# How to fix a broken Zelda: Link's Awakening DX cartridge?



## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

I received this Zelda: Link's Awakening DX cartridge for free and when I put it in my gameboy and turn it on, Everything seems fine until I press start on the title screen. After that, my game freezes with a white screen and I don't really know what I can do to fix that. The contacts look really clean. It always freezes at that point.

I am thinking that it could be some corrupted save file/battery related problem but it could be as well dirty parts from the board or simply broken ROM. I have no idea though, since I only replaced batteries on GB carts until now. Help would be much appreciated. I looked for this game a lot and getting it fixed would be just amazing.


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## Ryupower (May 13, 2013)

can you show pics of the game cart
both sides


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## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

Ryupower said:


> can you show pics of the game cart
> both sides


Here are the images









I can also take a look at the inside of the cartridge, I'm opening it right now.


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## Clydefrosch (May 13, 2013)

Even if the contacts look clean, try using a cotton swap dipped in pure alcohol of water with a few drops of vinegar to clean them again. Wait a few seconds, then use a dry swap to remove any liquids left.
also, try to angle the game a little after putting it in the gameslot (pulling it out half a millimetre on one side, while holding it down on the other side)


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## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

Here's a high resolution photo of the opened cartridge. I can't really seem to find anything that looks wrong.


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## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

Clydefrosch said:


> Even if the contacts look clean, try using a cotton swap dipped in pure alcohol of water with a few drops of vinegar to clean them again. Wait a few seconds, then use a dry swap to remove any liquids left.
> also, try to angle the game a little after putting it in the gameslot (pulling it out half a millimetre on one side, while holding it down on the other side)


I'll try that tomorrow, but could dirty contacts lead to such problems? I mean it always freezes at the exact same spot. Not randomly or at the Gameboy logo.


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## RodrigoDavy (May 13, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> I'll try that tomorrow, but could dirty contacts lead to such problems? I mean it always freezes at the exact same spot. Not randomly or at the Gameboy logo.


The first thing your game do when you press Start at the title screen is to read the SRAM, where te save file is located. If the pins that are connected to the SRAM are dirty it could lead to the game failing to read/write to SRAM and crashing at this point.


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## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

RodrigoDavy said:


> The first thing your game do when you press Start at the title screen is to read the SRAM, where te save file is located. If the pins that are connected to the SRAM are dirty it could lead to the game failing to read/write to SRAM and crashing at this point.


So I should try to clean the SRAM's contacts too? The exact same way as I would do for the cartridge contacts?


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## RodrigoDavy (May 13, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> So I should try to clean the SRAM's contacts too? The exact same way as I would do for the cartridge contacts?


It's most likely that the SRAM contacts are part of the cartridge contacts.

EDIT: Since I am no game boy specialist don't quote me on that. If you want you can try cleaning them by rubbing an eraser in the contacts which is much easier than using an alcohol/vinegar solution


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## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

RodrigoDavy said:


> It's most likely that the SRAM contacts are part of the cartridge contacts.


So? What should I do?


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## RodrigoDavy (May 13, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> So? What should I do?


Read the edit in my post above


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## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

RodrigoDavy said:


> Read the edit in my post above


I see. I think I'm just gonna wait for more answers on this one. It's really impossible to find such a cartridge like this one here in Romania and I don't wanna mess it up.


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## J-Machine (May 13, 2013)

if you use an erasure make sure it's the flexable white one though I use isopropyl alcohol of 90% purity and q-tips to clean contacts. use canned air in the game boy cartridge slot to to see if any fluff comes out.


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## MRsonic699 (May 13, 2013)

The only logical explanation to the problem would be Rodrigo's. The SRAM can't be readen/written for some reason. Probably it's just dirty. But, how do I clean it effectively?
Because here I'm trying to clean the main board, and not only the contacts that go into the Gameboy.


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## RodrigoDavy (May 13, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> The only logical explanation to the problem would be Rodrigo's. The SRAM can't be readen/written for some reason. Probably it's just dirty. But, how do I clean it effectively?
> Because here I'm trying to clean the main board, and not only the contacts that go into the Gameboy.


There's also the possibility that the contacts are fine but the save file is corrupted. It's easy to verify that though, all you need to do is try to run the game without the battery.


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## MRsonic699 (May 14, 2013)

RodrigoDavy said:


> There's also the possibility that the contacts are fine but the save file is corrupted. It's easy to verify that though, all you need to do is try to run the game without the battery.


