I think my N64 croaked...

[Atari Master]

I've been trying to get it to work forever. I don't have any alcohol, but I've scrubbed the games with a q-tip as best as I can and all I get is a black screen. The power works just fine.

 

Also having trouble with my NES... Stupid flickering screen... It was working a year ago!

 

Anyway, any ideas?

[thomasholzer]

I told you that Genesis Frogger cart wouldn't work with the N64 :-)

[gdement]

Forgive the question, but the jumper pak/RAM expansion isn't missing, is it?

[Atari Master]

Naw, it's there. It's strange... This is the first time a Nintendo console has ever crapped out on me.

 

Then again it's been through hell the last 8 months.

[ninjarabbit]

Buy another one then since you can get N64s dirt cheap nowadays

[Crazy Climber]

Buy a new 72 pin connector for the NES and put it in, it's pretty easy.

Don't even bother with the 64, you can buy a new one with games for like 30 bucks, wait until you see one with games you want

[Video]

If the screen goes black when you turn the power on, then it's probably a bad connection somewhere, just make sure that everything is hooked up right, sometimes pulling the plug and putting it back in will work.

 

And another thing, that I've run across, believe it or not. Sometimes, when the controller goes bad, the system will fail to load with it pluggged in. I don't know why, but I've run into this befor, try it witout the controller and see if it comes on up, if so, you may have a bad stick. (anybody know why that would happen?) Useually the power light will go off if this is the case though.

 

As for the NES, the easiest fix is to get a new Zif connector, though sometimes you cna take it apart and bend the pins back with an existing one, just don't expect that to work cause you have a decent chance of ruining a pin while doing this.

[SteveW]

Don't even bother with the 64, you can buy a new one with games for like 30 bucks, wait until you see one with games you want

$30 for an N64? Man, that's way too much! You can get one locally for $10 or so.

[Dusk2600]

yeah, N64 systems are worthless, games still fetch a high amount depending...

[shadow460]

Rip the expansion/jumper pak out and clean its contact and its slot. That worked for another fellow here. I've always kept mine clean.

You gotta get rubbing alcohol, though.

Also, the game PCB's are somewhat prone to cracking when dropped. You can throw an Atari game off the roof and it'll live, well so will an N64 game but it will require some repair. The same probably holds true for the jumper and expansion paks.

I'd think it's easily fixable unless you took a blowtorch or something to it.

 

If yours totally crapped, I've got a green one that's not getting any use.

[shadow460]

Don't even bother with the 64, you can buy a new one with games for like 30 bucks, wait until you see one with games you want

$30 for an N64? Man, that's way too much! You can get one locally for $10 or so.

 

$30 is about right if the seller throws in a pair of working first party controllers and a dozen commons, plus all the hookups.

The deck alone is worth about $3.

[Video]

Don't even bother with the 64, you can buy a new one with games for like 30 bucks, wait until you see one with games you want

$30 for an N64? Man, that's way too much! You can get one locally for $10 or so.

 

$30 is about right if the seller throws in a pair of working first party controllers and a dozen commons, plus all the hookups.

The deck alone is worth about $3.

 

??? I'd sure like to know where the HELL you guys are getting A working 64 and 12 ANYTHING with it for $30.

 

True, the deck alone isn't worth much, but you will expect to pay at least 10, and probably 20 online for it, locally you can expect anywhere from $5-$30, though at the $30 range, ANYWHERE, you should at least get ONE game for it.

[dendawg]

I've been trying to get it to work forever. I don't have any alcohol, but I've scrubbed the games with a q-tip as best as I can and all I get is a black screen. The power works just fine.

 

You need more than just q-tips. If it's in your budget buy the Gamebit screwdriver bits. Disassemble your cart and scrub the contacts thoroughly with a Scotch-Brite pad and 70%-99% alcohol. Don't even think about using the cheap dollar store crap, as those are only 40% or even lower. This method cleans 99% of games.

[shadow460]

He's right. If you can open the carts and especially the Jumper or Expansion Pak, you can give them a far better cleaning.

 

As for pricing, a N64 deck can be had for $5 at a thrift shop, at the same shop the controllers will cost you $4 each, and the local game stores have a slew of common titles for $2 each.

 

OK, maybe that's pushing $40. But the bottom line is N64 stuff is dirt cheap right now. I saw a Mario Party 4 (maybe it was 3) the other day for $20, and it's the highest rarity rating that store has for the N64.

 

There are only two items for the N64 that are gonna cost you some bacon. One is the 64DD, and that's still not too expensive at $600. The Wideboy 64, which plays Game Boy carts up to GBA, could take a $1,500 bite out of your wallet.

[Dave Farquhar]

You need more than just q-tips. If it's in your budget buy the Gamebit screwdriver bits. Disassemble your cart and scrub the contacts thoroughly with a Scotch-Brite pad and 70%-99% alcohol. Don't even think about using the cheap dollar store crap, as those are only 40% or even lower. This method cleans 99% of games.

 

A bottle of alcohol is a must-have if you're messing with old video games. A bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol will run you a couple of dollars (at most) at any pharmacy and will last a long time. Even if you can't afford the special screwdriver bits, you can do a reasonable job of cleaning most carts with alcohol and cotton swabs. Some type of scouring pad can help with the more stubborn games.

[shadow460]

For the N64, get a pair of cuticle nippers if you can't get the bits. The bits are cheaper, but you gotta order them. A small pair of plier type cuticle nippers can get into the screw openings on the carts deep enough to pull the game bits.

 

Bear in mind you're taking adivce from someone (me) who just got lit by something electronic, so take this advice with a grain of salt.

[Technosis]

As for pricing, a N64 deck can be had for $5 at a thrift shop, at the same shop the controllers will cost you $4 each, and the local game stores have a slew of common titles for $2 each.

 

OK, maybe that's pushing $40. But the bottom line is N64 stuff is dirt cheap right now. I saw a Mario Party 4 (maybe it was 3) the other day for $20, and it's the highest rarity rating that store has for the N64.<snip>

 

 

Yeah, the gaming stores around here won't even take N64 consoles on trade. It just seems that this console can't get any respect! Also, what is it with thrifts and these things, the last two times I've seen them there they had the all important jumper pack missing? What is there some kind of gremlin that goes around removing jumper packs for fun?

[Video]

I have a few jumper packs myself, due to most people simply throwing them away when they get the ram expansion pak. I say Don't throw it away. While it's unlikely to have something go wrong with it, they can go bad, and like you said, for some reason, some people remove them before selling the system. Don't know, maybe they try selling all the componants seperately?

 

As for the 64 getting no respect, I think the system, is fine. And the games are Awesome. The problem with it, and always has been, is the sticks. People like me can take care of them, and have them last for YEARS with not a single problem. But most people I know, will have the stick broken within a month of getting a new controller. And due to the fact, most of these are people who will sell the 64, places that deal in systems just won't buy them. (if you can't sell broken stuff, you wouldn't buy broken stuff, right?)

 

I'm still looking for a complete set of Joy Boxes for the 64, I loved mine, but they got jacked I think on the last move, and haven't seen them since. And the two working controllers I had got...erhem...barrowed without me being asked and by the time I found out, they were ruined.

[shadow460]

I've got three working first party pads. The sticks are factory tight on them, too. I've also got three Ultra Racers that all work, an Arcade Shark that's kinda flaky, and an English Voice Recongition Unit.