Problem w/ AES reading 1 cart

So I picked up a JPN copy of Samurai Spirits II from a member on here, and while he is resolving the problem 100%, I'd still like some tech help on this one.

The cart came in, would not read anything. Just blue screened. So I cleaned terminals, and the cart starts to read. Some garbled graphics, but getting there...until I notice my dog bumped the console and everything froze...unibios gave me an exception error.

Basically, unless I insert this cart in my AES and then apply pressure towards the back of the system (towards the av ports) the cart will not read. Its as if the contacts arent, well, making contact without that backwards pressure being applied.

(Think putting both thumbs on the front label of the cart, and slightly pushing backwards)

I tried four other carts (kof 98, 2002, FF Special, and Blues Journey) none of which gave me this problem either, so I think I can rule out my system being the culprit. Never happened before, and now only on SS II

So you guys tell me...what could possibly be wrong w/ the cart? I cleaned it w/ q-tip + alcohol, then gave it the eraser treatment, so now when it does work, it works 100%

Its just the tiniest tug on the controller cord sends the game into freak out mode and I lose all my progress.

Sorry if this was long, just wanted people to have all the info I did

check if the boards or a board is slightly warped.

Could be warped or could be that the boards in the cart might be a hair thinner than the normal cart board but they should still make contact. Don't forget to clean the cart slot and the cart edge as well.

Thanks guys. I checked the cart with a straight edge and the back board is warped. The edges are ever so slightly curved, so without applying pressure to the cart itself, the middle terminals aren't making proper contact.

Any way to remedy this, or is just heading for the big cart graveyard in the sky?

place something inside the cart shell to push the board and straight it out.

Thanks. I will give that a go

With warped boards I usually have to drill both PCBs and put spacer and clamp them with a bolt. I've only had to do that once.

You could also slightly bend out the slot pins but only if you've done something like that before.

I think I will put a spacer in the cart. Def not gonna bend the slot pins since every other cart I have works 100%. Any reccomendations on what to use to space the boards out? I was thinking foam, since it's non conductive and seems pretty fire resistant (doubt anything would get so hot as to catch fire, but who knows)

I have had this problem before and I found that the easiest remedy was to flow a thin layer of solder on top of all the pins on the card edge to make them slightly thicker. This should make them thick enough to make proper contact with the system without having to drill and brace your cart (yuck!). Make sure when you do this to flow each pin individually with a small amount of solder already applied to the solder tip (NO BLOBS!) Be extremely careful not to solder any pins together, because seperating them again sucks. I had this happen to me years ago before I really learned to solder properly.

I should have taken pics of the cart that needed to be braced it was like a U shape, well not that bad but close enough.

Fixing the cart is on my after holiday 'to-do' list...Ill keep this thread posted w/ the results