NES Red Light Issue

Purity

Purity

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Bought a NES on a Facebook site the other day which was sold as fully working. Anyway I couldn't get any games working on it, just a flashing red light.

Looking into this a bit more it seems to be a common issue, and a result of a poorly designed console from Nintendo

I've opened the console and noted that the current 72pin cartridge connector is very loose. I managed to acquire another used connector with a firmer cartridge grip and cleaned the edge connector on the Nintendo m/b. The console partly now boots, but not consistently.

So next step is to clean the contacts on the cartridges and try again. However I came across a YouTube video on disabling the NES10 security chip to stop it getting into a reboot loop, and was wondering what peoples thoughts on doing this was?
Purity2015-10-02 20:51:30
 
ben76

ben76

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Disabling the region chip just stops the light flashing and makes a static (usually) yellow screen of garbage. Best thing to do is open it up and bend the pins back and if you feel in the mood try the boil the connector in a pan method. I did with the one I got the other day and its fine now. The red flashing light is just poor/incomplete contact from the cartridge. Oh and yes clean the carts contacts too :)

- Ben
ben762015-10-02 21:52:49
 
Nes4life

Nes4life

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Disabling the lockout chip is trivial... i always do it on any NES I get; simply break pin 4 on the lockout chip (google it first to confirm number).

I've never bought replacement 72-pin connectors. Just undo a few screws, pop the ZIF connector off (yep - that's the name of the black plastic edge connector thingy), bend the end of a safety pin into a small 90 degree hook, and then pull all the pins slightly inwards. Put it all back together and you end up with a tight feel when you insert a cart. The cart will now need to basically just about scrape into the slot when you press it down (so the end label nearly touches the inner lip) and it should work every time. After a few months the carts will start to work their way into the NES as you insert / remove them - until finally one day you need to do it all again (takes a good couple of years of constant play). Do also clean your carts... you'll need a security bit to undo the cart's casing (available on eBay) and then simply rub all the grime off the carts connectors with an eraser / rubber.

Job's a good'n. Cleaned all 100-odd of my NES carts this way and now they all work very well.

Oh yeah; never done the boiling-the-ZIF-connector thing but apparently many people get success with it. I guess it does the same thing as pushing all the pins inwards - except it also cleans the contacts.

Nes4life2015-10-02 22:24:21
 
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