NES Keeps Resetting/Colored Screen

[Illtiger1]

Hi all,

 

I'm very familiar with the NES having owned one since 1986 and my NES is getting to the point where when I press power for most cartridges it goes into that dreaded constant reset loop and green or other color screen instead of the title screen. I do my regular blow into the cart, clean the cart pins with alcohol, wiggle it in the slot, hit reset tricks but it's getting more frequent lately. This has probably been brought up thousands of times on here before, but what do I do to fix this problem.  In the past, I'd just get a "new" used NES, but I've had this one for a while and would rather fix it given the increase in prices in the retro gaming market.  Maybe I replace the pin set in the NES?  If so, what's the best place to buy from?  Thank you for taking the time.

[CapitanClassic]

Bend the contact pins back up, @Illtiger1

http://www.retrofixes.com/2013/07/nintendo-72-pin-connector.html?m=1

Edited April 9, 2022 by CapitanClassic

[TheDevil'sCompass]

I got so tired of messing with a similar situation that I bent the pins to the point where I don't have to push down the cart anymore. May not be the best thing for the carts but since I don't use my NES every day, I'm fine with it. Haven't had a problem since.

[Tanooki]

Given the metal *aluminum* Nintendo used vs the cheap chinese shit ones what tends to repair this quite well for a long time to come (given you keep your games clean) is the boiling method.

 

- Safety pin, bend the flattened pins a bit more back towards center, but due to age and crush they're weaker and dirty very very dirty even if you can't see it and a NES cleaning kit won't get it.

 

- Boil water, put towel in bottom, toss in 72pin connector

 

- Wait 5min, remove, using a NES cleaning kit or some copy/make shit of it, give it a good 10 in-outs to get stuff off.

 

- The heat jellies the dirt, dust, grime into a funky goo.

 

- Reboil as needed until the test rub comes clean.

 

 

The heat strengthens the pin metal again to be firm and right, and the heat removes the crap simple alcohol/IPA won't.  Shake that out a lot, canned air maybe would be great, then re-assemble, it'll be dry by now if you dead that since the metal got hot and the motion you're ready to roll.

 

While at it, look up PIN #4 of the 10NES security chip, pull it out of the chip or off the board -- that kills security, no more blinking.  You game will work, or your game isn't clean or damaged more or less by now.  Also this removes region lock, PAL games work largely.

[+Yurkie]

The heat strengthens the pin metal again to be firm and right, and the heat removes the crap simple alcohol/IPA won't.  Shake that out a lot, canned air maybe would be great, then re-assemble, it'll be dry by now if you dead that since the metal got hot and the motion you're ready to roll.

 

Aside from the above paragraph, this was a great post. The 212 degrees won't have any effect on the metal.

And the rest doesn't make sense.  

[Tanooki]

Say what you want, I've done it enough times to see the difference short and long term between not doing the heating vs not, it has made a difference.

[Illtiger1]

Appreciate all the responses. I'm going to try out these solutions.  Thank you!

[mbd39]

 

[Illtiger1]

I guess I'm making 8 bit soup this weekend!  Thanks everyone for the responses.