Topic: What do YOU do to get your NES (and games) working?

[OldMan Nintendo]

For all those that still have their NES system or had one (for shame, selling it)!

My NES system is officially an alcoholic -- with a Q-tip and some rubbing alcohol I wipe down the copper parts of the NES game that I want to play (the part that connects to the NES).  Once I do that I'm set to go -- just throw the game in and play! Very rarely will blowing on the cartridges work for my NES system.  It has a problem... I tried getting it to go to an AA meeting, but it threatened to stop working if I made it go...

So what do you all do??

EDIT: Actually, this question can apply to just about every old-school cartridge-based system that was ever made, so if you didn't own an NES but a Genesis, you are welcome to answer the question too!  

[The Omen]

Rubbing alcohol all the way.  And i also have to put another cartridge above the one we want to play to hold it in place.  If not, it won't stay down.  Don't bump the NES!

[Tman]

This is easy, use the replace the cart connector with the one from a game gennie, (you have to put it in the back upside down though, it worked on my 18 year old NES for 8 years now.)

[Grey Ninja]

I just blow on them for a while... then pack them gently into the console, being careful not to bump it.  I play with it until it works, then when it works, I back away... slowly... and start playing until it freezes.  

[Infernal Monkey]

Hitting the side of the NES works for me most of the times (seriously)
When it does it's little flashing screen/flashing power button, hit the side of it, and the title screen will pop up.

Doesn't always work though.

And for those of you with a SNES, if it has trouble playing a game, wedge a folded bit of paper into the cartridge slot in front of the cartridge. Works everytime.

[joeamis]

quote GreyNinja:
I just blow on them for a while... then pack them gently into the console, being careful not to bump it. I play with it until it works, then when it works, I back away... slowly... and start playing until it freezes.  
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that's hilarious man!  I've done the same exact thing, word for word hahhaaaha...
anyway but i went to my friends house recently and he was playing the nes and he was using qtips with rubbin alcohol and it worked every time....
but greyninjas way is the funniest

[Grey Ninja]

heh.  Glad you like it.  The certified lazy-man's method.

I did get a cleaning kit once, and it helped for a while, but nothing beats the good old practiced technique.

[Uglydot]

I cracked mine open, took a screwdriver and bent the little pins in a little so they hold the cart better, pop the cart in, slide it to the left, push power and enjoy.  I found the trick somewhere on the internet about 2 years ago.

[oohhboy]

I just jam my piece in and out, in and out of the slot a couple of times and shes good to go. Dosing her up with alcohol also does wonders.

[rodtod]

oohhboy, that doesn't sound right

Usually I'll just use one of those compressed-air cans and clean out the insides of the NES whenever a game isn't loading properly. I'm sure rubbing alcohol would work too, but wouldn't that corrode the metal conductor strips after a while?

[OldMan Nintendo]

Quote
Originally posted by: rodtod
I'm sure rubbing alcohol would work too, but wouldn't that corrode the metal conductor strips after a while?

Actually, rodtod, you're right... the metal strips would ultimately corrode after a time if the usage of rubbing alcohol persists... I guess I could smack my system around until it gets the message across that alcohol is bad, but I doubt it'll break it's habit.

[oohhboy]

It is the water in the alcohol that is causing it to corrode. Pure alcohol would be no problem. You are using the alcohol as a solvent to dissovle the comtainments. But regardless of all that, it is going to corrode by itself from the moisture in the air unless the connectors were made of gold, but that presents another set of problems. Storing it in a cool dry place will help make your NES last longer.