Hardware Failure Thread of Inevitable Disaster

[Sarge]

Could be a combo of both, yeah. Although I've had systems barf on the occasional disc or two, so it could just very well be a bum disc.

I still need to get something like an AR disc myself, instead of using Twilight Princess to kick off software (I currently only use it for GBI).

 

[ShakeWell]

Looks like it's time for you both to grab a GC Loader.

 

[Sarge]

How does that stack up to a SD2SP2? My understanding is that you can use Swiss and launch from the expansion port.

I currently use a Wii for all my Gamecube stuff (outside of GBI, of course). USB Loader GX is super handy. I have heard that component looks better from a Gamecube, though, but I don't have a component cable for it.

 

[ShakeWell]

I'm not familiar with the SD2SP2? But I know that I've been using an Action Replay with memory card adapter and while it's great at launching the GBI, it suuuuuuuuucks for playing actual GC games, because I think the transfer rate just isn't fast enough. Honestly, at $90 for a no-solder solution? I've been wanting one for a while and will probably pull the trigger soon.

 

[Sarge]

Yeah, I have definitely heard that launching from the memory card slot is pretty terrible. I might try one of those SD2SP2s, though - they're insanely cheap, so losing just a bit of money wouldn't hurt me if it doesn't work out.

Apparently the guy selling the one you linked used to sell the SD2SP2, but it's all open source now.

Gamecube SD2SP2 (Assembled)

Gamecube SD2SP2 (Assembled) I have a handful of these hand assembled ready to go. Once they sell out I will start a pre-order.

www.black-dog.tech

 

[ShakeWell]

Ha, that was Dan's project before the GC Loader, that's why he doesn't sell it anymore!

 

[Sarge]

Makes sense.

 

[Mr. Sensible]

Looks like it's time for you both to grab a GC Loader.

That is really tempting. A solder-less install is great, and apparently you can run Swiss/GBI on it too, so I may have to bite the bullet and get myself one soon.

 

[Kazin]

I use a SD2SP2 with Wind Waker to boot into homebrew/game launcher or Swiss or whatever it's called, and it works nicely. I picked the SD2SP2 up for like $2 shipped off eBay a couple months back, so the price is right.

But being able to boot without a working laser would be nice, longterm, so the GC Loader is probably better, but I haven't used one myself.

 

[Vaeran]

Last night I pulled out my (not New) 3DS XL for the first time in a long while and found that the analog stick is so sticky it's actually kind of difficult to move. I've never spilled anything on it and don't know of any external explanation for this -- is this just a thing that happens to them over time? Is there a fix?

 

[Aleryn]

I've had that sticky rubber issue with a lot of third party controllers over the years. Particularly since the mid to late 2000s. If the material is similar to that then the cause is bacteria has broken down the material over time. Its very similar to what also can happen to headphone earpads.

However, it could be something entirely different and its possible to open the 3DS open and clean the circle pad. I do have a friend who had to replace her circle pad because the original wore down over time like a pencil eraser.

Any one else better acquainted with the 3DS circle pads? This is probably going to become an issue for more people as time elapses...

 

[Mr. Sensible]

Last night I pulled out my (not New) 3DS XL for the first time in a long while and found that the analog stick is so sticky it's actually kind of difficult to move. I've never spilled anything on it and don't know of any external explanation for this -- is this just a thing that happens to them over time? Is there a fix?

Some cursory searching suggests that pressing down on the Circle Pad may cause it to get stuck. You could try gently pulling upwards on it while wiggling it around and see if the movement improves. Otherwise you may need to disassemble the thing to get a better look.

 

[Sarge]

Guess I should have known this would happen - my old OEM NES power supply may have finally kicked the bucket.

EDIT: Or not, it's working again. Hmm, could be the system, could be something else. Well, we shall see. I haven't recapped any of my systems, so it could be a lot of things.

 

[Sarge]

Just a warning, apparently some Star Fox carts have a capacitor that is prone to leaking. It's the 4-chip glop top version. And of course, that's the one I have, and of course it's leaking. Think it may have corroded the pads (or they came off while I was desoldering, ugh), because I have no pads to tie to, apparently. Guess I'll scratch off some of the mask on both sides and tie into that - thankfully it looks like there's a lot of space for it.

 

[ShakeWell]

Yeah, I saw that. I need to open mine and check it.

 

[Mr. Sensible]

Here's a link to the story about bad Star Fox capacitors on RetroRGB.

Checked my copy and, thank god, it's one of the older ones with the larger board and no epoxy. Wonder if other SNES carts could be affected by this issue?

 

[Sarge]

By the way, you'll probably have a good idea which one it is by the heft of the cart. Mine felt super light, which is unsurprising given how much less board is in there. I probably could have gotten a new cart for not much more than caps + shipping, but the idea of leaving the cart not in working condition bugs me.

