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crwdns2944351:0crwdnd2944351:0Nintendo 64 Game Cartridge Battery Replacement WITHOUT LOSING SAVE FILES.crwdnd2944351:0crwdne2944351:0

crwdns2933797:0Jacksoncrwdnd2933797:0crwdne2933797:0

crwdns2936043:0crwdne2936043:0 crwdns2933505:0crwdne2933505:0 Jackson

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Nintendo 64
Type
replacement
Thing
Cartridge Battery
Title
Nintendo 64 Game Cartridge Battery Replacement WITHOUT LOSING SAVE FILES.
Introduction
To some (or most) people, Save Files for precious childhood games are important. So you could imagine how horrifying it may feel to wake up one morning, boot up your favourite retro game, and find that all your save files have completely disappeared. Not only that, every time you try to make a new file, it keeps disappearing every time you reboot the console and try to go back to it.
Unfortunately, this means that your precious game cartridge has fallen victim to the dreaded case of flat batteries.
A minority of Retro Game Cartridges (at least for N64 titles) were manufactured with a Volatile Memory Flash type known as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM). SRAM is slightly similar to the RAM in a PC. Because it is Volatile Memory (as said before), once the SRAM chip loses its supply of electricity, all data written to the chip will disappear. Of course, the way manufacturers solved this problem was by installing a small battery connected alongside the chip.
I found about this over half a year ago (as of writing this guide in August of 2016). After some research, I found that my nearly 20 year old Nintendo 64 Game Cartridges could be at risk of losing their saves. To add an increased stress factor to that discovery, the games that had SRAM saves just so happened to be the most important to me: Super Smash Bros. and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Given that some peoples Cartridge Batteries haven’t died yet, there was also the possibility that my N64 Games could retain their saves for many, many more years to come.
But being the paranoid I am, I wasn’t going to take that risk. I invested a whole month’s worth of research into the proper way to replace a Game Cartridge battery WITHOUT losing power to the SRAM chip.
A wide variety of guides showed me how replacing the battery is done. Most notable is YouTube user Chris, whose channel goes by the name of “Memories in 8-bit”. His videos are excellent and taught me most of what I know on the subject today. I highly recommend checking out his channel.
Throughout my troubles trying to find a way to save my saves, I found out that it is possible to replace the Cartridge battery without losing the save files by hooking the cartridge up to a Parallel Battery Setup. Doing this would ensure that the power supply to the SRAM has a parity without doubling voltage.
This proved almost difficult to achieve in the subject circumstances however, but I took these findings to my grandfather, who after looking at the circuit board of the cartridge, found a way that it could be done. With his helpful advice, I was able to successfully rescue my Super Smash Bros. save files, as well as the saves of my friends SNES Games.
Armed with this new-found knowledge in Cartridge Battery replacement, I have decided to share this replacement method with the rest of the internet.
In this guide, I will show you the best way to replace a Cartridge Battery. More specifically, I will show you how to do this WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SAVES!
Time Required Min
crwdns2931287:025crwdne2931287:0
Time Required Max
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Difficulty
Difficult
Conclusion
Reassemble the Cartridge in reverse of the way you disassembled it. If all went well during the process and you followed every step correctly, then you did it! Congratulations, and enjoy your preserved Save Game!
Author
Jackson
Public
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  • Gamebit 3.8mm x1 (featured) added.
  • Modular (Multi-bit) Screwdriver x1 added.
  • Phillips Screwdriver x1 added.
  • Soldering Iron x1 added.
  • Lead-Free Solder 60% Tin 40% Lead x1 I advise you use Solder that is 40% Lead. I haven't tried this method with Lead free Solder and don't plan to. added.
  • Soldering Pump x1 added.
  • Multimeter x1 Make sure it can read Voltage and at least a 200 Ohms reading. added.
  • Spare Rag x1 To clean the Soldering Iron. added.

crwdns2943213:0crwdne2943213:0

  • CR2032 Battery Socket (Holder) Replacement - Designed for Nintendo Cartridges x2 Can be easily found online (featured) added.
  • CR2032 Lithium Battery x2 added.
  • Spare Copper Wire 1-2mm Thick Cable, Stripped x1 At least 2 Metres. added.

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  • DANGER added.
  • Community-Contributed Guide added.

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