STILL having trouble with my N64p

Post by **benheck** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:56 am

Man I just wanna get this thing done! All my mods worked until I desoldered the expansion pak port. Now when I rewire an expansion pak it won't work.

I've rewired EVERY wire on it... even the ones that all seem to be ground. What could possibly be the problem?

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:59 am

Maybe it doesnt like being desoldered. You might have to swallow hard and leave the expansion pak as it is.

Post by **gannon** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:15 am

That sucks. Maybe the exp. pack is fried.

EmreNU · Post by **EmreNU** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:57 am

Maybe since the expansion pack is a high performance component (RDRAM?) and works closely with improving the performance of the system, perhaps it doesn't like being put at a distance from its other motherboard friends. I'm probably wrong here, but perhaps all the solder and long wires adversely affect the performance of the expansion pack and the system gives up. Hopefully you can get it to work though!

G-force · Post by **G-force** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 10:09 am

Bummer

I think you should stop with the rewiring of the expansion port, I mean it would be done already if you did that. I realize the design would have to change but I would rather have see a big N64p than none at all.

Of course it could just be one wire is loose, have you tested for continuity? Are any wires possibly crossed?

Post by **benheck** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:47 am

Thing is I HAVE to rewire the expansion port for everything to fit.

I think I may have fried this second N64 as well... the built-in RAM chip gets warm pretty fast when I turn it on.

I also tried rewiring just the jumper pak - still nothing.

I'm quite sure I'm wired everything right!

goodie · Post by **goodie** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:07 pm

Well, memory in general is pretty picky. Maybe you could try using higher quality wires? That's all I can think of.

jaytee · Post by **jaytee** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:53 pm

...leave it where it is and cut a hole in your case for it to stick out?

Post by **gannon** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:18 pm

lol
Then I'd have to call Ben a butcher

Post by **Gamelver** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:20 pm

all I can think of is that either something's fried, whether it be the n64 or the expansion pack, or that you made a mistake in the wiring somehow or a wire came loose. other than that, I'm not sure what the problem could be........I do have a suggestion, though, to make relocating the expansion pack easier....simply take a broken expansion pack, cut off the parts with the pins that sticks into the expansion/jumper pack slot on the n64, solder wires to each pin, and then solder the other ends of those wires to a desoldered expansion/jumper pack slot from an broken n64. then, you can simply plug in new expansion packs rather than always having to rewire them.
it'd take up a bit more space, but if you can fit that in there, you would save some time from having to always rewire the expansion pack

. also, you can do the thing where you take take out the expansion pack and plug it back in without a game..........

G-force · Post by **G-force** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:45 pm

benheckc wrote:Thing is I HAVE to rewire the expansion port for everything to fit.

I think I may have fried this second N64 as well... the built-in RAM chip gets warm pretty fast when I turn it on.

I also tried rewiring just the jumper pak - still nothing.

I'm quite sure I'm wired everything right!

Man, nintendo must have put a chip in it that prevents the expansion pack from being rewired, so that nobody can make it truly portable. As if the "evil Nintendo screws" were not enough!
Curse you to heck Nintendo!

Seriously though it sounds like the game cart/inserting a new expansion pack problem. I can't remember what you do but it's on RPGTnicks site.... It goes something like turning on the N64 without a cart, and then turning it off and putting a cart in. Something like that.

That's all I can think of

xxxeagle · Post by **xxxeagle** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:19 pm

You could have just fried the expansion pack Try it with another one.

Post by **benheck** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 4:43 pm

I actually like Gamelover's suggestion... strange as it is. I have .75" above the board for space... too thin for the expansion card but maybe enough for the connector itself.

And I NEVER "cut holes in" my cases! Besides, the case is already done!

Also, refresh my memory- what is this whole "unplug the game, reset, then unplug the exp pak, re-insert the game stuff?"

G-force · Post by **G-force** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 4:50 pm

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE N64. Sometimes when you have recently inserted an Expansion/Jumper pack, it will refuse to turn on. The light will come on and all, but the game will not initialize. To get around this, put in the expansion pack, but don't put in a game. Power on the N64 for atleast 5 seconds. Turn it off, put in a game, and start it back up. It should run now. You'll probably have to do this every time you re-insert the expansion pack.

From RPGTNick's site. And it does work

Took me several tries though.

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 4:51 pm

The persons name has to be in quotes...