just a guide for my use. in no way am i taking this as my own work. just ignore, i posted this so i could see the images when i fix my game's battery. credit to gamefaqs' dethbydeseption
This method is confirmed to work. Why? Because I'm now at Goldenrod City
WARNING
If you don't follow this guide to the letter you risk completely ruining your game. However, if you work slowly and use the same tools as I did, you'll do just fine. I also need to make it clear that you'll lose ALL your data the moment you remove the original battery. Make sure to transfer your Pokemon and items beforehand. If you make an accident and ruin your game, I'm so very sorry. This method DOES work so long as you're gentle with your circuit board. If you're a little on the clumsy side or you're too young, get an adult to free the battery for you.
Supplies
Ok so you won't need much to replace your battery. Here's a picture with the supplies you'll need and a ruler to give you a sense of scale for the pliers.
You -must- have:
* Electrical tape (secure the battery)
* A hobby knife (you need this to pry the brackets away from the battery)
* A CR2032 (or similar, I suppose) 3 volt battery
* A TINY pair of pliers to grasp the little screw that holds the game together (I tried EVERYTHING else. Trust me, jeweler's pliers are the only things aside from the crazy-looking specialized screwdriver Nintendo used that'll budge the screw)
All of these supplies can be picked up at your local craft and hardware stores- not to mention Radio Shack for the battery. Be prepared to spend a total of 10-20$ for these required supplies.
The Process
Ok, so first, you need to find a well-lit, hard wood place to work at. A kitchen table or living-room floor maybe? Carpets probably won't ruin your game but.. you can't be too careful. Now take your tiny pliers and do your best to grasp the screw in the back of your cartridge. It's a bit tricky, but keep at it. You really can't ruin your game by being rough with the cartridge itself but just be careful not to strip the little screw's head bare. You may need to change the battery in another ten years? ;P
The lid is off! Simple. The battery is in plain sight and this leads us to the very gentle part.
You must CAREFULLY dig under the little metal foot on the battery and start sawing through the one (or sometimes two) little rivet-looking things that are holding the battery in place. I would wedge the blade in and give a little twist to pry the foot up ever so before I began sawing. This is where you must take little steps and GO SLOWLY! If your knife accidentally slips out of control and tags a chip or the board itself (A little cut on the green part wont ruin it but stay FAR away from the chips and various golden circuits) your game will be broken. The metal foot will probably get horribly bent but
DO NOT SNAP IT OFF!
If you do, there'll be no way to attach your battery. It took me roughly 7 minutes to saw and twist my way through the top and bottom.
Though the whole procedure is tricky, the bottom is VERY DANGEROUS! The same danger is present but its even worse now. There's no battery between your knife and the board itself.
The temptation to wrench the battery out is very great indeed but DON'T! Hold the battery firmly so you don't accidentally rip the foot off the circuit board. Remember how we freed the top: slip the blade down, twist, saw, twist, saw. Don't be afraid to pull the bottom-most, last little rivet out after you saw it for a minute or two. It comes free pretty easy after you weaken it with the hobby blade.
Yay the battery is free! As you can see, the metal feet are warped, but they're still securely fastened to the board. Do your best to straighten out the feet and then cut off about 2-2 1/2 inches of electrical tape. If you have too much, the cartridge won't close and if you have too little, the battery won't be secure enough. Slip the piece of tape beneath the bottom foot and place your battery in, the side with the giant + facing down.
I know that looks like alot of tape in the picture, but just stick with the 2 - 2 1/2 inches. Bend the top foot down and then fold the tape up and over the top of the battery and the metal foot. If there isn't enough tape, just snip off another little piece to fasten it good and proper and if there's too much, trim it away with nail clippers or nail scissors- regular ones are way too big and cumbersome.
CONGRATS! Your game is fixed! Now just put your cartridge back together. I found that I could use my finger as an effective screw-driver for putting the tiny screw back in. Don't over-tighten the screw because that might squeeze your cover down too tight on the taped battery and stress your circuit board. That might be a little far-fetched but there's no harm in being too careful- my Silver copy doesn't have the screw in its back and it stays together very nicely.
