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disabling the NES lockout chip so your games will actually work, a how to guide with sarcastic commentary
by Evil Overlord in video gaming, FAQs in the mid-afternoon on April 28th, 2006: 4 years, 3 months ago

Disclaimer
tylerwillis.com is not responsible for anything you might do to yourself, your NES, or any goats during the process of repairing your NES. Taking this action will void your warranty. If you’re a moron, you might electrocute yourself, the NES, or a goat. As with any electronic project, it’s best if you’re a nerd doing this on Friday night because you don’t have a date.

So you’ve tried cleaning the NES, and you’ve tried cleaning the carts, and your POC NES is still not working? Well, there’s one more step, but it’s a bit tougher than the first two.

Here’s the deal: we’re gonna try to disable the NES lockout chip. For some odd reason, the lockout chip can cause some sort of weird short in the contact between a cart and NES. Yeah, that’s a very technical explanation, but I didn’t want to go over anyone’s head. So if ya disable it, it just might get ya back to working.

As far as I (I being the whole sum of internet intelligence) know, this will not cause your NES to malfunction. I’ve done it multiple times, but since I’m a genius, your mileage may vary.

First, you’ll want to open up the NES (as explained in a previous FAQ).

Now that you have your NES right where you want it (nice and vulnerable), you want to continue unscrewing with it. Look at the green arrows to see where more screws might be. The goal will be to swing that circuit board out, and you shouldn’t have too difficult a time with it. There’s a metal piece on the righthand side that you’ll want to remove (after removing the screw) – worry not, for it is easy to get back together.
The above pic shows what the NES looks like now that you’ve carefully swung open the circuit board – you were careful, right? Ya didn’t use those manly biceps (built by many hours of Counter-Strike, I’m sure) to rend it asunder in some sort of feeble attempt to verify your manhood? Er… not that I’ve ever done such. Just lookin out for ya, that’s all. That’s why I’m the Evil Overlord.

Note the red box in the pic. That’s some sort of alien advancement known as a zoom box. You put your eyeballs in there. You can also put your weed in there, but that’s not gonna help the whole NES blinking issue. However, hiding your roommate’s weed in there does result in great fun. Withrawal symptoms are much fun to watch up close.

Now look very carefully at the pic. You don’t want to go cutting the wrong thing. Since you’ve already sacrificed the goat (you did do that step, right?), your options of “things to cut” should be narrowed somewhat.

Your chip may not look *exactly* like the one pictured, but it should be fairly close. The number may be slightly different, but it should say Nintendo on it. (For fun, feel free to scrape the Nintendo off and paint a Sony name on it. Send to your local Nintendo fanboy site. Swear by all the holy things you can think of that it’s real. Laugh. Find new fanboy site. Repeat.)

Look closely, you want to take a knife or a pair of needlenose pliers and cut the 4th pin from the left on the side that’s closest to the cartridge contacts. That’s right, you want to cut it. Make it so that the two parts of it don’t meet. Break it, even. Just be sure that that pin is the only thing you break.

Now you get to reassemble the thing and pray to the Nintendo gods. May their blessing be bountiful.

Conclusion
Now that all is said and done, you ought to have a working NES. Congratulations. Give me money. Of course, you can try some of the other links below, if you haven’t already. You’ll need a few more goats though.

 
Fixing Your NES
  1. repairing your NES's blinking issues, a how to guide with sarcastic commentary
  2. Cleaning of Your Nasty, Scurvy, Ill-Begotten NES Cartridges, a how to guide with sarcastic commentary
  3. disabling the NES lockout chip so your games will actually work, a how to guide with sarcastic commentary

22 Responses to 'disabling the NES lockout chip so your games will actually work, a how to guide with sarcastic commentary'

  • a gravatar 1
    On May 18th, 2006 at 12:55 am - 2 weeks, 5 days after the fact - a scandalous red mage who is just working on an unfinished novel, having made casual declarations heretofore, swinging the erratic Firefox 1.5.0.3 on Windows XP and whose name must not be spoken Brian, alleged:

    Sweet, this mod worked perfectly fine for me, and now all my games work 100% perfect. Thanks Alot.

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  • a gravatar 2
    On December 7th, 2006 at 6:30 pm - 7 months, 1 week after engaging in an Anime-Fest! - a ribald lover from the den of vice, having made 1 riveting comments earlier, flourishing the quixotic Firefox 2.0 on Windows XP and whose stage name is Kazuo, considered the following:

    Wouldn’t disabling the lockout chip cause certain games to stop working?

    Just wondering, cause I recently got a new connector for the console, cleaned the shit out of my games, and they don’t want to work. It’s pissing me off.

    Thanks

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  • a gravatar 3
    On December 7th, 2006 at 6:53 pm - 7 months, 1 week after having done “things” illegal in most states - a poor raider who is just working on an unfinished novel, having made 143 hit-or-miss comments already, exploiting the grumpy Opera 9.00 on Windows XP and whose pet name is Evil Overlord, told:
    tylerwillis

    Kazuo on December 7, 2006 at 6:30 pm said:

    Wouldn’t disabling the lockout chip cause certain games to stop working?