After I get more information of how to clean the cartridge, I'm going to both clean it and replace the battery. Since I've done it on quite enough cartridges and it's really easy to do.


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## Pong20302000 (May 14, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> After I get more information of how to clean the cartridge, I'm going to both clean it and replace the battery. Since I've done it on quite enough cartridges and it's really easy to do.


 does other games on the gameboy work well?


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## MRsonic699 (May 14, 2013)

Pong20302000 said:


> does other games on the gameboy work well?


Yep. I never had a game crash on me or freeze. I have like 20 games for it and they have no problem. I tested it on other two Gameboys as well.


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## Pong20302000 (May 14, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> Yep. I never had a game crash on me or freeze. I have like 20 games for it and they have no problem. I tested it on other two Gameboys as well.


 
same freeze thats def the save failing to load, just try removing the battery, leave it out for 5mins, then place it back in
should clear the save data then

its using a CR1616 so should still work but will need replacing in the next 2-3 years id say, they roughly last 12-13 years from experience
but could just be that the battery is dead but hopefully not


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## MRsonic699 (May 14, 2013)

Pong20302000 said:


> same freeze thats def the save failing to load, just try removing the battery, leave it out for 5mins, then place it back in
> should clear the save data then
> 
> its using a CR1616 so should still work but will need replacing in the next 2-3 years id say, they roughly last 12-13 years from experience
> but could just be that the battery is dead but hopefully not


Nah, I have a new battery ready and I'm going to use that. 3V CR2025. I'm not gonna risk because the battery might not last much more if it's going to work.


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## dragonblood9999 (May 14, 2013)

this hapend to my zelda links awakening dx cart. I had to erase the save data with a gameshark and it worked after that


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## MRsonic699 (May 14, 2013)

dragonblood9999 said:


> this hapend to my zelda links awakening dx cart. I had to erase the save data with a gameshark and it worked after that


Oh really? That sounds actually really good. If all I have to do is replace the battery then god has blessed me with this free cartridge.


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## Kouen Hasuki (May 14, 2013)

Replace the battery it will wipe the save data and your done


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## MRsonic699 (May 14, 2013)

Kouen Hasuki said:


> Replace the battery it will wipe the save data and your done


Awesome. After I do it for this Pokemon Silver cartridge I'm gonna do it for this game too.


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## Kouen Hasuki (May 14, 2013)

I went over all of mine a few months back my Mario Land 2 battery went out of date in 1996 lol


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## MRsonic699 (May 14, 2013)

Just did it. This was the easiest cartridge to repair so far. It works perfectly now. I can't tell you guys how happy I am. Finally getting this game after hunting it for all this time and spending only 2 euros (for the battery) on it. Thank you guys so much


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## Pong20302000 (May 14, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> Just did it. This was the easiest cartridge to repair so far. It works perfectly now. I can't tell you guys how happy I am. Finally getting this game after hunting it for all this time and spending only 2 euros (for the battery) on it. Thank you guys so much


 
Nintendo stuff has always lasted the tests of time, its the battery that always go before anything else LOL


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## MRsonic699 (May 14, 2013)

Pong20302000 said:


> Nintendo stuff has always lasted the tests of time, its the battery that always go before anything else LOL


Yeah, and even here, the battery wasn't dead. It just had a corrupted save on it.


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## dragonblood9999 (May 14, 2013)

MRsonic699 said:


> Just did it. This was the easiest cartridge to repair so far. It works perfectly now. I can't tell you guys how happy I am. Finally getting this game after hunting it for all this time and spending only 2 euros (for the battery) on it. Thank you guys so much


 
enjoy the game it a gr8 game. i bought mine when it first came out(the dx version) and i still play it from the begining to the end atleast 2 times a year


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## Parasite X (Jul 9, 2013)

["MRsonic699, post: 4640344, member: 280847"]I received this Zelda: Link's Awakening DX cartridge for free and when I put it in my gameboy and turn it on, Everything seems fine until I press start on the title screen. After that, my game freezes with a white screen and I don't really know what I can do to fix that. The contacts look really clean. It always freezes at that point.

I am thinking that it could be some corrupted save file/battery related problem but it could be as well dirty parts from the board or simply broken ROM. I have no idea though, since I only replaced batteries on GB carts until now. Help would be much appreciated. I looked for this game a lot and getting it fixed would be just amazing.
fire place fully lit jk =)


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