Rep: 25
2
I have an old Gameboy Advance SP that won't turn on. We thought it was a battery issue, so we replaced the battery and the Gameboy turned on successfully, but only once! After we turned it off, it doesn't turn back on again even though the battery is fully charged. I'm very confused about why it would only work one time. Any help is much appreciated.
Is this a good question?
Rep: 7
3
Hi!
A lot of GBA systems (and i mean A LOT) have the same problem where they won't turn on (or sometimes they will, but like 1 out of 10 times), it is usually due to corrosion on the pads in the power switch.
You said a few days ago that you would inspect and clean your board, if you did and it didn't do any good, you might want to check on that power switch (you will need a soldering iron to do so).
You can find multiple video guides on Youtube, here's a link to one, but there are many more if you want:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0sSgDcW...
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Hi, thanks for replying! I used a soldering iron to get into the power switch area and do a deep clean. Unfortunately, that didn't work so I sent it off to a professional.
Rep: 91
5
2
Hello! I had this same issue with a Game Boy Pocket. This is most likely caused by a dirty power switch. Try removing the battery and 5 (maybe 6?) screws on the back of the console and lift it off. Then, drop 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol on the power switch. Move the switch up and down and make sure the isopropyl alcohol gets inside. Wait about 2 minutes for it to evaporate, and put the console back together. Good luck!
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Hi, thanks for replying! I tried cleaning the power switch and unfortunately it didn't work, so I sent it off to a professional. I think there's something more wrong with it than just the power switch at this point lol
Rep: 2.1k
18
5
5
Hey, Runarite
I'd suggest checking that the battery is fully connected and that all connections are completely in place. Usually when devices have issues like this, it's an improperly seated battery. Just make sure it's fully and properly connected.
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Hi Russell,
Thanks for your reply! I re-checked the connections and everything lines up, but the gameboy still won't turn on. I know I lined it up correctly because I have a 2nd gameboy that works, and I have been switching the battery back and forth between them to test that I put it in correctly. I can make the one that works turn on when I put the battery in, but the broken one is still dead when I switch the battery over.
Do you know any other reasons why it might not turn on? Thanks again for your help!
I'm glad to help, and I'm not sure if this applies to the SP, but some GameBoy models won't power on without a GameCard inside. Other than that, there may be an issue with the GameCard reader. I don't know much about the GameBoy SP, but I hope this helps.
I've got my copy of Leaf Green in it right now and it played correctly when I turned the gameboy on, but it could still be a problem. I'll try and clean the reader with some alcohol, and tomorrow when my tripoint screwdriver is delivered I'll see if anything else is dirty or broken on the inside. Thanks!
Hey no problem, I hope it works out great for you
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2 Comments
Hi, Just curious was the repair service able to solve the issue? I am in similar situation where i checked the obvious areas, and still no power. I've seen alot of these starter posts, but few resolutions. any help would be appreciated!
by wacko jacko
Hi,
Just curious was the repair service able to solve the issue? I am in similar situation where i checked the obvious areas, and still no power. I've seen alot of these starter posts, but few resolutions. any help would be appreciated!
by wacko jacko