I have been experiencing a "bug" with my Lexis cart on and off for about a year. What happens is that sometimes during gameplay, after a letter has dropped and I have placed it but BEFORE the next letter on top starts to come down, a letter will randomly appear somewhere in the screen, which of course totally messes up whatever words you were trying to spell. This continues after every letter is placed: a random letter will just pop up in some part of the screen and then the next letter will drop. You need to stop the game and remove and insert the cart to get this to stop. Has anyone here experienced this?
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Lexis bug
Started by Atari forever!, Nov 29 2011 9:19 AM
11 replies to this topic
#2 OFFLINE
Atari_afternoon
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Moonsweeper
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Posted Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:20 AM
Strange. No. I cannot remember this. And I have played Lexis quite much.
What I get with another cart (EOTB), if not 100% inserted, I get a WRONG savestate. Everything turns right if inserted correctly again.
So maybe just one contact needs cleaning? Only guessing here.
What I get with another cart (EOTB), if not 100% inserted, I get a WRONG savestate. Everything turns right if inserted correctly again.
So maybe just one contact needs cleaning? Only guessing here.
#3 OFFLINE
Atari forever!
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Star Raider
Posted Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:39 AM
Atari_afternoon, on Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:20 AM, said:
Strange. No. I cannot remember this. And I have played Lexis quite much.
What I get with another cart (EOTB), if not 100% inserted, I get a WRONG savestate. Everything turns right if inserted correctly again.
So maybe just one contact needs cleaning? Only guessing here.
What I get with another cart (EOTB), if not 100% inserted, I get a WRONG savestate. Everything turns right if inserted correctly again.
So maybe just one contact needs cleaning? Only guessing here.
Thank you for your reply. It does appear as though there may be a scratch on one of the contact pins. You mentioned cleaning the contacts. What is the best way to do that? If there is a specific cleaning fluid, please note the brand name. Thank you!
#4 OFFLINE
Atari_afternoon
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Moonsweeper
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Posted Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:00 PM
You´re welcome. Well there are no big mysteries behind it. I use an ordinary piece of microfibre cloth you clean glasses with, and sometimes, like with the GB classic, you simply have to blow into the cartridge slot (even if some people say NO now) 
At any rate, this has helped with my issue with the flat Electrocop card.
The EOTB issue was solved by re-inserting it more firmly - one contact has not been fully inserted on one side I think. I have had this problem only once and never since. Thought the savegame was crippled but no, it was only incomplete cartridge insertion.
At any rate, this has helped with my issue with the flat Electrocop card.
The EOTB issue was solved by re-inserting it more firmly - one contact has not been fully inserted on one side I think. I have had this problem only once and never since. Thought the savegame was crippled but no, it was only incomplete cartridge insertion.
#5 OFFLINE
Atari forever!
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Star Raider
Posted Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:16 PM
Atari_afternoon, on Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:00 PM, said:
You´re welcome. Well there are no big mysteries behind it. I use an ordinary piece of microfibre cloth you clean glasses with, and sometimes, like with the GB classic, you simply have to blow into the cartridge slot (even if some people say NO now)
At any rate, this has helped with my issue with the flat Electrocop card.
The EOTB issue was solved by re-inserting it more firmly - one contact has not been fully inserted on one side I think. I have had this problem only once and never since. Thought the savegame was crippled but no, it was only incomplete cartridge insertion.
At any rate, this has helped with my issue with the flat Electrocop card.
The EOTB issue was solved by re-inserting it more firmly - one contact has not been fully inserted on one side I think. I have had this problem only once and never since. Thought the savegame was crippled but no, it was only incomplete cartridge insertion.
Thank you. I have tried the cloth but have not had the chance to play the game yet. The thing is that there appears to be a scratch on the surface of one of the pins and wiping the cloth does not remove it. Is there anything that can be done about this?
#6 OFFLINE
Atari_afternoon
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Moonsweeper
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Posted Thu Dec 1, 2011 10:38 PM
I really don´t know. You could try it out now and see if it runs now, of course. I hope it was nothing but dust in your case. And maybe the scratch is not an issue at all.
I understand that the thin gold layer on the contacts could potentially wear off but can this happen even after 10000 times in and out, realistically? If so, then I believe everyone who can produce platines could possibly renew the gold layer. Lynxman has hinted at this on one occasion, and he produces Lynx homebrew carts. At any rate, it´s not at all a common issue.
Now that I think of it, there is one homebrew cartridge (Yastuna 1), and my copy I often have to insert firmly more than once otherwise it doesn´t boot off. Cleaning the (brand new) cart has not helped there, only repeated insertion.
It might be my Lynx´ cartridge slot. After all, 20 years are 20 years and second hand is second hand. These problems are rare, maybe once every 20th time I insert a cartridge. The GB Classic has a higher miss rate, so I blame the cartridge slot contacts.
How to correctly clean the cartridge slot, I have no idea. Perhaps with a q-tip or a dry toothbrush? Surely there are some guides out there, preferably for the more notorious contact issue consoles, like NES.
I understand that the thin gold layer on the contacts could potentially wear off but can this happen even after 10000 times in and out, realistically? If so, then I believe everyone who can produce platines could possibly renew the gold layer. Lynxman has hinted at this on one occasion, and he produces Lynx homebrew carts. At any rate, it´s not at all a common issue.
