N64 Carts....battery backup?

[YOUWIN]

lo all,

have just sold an N64 and some games on the bay, i knew it was all working so said so in my description, however before posting i fired it up and a couple of the games are saying error on controller pak - it seems that there is no longer any saved data - the games play ok but i can't save or load. - (am not using a memory card just the cart memory)

Is it because they have not been played for such a long time? - will the internal battery (if there is such a thing) recharge itself once the game has been played for a while?

Have never come across this before, even my older snes games all still save and load perfectly.

It concerns me because i also have a load more quality titles that i have stored in the loft and am not likely to play for a long time, and will probably end up selling in years to come.

I am due to post the N64 and the games off later today, and don't want the buyer thinking i've misinformed him.....

Any knowledge gratefully received,
Cheers,
YW

[v3rtigo]

This has been a bit of a worry to me. As with you, I have a box full of mint and cherished N64 games under the stairs, and have thought more than once when the batteries would run out on the carts - I haven't used them for a while so I couldn't tell you if they have died on me.
Having said that, the SNES carts that I have still have the battery backups working so did Nintendo skimp on the batteries for the N64?
Or were the ones that were not working third-party games?

I believe that some import/collector places can actually replace the batteries in SNES carts - but it sounds like it would be an expensive job to get a whole collectors library working 100%.

[bcass]

The vast majority of N64 carts use EEPROMs instead of battery backup (in fact there might not be any that use batteries). The only thing I can think of that might have caused the damage is if you kept them near a strong magnetic force, or in temperatures that were unsually high/low.

[Me]

I recently bought a 2nd hand LTTP cart and the battery had died. I got in contact with the Nintendo Service Centre (The number is in the back of the manuals) and sent if off to them, they replaced the battery for ?2.50!

[YOUWIN]

thanx for the replies fellas,

problem is solved, im a fool

it was just down to the fact that i never had the memory card in the controller, but had a rumble pack in there - i can't believe i'ev been so stoopid - been years since i played my n64 - and to think i was in 2 minds in selling all my quality n64 games because of this