Replace the Battery in your Game Cartridge! **56k warning**

[Mosical]

Is there a way to turn off the time and save battery power or is that impossible? Anyway thanks for the information. One other question I have had my silver version longer and played it more but it is my Gold version that no longer saves is there a reason behind this?

[Mr.E]

@Phatman, no idea because this isn't my thing. I'm paying attention, dunno if anyone useful (Master Kirby or whatever) will show up. ;o

Mosical, not all batteries have the exact same lifetime. It's possible the battery in your Gold cart just wasn't that good of a battery, or the guys in the factory soldered an older one in there, or whatever.

[MCPhatman]

Well it worked even with the mangled tabs I just taped it on with tape and the cartridge puts enough weight on to keep it in place.

Thanks for the tutorial I couldn't have done it without it

[ethman14]

I couldn't believe this when I saw it! This is exactly what I've been looking for. I never thought I'd find a step-by-step instructional forum on how to fix my old games, and I used this on my old silver game correctly! Now I'm just hoping I can find one of those devices that records the battery data or whatnot on my comp. My only question is: where could I find one of those devices if there is one, and how long does the battery hold out now that I've replaced it??? Thanks again, you bring honor to all of us retro pokèmaniacs everywhere =D

[Mr.E]

Well, the battery is going to last however long those type of batteries normally last... As in, probably a few years and stuff. I don't know anything about the other thing.

[ORCACommander]

eth if you look on the previous page you can see i did some estimates on how long the batteries would last. what you are looking for to get your save game off is a flash cart programmer which because the GB is so obsolete are no longer commercially produced. you will have to make your own.

[Kobra]

Now I'm just hoping I can find one of those devices that records the battery data or whatnot on my comp. My only question is: where could I find one of those devices

There's a device for Gameboy called "MegaMemory" which can backup and restore the save memory on a GB cart. It plugs into your GB, and stores the data on its own internal flash memory. It can store a LOT! (I think I could store 40 or so complete saves from Pokemon blue and silver)

You can still get it from Amazon US or UK, or even ebay:

http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Gameboy...1&sr=8-6-spell

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...A1NACT5VNKO7TC


Can anyone advise me: I see a lot of old carts available on ebay, and the desciption usually says "in full working order" : do you generally think they are, or has the battery typically run-out and they haven't actually checked?

[Mr.E]

They probably just turn the game on, dink around with a thing or two and find nothing wrong with it.

[ORCACommander]

if i can not rip the game save to my comp for use with an emulator and send it back to the cartridge i want nothing to do with it. personally I would call anyone who says there's still holds a save a liar if they failed to prove it with a video since the cartridges are 9-10 years old.

[Lady Vulpix]

if i can not rip the game save to my comp for use with an emulator and send it back to the cartridge i want nothing to do with it. personally I would call anyone who says there's still holds a save a liar if they failed to prove it with a video since the cartridges are 9-10 years old.

No one has anything to prove to you. If you're not interested, then don't do it. Don't bash those who do.

[ORCACommander]

sorry didn't mean to come of as bashing. just wishing to help avoid learning a harsh lesson the hard way.

[Xander]

I used your methods, (Master Kirby) and they succeeded every time. I restored two Gold Versions and two Silver versions. Thank you for the advice!

[6arm79]

I know you said that using a larger battery should lengthen the lifespan of it. My question is, how long would a 2025 be expected to last, and how long would the larger size extend that by? (without taking any risks) I also heard that Yellow version has a different size battery than the other Gen I & II games. Will a 2032 (was that it?) work in it?

Does the size of battery that will work and the lifespan expected of it vary from game to game? I also have Dragon Warrior I & II and Dragon Warrior III (GBC) and may need to replace their batteries.

I also heard that Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald used an internal battery to keep track of time, and that it can run out. Can it be safely changed without losing save data? What does that involve?

Thanks!

[fplum]

I also registered so that I can thank you for this post. I resurrected my Pokemon Blue cartridge. I solved the tab problem using Desoldering Braid RS CAT 64-2090. Now my partner and I can exchange Pokemon.

[Blademaster]

I can't help but marvel at how after all this time people are STILL replying to this thread.

Kirby, you've done a Hell of a service for the Internet. Cheers.

[Bear]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you find these games on ebay for like, $2 these days?

[Mr.E]

You mean games which are likely to having failing batteries too? Ayup... The better solution would be to purchase the remakes and get with the times but hey, some people probably aren't that invested in the franchise or just want to relive childhood memories with the original.

[Nokota]

Hey there Master Kirby! I am one of many who signed up for this forum simply to thank you for your information and to make an addition.

