Repairing/cleaning a NES

[Falc]

I'm feeling nostalgic and thinking of trying to get my old NES to work. The last time (~5-10 years ago) it wasn't tucked away somewhere it didn't work but the last few days I've been reading some on the net and it seems that in most cases they stop working is because the systems/cartridges aren't clean.

So I'm thinking of trying to clean it up/repair if necessary and hopefully it will work so I can enjoy some really good games for a change.

Anyways, anyone has any experience of doing this? There are some guides on the internet and most of them are the same so the doing the basics shouldn't be a problem. I'm more curious about some pitfalls there might be. Like, if you unscrew that that screw the system will never ever work again [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Well you get the idea atleast. Any takers?

[g-bebe]

I used to have an NES cleaning tools, that also worked on gameboy cartridges since they were similar. It was just some thin plastic stick with some other plastic on the end, and you put some kind of oil or something on it. Maybe it was alcohol based, I dunno. Anyways, it seemed to work... though I was always wary of playing the NES. Too many freezes and junk that put me on tilt.

[bigalt]

man it was such a voodoo ritual getting the games to work in the first place with no two methods alike that I can't imagine there would be a standard way to REPAIR it.

Clearly your best bet is to blow on the cartrige, blow on the console, stick your tongue in the electric socket, then stand on your head and whistle while you turn it on.

[Neil S]

I just use slightly moistened q-tips and reach in far to clean it the old fashioned way. In my experience it's the games that are the dirtiest and need the cleaning most, though.

If your system is beyond such basic cleaning though, buying a new NES that has had its connector replaced might be a good idea though. That is, unless you're good enough with a soldering iron to replace it yourself.

[Jeremy517]

1) Buy a replacement 72-pin connecter
2) Buy a 3.8 MM security screw bit
3) Install the new connector
4) Open the games and use an eraser on the contacts

The items in steps 1 and 2 can be found on eBay or a few other sources.

[bigalt]

i stand corrected

[jah7_fsu1]

Buy a top-loading NES? Didn't these work like a billion times better.

Man the good old days of getting NES games to work. Blowing in them, putting VCR tapes in them to "hold down" the games, etc. Good times...

[Jeremy517]

[ QUOTE ]
Buy a top-loading NES? Didn't these work like a billion times better.

[/ QUOTE ]

The top loaders got rid of composite outputs and only have RF out. A front loader with a new connector is a better option.

[thedustbustr]

a better solution may be to buy a ps2 controller (or whatever but dualshock2s are hands down the best controllers, ever), a ps2-to-usb adapter, download an emulator, and acquire the games that you already own.

[SaulPaul]

meh its not that same; miss half the nostalgia

cant u pick one from ebay; cant be that expensive


seen virtual boys, game gears dirt cheap