2nd Gen Is there a way to recover data?

I'm sure most people are aware of the internal battery problem and the subsequent lost saves. I lost my precious shiny Tangela from that problem as well. It was even more heartbreaking when I found out I could've stored her in Stadium 2. Now there's even a conversion program that I could've used to transfer her to future generations! I realize it's pretty hopeless, but is there any possible way to recover lost data from GBC cartridges? People have been able to recover lost and overwritten data on cameras and hard drives. Is there any hope?

U.Flame said:

I'm sure most people are aware of the internal battery problem and the subsequent lost saves. I lost my precious shiny Tangela from that problem as well. It was even more heartbreaking when I found out I could've stored her in Stadium 2. Now there's even a conversion program that I could've used to transfer her to future generations! I realize it's pretty hopeless, but is there any possible way to recover lost data from GBC cartridges? People have been able to recover lost and overwritten data on cameras and hard drives. Is there any hope?

Click to expand...

I dunno. I doubt it, because the battery that holds the save data is also what keeps the day/night function running, and once it runs out, there goes your save file. The fact that when you install a new battery and your save file is lost leads me to believe that recovering a lost file is impossible, you can try anyway and see if the save file is still there. Doesn't make much sense that recorded data can just disappear once the battery runs out.

I know replacing the battery won't save it, I just want to know if some tech expert could recover the files somehow.

Do you have a GBA SP? I've heard that leaving the cartridge in with the battery charger plugged in for a couple of days will recharge the battery and recover your save, but I've never tried it myself (nor do I know if it even works).

Thanks, I'll try that. Are there any other methods?

Not that I know of, sorry. As I said, I'm not sure if the GBA SP method even works, but I've seen it suggested in many other places.

(Hmmm, maybe, I should use mine to try to recharge my dead Gold cartridge...)

Sorry to hear about your shiny Tangela. As far as I'm aware, there is no way to recover data once it has been lost, though there are ways to back up your entire save file to avoid this problem in the future, if you want to play after replacing the battery. (E.g., I used to back up my save files with a MegaMemory Card when I was younger, and I've also read about devices that allow you to dump your save file onto your computer for long-term storage and use.) Unlike with a computer hard drive, I don't think the save file simply gets scrambled when the battery dies; I'm under the impression that it ends up being erased entirely.

I'm curious as to whether the recharging exploit works. I hadn't heard of it before, and there may be different variations floating around the internet, so I'm not sure which one you're following. One thing that confused me about the version I read is that it suggested that just keeping the system on and using the battery (while plugging the charger in or even if just using AA batteries and an older GameBoy) would recharge the battery, but if that's the case, wouldn't playing the game regularly, especially while plugged in, prevent the internal battery from ever dying? My Gold battery died back in 2006, and I still played it frequently back then, often while charging the system.

Imperator161 said:

I'm curious as to whether the recharging exploit works. I hadn't heard of it before, and there may be different variations floating around the internet, so I'm not sure which one you're following. One thing that confused me about the version I read is that it suggested that just keeping the system on and using the battery (while plugging the charger in or even if just using AA batteries and an older GameBoy) would recharge the battery, but if that's the case, wouldn't playing the game regularly, especially while plugged in, prevent the internal battery from ever dying? My Gold battery died back in 2006, and I still played it frequently back then, often while charging the system.

Click to expand...

Here's an old Serebii thread about this topic. This comment, in particular, sticks out:

After reading about method 2, I just had to give it a try. I recently dug up my old Pokemon games. My Blues, Red, and Silver are all fine, but my Crystal died. It hasn't quite been 12 hours yet, but so far it seems to be working.

I have an old Gameboy Color and, way back when, had bought a couple Shock N'Rock packs for it, which came with an AC adapter that also fits right on the GBC. I plugged my Crystal into my GBC, hooked up the AC adapter, made a new game, and saved just after stepping out of the house. I must have bumped the cord at some point because when I brought it back out to test it, it was going through the opening sequence (the cord/connector on that old AC adapter is a bit touchy) but my save file was still there. I turned the GBC off, unplugged the AC adapter, and waited a couple seconds. Then I plugged it back in and turned it back on, and my save file was still there, which was an improvement compared to tests I did when I initially found out my old save game was gone. I put it out of the way and am letting it continue charging. (And since you don't have to save when it's done or anything, after 4 days or so I'll just shut it off, wait a while, and turn it back on again. And hopefully start playing Crystal once again. Otherwise I may be looking into buying a soldering iron.

FYI, Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Polymer aren't the only rechargable Lithiums around, just the most recent. Not really sure if this battery is meant to be rechargable, but if you think about it a rechargable battery would make a lot of sense. As long as the user plays the game a lot, the battery should keep getting recharged. Of course, even rechargable batteries will fail eventually.

Click to expand...

