• We are currently experiencing a flood of requests from bots scraping the forums. Unfortunately it has gotten to the point where it is negatively impacting the site. As a result the forums may be slow and you may periodically experiance an error message. We are aware of the problem and apologize for the inconvenience.
  • Be sure to join the discussion on our discord at: Discord.gg/serebii
  • If you're still waiting for the e-mail, be sure to check your junk/spam e-mail folders

How long does it take for the internal battery to run out?

Chaos Rush

Well-Known Member
Well, I have had my Gold version since I was in 2nd grade, which means I have had it for almost 5 years. And it still saves. But I am wondering when everything will stop?
 

~Bent~

awhups
There's really no way to tell. But if you have the means, "back up" your game as soon as possible (if you still care about it, that is). There are multiple ways to do this:

- Buy a "Mega Memory Card" by InterAct. This can be used to back up GB and GBC game saves and restore them later, meaning you can back up your Pokemon, Pokedex, etc and change the battery, then restore the file.

- If that's not an option, get access to another Game Boy and another R/B/Y/G/S/C game, then use a link cable to transfer as many Pokemon and items as possible to the other. Then change the battery, start a new game, and trade the Pokemon and items back.

- If you have one, use a Nintendo 64 and Pokemon Stadium 2 to store all your Pokemon and items, change the battery in your Gold version, then start a new game and transfer everything back.

Changing the battery is much better than using a "recharge" method, as a completely new battery will undoubtedly last much longer than an old one from five years ago.
 

Chaos Rush

Well-Known Member
Well, when it runs out, I'm getting a new battery. But I don't like to say when it dies, because I completed my Pokedex...
 

~Bent~

awhups
Well, your Pokedex will be completely wiped when the battery runs out. Again, you'll want to use backups of some sort (at the least a MMC [here, here, or here], at the most a N64 and Stadium 2 along with a Mega Memory Card).
 

Pure

back.
It usually lasts 4-6 years, and playing often does increase longevity.

Bent has backup covered, but the sticky has replacing the battery covered. The Mega Memory Card should be the best choice for backup.
 

Chaos Rush

Well-Known Member
Well, I haven't been playing my Gold lately.....maybe I should go check, to see if everything is fine.

But wait....my whole Pokedex (Except Celebi) is going to be wiped out!?!? Well, atleast I still have my Blue version, so I might be able to re-complete it. My Silver version, which is a used one, still saves too.

EDIT: I just tried playing it again, and well, when I was playing, my game froze, reset itself, and the only options are NEW GAME, and CONTINUE. Looks like it finally died...
 
Last edited:
Well, I haven't been playing my Gold lately.....maybe I should go check, to see if everything is fine.

But wait....my whole Pokedex (Except Celebi) is going to be wiped out!?!? Well, atleast I still have my Blue version, so I might be able to re-complete it. My Silver version, which is a used one, still saves too.

EDIT: I just tried playing it again, and well, when I was playing, my game froze, reset itself, and the only options are NEW GAME, and CONTINUE. Looks like it finally died...
I feel bad for you. I know how it feels. But, you can simply go here to find out how to replace it.
 

Pure

back.
Just, for future reference, don't discuss ROMs or the like here. Joe's unofficial rule.

As well, that can be another solution, though the battery fix is better.
 

Munchlax3000

ooo, what's cooking?
that scares me...i have Lugia and Ho-oh in my 3rd generation games!
But, thenagain, u can always just send it to nintendo and request the wonderspot ticket...and i was planning on restarting my emerad and crystal, and the rest...
 

Chaos Rush

Well-Known Member
that scares me...i have Lugia and Ho-oh in my 3rd generation games!
But, thenagain, u can always just send it to nintendo and request the wonderspot ticket...and i was planning on restarting my emerad and crystal, and the rest...
Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen, Emerald, and the rest of the games, the internal battery will never run out, so you don't have to worry about it.
 

~Bent~

awhups
That's correct. The battery in the GBA Pokemon games runs the clock. The save file is held on flash memory, which is totally different stuff.
 

Serebii93

too... much...
Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen, Emerald, and the rest of the games, the internal battery will never run out, so you don't have to worry about it.

Actually, you are quite wrong, ~Bent~ and xXRushXx. The GBA game's internal batteries do run out. My best friend's brother had his internal battery die on him, after about 380 hours on it. It was wierd. I even checked it out myself.

EDIT: The kid was playing Ruby, by the way.
 

~Bent~

awhups
Actually, you are quite wrong, ~Bent~ and xXRushXx. The GBA game's internal batteries do run out. My best friend's brother had his internal battery die on him, after about 380 hours on it. It was wierd. I even checked it out myself.

EDIT: The kid was playing Ruby, by the way.
Yes, the battery can run dry in the GBA games -- but it won't affect the save file at all. Once the GBA game's battery dies, the clock will stop working. The save file will be intact, but no time-based events will occur.

If the save file in a GBA game disappears, it's because someone saved too many times to the cartridge and "used up" the flash memory.
 
Top