    Just wondering, cause I recently got a new connector for the console, cleaned the shit out of my games, and they don’t want to work. It’s pissing me off.

    Thanks

    I’ve never had any trouble, but, as with all mods, it’s your risk. I’d say that if you’ve cleaned your carts and replaced your 72-pin connector, then there’s not really much for ya to lose.

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  • a gravatar 4
    On December 25th, 2006 at 1:56 am - 8 months after having consummated a rendezvous - a diabolical lover out of your worst nightmare, having made arbitrary tips before declaring everyone else insane, employing the abandoned Firefox 1.5.0.9 on Windows XP and whose designation is jeff gonth, opined:

    i tried it too and now i’m stuck with a white screen. At least the light stopped blinking. Any idea on the subject?

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 5
    On December 25th, 2006 at 12:23 pm - 8 months after the world ended - a petty hero who is Sauron in disguise, having made 143 riveting prevarications hitherto, swinging the swanky Opera 9.00 on Windows XP and whose appellation is Evil Overlord, accused:
    tylerwillis

    jeff gonth on December 25, 2006 at 1:56 am said:

    i tried it too and now i’m stuck with a white screen. At least the light stopped blinking. Any idea on the subject?

    Just a white screen? I’d guess that you needed some cleaning done - to the carts and/or to the connector itself. I’ve seen the white screen before, and it usually meant that I just needed to do some more straightforward cleaning. Every once in a while, it’s a sign that the 72 pin is dead beyond recovery, and you’ll need to get a new one.

    In either case, as far as I know this mod doesn’t hurt anything in such a manner as to cause the white screen. The white screen is likely a symptom of a different problem.

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 6
    On February 20th, 2007 at 2:57 pm - 9 months, 3 weeks too late to prevent ice-9 - a villainous plunderer who will destroy all, having made 1 vituperative prevarications before watching Roswell, exercising the quixotic Firefox 2.0.0.1 on Windows XP and who is the so-called Arne, responded:

    I too had a problem with some games giving white/grey screen when trying to start; the solution (at least on my system) was simple - push the cart down like it’s “supposed” to (in addition to just pushing it in). Seems like that’s a contact issue, even though I recently replaced the 72-pinner *and* cleaned all my games. Anyways, I’m playing all my eBay treasures now, and it ROCKS! Thanks a bunch, Tyler! :)

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  • a gravatar 7
    On May 7th, 2007 at 3:14 am - 1 year after having done “things” illegal in most states - a disgraceful knight who will end the current Age, having made unconsidered equivocations earlier, surfing the devilish Safari 419.3 on MacOS X and whose epitaph will read Dr. Zombie, pledged:

    Thanks so much for the excellent guide. About ten years ago my Dad brought me back a 76-in-1 cart from Hong Kong. Thanks to your detailed walk-through on disabling the Lockout chip, I’m finally enjoying my Dad’s present!

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 8
    On October 31st, 2007 at 11:43 pm - 1 year, 6 months since using the bathroom - a corrupt someone who will end the current Age, having made 1 stupid decrees before making a very rude hand gesture, running the wretched Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP and whose name must not be spoken alisa, swore:

    your excellent humour and your great detail on how to fix the problem was excellent. thanks heaps!!! i was getting a tad frustrated that i had paid good money for some u.s games and didn’t realise there might be a problem with them not working in my aussie console. after cleaning both games and console i looked on the net to see if there was another alternative. i stumbled upon your site but i was a little scared it may not work and would completley ruin my nintendo, but thought ‘eh i can just get another from ebay’ i followed your instructions and ALL of my games work perfectley now!!! many thanks for your help, from myself and my daughter whom the u.s games were brought for!!!!!!

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  • a gravatar 9
    On December 8th, 2007 at 3:43 pm - 1 year, 7 months after eating a large pile of turbid eel - a dastardly rogue from Norway, having made 1 irregular proclamations previously, capitalizing on the lamentable Firefox 2.0.0.11 on Windows XP and whose proper name is ívar logi, communicated:

    Thanks so much it works all games yessss =) no proplem at all =)

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  • a gravatar 10
    On February 19th, 2008 at 5:01 pm - 1 year, 9 months after the fact - a servile romantic who speaks entirely in mime, having made 1 indiscriminate speeches before building a shrine to the New Kids, controlling the spectacular Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows ME and whose pseudonym is F1Tomato, articulated:

    thanks a lot. i cut the pin and my NES works like a dream. :)

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 11
    On August 12th, 2008 at 9:46 pm - 2 years, 3 months after jettisoning mankind’s last hope - a shameful red mage who is all that and a bag of potato chips, having made 1 casual proclamations before asking directions to the local sex shop, making use of the moldy Firefox 3.0.1 on Windows XP and whose alias is Murray Ferguson, mentioned:

    works good, i had done the trick to pry up all the “stuck” pins before and i was still getting the flashing lights, i did this lockout chip trick last night and everything works great. thanks

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  • a gravatar 12
    On August 14th, 2008 at 2:13 pm - 2 years, 3 months too late to prevent me from pushing the button - a despicable plunderer who is trying to engulf the world in flames, having made 1 unconsidered criticisms before watching Roswell, running the incompetent Firefox 2.0.0.16 on Mac OS X and named Brian, alleged:

    Hey there, I did this and the pin cleaning a still not working. It started as a blinking light so I did the pin cleaning. Still blinking so I did the lockout mod. That stopped the blinking but now a blank screen. Tried a few different games that work on a different system. Anything else that can be done?