EDIT: Dagnabbit, if I'd been thinking, I'd have grabbed a new voltage regulator for this toploader NES I got last year. Doh.

 

[Phantoon]

Yeah, I have the PAL epoxy board. What a combination. It currently looks OK, but I'll mod it when I find the right cap.

 

[Sarge]

Well, it looks terrible, but it works, so I'm calling that a win. I rolled with that aluminum polymer cap, but without pads, it was a bit trickier to install. I got one side tacked and was trying to stretch a bead of solder over to my scratched off spot on the other side, then got fed up with it and just put a tiny bit of wire there to bridge the gap. That's one Star Fox cart that won't die... at least from the cap.

 

[Exposition Owl]

I’m pretty sure the dreaded joycon drift has begun to visit my Switch. In the words of Tengu Man, it’s regretful.

ETA: I’m getting the impression from Nintendo’s website that their joycon repair service has been mostly shut down for the pandemic. Am I understanding that correctly?

 

[ArugulaZ]

I think your source is slightly dated. Nintendo is (slowly) opening up its repair services.

Nintendo Customer Central

en-americas-support.nintendo.com

Having said that, you can repair the Joycon yourself if necessary. I've done it. On a scale of 1 to 10, the operation is maybe a 4 at a stretch... the parts are tiny and you may need a toothpick to push the battery cable back into place, but if you're careful and you've got good lighting in your house, you should be okay. The tools needed are about twenty dollars.

 

[Phantoon]

You can also squirt contact cleaner in there to delay the inevitable. I would send it back to Nintendo to get it fixed though, you're entitled to it and it's much easier than doing it yourself.

 

[Exposition Owl]

Yeah, that's the page I was looking at. Pessimist that I am, I was interpreting "slowly opening up" as "still mostly shut down." Anyhow, another question: my right stick is obviously drifting, but I had thought that I noticed a little occasional drift on the left stick, too. Should I just send in the one I know needs repair, or send in both to be on the safe side?

 

[Phantoon]

Personally? I'd do both.

 

[Sarge]

Yeah, if they're both drifting, get it done now. I'm fortunate that mine don't drift yet, but that may be because I'm not a power user. I've actually been surprised how relatively little I've used my Switch outside of the big releases. (Of course, a lot of that is probably 'cause so much of my gaming time is spent on older games.)

 

[Issun]

So my Switch just started wigging out. It seems as if whatever thing inside the system processes controller inputs is having issues, so even with no controllers connected at all it still acts as though its getting inputs, and with controllers attached the inputs it thinks its getting fight against the inputs from the Joycons.

So I get to send my Switch in for repairs. Yay.

Edit: Turns out it was the touch screen acting up. I think I got it working now, but if it acts up again I'm sending it in.

 

[Kazin]

Replaced the joystick in the left Nintendo joycon, and my Hori third party joycon myself. Pretty easy fix, but is absolutely ridiculous that it's necessary (didn't bother arguing with/waiting for Nintendo to do it, and it's not like they'd do my Hori one anyway). Why is joystick drift an issue this gen, all of a sudden? I don't remember having issues back in the 2000s...

 

[Mightyblue]

It's a couple factors; modern controller designs are both more precise and cheaper than stuff from 10 years ago, which is a repeating pattern.

All of those haptic feedback and motion control bits and bobs introduce a lot more complexity into the design, and the old standby bits are well understood at this point so they can be built out of cheaper materials and at tighter tolerances. That combines into short active lives, to the point where the PS5 controller has an absolutely shit expected useful life simply because it wears out so fast.

In contrast, you get the second through fifth gen controller stuff (say, NES through PS2) where it's mostly just plastic nubs over pressure switches which are very simple and almost indestructible by comparison. Analog sticks and buttons were still pretty new up through the PS2 era, so they were built with looser tolerances and very simple rumble mechanisms.

 

[Kazin]

Well, there goes me ever buying a PS5 controller then, I suppose. Not that I was planning on it at this point, though... at least for the most part we can pair third party bluetooth controllers to these systems, so there's the opportunity to not have crap parts in those, but they're probably not spending the money to make them more durable afaik, so... that sucks.

 

[ArugulaZ]

The power indicator lights under the start and select button of my Game Boy Micro flash like crazy when I play it, even after charging it. I'm assuming the power switch is at fault, but it's hard to get that worked up over it because frankly, actually playing games on the GBM is a crummy experience. Maybe I'm just getting older, but damn is that screen too small for practical use.

The current problem I'm facing isn't so much hardware failure, but failure of the exterior of my systems. I have a black PSP that flakes off paint in ebony shards whenever I use it. The obvious solution would be to replace the case, but it's a daunting process to say the least. I also have a small part of my New 3DS XL's case with missing paint, and the battery door has hairline fractures around the screws. The machines still PLAY, but those imperfections work under my skin. Also, having a PSP with dandruff is just plain gross.