Popeye on 65XE - compatible?

[King Atari]

Hey all! I've been primarily a console guy when it comes to Atari (though I'm not totally new when it comes to the computers), so please forgive me if I come off a little clueless here. (Which I, uh, sorta am.)

 

Anyway, when a boxed 65XE for an okay-ish price presented itself to me this past December, I took the plunge, and have been building up a bit of a collection for it. I've long been a sucker for Popeye, and I found a loose copy for a decent price, albeit untested. I wasn't too worried about that, I can literally count on one hand the number of carts I've had over the years that have been well and truly dead.

 

But, despite numerous cleanings, I just can't get it to go. Now, I just might need something stronger than 91% isopropyl, but I've also learned that some games have issues on computers beyond 400/800. I did a little research and found this thread wherein it appears some Parker Brothers games do indeed have issues. However, I haven't seen anything saying Popeye is one of them. I've cleaned over and over, I've held down option, nothing doing.

 

So, has anyone else had issues getting this one to run on a 65XE? Should I just keep cleaning? Or try again with a confirmed working copy at some point?

 

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

[Kr0tki]

The "Popeye" cartridge is compatible with all computer models.

[Mrshoujo]

Get a voltmeter / ohmmeter and check each card edge to ROM pin for continuity. Inspect the PCB board traces as well. You might find a broken trace or bad solder. I've never had a Popeye cartridge so I don't know if there are other passives in there. Your last worse case scenario would be a dead ROM. In which case save the dead cartridge for parts. ☝

 

That thread mentions Star Wars The Arcade Game on cartridge. I bought this and Q*bert and they work on the 800XL.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Mrshoujo
Extra bit

[King Atari]

Thanks so much, both of you! My dad might have a voltmeter, if it comes to that. For now, I'll try to find something stronger than 91% alcohol and try another cleaning (any suggestions? Deoxit?); just glad to know that the cart should be compatible with the 65XE!

 

Thanks again!

[_The Doctor__]

You can also check the cart in another computer etc.

[+Psionic]

7 hours ago, King Atari said:

For now, I'll try to find something stronger than 91% alcohol and try another cleaning (any suggestions? Deoxit?)

 

I've used both Flitz and Mothers on heavily oxidized contacts in the past to good effect.  I actually had a Q*bert VCS cartridge that had the same problem recently that I was able to get working.

[+MrFish]

A pencil eraser can work too; it's got some abrasion to get at some of the tougher corrosion.

 

[King Atari]

21 hours ago, Psionic said:

 

I've used both Flitz and Mothers on heavily oxidized contacts in the past to good effect.  I actually had a Q*bert VCS cartridge that had the same problem recently that I was able to get working.

Terrific, thanks!

21 hours ago, MrFish said:

A pencil eraser can work too; it's got some abrasion to get at some of the tougher corrosion.

 

I actually tried an eraser on this one, either it wasn't abrasive enough or it wasn't reaching far back enough into the cartridge, but I'm going to keep an eye out for one that'll hopefully do the trick. 

[rmzalbar]

I use wet baking soda to scour cart edge contacts with my fingers. It doesn't affect the gold plating and gets them shiny clean. It even makes NES and Intellivision carts work. Only useful if you can open the cart, though.

Edited February 15, 2023 by rmzalbar

[oky2000]

It's always the way for me, a rare 'untested' cartridge from ebay == doesn't work and never did and the seller knows this but is telling lies

[+Psionic]

2 hours ago, oky2000 said:

It's always the way for me, a rare 'untested' cartridge from ebay == doesn't work and never did and the seller knows this but is telling lies

 

Cartridges are usually pretty resilient apart from certain games by specific manufacturers that are known to have problems, such as Gold Mine by Spectravideo.  I've never owned that one but I do have a copy of Cave In for the VIC-20 which I purchased new in box that's totally dead.

[oky2000]

23 hours ago, Psionic said:

 

Cartridges are usually pretty resilient apart from certain games by specific manufacturers that are known to have problems, such as Gold Mine by Spectravideo.  I've never owned that one but I do have a copy of Cave In for the VIC-20 which I purchased new in box that's totally dead.

