Man, this friggin SUCKS!!

[ceibant]

This sucks!! I jut got 9 Sega Master games in the mail today:

Double Dragon
Enduro Racer
Great Baseball
Hang-On/Safari Hunt
Kenseiden
Miracle Warriors
R-Type
Shinobi
Spellcaster

That's not the part that sucks though, of course, lol. What sucks is that I can't get 3 games to work, and 2 of them I wanted to play the most!! Shinobi, R-Type, and Miracle Warriors won't boot up for some reason. I am using a Power Base Converter on my Model 1 "Hi-Def Graphics" Genesis. Can someone help me pleaseeeeeeee :( Oh, and I cleaned the contacts like...3 times each, and still nothing... :(

[MrMatthews]

How did you clean the contacts, out of curiousity?

[ceibant]

I took a Q-Tip, dipped it in rubbing alcohol, rubbed both sides of the contacts until the Q-Tip appeared clean (used more than one Q-Tip), and then took a dry Q-tip and rubbed the contacts until that one appeared clean, and I let the cartridges sit for a couple minutes to dry out. I think maybe I should try the pencil eraser cleaning method, what do you think?

[MrMatthews]

I actually used to use running alcohol to clean my cartridges, too, but I heard somewhere that you shouldn't.

I've found that windex works pretty well (used the same way you described). My Q-tips got a lot dirtier when I tried that, anyway.

Games that I couldn't revive with alcohol fired right up with windex, so give that a shot.

I've never tried the pencil eraser method

[ceibant]

I've never had a problem using rubbing alcohol before, but I heard Windex works pretty good too...yeah, I'll try that then...BRB!!

[Jesse813]

I took a Q-Tip, dipped it in rubbing alcohol, rubbed both sides of the contacts until the Q-Tip appeared clean (used more than one Q-Tip), and then took a dry Q-tip and rubbed the contacts until that one appeared clean, and I let the cartridges sit for a couple minutes to dry out. I think maybe I should try the pencil eraser cleaning method, what do you think?

Using Rubbing Alcohol will cause the contacts to corrode. according to a video by Videogamecentral.com Windex and Similar Products are good for the cleaning the contacts. I don't know though since I never tried this method. heres the link http://store.videogamecentral.com/classic-game-care.html

[ceibant]

Using Rubbing Alcohol will cause the contacts to corrode. according to a video by Videogamecentral.com Windex and Similar Products are good for the cleaning the contacts. I don't know though since I never tried this method. heres the link http://store.videogamecentral.com/classic-game-care.html

Interesting. Thank you. I don't know. I've been using rubbing alcohol for YEARS, and I've never had a problem. Maybe it's a long term thing, like in 5 more years, my games will all turn to rust, lol. That would suck. I'm trying the Windex now though, so we'll see. I'm crossing my fingers!! I really want to play Shinobi, as it was an old favorite of mine back in the day!!

[Tanegashima]

Well...I don't trust using Windex...any ammonia based product will severely corrode brass over time.

Iso alcohol has all kinds of agents to make it toxic that also corrode metal. But I think in terms of finding an alternative, there really isn't one.

Your best bet, in all honesty, is to use everclear or clear vodka (no joke) because these do not contain bittering agents and other products to make the alcohol toxic (to avoid a liquor license honestly) that could and will both corrode and leave a film of residue.

As I said before, Ammonia will corrode and oxidize brass and I suggest that it be avoided.


I've been working on guns for years now, and brass furniture needs to be well taken care of. I've experienced some very interesting issues with brass when it comes to the above products.

Brasso won't work because it will melt the plastic...also...don't use De-Natured alcohol in the big cans from home depot. There is too much pure alcohol in those and it will also melt the plastic.

The reason alcohol is great is because it evaporates quickly. If you must use windex or the above be sure to dry the stuff as fast as humanely possible, don't let it air dry.

[ceibant]

I'm back. Well...I cleaned each game with Windex.........................................AND THEY ALL WORKED!! This site is awesome, you guys are awesome, who wants my sealed Radiant Silvergun for free??

[ceibant]

Sorry I had to repost cuz I felt bad. I don't have a sealed Radiant Silvergun :( And if I did, I wouldn't give it out for free. Sorry, lol. Anyway, thanks for all your help!! This board is now deemed dead!!

