Conference rusure::nintendo

520.0. "Opening Games/Replacing Batteries" by JARETH::EDP (Always mount a scratch monkey.) Mon Sep 24 1990 12:32

Article 9518 of rec.games.video:
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From: deanr (Dean Reece)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video
Subject: Re: Passwords vs. batteries (opening a cart)
Summary: How to open a Nintendo Cart
Keywords: open Nintendo cart
Message-ID: <7838@scolex.sco.COM>
Date: 19 Sep 90 00:54:50 GMT
References: <83618@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <20290@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> <1990Sep15.203704.16661@cbnewsi.att.com>
Sender: news@sco.COM
Followup-To: rec.games.video
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Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Lines: 38


In article <1990Sep15.203704.16661@cbnewsi.att.com> mfn@cbnewsi.att.com
	(mark nettleingham) writes:
...

>
>	Three years, hmmm, my Zelda game has a 1985 copyright on it.
>Obviously the game was manufactured sometime between then and today,
>it could be as many as 2 years old.  I would imagine that the clock
>starts ticking at the time of manufacture, this means that I may only
>have a year or so left.
>
>	My question is: Has anyone tried to replace one of these
>batteries? 
>
>	The actual replacement is probably simple, getting the case
>open without destroying the cartridge is another matter altogether.

	This should make lots of people happy:  It is simple to open (without
any real dammage) a Nintendo type cart.  All you need is a butter knife or
thin blade screwdriver, or other prying type tool - and a soldering iron with
a long skinny tip.

	First, insert the prying tool in between the shell halfs down near
the edge card connector and apply a steady pressure.  Then heat the head of
the wierd Nintendo screw.  As soon as the plastic gets plyable, the pressure
exerted by the pry bar will cause the screw to shoot out like a bullet (watch
out, they are a bit warmish).  Since the plastic was only made plyable, and
not actually melted, the threads remain undamaged (as far as I can tell).

	You can re-insert the screwed up screws (if you can find them) by
positioning them into their holes and again heat them with the iron, this
time pressing with the tip - and in they go (the soft plastic forms a nice
seal around the threads).  I can only assume that there is a limit to the
number of times you can remove/insert the screws this way so I usually just
replace them with small philips(tm) head type screws.

Happy Hacking -- deanr@sco.com

    That's a good hint for us!
    
    Now - if anyone's replaced a battery, please share the info here...
    
    jack