"The internal battery has run dry" means the small battery inside your Pokémon Ruby or Sapphire cartridge has died. That battery only runs the game's real-time clock, so your save still works, but time-based events stop. Emerald behaves the same way, and a cartridge battery replacement is £20.
What the message means
When you start the game, you see a message along the lines of: "The internal battery has run dry. The game can be played. However, clock-based events will no longer occur." It's easy to read that as "your save is about to disappear", but it isn't.
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire contain a real-time clock, a small clock that keeps track of the time even when the game is switched off. It's powered by a small coin battery inside the cartridge. After many years, that battery runs out. When it does, the clock stops and the game shows the message.
Is my save safe?
Yes. This is the key point. Most Game Boy Advance cartridges, including Ruby and Sapphire, save to a memory chip that doesn't need a battery. The battery in these games runs only the clock. So when it dies:
- Your existing save is still there.
- You can keep playing.
- Saving still works as normal.
This is different from older Game Boy and Game Boy Color games like Pokémon Red, Blue, Gold and Silver, where the battery powers the save itself. On those, a dead battery does mean a lost save. My guide to the Pokémon Game Boy save battery explains that one.
What stops working?
With the clock stopped, the game can't tell how much time has passed, so clock-based events no longer happen. That includes:
- Berries growing in the soil.
- Daily events, such as the lottery ticket at the Lilycove department store.
- Other events tied to the time of day or to days passing.
Everything else, including the story, battles, catching and trading, carries on as normal.
Does Emerald do the same?
Yes. Pokémon Emerald also has a battery-powered real-time clock, and it behaves the same way. When the battery dies, you see the same message, time-based events stop, and saving still works.
How to fix it
The fix is to replace the battery inside the cartridge. I offer this as a cartridge battery replacement for £20. I open the cartridge, fit a new battery, and test the game on my bench. You'll find it alongside my other retro services on the retro console repair page.
Because the save sits on a chip that doesn't need the battery, replacing the battery shouldn't affect your save.
After the battery is replaced
With a new battery, the clock runs again and the message should stop appearing. There's one quirk worth knowing about. On some existing saves, daily events such as the lottery can stay frozen for a while after a battery swap. That's because the save keeps its own record of time, which can be ahead of the new clock. It's a known quirk of these games rather than a fault with the new battery. Clock-based features that don't depend on the saved date, such as the tides, should work again straight away.
Is it worth doing?
If you only want to play through the story, you don't strictly need to. The game plays and saves without the battery. If you want berries growing, daily events and the full game as it was designed, a new battery brings the clock back.
If the console you play it on needs work too, the Game Boy Advance and SP repair page lists every service, and the GBA repair cost guide has the prices. If your GBA won't load the game at all, see my guide to a GBA not reading games.
Sending it in
Book and pay online, and the confirmation email gives the address and packing guidance. Pack the cartridge so it can't move around. You pay the postage to send it to me, and the insured, tracked return is included.
The replacement comes with a 12-month warranty, and it's no fix, no fee. If I can't fix it, I refund what you paid, less return postage.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my Pokémon if I ignore the message?
No. On Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald the battery only runs the clock. Your save stays and saving still works. Only time-based events stop.
Can I still play the game with a dead battery?
Yes. The story, battles, catching and trading all work. Berries won't grow and daily events won't happen until the battery is replaced.
Does FireRed or LeafGreen show the same message?
The message comes from the real-time clock, which Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald have. If a different game shows a battery message, get in touch with the details and I'll let you know what it means.