[tomaitheous]

Hmm. I doubt you'll ever seen any instances of the alcohol corroding any of the contacts. It's not really on there long enough to and it should evaporate without residue. It's not like when you convert your car over to alcohol system from gasoline. Windex has alcohol in it too, btw. Other solvents can and do leave residues though. (I don't remember if Denatured Alcohol leaves a residue or not, but it's common for companies to add it to Windex to clean windows ;) )

[ceibant]

From what I've read, using a regular school eraser is better at cleaning contacts than applying either rubbing alcohol or Windex. I don't know how well it works because 1) I've never tried it, and 2) It would be a pain to open up every game, lay the board flat, and rub the contacts with the eraser. It probably is the best way because it even states on the back of the cartridges, "Do not submerse cartridge in water." Although you're not exactly submersing it, you're still exposing it to liquids. Whatever, it's worked for me for years now, no sense in stopping now...

[MN12BIRD]

I used to use %90 Iso-whatever rubbing Alcohol too. Then I got "Classic" windex and I found it to work better as well. I had a copy of Mario64 that was really dirty and I couldn't get it to work until I got the Windex. Plus its easier to get Windex because my grocery store didn't have the Alcohol (had to go to the drug store for that) but they have Windex of course!

[havok666]

I`m also an alcohol user.. Anything I pick up from the thrift stores around here is in deplorable condition filled with dirt, dust, food and all kinds of other nasty shit.. I like to keep my cartridge slot clean.

[ceibant]

Yes, I'm an alcoholic too, lol.

[Dirt Ball Gamer]

Well...I don't trust using Windex...any ammonia based product will severely corrode brass over time.

Iso alcohol has all kinds of agents to make it toxic that also corrode metal. But I think in terms of finding an alternative, there really isn't one.

Your best bet, in all honesty, is to use everclear or clear vodka (no joke) because these do not contain bittering agents and other products to make the alcohol toxic (to avoid a liquor license honestly) that could and will both corrode and leave a film of residue.

As I said before, Ammonia will corrode and oxidize brass and I suggest that it be avoided.


I've been working on guns for years now, and brass furniture needs to be well taken care of. I've experienced some very interesting issues with brass when it comes to the above products.

Brasso won't work because it will melt the plastic...also...don't use De-Natured alcohol in the big cans from home depot. There is too much pure alcohol in those and it will also melt the plastic.

The reason alcohol is great is because it evaporates quickly. If you must use windex or the above be sure to dry the stuff as fast as humanely possible, don't let it air dry.

So everclear would be the best thing to use for cleaning carts? Ive just been using isopropyl alc but I do keep a lot of booze in my house.

[ceibant]

What the heck, that's the first time I've ever heard of that!!

[Tanegashima]

I kid you not. Everclear just has water and alcohol, it will do the least amount of potential damage.

Iso is usually far too diluted (at least the drug store stuff)

[TheEdge]

Have you tried it on a regular Megadrive? Not modded or anything like that.

[17daysolderthannes]

I've never encountered a game that alcohol didn't fix, unless I opened it up to later discover internal corrosion. In my experience 50% isopropyl and plastic stemmed q-tips work best. I find I can effectively clean a game much faster with those than with 70% or 91% and paper/soft stemmed q-tips. In fact, if any alcohol would damage the contacts it would probably be a higher concentration like 91%. So, get some 50% (and stock up, its only a few cents a bottle) and get to cleanin.

[ceibant]

The one I've been using is 70% isopropyl and paper/soft stemmed Q-tips. And then when I'm done cleaning the contacts, I look and make sure if any strands or pieces of cotton got stuck in there, and I just gently pluck them out. Never had a problem doing it that way at all.

[17daysolderthannes]

you don't really have to worry about a few stray strands of cotton in most cases, you'll never be able to get every tiny piece out anyway. Also, remember, when you clean, rub with the alcohol side and almost immediately come back with the dry side. Alot of people don't realize it, but the tip is so saturated with alcohol that it doesn't pick up dirt well, so when you go over with the dry side it picks up all the loosed dirt/corrosion before the alcohol dries and it is less mobile. This is another reason 50% is better, it takes longer to evaporate.

[Bratwurst]

I use 91% isopropyl alcohol. The less water in the solution the better, you don't want any of it to 'soak' into the porous areas of a circuit board for moisture retention. 91% evaporates quickly and doesn't remain long enough on the contacts to do any damage. While using a commercial electronics grade contact cleaner would be ideal, iso is cheap and plentiful.