Well that was weird

[mattstint]

I just went to load up my Shining Force 3 save and suddenly my model 2 saturn was unable to detect the memory cart. After fiddling around and removing the cart, blowing on it and whatnot it now appears to work fine.

Anyone else experience this?

Edit: same trouble occurs on my model 1 saturn, must be a dodgy cart I guess

[mick_aka]

Be unusual if the cart is dodgy, try cleaning the pins with a cotton bud and some alcohol.

My cart problems have always been on the saturn end unfortunately.

[Yart]

Wasn't this a common problem with the cartridge port on the Saturn? I mean, even my two official memory cartridges screw up if not inserted correctly and the machine just won't detect them even if the port was never used before. I ain't the only one I know of who's experienced this.

I think it was just poor design, mate. Just be sure that each time you insert the cartridge that it's actually working when you turn it on by leaving the tray open and going into the Memory Manager to see if it detects it.

[mattstint]

Ah i see

And yeah I have been starting the system out without a disc now, minor annoyance might just stick with the battery backup instead

[rossi46]

It was suggested on another thread in here that you should pull the cart out by 3 or 4 mm when this problem occurs.

It worked fine for me when my Action Replay stopped being detected.

[lespank]

Have you ever used an import or a cheat cartridge in the past? I have found that these can weaken the connections in the slot so that the machine has trouble recognising an official cart.

I have the same problem and pulling one side of the cartridge out by a couple of mm seems to work.

[mattstint]

lespank said:

Have you ever used an import or a cheat cartridge in the past? I have found that these can weaken the connections in the slot so that the machine has trouble recognising an official cart.

I have the same problem and pulling one side of the cartridge out by a couple of mm seems to work.

I haven't no, as a matter of fact I'm on the lookout to pick one of these up. it's a second hand saturn so I've no idea if the previous owner played imports.

Will try the fiddling trick if it happens again

[rossi46]

I binned an official cart when it stopped working.

That was before I found out about the pulling the cart out trick

[mattstint]

Ouch, unlucky

[rich1980]

mattstint said:

I just went to load up my Shining Force 3 save and suddenly my model 2 saturn was unable to detect the memory cart. After fiddling around and removing the cart, blowing on it and whatnot it now appears to work fine.

Anyone else experience this?

Edit: same trouble occurs on my model 1 saturn, must be a dodgy cart I guess

yeah im having the same trouble with a second hand MK1 model it only picks up the cart occasionaly - and even when it does it does not detect every single save so im not sure if the cart has lost em or if the Saturn cant read it for whatever reason...

[neptune]

I've had this problem with a couple of Saturn's over the years, never knew about the pull the cart out tip. You learn something new...

[chizzles]

Another thing to look out for, is cracked solder on the underside of the mobo.

This can cause bad cart connections, and all it takes to fix is is to run a soldering iron along the bottom of all the pinson the underside of the mobo to re-melt the solder back together.

[tomor64]

Anyone got any Saturn electronics sites with blueprints in, or something?