This old thread at Project Pokémon also contains an account of someone successfully recharging their Gold with a Super Game Boy and SNES:

I remember like 7-5 years ago having a gold that had a dead battery. At the time i didint have a game boy anymore but a super game boy thing for the snes. I remember playing for hours, and having my game erased. I finally pinned it to that my save file was lost every time I removed the game from the super game boy cartridge. so i ended up playing through pretty much the whole game with out playing any other snes game for a time length of months, but some how the snes recharged the internal battery of my gold. I one day didnt care about it any more and took it out to play somthing else, and later i put it back in just to see if it my save was still there, and it was. I even later got a GBA and was able to play it on that for a year or 2 untill i got rid of the game, no save file erased at all.

I think prolonged usesage of playing a game slowly recharges the internal battery, i think most dead batteries come from a game that has not been played for years and then popped back in to be played.

Click to expand...

While I'm still not sure if this will recover a lost save, it does seem like keeping the game hooked up to a power source for a long time may recharge the battery. I do know from my own experience that a dead cartridge will save as long as it's in a GBA SP (or anything else that can play it) that's hooked up to the AC adapter. I'd seriously give this a try.

Unfortunately, there is no way to recover your save data on the GB/GBC/GBA carts. This problem has happened to me many times now, so I have researched ways to avoid this happening. I use something called 'Monster Brain' by Pelican. It backs up the save data on the carts and stores them in a flash card. The data in the flash card will stay forever. You can use other accessories to do this. Like Mega Memory card or even a old GameShark.

Basically, the save data in your cart is stored as RAM. And that RAM is powered by a battery. And when then battery starts giving less and less energy to the RAM chip, then the save data will no longer be able to be held in the cart. It disappears for good :c

The battery lasts a whole lot longer in the Gen I games. But it depletes way faster in the Gen II games because the internal clock uses up that battery much faster.

Thankfully the GBA carts have solved this problem, they use flash storage to save the games. they only use a battery for stuff such as the internal clock. So if the battery runs out on a R/S/E FR/LG cart, then only time-related events won't work anymore. you can still play and save your games c:

So if you are really into gaming on the first and second generations like I am, then I recommend you save up about 40-80 bucks for a mega memory card and a GB USB smart card. Which you will be able to backup the saves from the cart all the way to your PC. And you'll be able to load up the saves on an emulator too :3

My Pokemon Green's battery just died a few days ago. It's pretty amazing it lasted all these years. It's the original battery too :0
So what I will do to 'recover' my save back onto my cart is, dumping the save file which I regularly backed up onto my monster Brain, back onto my Green cart after I replace the battery. And replacing a battery is really easy. I just use electrical tape to tape the new battery where the old one used to be.

So all you really need to do is backup the save regularly and have extra batteries all the time. The batteries will last over 10 years if the game is played only a few times a week. Mine lasted like 17 years probably because it wasn't played a whole lot before I bought it.

Well good luck in the future with your saves. I hope you all have a great day~ ^.^

So far as I know once it's gone it's gone. sorry bud, but your Pokés have died and gone on to. . . no, they haven't gone on. They're in Lavender town's tower o_o

TheSoupLord said:

Thankfully the GBA carts have solved this problem, they use flash storage to save the games. they only use a battery for stuff such as the internal clock. So if the battery runs out on a R/S/E FR/LG cart, then only time-related events won't work anymore. you can still play and save your games c:

Click to expand...

I think "lessened this problem" is more accurate to say than "solved this problem." While the GBA carts used flash saves, they still needed battery-powered internal clocks, which could still cause problems of their own when the battery ran out. Not only did it keep you from growing Berries (many of which were necessary for Contests), but it also kept you from navigating certain areas and even completing your Pokédex. No, this isn't as bad as your save being permanently deleted, but it still made the game harder to play.

It was the DS, on the other hand, that truly solved this problem. Unlike the GB/C and GBA, the DS had its own built-in clock, so carts no longer had to have their own battery-powered clocks to be able to tell time. This is why every game released from Diamond and Pearl onwards has had full Day/Night.

And, BTW, only RSE carts have batteries of any kind. FRLG didn't have a clock, so they'll never die.

Honestly this is why I'm sticking to emulators. I'm just looking for any chance of recovering what I'd already lost.

The battery allows the chip to retain data. I'm afraid anything you had is now lost.
There is a tool now to dump GB carts and saves to an N64 flashcart, and I was lucky enough to do so with a copy of Silver before it died. Blue is still going strong but Silver finally died out.


Saddest thing is the battery-based saves would have died by now in any copy of Crystal patched with the Pokémon mobile system stuff.

Mega Memory card for the Gameboy, Color, and pocket systems. I've had one for about 15 years or so and there haven't been too many problems with it. It's got a rewritable chip in it and doesn't require any batteries for saves. Although you need the battery in the game pak to be operational for it to work. I have a video on youtube showing it in action. Just search HellsPCT on youtube and look for Duplicate Pokemon and Items. I noticed in pokemon crystal the battery only operates the internal clock and has nothing to do with the saving options due the paks switch over to the rewritable chips.