FAS1 suddenly fails to flash to FlashAdvance 256M after working multiple times

[Zizouomar]

Hi everyone,
Got an ancient Flash Advance 256M from marketplace for very cheap and been thinkering with different softwares to explore what was out there at that time.
Discovered the FAS1 way with AKAIO on an AceKard and been working flawlessly the whole evening. Tried multiple ROMs at the same time with PogoShell, also flashed Mother3 alone (since it covers the full 32MB).
However, after a few hours, the card stopped accepting new flashes. I keep getting a "Failed to erase flash at 0x08000000"
I tried different FAS1 builds, different ROMs to flash, different PogoShell compilations, nothing. I just can't flash anything on the Flash Advance anymore.

Any ideas ?

Thanks!

 

[Smiths]

now there's a name i haven't heard in a long time.

i doubt this will fix anything, but you can always try the standalone FAS1 NDS file (attached the last build I did like 10 years ago I just dug up from an old folder) which may have had some sort of tweak from the one built into AKAIO.... honestly have no idea.

I forget if there was some way to reset the status of the card; i remember it sometimes would get hung up on that but man it's been forever....

https://github.com/SmithsFAS1/fas1/releases

 

[Zizouomar]

now there's a name i haven't heard in a long time.

i doubt this will fix anything, but you can always try the standalone FAS1 NDS file (attached the last build I did like 10 years ago I just dug up from an old folder) which may have had some sort of tweak from the one built into AKAIO.... honestly have no idea.

I forget if there was some way to reset the status of the card; i remember it sometimes would get hung up on that but man it's been forever....

https://github.com/SmithsFAS1/fas1/releases

The man himself ! wow !
Haha can't believe you viewed this post so fast and replied.
Thank you.
I just tried the file you shared and same thing ! Seems like I flashed way to many times yesterday evening lol

I'd love to know more about being able to "reset the card". Maybe that's what it needs.
Beside overwritting a ROM, there's no way to purge the flashcart and make it empty right?

Post automatically merged: Jan 7, 2024

Should also have added that the SAVE flash option works normally without any issue.
It's just the ROM that seems to fail with any version of FAS1 I tried (1.2,1.3,1.4,1.5,1.7b and the latest you shared).

Could GBA ExpLoader or if2a do something helpful or they are not compatible with Flash Advance carts ?

 

[Smiths]

i just happened to load the site i think right when you posted because the "recent" colum had your post right at the top and i saw "FAS1" and went "who the hell is still using that???"

timing is everything.

i have to rack my brain a bit to remember if there was a way to trigger a form of "Write reset" on it, since the error is basically saying the cart isn't in "write mode"

back in the day i think we used to have to hook the card up physically to a computer with one of the flashing programs, but that's not really plausible anymore.

there's some other random GBA cartridge flashing tools, maybe they can trigger the bit? https://gitlab.com/Fexean/gbabf GBA Bootleg Flasher maybe could be an option?

Dumb question: when you load up the FAS1 and choose the L+R+START does it at least try to boot the FlashAdvance with whatever is currently on it?

 

[Zizouomar]

i just happened to load the site i think right when you posted because the "recent" colum had your post right at the top and i saw "FAS1" and went "who the hell is still using that???"

timing is everything.

i have to rack my brain a bit to remember if there was a way to trigger a form of "Write reset" on it, since the error is basically saying the cart isn't in "write mode"

back in the day i think we used to have to hook the card up physically to a computer with one of the flashing programs, but that's not really plausible anymore.

there's some other random GBA cartridge flashing tools, maybe they can trigger the bit? https://gitlab.com/Fexean/gbabf GBA Bootleg Flasher maybe could be an option?

Dumb question: when you load up the FAS1 and choose the L+R+START does it at least try to boot the FlashAdvance with whatever is currently on it?

Haha funny, but I'm glad that timing happened.

So I just tried gbabf you linked and it says "Unknown flashcart" when trying any of the options

And for the L+R+START question, it launches as if the flashcart is empty. The Nintendo logo doesn't appear underneath the GAME BOY logo at startup. Does the same on my GBA SP.

 

[Smiths]

a drastic idea is to see if you can remove the battery from inside the device but i have never opened mine to do something like that.

i really feel like back in the day I would have to hook up my hardware linker to the computer itself and run other programs until one managed to "reset the bit" or at least let it see the device as writeable. i apologize but it's been so long i can't exactly remember what i did. if i recall, i will be sure to post it.

 

[Zizouomar]

a drastic idea is to see if you can remove the battery from inside the device but i have never opened mine to do something like that.

i really feel like back in the day I would have to hook up my hardware linker to the computer itself and run other programs until one managed to "reset the bit" or at least let it see the device as writeable. i apologize but it's been so long i can't exactly remember what i did. if i recall, i will be sure to post it.

So I tried GBABF 1.2 to Erase Flash. When I select detect flashcart, it says unknown.
I then tried them all, none worked but Intel option. It went through the 512 sectors (? don't really know that that means) and ended with "Erase completed"
However, I still can't write anything on the cart with FAS1.
I tried writing a ROM with GBABF 1.2, choosing Intel option, went again through the 512 sectors, which took almost an hour, plugged the flashcart on a gba sp, the Nintendo logo is all corrupted, and nothing launches.

Will try desoldering and resoldering the battery tonight, but not sure about it as the battery is only there for saves no ?