check if it was a ntsc or pal version?

I suppose it's possible? I don't see anything that indicates PAL on it, is there something obvious I should be looking for? It's this cart: http://vgcollect.com/item/21309

[fazerco]

You should see it under track meet. Something like this NES-WH-USA, if USA is something else like FRA then its French.

[fazerco]

Nvm, i cant find a pal version online, so USA only

Additional a nice NES site

http://bootgod.dyndns.org:7777/profile.php?id=345

[anruiukimi]

Nvm, i cant find a pal version online, so USA only

Additional a nice NES site

http://bootgod.dyndns.org:7777/profile.php?id=345

Thank you! Looks like a handy website, too. 

[tpugmire]

I could be mistaken, but I don't think that cartridge was released in PAL format. I seem to remember hearing about how PAL regions got Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt/Tetris instead.

[anruiukimi]

So, after taking both rubbing alcohol and metal polish to this and two other games, all of these are now working great. Definitely going to remember the polish in the future!

Thanks for the tips, everyone!

[retrogamer418]

Here is how I clean game contacts.

• Go over the top and bottom of the contacts with Isopropyl Alcohol and a cotton swab
• Use a WHITE eraser to scrub the contacts (both sides). These are just the standard white art erasers that you will find.
• Goto 1 and repeat until it is very clean

Don't use anything other than the white eraser. I also have tried using fine sandpaper but I prefer the eraser method. It is not as abrasive.