GBA SP & Flash2Advance Compatibility

davc

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
15
Trophies
0
XP
8
Country
Got an SP yesterday, UK European version (black).

Using F2A Version 2, a 256Mb cart and the Flash2Advance II link-cable.

Writing to the cart doesn't work at all, error message is usually "can't find flash".

Haven't tested saves etc.

Thinking I'll have to get an external linker...

blink.gif
 
E

exile

Guest
so it seems like it is UK SPs and US ones and I would assume JAP ones as well. Hmmm anyway we can get a hold of this new software to see if that is all it is or is that still speculation and may just be a rumor?
 
V

Vietsoldier

Guest
It's unfortunate that some systems don't seem to work. I just got my silver SP yesterday on the Australian launch date 28/03.

It was model AGB-001 and thus far the only problem i've had was when i was running a TV Tuner card in the background of flashing the SP. It crashed then whilst flashing, but after i turned the program off everything is fine.

I'm sure that the guys at GBATEMP are smart enough figure this out if it were the problem. But it can't hurt to try to turn off all background applications(virus scanners, quicktime... etc.) then flash the SP if you're having problems. The reason for this is the Parallel port is a legacy device and it needs dedicated resources and processing power to work properly.
 
V

Vietsoldier

Guest
FOR THIS WITH CAN'T FIND ADAPTOR PROBLEMS

The problem with the SP is not regarding the inability to find the flash, but a result of crashes midway through flashing a cartridge.

People who can find the flash to begin with, it seems your problem may be because the LPT1 port of your computer is not set to interrupt request of 0378 with ECP enabled. You can change these setting in your bios. Make sure the config of your Flashing program is also set to LPT1 0378.

I'm running an Australian AGB-001 silver GBA SP, with XP, F2A & 256mb Flash Cartrigdge on f2aw20nt.exe and have no problems at all.

Tell me if this solve your problem
 

davc

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
15
Trophies
0
XP
8
Country
Vietsodlier, I tried to reply to your PM but the mail system seems a bit screwy just now...

Anyway my reply was:


I have played around with the settings on my PC quite comprehensibly with no results. I am definitely using 0x0378 for LPT1 and have tried all the printer modes available in the BIOS (I was under the impression that EPP was the best, don't know where I read that though... ) I am currently using ECP. I have definitely checked the config of the flashing program and it is using the correct address. I have also tried using different addresses.

One time it seemed to be writing but then stopped with a write error. That was the only time it would write, now I only get "flash not found", and the linker screen on the GBA gets corrupted. I tried to delete the flash using my linker but it says "flash not found".

I am sure I am doing everything else correctly, but as this is my first GBA it is possible that the fault is mine. Is there a way to erase the ROM without using a linker program?

Anyway thanks for your time, I will continue to try and get it working, any advice is greatly appreciated.
 
E

exile

Guest
One time it seemed to be writing but then stopped with a write error. That was the only time it would write, now I only get "flash not found", and the linker screen on the GBA gets corrupted. I tried to delete the flash using my linker but it says "flash not found".

This is exactly 100% what I get on mine. But my friends gba sp works fine over here on my system. So I know for a fact on my system it is not a setting or background application or anything like that. It is something with the sp.
 

D-an-W

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Messages
170
Trophies
2
Website
Visit site
XP
1,118
Country
I mentioned this in another topic, but so you guys know...The GameWallet works 100%, but I too cannot use the F2A linker.

This suggest to me a software issue, as the Wallet XFers its data in the the same way as the F2A Linker, I have tested both a Win2k and a WinXP box without success...
 
V

Vietsoldier

Guest
From what i've heard everywhere, the crashes occur whilst flashing and it's only here for the first time i hear the error may be one of "flash not found"

I must admit i got the same problems when i first got my F2A 256 with a normal GBA. I tried the F2A with the GBA on about 4 seperate computers, until i found the perfect bios setup to get the thing working. These settings are

1, use LPT1 0378 request. 2, always erase the flash before each flashing. 3, have nothing in the background whilst flashing. If you are using WinXP use the NT version of the flash otherwise use the normal one. If it doesn't work on one computer try it on another. These are the only suggestions i can offer to people who are experiencing problems.
 
V

Vietsoldier

Guest
IMPORTANT STUFF

After having typed up so many posts i find myself now with the unfortunate people who can't flash their SP's, I think i may have found the answer or otherwise i've a faulty SP.

I've been flashing the SP with F2A since i got it yesterday about 10 times now, each time fine, until now. As people with an F2A know, to flash the game requires you to make the SP go into Multiboot mode, meaning you have to hold "start and select" whilst turning the SP on. You know you've done it successfully when the Gameboy logo appears and you hear a "bell ring".

Well now after having flashed it about 10 times (i.e. entering multiboot mode 10 times) the SP simply refuses to go back into multiboot mode. I do not know if this is because the SP has a boot mechanism that detects you've been flashing, or my GBA SP is defective.

May i get a poll from people experiencing SP and F2A problems, whether or not they can get into multiboot mode (i.e. hear no bell ring when starting the SP whilst holding start and select.)
 

davc

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
15
Trophies
0
XP
8
Country
I am able to go into multiboot mode fine, and that is after about 100 attempts. That sounds dodgy to me...

Still can't flash or erase my cart. "Flash not found" every time and corruption of iLinker screen.

Is there any way to "format" the cart using only the GBA?
 

riddles

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
7
Trophies
0
XP
94
Country
well i might as well add my 2 pence worth into all this, for all the good it'll do!

i've got a black SP (european version, model number ags-001) and 256 cart + f2a linker (purchased very recently), and every version of the linker software SAYS it writes the cart ok (apart from some crashing every now and again which is fixed by turning the gba off then on again). The trouble I have is that when I verify the write via the software, it always says there are errors. Sometimes the cart boots and the game either crashes or has choppy sound / gfx, and other times the cart wont boot at all. But always verification errors.