Now that I think of it, there is one homebrew cartridge (Yastuna 1), and my copy I often have to insert firmly more than once otherwise it doesn´t boot off. Cleaning the (brand new) cart has not helped there, only repeated insertion.
It might be my Lynx´ cartridge slot. After all, 20 years are 20 years and second hand is second hand. These problems are rare, maybe once every 20th time I insert a cartridge. The GB Classic has a higher miss rate, so I blame the cartridge slot contacts.
How to correctly clean the cartridge slot, I have no idea. Perhaps with a q-tip or a dry toothbrush? Surely there are some guides out there, preferably for the more notorious contact issue consoles, like NES.
#7 OFFLINE
chris_lynx1989
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Dragonstomper
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Posted Sat Dec 3, 2011 12:04 AM
I've always used my "Doc's Portable Unit Cleaning Kit" from the 90s or a "Universal Cart Cleaning Kit" by Innovative Products from the 90s too.Then Radio Shack also offered a cleaning marker for carts/cards I have and use.
If you get the Shack marker and not the kits,you'll also need some plastic credit card type stock and 1000 grit wet sand paper cut to Lynx cart size to clean the cart port gently.Be careful,as using a Lynx cart or other stock with the wet sand paper may be a tight fit.Rotate your paper
If you get the Shack marker and not the kits,you'll also need some plastic credit card type stock and 1000 grit wet sand paper cut to Lynx cart size to clean the cart port gently.Be careful,as using a Lynx cart or other stock with the wet sand paper may be a tight fit.Rotate your paper
#8 OFFLINE
Atari forever!
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Star Raider
Posted Sun Dec 4, 2011 9:45 AM
chris_lynx1989, on Sat Dec 3, 2011 12:04 AM, said:
I've always used my "Doc's Portable Unit Cleaning Kit" from the 90s or a "Universal Cart Cleaning Kit" by Innovative Products from the 90s too.Then Radio Shack also offered a cleaning marker for carts/cards I have and use.
If you get the Shack marker and not the kits,you'll also need some plastic credit card type stock and 1000 grit wet sand paper cut to Lynx cart size to clean the cart port gently.Be careful,as using a Lynx cart or other stock with the wet sand paper may be a tight fit.Rotate your paper
If you get the Shack marker and not the kits,you'll also need some plastic credit card type stock and 1000 grit wet sand paper cut to Lynx cart size to clean the cart port gently.Be careful,as using a Lynx cart or other stock with the wet sand paper may be a tight fit.Rotate your paper
Thank you for those suggestions. The two cleaning you mentioned by name as being from the 1990s--does anybody still sell them? I've never had a cleaning kit of any kind and I could really use one!
#9 OFFLINE
EricDeLee
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Quadrunner
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Posted Sun Dec 4, 2011 1:45 PM
Atari_afternoon, on Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:00 PM, said:
it was only incomplete cartridge insertion.
That's what she said... lol
#10 OFFLINE
chris_lynx1989
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Dragonstomper
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Posted Tue Dec 6, 2011 1:24 AM
@Atari forever
Toy R Us used to sell these.If you still have one around with old stock/clearance stock around that you know of I'd check it.
Also,any "retro" or used game shops or flea markets frequently have these around for sale used and NOS (new old stock) too.I come across these frequently for nothing and really don't think anything about them usually.
If you're in the U.S. PM me,as I think I know where a couple are now where I'll be going this Fri.
Let me know.
Toy R Us used to sell these.If you still have one around with old stock/clearance stock around that you know of I'd check it.
Also,any "retro" or used game shops or flea markets frequently have these around for sale used and NOS (new old stock) too.I come across these frequently for nothing and really don't think anything about them usually.
If you're in the U.S. PM me,as I think I know where a couple are now where I'll be going this Fri.
Let me know.
#11 OFFLINE
Atari forever!
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Star Raider
Posted Tue Dec 6, 2011 4:36 PM
chris_lynx1989, on Tue Dec 6, 2011 1:24 AM, said:
@Atari forever
Toy R Us used to sell these.If you still have one around with old stock/clearance stock around that you know of I'd check it.
Also,any "retro" or used game shops or flea markets frequently have these around for sale used and NOS (new old stock) too.I come across these frequently for nothing and really don't think anything about them usually.
If you're in the U.S. PM me,as I think I know where a couple are now where I'll be going this Fri. Let me know.
Toy R Us used to sell these.If you still have one around with old stock/clearance stock around that you know of I'd check it.
Also,any "retro" or used game shops or flea markets frequently have these around for sale used and NOS (new old stock) too.I come across these frequently for nothing and really don't think anything about them usually.
If you're in the U.S. PM me,as I think I know where a couple are now where I'll be going this Fri.
Let me know.Thank you so much for the information and for the offer. I will decline the offer for now as I really want to take care of this using my local stores. There is a Toys R Us near me and that is the first place I will check. Are there any specific brands that I should be looking for or just any "universal cart cleaning kits" will do? You mentioned a brand (Innovative), so I wonder if that really matters. Thank you!
#12 OFFLINE
chris_lynx1989
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Dragonstomper
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Posted Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:26 AM
What you're looking for are: "Doc's Cleaning Kit For Portable Systems And Carts" or a "Universal Cleaning Kit" by Performance (STD USA Inc.).Unless,you find another one that has stuff in it that covered Lynx,GameBoy,and Game Gear and/or another universal type for those and Genesis,NES,NEC and etc. too from that time these will be your best bet.Good Luck.
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