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

MRsonic699

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
116
Trophies
0
Location
Brasov, Romania
Website
soundcloud.com
XP
243
Country
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.
 

MRsonic699

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
116
Trophies
0
Location
Brasov, Romania
Website
soundcloud.com
XP
243
Country
can you show pics of the game cart
both sides
Here are the images
ZkmwgTX.png

Ww7FUsu.png

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

Clydefrosch

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
6,020
Trophies
2
XP
4,596
Country
Germany
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)
 

MRsonic699

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
116
Trophies
0
Location
Brasov, Romania
Website
soundcloud.com
XP
243
Country
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.
 

RodrigoDavy

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
1,453
Trophies
0
XP
879
Country
Brazil
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.
 

MRsonic699

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
116
Trophies
0
Location
Brasov, Romania
Website
soundcloud.com
XP
243
Country
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?
 

RodrigoDavy

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
1,453
Trophies
0
XP
879
Country
Brazil
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
 

J-Machine

Self proclaimed Pog champion
Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
940
Trophies
1
Location
A concrete Igloo
XP
1,686
Country
Canada
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.
 

MRsonic699

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
116
Trophies
0
Location
Brasov, Romania
Website
soundcloud.com
XP
243
Country
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.
 

RodrigoDavy

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
1,453
Trophies
0
XP
879
Country
Brazil
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.
 

MRsonic699

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
116
Trophies
0
Location
Brasov, Romania
Website
soundcloud.com
XP
243
Country
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.
 

Pong20302000

making notes on everything
Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2009
Messages
8,078
Trophies
2
Location
One's inner self
Website
3dsdb.com
XP
2,408
Country
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
 

MRsonic699

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
116
Trophies
0
Location
Brasov, Romania
Website
soundcloud.com
XP
243
Country
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.
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Going to the water park, see ya
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    You should update the 360 to newest dash before RGHing it yes. But not a big deal if you don't, you can install new dash/avatar updates after. It's just easier to do it auto online before, instead manual offline after.
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Have fun @Xdqwerty. If you see a chocolate candy bar floating in the water, don't eat it!
  • AncientBoi @ AncientBoi:
    :O:ohnoes: Y didn't U Tell ME that ALSO? @BigOnYa :ohnoes: 🤢🤮
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Does it taste like... chicken?
    +1
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    @BigOnYa I wanted to ask you about your experience with seeing south park. Most of the people a bit younger like my younger brother and cousins that are a few younger than me that saw kids found south park funny because of the curse words, kids at school, that seemed like liking the show on a very basic level.

    I could not quite have a in depth discussion of the show.

    How was it for you? As an adult. What did you find the most interesting part about it. Did you relate to the parents of the kids and their situations. Was it satires, the commentary on society. The references on celebrities' and pop culture.
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I remember seeing the very first episode back in the day, and have watched every episode since. I used to set my VCR to record them even, shows how long ago.
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I just like any comedies really, and cartoons have always been a favorite of mine. Family guy, American Dad, Futurama, Cleveland Show, Simpsons - I like them all.
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    South Park is great cause they always touch on relavent issues going on today, and make something funny out of it.
    +3
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    @BigOnYa were you always up to date on the current events and issues of the time or were there issues that you first found out thru south park
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Most of the time yea I knew, I watch and read the news regularly, but sometimes the Hollywood BS stuff, like concerning actors slip by me. I don't follow most Hollywood BS (example: the Kardasians)
    +2
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    @BigOnYa there were relevant issues before south park was made, that's why i think a south park prequel/spinoff would be great. Randy and his friends in their child hood
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Yea, like them running in high school together, getting into stuff, and how they got hitched and had kids. And how the town of South Park was back then compared to now. That would be cool to see.
  • BakerMan @ BakerMan:
    yeah
  • The Real Jdbye @ The Real Jdbye:
    @salazarcosplay if they made a prequel, it would still be about current issues, cause it doesn't make sense to make it about stuff that happened 30 years ago that nobody cares about anymore
  • The Real Jdbye @ The Real Jdbye:
    it's too late
  • The Real Jdbye @ The Real Jdbye:
    the older south park episodes about particular issues usually age poorly since the topic is no longer relevant
  • The Real Jdbye @ The Real Jdbye:
    an exception is giant douche vs turd sandwich, that's always relevant :P
    +1
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I was gone for like an hour and none of you thought to write or call pos
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    We knew you were going to Sonic to get lunch.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Sonics fast I would've been home in 10 mins
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Meet and greet with AncientBoi then?
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    That would've gone slow he's old
    +1
    S @ salazarcosplay: @AncientBoi :tpi: :tpi: :tpi: are you there