Questions about n64 accessories

[RCBH928]

@ziggy

I went over to that ebay seller you talked about to buy gambit screws with batteries
but when I asked they said that original Nintendo controller paks(memory cards) got no batteries in them.

Now is this true?
shall I still buy them to replace some cartridge batteries that might have died.
I think most should be dead by now, it has been 10 years since like the last N64 game released

[AppleQueso]

N64 games (and I'm assuming the memory paks) used some kind of flash ram to save, not a battery, iirc.

[Ziggy]

N64 games (and I'm assuming the memory paks) used some kind of flash ram to save, not a battery, iirc.

You're half right. From Wiki:

Some of the cartridges included internal EEPROM, flash memory, or battery-backed-up RAM for saved game storage. Otherwise, game saves were put onto a separate memory card, marketed by Nintendo as a Controller Pak.

@ziggy

I went over to that ebay seller you talked about to buy gambit screws with batteries
but when I asked they said that original Nintendo controller paks(memory cards) got no batteries in them.

Now is this true?
shall I still buy them to replace some cartridge batteries that might have died.
I think most should be dead by now, it has been 10 years since like the last N64 game released

Official N64 Controller Paks do indeed have batteries inside of them. From Wiki:

The original models from Nintendo offered 256 kilobits (32KB) battery backed SRAM ... It is powered by a common CR2032 battery.

It says, "the original models from Nintendo," so maybe later models did away with the battery? I don't know, but I don't think so. I think some one didn't word that correctly. What I can tell you is that my own official N64 Controller Pak does indeed have a battery inside, and I believe they all do. Here's mine:



As far as guessing the battery is dead due to it's age, that really has nothing to do with it. Those batteries can last a very long time. Here is the stock battery that came inside my Controller Pak:



3.1 volts, a little lower than I expected to be honest, but still a very strong battery. For contrast, here is the stock battery inside my Legend of Zelda NES cart:



3.3 volts, and that cart is roughly 24 years old!

So really, you can't assume the battery is dead just because of its age.

[RCBH928]

WOW!
How can a battery last that long!!!!????
I wonder why the seller told me that the controller packs has no batteries inside them, maybe he thought it was the rumble or the expansion pak.

I am buying any way since my memory card is getting corrupt, maybe it will fix it.

Original Memory paks are only $7 , u think I should buy a totally new(used) one?

[AppleQueso]

I wonder why the seller told me that the controller packs has no batteries inside them, maybe he thought it was the rumble or the expansion pak.

He could've also thought you meant like, AAA batteries, which the rumble pak does use.

[Ziggy]

WOW!
How can a battery last that long!!!!????

Well I'm not a battery expert, but I like to think it's because the SRAM doesn't use that much power. If you put the CR2032 in, say, a Rumble Pak, it probably wouldn't last long at all.

I wonder why the seller told me that the controller packs has no batteries inside them, maybe he thought it was the rumble or the expansion pak.

He probably just made an incorrect assumption, or some one else gave him false information. There's plenty of memory cards that don't have batteries in them. I don't believe PS1 and PS2 cards have batteries, and I know that Saturn memory cards use flash memory.

I am buying any way since my memory card is getting corrupt, maybe it will fix it.

That's fine. The CR2032 is a very popular battery. Even if you end up not needing it for the Controller Pak, there's plenty of other things you can use it for. It's not like the purchase will be a waste.

My strong advice when buying CR2032 batteries: Buy a known brand name battery, try to stay away from the super cheap ones on eBay. The no name brands probably wont last long at all, if they aren't dead from the start. If you buy a super cheap brand that know ones ever heard of, don't expect it to last long. I've bought some before that were dead right out of the package. Hell, even when buying a good brand name, I would check the voltage to make sure it wasn't new old stock. You don't know how long that battery was sitting for before it was sold to you. But definitely stick with a good brand name. The proof is inside any game cart or memory card that uses the battery, you'll always see a brand name that you recognize. And remember, my Zelda cart is 24 years old!

Original Memory paks are only $7 , u think I should buy a totally new(used) one?

If you don't wanna deal with the hassle, then go for it! But just promise me that you wont toss the other memory card. Sell or trade it to some one else!

I say try and fix the one you got now. It's a perfect situation to learn how to do these kinds of things. These retro games and whatnot are only getting older, this situation will only become more and more common. Even if you buy another memory card that works perfectly, you'll eventually have to change that battery. Pick up a multi meter if you don't have one, you can get them really cheap. This is the cheap one I've had for years, and it was very reliable.

Also, are you sure that you've thoroughly cleaned the controller's socket for the memory card? And the memory card pins?

[RCBH928]

I will clean them as soon as I get the gambit screws , I was just wondering if I should get the batteries

[Ziggy]

Well like I said, if you buy a battery for the Controller Pak and it turns out that you don't need it, it's not like it will go to waste. Plenty of things use those batteries (NES, SNES and some N64 carts, Genesis carts, Saturn and various other systems, etc).

[GameMasterGuy]

Don't forget VMUs!

[Ziggy]

I purposely left them out!