N64 memory card help

[needler420]

My memory card keeps deleting stuff on it's own. Then wants to work perfectly fine until it deletes it again at some random time. I don't even get it. If it was the battery it should stop holding a save all together. Instead it acts like a prick and keeps messing me up in all my games and making me loss progress.


These things are like Gameboy pokemon games when it comes to saving and dead batteries. I don't trust N64 memory cards to even buy another one.

I want to replace the battery myself so I know it's like refurbished and won't die for many years to come.
If I can't fix it I got a nice golf club I think a wedge ( no driver) and I would lover to beat this thing to a plastic pulp.


Ok never mind I got it open. Guess it's time to buy some batteries. The only good thing about N64 memory cards is the battery just pops in and out of it's own battery holder. So no soldering as well as no need to buy those expensive battery holders which aren't cheap unless you buy them in bulk.

I wish all battery operated cartridge games used this same type of battery holder.

[SparTonberry]

If you have the battery holder, then you probably have an unlicensed card. And that holder is probably the issue. It's probably allowing the battery to fall out.

I've opened a first-party card (which used a Gamebit) and found it does have a soldered battery.

[needler420]

If you have the battery holder, then you probably have an unlicensed card. And that holder is probably the issue. It's probably allowing the battery to fall out.

I've opened a first-party card (which used a Gamebit) and found it does have a soldered battery.

Yeah I know I didn't have the official Nintendo one. I didn't know the official one had security bits along with a soldered battery though.

My card is from a company named performance and used screws to hold it together along with a battery holder attached inside. I checked and it seems to be making contact fine and isn't loose for not being soldered. Maybe it keeps losing saves because it's among the mists of dying?


When I try to boot snowboard kids with it, it says ERROR data may have been erased. Then a message for trying to repair which never works or try another memory card.

I am confused by it now. It recognizes the fact that their is a memory card. It seems to be corrupted or something but not dead. Now it won't hold any save though. I will just have to wait to try a new battery in a few days.

[Polygon]

I know how you feel. I have an unlicenced card that did the same thing to me. Popped it in one day and all my saves were gone, which included three different games. I then made a new save and it stuck around for a while and then it erased it again. I didn't bother with a replacement battery. I took it out in the desert shooting one day, and it had an accident. Now I only buy the licenced cards.

You'll have to keep us updated with how the battery replacement works out and if it holds a save after that.

[needler420]

Ok I got some batteries today. I will replace the old one and update this post later.

After like half an hour of messing with it I got it to work. First I thought some adhesive stuff on the contacts was the problem. After taking the card apart multiple times to keep re-testing it I guessed that I switched up negative and positive on the battery. Sure enough it looks like I made the most rookie mistake as it seems to be working and holding a save now. It no longer gives the error message. I was about to give up before I tried flipping the battery.

I guess the true test will come in about a week, once I put some continuous use into the memory card. Hoping it holds the save for long term now.

I probably will still get an official Nintendo memory card at some point as the one now is basically dedicated to one game snowboard kids.

I'm glad it's looking good because I would always need a memory card dedicated for one game so I will have to get another anyway which is better then having had to get two more. Not to mention it's always good to get something working that you think is broke.

Time to play some snowboard kids and try to unlock the secret character now.

[needler420]

bahh already lost the saves.


It's weird with a new battery it works again but just won't hold the save. Now when I get that error message and it asks to repair the pak the repair actually works.

I really don't understand it, nothing on the board looks bad. I know I'm spending too much time with it though.

Even if I get it to hold some saves I don't think it's a reliable way to go about saving your progress. I would hate to have it save a game that holds for a few weeks and progress far into a game only to check one day and see your save file is wiped clean.


I would like to try replacing the battery in an official memory pak even if the default battery is not dead. I want to get a general idea on how reliable these paks are after changing the batteries.

[plasticMan]

do you have a dmm reading from the battery.
if you are running tests, place a fresh battery in the card.
check the dmm measurements.
do a few plays and then check the dmm reading again.
it sounds like the battery is draining faster than normal (well that's if it's installed correctly and stuff)
your problem might be beyond investing more time.
those card's use little to almost no power that is why they can run off that small battery for years.
the simplest of resolves might be to get licenced cards and be done with it.