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  • a gravatar 13
    On August 14th, 2008 at 11:11 pm - 2 years, 3 months after the fact - a drunken heroine from Norway, having made 143 chance announcements before smacking down on Wrestlemania, exploiting the deranged Opera 9.51 on Windows XP and who is the alleged Evil Overlord, conjectured:
    tylerwillis

    As far as I know, that’s it. There may be other tricks buried in the depths of the internet.

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  • a gravatar 14
    On December 26th, 2008 at 4:59 am - 2 years, 8 months after having consummated a rendezvous - a villainous varmint who speaks entirely through the usage of telepathic translators, having made 1 arbitrary prevarications before eating a bag of potato chips, possessing the ossified Firefox 3.0.5 on Windows NT and whose pseudonym is paavo from finland, whispered:

    if i remove lockout chip will i be able to play both pal and ntsc games on console?

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 15
    On March 26th, 2009 at 9:57 am - 2 years, 11 months too late to prevent me from pushing the button - a petty daredevil who is seeking the Holy Grail, having made arbitrary ramblings beforehand, running the finicky Firefox 2.0.0.20 on Windows NT and whose handle is Anonymous, considered the following:

    Worked great on my PAL console too! Your photos have been a great help. FINALY SOMEONE WITH HIGH RES PICS! Thank you very much =)

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 16
    On March 26th, 2009 at 2:34 pm - 2 years, 11 months too late to save the world - a ribald martial arts master who was just trying to find the bathroom, having made accidental manifestos earlier, swinging the gorgeous Safari 525.27.1 on MacOS X and who might autograph a basketball with bithog, announced:

    LEGEND!

    I just bought a $5 dollar NTSC NES off ebay to use with midiNES because my PAL NES was giving tuning problems.

    It arrived with blinking light syndrome even without a cartridge inserted.

    slaughtered a goat, manhandeld the mainboard, poking at the chip with all kinds off kitchen utensils and now ITS WORKING!!

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 17
    On March 30th, 2009 at 11:56 pm - 2 years, 11 months too late to save the world - a sordid red mage from the bawdyhouse, having made 2 riveting speeches beforehand, managing the onerous Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP and whose appellation is Jamie, assumed:

    Hey.

    I did pulled the pin out of the lock-out chip. Now my 110 games in 1 works great, but will my NTSC games still work.? As you know the 110 games was never an offical nintendo game.

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 18
    On March 31st, 2009 at 1:41 am - 2 years, 11 months after the fact - a villainous ravager who is seeking the Holy Grail, having made 143 unconsidered decrees hitherto, commanding the grouchy Opera 9.64 on Windows XP and whose stage name is Evil Overlord, declared:
    tylerwillis

    As far as I know, you should have no trouble working NTSC games.

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 19
    On March 31st, 2009 at 11:04 pm - 2 years, 11 months after the world ended - a despicable soldier who likes pressing buttons, having made 2 chance admonitions before smacking down on Wrestlemania, playing with the beautiful Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP and whose epitaph will read Jamie, yakked:

    ALL those games I threw away because I thought they were borken. Turns out it was just that damn lockout chip. Everything works gret on the system now. I also noticed that I had another 110 games in 1, it worked fine for years then all of a sudden it would just always blink when I cleaned ,blowing in it, slaughtered a goat,trying to fix it.

    Thanks again.

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 20
    On August 5th, 2009 at 12:03 pm - 3 years, 3 months after having consummated a rendezvous - a lying pirate of ill-repute, having made 1 indiscriminate decrees before making a very rude hand gesture, possessing the boorish Unknown browser and whose common moniker is ABBEH, thought:

    Thanks for this, now I can play imports!

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 21
    On May 1st, 2010 at 1:05 pm - 4 years after the world ended - a despicable mercenary who speaks entirely in mime, having made 1 chance declarations before beaming up, drawing on the gruesome Firefox 3.6 on Windows XP and whose proper name is Ben, believed:

    I tried thisand now I get just a grey screen. No blinking, just grey. Before, it flashed, but moving the cartradge a bit and resetting it got the games to work. Not wanting to do that, I cleaned the cartradge connector, and then it always showed the game while always flashing. Now after doing this, it just shows a grey screen. Is my NES completely dead? What dose this mean?

    [Quote]
  • a gravatar 22
    On May 1st, 2010 at 2:33 pm - 4 years after having consummated a rendezvous - a plebeian red mage who is just working on an unfinished novel, having made 143 indiscriminate admonitions hitherto, surfing the debonair Opera 9.80 on Windows NT and whose proper name is Evil Overlord, reported:
    tylerwillis

    Ben,

    I’ve never had trouble with a grey/white screen, but some of the people in the comments got that initially, but fixed it. Try reading above and see if you can continue to fiddle with it. Good luck.

    [Quote]

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