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

By MRsonic699, May 13, 2013 12,764 29 0

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  1. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    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.
     
  2. Ryupower

    Ryupower Brood
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    can you show pics of the game cart
    both sides
     
  3. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    Here are the images
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    I can also take a look at the inside of the cartridge, I'm opening it right now.
     
  4. Clydefrosch

    Clydefrosch GBAtemp Guru
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    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)
     
  5. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    Here's a high resolution photo of the opened cartridge. I can't really seem to find anything that looks wrong.
    [​IMG]
     
  6. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    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.
     
  7. RodrigoDavy

    RodrigoDavy GBAtemp Maniac
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    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.
     
  8. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    So I should try to clean the SRAM's contacts too? The exact same way as I would do for the cartridge contacts?
     
  9. RodrigoDavy

    RodrigoDavy GBAtemp Maniac
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    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
     
  10. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    So? What should I do?
     
  11. RodrigoDavy

    RodrigoDavy GBAtemp Maniac
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    Read the edit in my post above
     
  12. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    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.
     
  13. J-Machine

    J-Machine Self proclaimed Pog champion
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    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.
     
  14. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    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.
     
  15. RodrigoDavy

    RodrigoDavy GBAtemp Maniac
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    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.
     
  16. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    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.
     
  17. Pong20302000

    Pong20302000 making notes on everything
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    does other games on the gameboy work well?
     
  18. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    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.
     
  19. Pong20302000

    Pong20302000 making notes on everything
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    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
     
  20. MRsonic699

    OP MRsonic699 GBAtemp Regular
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    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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