Two games I had to buy, as I owned them in the past, Dragons Den C64 and Gauntlet IV MegaDrive were both DOA. Dragons Den is a real problem, rare even loose 'untested' let alone the full sized box release in mint condition like the one I purchased for £9.99 in 1985. My Sega Saturn Universal Adaptor is also now dead and various others. VCS carts are the ones I have had no problems with and by far the largest collection I have, other systems are not so 100%. To me the myth that carts do not age is just that, a myth.

[nasty niff]

took a while to get my copy to work, fibre glass pen for the contacts and a clean with IPA, working great

Edited February 18, 2023 by mistapaul

[King Atari]

On 2/17/2023 at 2:03 PM, Psionic said:

 

Cartridges are usually pretty resilient apart from certain games by specific manufacturers that are known to have problems, such as Gold Mine by Spectravideo.  I've never owned that one but I do have a copy of Cave In for the VIC-20 which I purchased new in box that's totally dead.

Yep, I've had pretty good luck. In fact, two of the very few games I've had that were/are apparently 100% dead (7800 Donkey Kong Jr. and 400/800 Basketball) were listed as working! I got a refund on the DK JR., and the other was mega cheap and actually free with eBay bucks anyway, so no big losses. Still, you can never be totally sure until it's in your hands.

 

I get the untested thing with cartridges; resellers don't always have the consoles/computers to test, or at least the ability to get them connected (mainly the modern TV issue). Of course, if they're specifically game sellers, I start to wonder, but if it's just some general flipper (apparently the case with this Popeye), I'll often take them at their word. 

 

I *am* leery of sellers that list consoles and/or computers as untested though. Granted, they may have the same connectivity issue, but when they've got a lot that includes all the hookups, well, that's a bit of a red flag. Plus, for some of the astronomical asking prices out there, yeah, caution is key.

Edited February 20, 2023 by King Atari

[King Atari]

On 2/18/2023 at 2:13 PM, mistapaul said:

took a while to get my copy to work, fibre glass pen for the contacts and a clean with IPA, working great

That's what I like to see!

[King Atari]

An update: I cleaned the cart with Mothers, had the contacts absolutely gleaming, still wouldn't go. I was about ready to call it DOA and go for another copy, BUT, I had the chance to try it on an 800XL, and it worked just fine. So, for whatever reason it just doesn't like my 65XE. At least I didn't waste my money.

 

But, this begs the question: WHY? Why wouldn't this cart want to run on the 65XE? Can I presume this would be the same with any copy I tried on the computer? (I'm not intending on buying another, but if I came across one while out and about, and it was cheap, well...?) And, should I be concerned about other Parker Brothers games on the 65XE? There's a few I'd like to pick up at some point, but I feel like now I gotta be cautious. 

[+kheller2]

13 hours ago, King Atari said:

An update: I cleaned the cart with Mothers, had the contacts absolutely gleaming, still wouldn't go. I was about ready to call it DOA and go for another copy, BUT, I had the chance to try it on an 800XL, and it worked just fine. So, for whatever reason it just doesn't like my 65XE. At least I didn't waste my money.

 

But, this begs the question: WHY? Why wouldn't this cart want to run on the 65XE? Can I presume this would be the same with any copy I tried on the computer? (I'm not intending on buying another, but if I came across one while out and about, and it was cheap, well...?) And, should I be concerned about other Parker Brothers games on the 65XE? There's a few I'd like to pick up at some point, but I feel like now I gotta be cautious. 

I don't recall you stating that other carts work on the 65XE.  Do they?

[King Atari]

6 hours ago, kheller2 said:

I don't recall you stating that other carts work on the 65XE.  Do they?

Yes, every cart I've tried works on the 65XE except the Popeye (well, that and my Basketball, but I think that one really is DOA).

 

That's what confused me so much in the first place; the 65XE was handling everything I threw at it like a champ, until this unassuming title just refused to go. Then, after reading about compatibility issues with some other carts (linked in the original post), I was wondering if this was one of those. Evidently it is not, nor is the cart dead, but nevertheless, it simply won't run on my 65XE, for reasons that are beyond me.

Edited March 21, 2023 by King Atari