Need help with an non-working cartridge

[acharris]

Hi all I wonder if you can help me. I purchased from a local shop in the UK a, don't laugh, a E.T cartridge cheap with other games only as I have always wanted to see what the fuss was about. So I brought it home and tried it and it was either black screen or color bars and blocks or whatever.

 

So I give it several cleans with alcohol and a q tip and I did manage to get it to flash colour blocks, bars and long beeps or crashed sound effect. I cleaned it about 10 times, and I tried to use a eraser on the contacts. and still the same. But I couldn't get to the side nearest the casing side as it was to tight.

 

The contacts now look really clean but the game don't work. My system is fine as it loads everything else up so any advice, as I don't fancy taking the cart apart in case I mess the label up to get the screw out. thanks in advance.

 

Anthony

[+save2600]

Extremely rare that a cartridge is no good. You absolutely sure the contacts are okay? Try using real contact, jewelry or brake cleaner on those contacts. Also, try to clean the contacts on the Atari itself. You can do this by using a credit card, paper towel and alcohol *IF* you don't have anything else more appropriate...

[acharris]

Thanks for the reply. The contacts looks nice and clean, but I will try cleaning them again. I will try cleaning the contacts again on the cart and I will try the contacts on Atari. I thought it was strange that the cart is dead, but I will keep trying.

[Brian R.]

I don't know if this will help any, but I had a recent experience with a cart that didn't seem to want to work. It was a Beamrider cart by Activision.

 

I cleaned it as best I could, still wouldnt' work. I was thinking it was dead, and found that hard to believe, so I just kept at it.

 

It seemed I really had to push it in there to get the cart to work. And it does work.

 

But I'm not sure if it's a matter of jamming it in there, or if repeated use is removing corrosion on the contacts that cleaning wasn't removing. All I know is a cart I thought was dead is working.

[+nanochess]

There is still a trick you can try: extract the PCB to clean it fully.

 

Don't mess with screws or damage label, just insert two big "things" at each side of the aperture to "bend" slightly the catridge case and extract the PCB with your hand.

 

I've used two fragments of PVC tube of 1/2" or "fat" Kingston USB memories.

[gameofyou]

With some cartridges, I have had to do this: Push the cartridge all the way in, then pull it out "just a little". Maybe this will work for your ET.

[RickR]

Sometimes, carts are broken and just don't work. I have a whole box full of broken ones for various systems. If you've cleaned it and it doesn't work, have some fun and hunt for another.

[mkiker2089]

Is ET one that is tin and corrodes? I remember reading that some Atari games need to be cleaned with a pencil eraser like old battery contacts and some computer equipment contacts. I've also heard of people using Acetone on Atari carts but I'm not sure why. Usually glass cleaner works on NES carts but I have less experience with Atari.