Types of memory in IFU?

[BlackandBlue]

Anyone know what kind of memory they used in the backup RAM (esp the IFU)?  Only reason Im asking is because I never saw any battery/capacitor in the unit when I had it apart and I leave it unplugged when not in use.  I never had an issue before with the memory.  Well, I went on vacation for 3 weeks, then didn't use the console for about a month after that.  So, I popped in Nexzr the other day and there was some type of message about the RAM.  I dont know Japanese, so I dont know what it said.  I just figured it was telling me it was out of space.  But, the game would not start.  It was just stuck on that screen.  So, I booted up the RAM screen and there were no save files listed.  So, I formated it and the game started right up. 

So....  Is it some kind of volatile ram and the battery ran out from being unplugged?  Im pissed because my dracula x and Ys saves were on there and now gone.  I'm looking for a way to prevent this again, or if just got corrupt somehow.

[nat]

Yes, it is volatile RAM that will go away eventually if the console isn't powered up for a time. I've never actually lost memory this way, but it's recommended you power up your console every two to three weeks to prevent this. If you went almost two months, that's well over the "recommended" maximum downtime.

On the other hand, I've not powered up my console for as long as three months and still had my saves intact when I did. I think it all depends on the condition of the rechargeable battery on the motherboard in your particular console.

I located the battery in these things some time ago, and I pointed it out in a certain thread somewhere around here. It doesn't look at all like a battery, and you wouldn't know it if you saw it. It looks like a small black skyscraper near the RAM chips. If you take off the black plastic cover (I don't recommend this), you'll see something inside that looks more like a battery.

[esteban]

If you take off the black plastic cover (I don't recommend this), you'll see something inside that looks more like a battery.

Hahahahhaa.

No, I don't think BlackandBlue should remove the cover, either.

[BlackandBlue]

Thanks Nat. Any particular reason for warning about removing the plastic cover?  Only reason I'm asking is if it continues to become progressively worse, I may look into replacing it with a similiar style. I know it's not going to be a lithium battery that just pops out and will need to be soldered in.

[esteban]

Thanks Nat. Any particular reason for warning about removing the plastic cover?  Only reason I'm asking is if it continues to become progressively worse, I may look into replacing it with a similiar style. I know it's not going to be a lithium battery that just pops out and will need to be soldered in.

Remove the battery intact? Sure.

Disassemble a battery? Not recommended.

[BlackandBlue]

Got ya. I thought the black plastic part was just a cover, not actually part on the battery unit.

[nat]

No, like esteban said, it's part of of the battery unit itself. It's not meant to come off. I had one that for some reason accidentally broke off when I was working on the PCB and I got to see what was inside.

If you try to remove the cover, it's more than likely you'll just rip the whole thing right off the PCB, traces and all.

[nodtveidt]

It's not actually a battery, it's a type of capacitor. It was actually a rather intelligent design decision, despite being a "cheap" method...it can be "recharged" infinitely, unlike a battery, though it requires "recharging" a lot more often.

[esteban]

...and capacitors can give you a nasty shock since they store a charge...

 

[nodtveidt]

Only if they're large enough. A television's power capacitors can shock the hell out of you but a tiny one like this one isn't likely to shock you. It all depends on how much charge they can store and how much they're currently storing.

[esteban]

Only if they're large enough. A television's power capacitors can shock the hell out of you but a tiny one like this one isn't likely to shock you. It all depends on how much charge they can store and how much they're currently storing.

I learned the hard way, tinkering with amps/receivers/audio gear when I was a wee lad. My dad warned me... but I simply got careless.

Ouch.

[oldskool]

I noticed my Dreamcast loses it's memory very often.  Even if it's just been one month of not using it, I always have to reset the clock on it, kind of a pain in the butt.  I have never had this problem with anything else, hell even my Legend Of Zelda save game sticks around for years and years without even being used.

My Duo -R never had an issue losing power, and there was a good 6 months there where it was not even used once.

[nat]

The Dreamcast has an actual battery that sits towards the front inside the console. It's a watch-battery type and you can replace it. Mine has been dead for a long time and I have to set the date/time every single time I play. It only takes a second so I've been pretty lazy about replacing it.

[BlackandBlue]

The Dreamcast has an actual battery that sits towards the front inside the console. It's a watch-battery type and you can replace it. Mine has been dead for a long time and I have to set the date/time every single time I play. It only takes a second so I've been pretty lazy about replacing it.

Are you sure? I know the Saturn used CR batteries, but I am pretty sure the dreamcast was different. When I was thinking about replacing mine, I read the battery/cap is soldered in. It'll make me very happy if you are correct. 

[nat]

Well, you are kind of correct.

The CR battery sits vertically near the front, and the tip of the clips holding it in place are lightly soldered to the sides of the battery. I didn't have any trouble breaking the solder and pulling them away from the battery itself. After you replaced the battery, if you really cared, you could re-solder the tips of the clips back to the new battery. Or you could just wrap the apparatus with electrical tape and be done with it.