I have a Crystal Version that is extremely old; I use my GBA for the sole purpose of playing this game - I have found it helps me sleep and often fall asleep with it on (In battle tower ) It is the same age as my gold version and yet my gold version died years ago. People have asked why this is and someone blamed the manufacturer for putting batteries of different ages into the cartridges: this is not the case.

I forget where I read this, but I do know exactly why it happens.

The reason that a game that is played a lot lasts longer than a Pokemon game that is not played very much is that while it is plugged into the gameboy the game clock actually uses the gameboy's power, not the cartridge's power. While these batteries cannot be charged, the power can come from the gameboy advance instead (This doesn't work with the gameboy color at all unless you buy the charger... My friend had one) However if the gameboy is turned off the power source stops unless it is plugged into the wall and charging. My way of keeping my Crystal version alive for as long as it has been is to keep it in my GBA and keep it plugged in. The game is now roughly eight years old and has almost 1000 hours clocked on it (from falling asleep with the game on!) And as you have stated, the battery life is only about six years. And I am faced with another dilemma: I have them all, and yet I know that the game's save file will be deleted if it reaches 1000 hours of gameplay.

I asked for emerald for christmas from my mother since after eight years I was getting bored with Crystal anyway (Me being an adult, she gave me a funny look) and the (BRAND NEW IN PLASTIC) game that I received... Had no battery charge. The internal clock was completely dead and as such all clock based events would not occur, I couldn't grow berries, couldn't change the popular Dewford Town phrase... Well, I need to grow berries because I want Milotic! And so, after speculating on the idea of a new battery for a while and discovering I had a good friend who could easily do the work for me, I found your forum post. We're going to do it this weekend! The only problem was I could not find the battery you said was the one already in the cartridge - I did, however, find the 1620, which you said would last longer and MIGHT fit. If it does, I will let you all know.

I would like to add that while the descriptions are great, none of the pictures you posted (the links are fine, but...) of the process are viewable - possibly because they are old. My friend is very computer literate and likes to repair old Ipods, but we would both really appreciate those pictures back if you still have them somewhere!

Again thank you so much for this guide, Master Kirby!

[Nokota]

...The problem was not a dead battery; the battery was just fine. Just an inherent flaw in Emerald version that isn't supposed to occur for a year at least after it is first played... and when the game wasn't so outdated, Nintendo was willing to fix it for free, but not anymore.

If anyone knows of a third-party person willing and able to repair this kind of thing, please tell me...

[Jeff]

Wait, I thought that glitch only affected Ruby and Sapphire.

Anyway, if you have a GBA link cable on you and a FireRed or LeafGreen version, you can fix it by trading between the two.

[Master Kirby]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to say that I have fixed my guide so the images should appear now. I had originally linked them from a "Google Pages" site, but it since then has been deleted, so I had to fix the links. I have also added a link on my first post, showing where I have a backup of the guide.

-Master Kirby

[darkbillie]

Do i need to solder it in the same place as it was or can i use a totally diffrent holder for it?
If so is it possible to use this one?

http://media.conrad.com/xl/6000_6999..._00_FB.EPS.jpg
http://media.conrad.com/xl/6000_6999..._00_FB.EPS.jpg

also for the solder job you need a 15Watt one...correct? atleast i think if you "slip out" you do allot less damage then with a 40Watt

[ORCACommander]

Hey Kirby i was wondering if you would mind if i turned this into a pdf?

[Nokota]

Hey guys

I would like to report to all that despite being in a sealed box and in a green transparent cartridge that my copy of Emerald is, in fact, a hack. Or a serious manufacturing error.

And Jeff? Emerald has restrictions that don't allow trading with Fire-Red and Leaf-Green until after the elite four.

After opening it up and discovering that the battery was JUST FINE I compared it to other pictures online of open Emerald games and found it was MISSING PIECES. Specifically the part of the circuit board that runs the clock. The game also CRASHES the instant the elite four is defeated, erasing the entire cartridge. I have confirmed this by beating it twice (one would think that the second time I would have opted out of getting Milotic, but alas, I am stubbornly in love with that Pokemon)


Who can I talk to about this? The game was a Christmas gift!

~Angrily stomps off~

[Drago]

Depends. Any idea where it came from?

[Nokota]

Not a clue! just that when I opened the present I had a hard time getting the plastic off - it was definitely brand new!

[RedRum]

Actually, I've heard that GBA games use a slightly different technology that makes them immune to this problem.

Yes my guy friend has told me this as well, I also believe Crystal was created with a solution to a faulty technology issue which caused this problem in Gold and Silver.

