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Ask iFixit: Does Blowing Into Gaming Cartridges Actually Fix Them?


If you’ve ever played on a cartridge-based console, you’ve probably blown on a cartridge. But is it actually doing anything?

That didn’t stop me from performing a ritual borrowed from generations of gamers before me: Sometimes, I gave the cartridge a quick blow before trying to start the console. To make matters worse, in the NES, Nintendo also added the first-ever game console technological protection measure, a lockout system called 10NES. View Device While blowing might displace some dust, it won’t solve issues with corroded or dirty contacts—and might even make things worse by adding moisture, which can lead to more corrosion.

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