Good luck and go slowly! Haste makes waste!
This method is confirmed to work. Why? Because I'm now at Goldenrod City
WARNING
If you don't follow this guide to the letter you risk completely ruining your game. However, if you work slowly and use the same tools as I did, you'll do just fine. I also need to make it clear that you'll lose ALL your data the moment you remove the original battery. Make sure to transfer your Pokemon and items beforehand. If you make an accident and ruin your game, I'm so very sorry. This method DOES work so long as you're gentle with your circuit board. If you're a little on the clumsy side or you're too young, get an adult to free the battery for you.
Supplies
Ok so you won't need much to replace your battery. Here's a picture with the supplies you'll need and a ruler to give you a sense of scale for the pliers.
You -must- have:
* Electrical tape (secure the battery)
* A hobby knife (you need this to pry the brackets away from the battery)
* A CR2032 (or similar, I suppose) 3 volt battery
* A TINY pair of pliers to grasp the little screw that holds the game together (I tried EVERYTHING else. Trust me, jeweler's pliers are the only things aside from the crazy-looking specialized screwdriver Nintendo used that'll budge the screw)
All of these supplies can be picked up at your local craft and hardware stores- not to mention Radio Shack for the battery. Be prepared to spend a total of 10-20$ for these required supplies.
The Process
Ok, so first, you need to find a well-lit, hard wood place to work at. A kitchen table or living-room floor maybe? Carpets probably won't ruin your game but.. you can't be too careful. Now take your tiny pliers and do your best to grasp the screw in the back of your cartridge. It's a bit tricky, but keep at it. You really can't ruin your game by being rough with the cartridge itself but just be careful not to strip the little screw's head bare. You may need to change the battery in another ten years? ;P
The lid is off! Simple. The battery is in plain sight and this leads us to the very gentle part.
You must CAREFULLY dig under the little metal foot on the battery and start sawing through the one (or sometimes two) little rivet-looking things that are holding the battery in place. I would wedge the blade in and give a little twist to pry the foot up ever so before I began sawing. This is where you must take little steps and GO SLOWLY! If your knife accidentally slips out of control and tags a chip or the board itself (A little cut on the green part wont ruin it but stay FAR away from the chips and various golden circuits) your game will be broken. The metal foot will probably get horribly bent but
DO NOT SNAP IT OFF!
If you do, there'll be no way to attach your battery. It took me roughly 7 minutes to saw and twist my way through the top and bottom.
Though the whole procedure is tricky, the bottom is VERY DANGEROUS! The same danger is present but its even worse now. There's no battery between your knife and the board itself.
The temptation to wrench the battery out is very great indeed but DON'T! Hold the battery firmly so you don't accidentally rip the foot off the circuit board. Remember how we freed the top: slip the blade down, twist, saw, twist, saw. Don't be afraid to pull the bottom-most, last little rivet out after you saw it for a minute or two. It comes free pretty easy after you weaken it with the hobby blade.
Yay the battery is free! As you can see, the metal feet are warped, but they're still securely fastened to the board. Do your best to straighten out the feet and then cut off about 2-2 1/2 inches of electrical tape. If you have too much, the cartridge won't close and if you have too little, the battery won't be secure enough. Slip the piece of tape beneath the bottom foot and place your battery in, the side with the giant + facing down.
I know that looks like alot of tape in the picture, but just stick with the 2 - 2 1/2 inches. Bend the top foot down and then fold the tape up and over the top of the battery and the metal foot. If there isn't enough tape, just snip off another little piece to fasten it good and proper and if there's too much, trim it away with nail clippers or nail scissors- regular ones are way too big and cumbersome.
CONGRATS! Your game is fixed! Now just put your cartridge back together. I found that I could use my finger as an effective screw-driver for putting the tiny screw back in. Don't over-tighten the screw because that might squeeze your cover down too tight on the taped battery and stress your circuit board. That might be a little far-fetched but there's no harm in being too careful- my Silver copy doesn't have the screw in its back and it stays together very nicely.
Good luck and go slowly! Haste makes waste!