My Silver died about maybe three or four years ago; I had had 3 level 100's, 17 elite four wins, and a full pokedex(about half gamesharked XP). It had been my best game and I had been heart broken when I turned it on one day to only 'New Game' and 'Options'.

I had not known about this battery replacement option(I had not even known save files could die, I had to freak out to my guy friend in email and have him tell me this is what it was) but just the same it wouldn't have brought my file back.

Last I played, my crystal still worked fine but that was at least a year ago and I seemed to have misplaced it as I tried to look for it last night to give it a try. For all I know it could be dead by now.

I did however discover last night that my blue had died, I am surprised it had lived as long as it did seeing as I have heavily ODed all my original games with gameshark. I knew Blue would be the first of that generation to go as it did crash on me a few times in the form of just blanking out on me.

Astonishing, my Yellow is still good too, but my red also seems to be misplaced I wonder if it's ok.

Does this battery thing apply to Blue, Red and Yellow as well? I might actually consider it for these games as I have played so many files on them anymore I don't have any precious ones as Silver was.

[Mr.E]

Well, all batteries will eventually lose power. The reason it dies so much faster in GS carts is because keeping track of time is a lot more draining than just holding the save game, I presume.

[Lonephoenix]

in pokemon sapphire is the battery soldered in place or taped to the tabs?

[Cammy White]

Just to put this here in case it's of use to anyone, but I used this guide to replace my battery very easily. Just uses tape like MCPhatman used, and I put in a 1 Yen coin I had spare from my trip to Japan to wedge it in properly.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...mon-goldsilve/

[Go Phins]

I followed all of the instructions on both my gold and crystal, and they initially held a save, but after 10 mins both games were gone. I tried new batteries on both and its still not working. I managed to solder the tabs on to the battery, yet it still does not work. I'm confused about these "tabs" especially pertaining to the part where you may have to reuse the old tabs because I no longer have them. It looks the same as it did before, can anyone help please? It would be greatly appreciated.

[ORCACommander]

sounds like you got a cold solder joint. only thing you can do is desolder and try again

[Ryoto]

This really helped repair my Pokémon Blue version. Thanks a lot!

[wyatt8740]

I did this on Crystal version and Gold version years ago. This works great with electrical tape too if you don't break the connectors. (I have zero skills with solder)

Actually, I've heard that GBA games use a slightly different technology that makes them immune to this problem.

The GBA games use EEPROM (Flash) for storing data. One does not have to worry about losing data unless you somehow wire up the battery directly to the EEPROM chip.

[ORCACommander]

Important note for user's of Yellow Version:

Yellow does not use a CR 2025. It instead uses a CR1616 and has a different tab orientation

[Blademaster]

It's crazy that this thread is 5 years old and still isn't dead.

[Poryhedron]

Do you suppose this thread has reached the point yet where it's outlasted batteries that were put into cartridges thanks to this thread?

[Rossymore]

All I know is that I use ROMs instead. Problem solved.

Although I do have a cartridge Crystal and Red game that have yet to gain any issues and I hope they won't for a while as I do have a rather large amount of Pokemon on both, but I don't use them very much. Eventually I'll complete them.

But if I do have any issues, I'll know where to turn!

[Blademaster]

Do you suppose this thread has reached the point yet where it's outlasted batteries that were put into cartridges thanks to this thread?

New batteries? I doubt it. They have a longer lifespan than a few years, I think.

Original batteries in the carts that hadn't died when this topic was first made, though... I could definitely see that.

[Bunni1337]

HEY. For those for you who are a "for dummies" kind of person, and all this saudering, ripping cartridges ect is not for you, there is an alternative thats rather cheaper than buying batteries and replacing them.

GBC Mega Memory Card, fixed all my problems. I still eventually intend to replace the batteries in all my games, but once you remove the battery your game save goes bye bye. Get this to prevent that and be able to reload your save. Never lose it all ever again!

http://www.amazon.com/MEGA-MEMORY-CA...y+Card+gameboy


Totally saved my butt (and saved files) until I can afford to replace my batteries in Gold Silver and Crystal (my Red,Blue & yellow are still going strong!! ) Works with GB, GBC,GBA and GBSP!! Its FLASH so no worry of having to replace its battery! haha



And Thanks sooooooooooooooo much for this thread existing. I just made an account because of this thread to come say thanks and add that tid bit of info. Thanks a million Master Kirby and hitmonchan99 (I changed one battery without saudering thanks to you! ) Thanks a bunch, until today i didnt eve know they had battries in cartridges... lol