N64 Memory pak: Help Needed!

[Cam3ron@FW]

I figured this would be the best place to question this, I bought a bunch of N64 games at Gamestop a few months ago and I saw a memory pak there for cheap, But I keep having issues with it corrupting... it always seems to happen on "Perfect Dark" but my other 2 memory paks remain "Working"...

I'm just curious as to why it keeps corrupting, is there any way that I can fix this?

[Jedi Master Baiter]

My only guess is battery, but I'm not sure.

[Cam3ron@FW]

Battery? what, I didn't know they needed batteries...

[nintendodork]

How do you think the memory pak saves the games?   In this case, it's just like any other game with a save battery.  If that is what's causing the problem, all you have to do is replace the battery.  Problem solved.

[Cam3ron@FW]

It's plugged into the controller, the controller has electricity running through it, neither of my other 2 memory paks have ever had this issue...

[133MHz]

I don't have any Memory Paks for my N64, but a quick Googling shows that it is indeed a battery issue:

Quote from Wikipedia:

It is plugged into the controller and allowed the player to save game progress and configuration. The original models from Nintendo offered 256 kilobits (32KB) of battery backed SRAM, split into 123 pages with a limitation of 16 save files, but third party models had much more, often in the form of 4 selectable memory bank of 256kbits. The number of pages that a game occupied varied (sometimes, it used the entire card). It is powered by a common CR2032 battery.

It's plugged into the controller, the controller has electricity running through it.

...and when the system's turned off and/or the Memory Pak is removed from the controller? The internal battery keeps the memory (and thus your saves) alive.

[Cam3ron@FW]

So, this "Cr3...." whatever it is battery, just a watch battery or what?

[133MHz]

The CR2032 is one of the most common watch batteries in existence. Used in almost every game cartridge with a save feature and as the CMOS backup battery for desktop PCs and laptops, and countless other small devices like keychain alarms and toys.



Really easy to get and dirt cheap. Any place that carries watch batteries sells these.

[Cam3ron@FW]

Nice! have one in a remote to a portable DVD player that's broken. do I need a screwdriver? how do I replace it without wrecking it?

Edit:.... how do I even open it??

[nurd]

There are many remotes and Portable DVD players, nobody could say for sure without having used the same one.

[Cam3ron@FW]

no, I have the battery out, how do I open the n64 memory pak? those aren't even screws in it...

[satoshi_matrix]

Your right. I looked at mine and I haven't the foggiest how to open it. You can buy them new on ebay though and for super cheap. You might as well replace it rather than try to figure out how to open it without breaking it.

[Jedi Master Baiter]

Or you could get one like mine where you can remove the battery.

I have an image but I can't upload it right now due to circumstances beyond my control.

Edit: Here!



I have an extra one if you want it.

[Cam3ron@FW]

Can't buy stuff over the internet

So, there is no way to remove it on the one I have?

[133MHz]

I'd like to help you but I don't own any of these things. Maybe the screws are concealed behind stickers? Or the whole thing is snapped together like a Famicom cartridge.

Anyway since it doesn't work properly now, if you break it while trying to get it open isn't such a great loss.