Bad Mask Rom on Famicom Cart?

TheCavalryTheCavalry
in Collector's Corner
I have a copy of Wai Wai World 2 that I just cannot get to work. I've cleaned and cleaned and cleaned to make sure that pins are getting a good connection and free of corrosion. Whenever I try to load the cart in my AV Famicom all I see is usually a solid color screen (Blue, Green, Teal, Purple, Pink, etc). I have sometimes gotten garbled graphics to appear and heard static fuzz. I've tried the pcb in and out of the cartridge to make sure it is getting a good seat. I just can't get it to work.



The AV Famicom plays all of my other carts just fine, on the first try, including NES carts via adapter.



Is it possible that the mask roms on this cart are dead/toast? Does anyone know how we can breath life back in to this cartridge?

Comments

  • CZroeCZroe
    Only way to isolate the mask ROMs for sure would be to remove and replace them or try to dump them. I've had a couple go bad. Certain copies of Sonic the Hedgehog are notorious for it!
  • GuntzGuntz
    Only one of the Mask ROMs in an NES/FC cartridge is needed to boot the game, the PRG ROM. On a Konami game like Wai Wai World 2, the two ROM chips should be marked P and C. (along with the VRC mapper and maybe a RAM chip)



    Unfortunately, there's no easy way to determine whether a Mask ROM is bad or not. You could remove the PRG ROM, stick it in an EPROM programmer, dump it and byte compare it with the PRG ROM file unpacked from a Wai Wai World 2.nes file.



    You could also have the PRG ROM replaced with an EPROM containing the above mentioned .nes PRG ROM file downloaded from the internet.



    Are you sure the PCB is good? Is the edge connector corroded or missing its gold shine?
  • TheCavalryTheCavalry
    I uploaded front/back pictures of the pcb. I don't see corrosion. There is quite a bit of wear from past use/owners. I'm definitely not savvy enough to remove and replace, nor do i have an eprom programmer.



    http://imgur.com/a/qWZ7Q
  • GuntzGuntz
    The PRG ROM is the 32-pin chip on the right. Its product code is RC 850 J02P. The pins that chip is connected to need to be in working condition, the CHR side doesn't matter, not until the game actually boots up.
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