Fixing my NES

[TrakMastaTom]

My NES recently crapped out on me, and I suspect I need to fix the 72 pin connector. I cracked it open and did what I thought I was supposed to do. It still doesn't work. Can someone point me in the direction of a good tutorial or something?

[Kong]

Maybe it isn't the connector that is having the problems? How exactly did it "crap out"? A bad connector causes blinking screen, scrambled graphics, game hangs during play etc. What did you do?

[TrakMastaTom]

It won't start games, it just flashes that white screen. I opened up my NES and I looked at the connector, and with a small screwdriver bent all the pins on the top row down as much as I felt I could without breaking them. I then proceeded to do it to the bottom row, but they were attached to the plastic circuit board that the thing rests on. I then wondered if I was doing anything right, and put it back together to see if it had any effect. It didn't.

[nesplayer2299]

Well if you have the blinking problem (which most NES owners probably have) try doing what I do. Well first you should insert the cartridge in a way so the top scrapes a bit on the outer part of the NES. This is kind of hard to explain what its called but just open the front and insert the cartridge like I said so that it scrapes on the edge of the console. I hope you know what I'm talking about because it always works for me and my parents bought the NES in 1985. It helps the cartridge line up with the pins and just right. (Warning: you might know this but alchahol does help clean the cartride but I wouldn't reccomend it because it scraped destroyed outer layering of the chips (if you know what I mean) and I had to throw it out, Good thing we had a second copy, ;)

[TNTisKING]

you can buy new 72 pin connectors on sites like ebay for less than $10. my uncle recently did this and his nes works as good as new now.

[TrakMastaTom]

Yeah, I think that is what I am going to do. I can't seem to find a good tutorial for just fixing mine.

[BRODYMAN]

did you try blowing in it? how about the game cart? ;D

[Kong]

Blowing is not good. It gets moisture in it. Instead use alcohol and a cotton swab. Welcome back Brody.

[BRODYMAN]

More sarcasm than anything else...of course anyone who has turned to asking for help has already exhaled themselves to hyperventilation.

Good to be back. 8)

[gamemaster77]

As kong said, just use alcohol and a cotton swab

[TrakMastaTom]

did you try blowing in it? how about the game cart? ;D


Hahaha. I missed you...

[nesplayer2299]

I third the alchahol and Q-tip idea though I said that it could break the cartridge its an 80% chance it won't. It only broke for me because my cousin and I dropped it a lot and barely used it so it collected dust and dirt. plus a piece of the chip was already jammed inside the cartridge. If buying a new 72-pin connector doesn't work try cleaning the carts. Though if you buy the 72-pin connector your games will probably work just as well as when you first bought your NES.