I've tried winXP and win98, printer port set to EPP, ECP, and ECP + EPP, all software versions (i think) and none of it makes any difference. The only strange thing to note is that according to the linker manual if my port is in EPP mode the speed settings should work, but no matter wot mode my port is in it never seems to make any difference speed-wise.

I might pop into work later to try out the kit on various PCs to see if that makes any difference (by i dont hold out much hope).

Since we're all a bunch of complainers, has anyone out there with a european SP (indicated by the label C/AGS-EUR on the back) had 100% success flashing to their cart? And i'm not talking about the software just saying it wrote OK, cos mine does that. Wot i mean is also verifying the cart successfully then playing the game for a while with absolutely no problem. And repeating this process consistently. If such a person exists, please give us details - software version, pc set-up, etc....

Here's hoping for a fix....
 

CRoN

Active Member
Newcomer
Joined
Mar 29, 2003
Messages
41
Trophies
0
XP
70
Country
Same boat as riddles..... well.. problem... erm.. anyway
wink.gif


If i flash my GBSP using any of the software with a single rom - it writes ok, then i click on verify and get like 200+ crc errors - when you try and play the rom is f00ked.

If i plug in my GBA original and repeat the process.. i get 0 crc errors... and the rom is fine. I can then plug it into the GBASP and its fine (saves etc no problems).

I'm hoping its a software problem... we'll see thou eh.
 
A

alucard_xs

Guest
mine is :

silver sp
256 F2a i-linker (// cable)
no problem at all, it works.
i'm using F2a flash 2.0NT (under win XP)
 

Bobwhite

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 29, 2003
Messages
4
Trophies
0
XP
49
Country
Italy
I bought an europen version of GBA SP and two F2A kit (one for me and one for my friend).
This is the strange result:
One kit works with my sp and the other does not!!!
I use windows xp with parallel set to epp and I tried it also on windows 2000.
The kit non working with my sp works fine with my old GBA.
So my question is (sorry for my bad english): has anyone thought about the possibility that the problem is on the parallel cable of the kit? I mean cable we are using to connect pc and gameboy does not contain only wires but also electronic component so it could be there are more revision of this cable but unfortunately there is no serial number on it.....
The working cable is more difficult to plug in gba sp( I mean I have to push stronger)
I hope you understand what I mean
 

Lexus

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 29, 2003
Messages
2
Trophies
0
XP
1
Country
Only just found this forum, I've got a UK SP, model AGS-001 running XP and a fairly old linker (got it when they were 1st released) using a 128mb cart.
My problem is just like im reading here, the i-linker screen comes up on the SP, but it doesn't flash, just hangs.
It works fine on GBA though, so I'll hang onto that, I was going to e-bay it but that can wait a while
tongue.gif

I hope its just a software problem and the good people at f2a are rushing out a new version of the software.

-Lex
ph34r.gif
 

isap_link

Active Member
Newcomer
Joined
Feb 16, 2003
Messages
29
Trophies
0
Age
46
Location
Nisa / Alentejo
Website
Visit site
XP
47
Country
I think this is some kind of protection on he GBA SP or some fault in the f2a linkers.
Anyway, i think you should either sell your f2a kits and buy some XG-Flash ones, or keep your old GBA's (if you have it) or either buy just an external linker to use with the f2a carts.
I got an EUR GBA SP platinum and i've tried everything but nothing works.
Though in my old GBA no problems at all and after fashing in it I can play and save just fine in my new GBA SP
biggrin.gif
!!!
 

Duelist86

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 29, 2003
Messages
2
Trophies
0
XP
1
Country
United States
I have the same problem with my US GBA SP with the F2A and 256m pro card. I can write my roms over on the sp but they don't boot up. I tried flashing on my compaq and dell computers with windows me and xp and it doesn't work. What is the external linker??? Should I get it if i want to use my 256m pro card on my sp?
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    The fuuuuu---
  • Veho @ Veho:
    I thought it was an actual xBox at that price.
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    I wanna grab a 360 Slim and a 360 E one of these days. Missed the boat of getting them at their lowest though, once they were discontinued. Could've got them for cheap back when I was a broke 20 something working at Target, but then again, I was a broke 20 something working at Target
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Being broke is no fun.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    @Sicklyboy, $150 isn't that bad for a jtag slim on ebay
  • Veho @ Veho:
    I only wish it was actually playable.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    There's a guy on the Tube of You that makes playable mechanical arcade games out of Lego. This could work on the same principle.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Just a couple of guys taking their manatee out for some fresh air, why you have to molest them?
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Stupid Chinese shop switched their shipping company and this one is slooooooow.
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    STOP BUYING CHINESE CRAP THEN
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCTS, MAKE REVOLUTION
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    THEY KEEP REMOVING LOCAL SHIt AND REPLACING WItH INFERIOR CHINESE CRAP
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    THATS WHY MY PARTNER CANT GET A GOOTWEAR HIS SIZE ANYMORE
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    HE HAS BIG FOOT AND BIG DUCK
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    d*ck i mean*
  • LeoTCK @ LeoTCK:
    lol
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Mkay.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    I just ordered another package from China just to spite you.
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    Communism lol
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    OUR products
  • The Real Jdbye @ The Real Jdbye:
    @LeoTCK actually good quality products are dying out because they can't compete with dropshipped chinese crap
    +1
    The Real Jdbye @ The Real Jdbye: @LeoTCK actually good quality products are dying out because they can't compete with dropshipped... +1