Leapster turns on then turns off right away - LeapFrog Leapster Electronic Book: Spider-Man (30425) for PC, Mac

Hi. I found these instructions for turning your Leapster Leapfrog Explorer on here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7707353_leap-frog-leapster-wont-turn.html

If your Leapster 2 will turn on, but the touch screen is not responding to the stylus, try re-calibrating the stylus with the screen using the steps below: 1. Turn your Leapster 2 off, and remove the game cartridge.
2. Hold down the 'hint' button while the game is off. The 'hint' button is the middle small button in the row of three above the directional pad on the left, with a '?' on it.
3. With your finger still firmly on the 'hint' button, turn the Leapster 2 back on. Keep your finger on the 'hint' button.
4. The screen should be displaying the calibration screen. You can release the 'hint' button now.
5. Press the 'A' button on the right to enter the calibration screen.
6. A small '+' sign will appear on the screen. Touch it with the stylus. A new '+' sign will appear. Touch this with the stylus too, and repeat for as many '+' signs as your Leapster 2 throws at you.
7. The screen will return to the calibration screen. You can now turn the machine off. Leave the cartridge out of the console, and turn it back on.
8. Your stylus and touch screen should now be working, enabling you to sign in as usual.
9. If it is working correctly then you can turn it off, add a game cartridge and turn it back on
Thank you for using fixya! I hope I had helped you with your problem. May you have a good day!

Leapster L-Max recalibrates differently. I was trying to use the instructions and it kept asking for a blue button. For the Leapster L-Max push B, A, Hint, and Home when you turn it on. Do not have a cartridge in the player or it will think it is a regular Leapster. Once it says calibrate screen it will say to press A, then wait until a target appears in the upper left hand corner, touch it and you should hear a sound, then a new target appears in the lower left hand, repeat actions, then lower right hand screen, and finally the upper right hand screen. If it stops at any time and doesn't get more arrows, try it again or turn it off and see if the pen works. It may take several times to get it working again.

It needs Calibrated! Very easy to do. Push and hold the "?" while turning it on. Let go of the power button but keep the "?" held down. It will bring you to a screen and on the upper right side you will see a blue "Calibrate" option so press A. Then with the pen just hit the "x"'s you will see appear. After that's done restart your leapster by pressing and holding down the power button. Leapster will turn off and then release the power button after it's off and it will automatically turn back on. Problem will be fixed!

levea it off

I'm really not sure at this point -- there aren't to many things you can do with a leapster to fix the display....how old is it? Wondering if Leapster will do anything for you if it's too old to exchange at a store. Typically screens turn white if they need to be refreshed OR if they have overheated or been left in a car or a hot place -- because the lcd gets messed up in extreme heat. Wished I could help you more then that...but calling leapster sounds like your only option right now..unless exchanging at the store is possible.

Had the same problem. I could randomly make it turn on by some bazzarre combination of pushing buttons. Now won't do anything. Call Leapster 800 #, and thought I was getting a bunch of b.s. from a "tech" person, however IT IMMEDIATELY RESOLVED THIS PROBLEM. Remove the battery pack and batteries. Take a pencil eraser and rub/clean the contact point where each battery goes in on the tray (except the coil sides). Reinstall the batt's back in the trey. Use the eraser to do the same thing to the outside contact points on the outside edge of the tray as well as on the Leapster itself where the tray goes. Finally reinstall the the battery tray, and BINGO ! Crazy....I would have lost a bet on this "fix".

OK, after nearly breaking my daughter's leapster I have figured it out.

Use the coin and twist the little screw up. Then with the screw part closest to your chest, SLIDE the cover off AWAY from your chest. The batteries are located on the undercarriage of the cover. It takes "4" AA's

Hope this helps everyone!!!

Amy Rocka

1) Ensure that a cartridge is not inserted 2) Hold down the Hint (?) button while turning the unit on. Continue to hold the Hint button down until the LEAPSTER menu appears. 3) When the LEAPSTER menu screen appears, press the A button 4) Touch each of the crosshairs that appear with the stylus 5) Restart unit