Homebrew SCFW: Custom Firmware & Kernel for Supercard

[Gamemaster2022]

Hi could I get any help with my cart? I tried installing the firmware everything went fine. But when I tried to restart my cart it just doesn't work anymore, my GBA doesn't recognize it anymore (with and without the SD card) this honestly put me really down, does anybody have any guidence on how to repair this???

Post automatically merged: Jun 16, 2024

Hi my GBA can't recognize my flashcart anymore, I have an old GBA the one that uses AA batteries. Everything went fine the firmware installed successfully but when I restarted it to try it out the new firmware my GBA wont recognize the cart, I know that it isnt the cart reader because I tried out a game and that worked fine pls if anybody has a fix for this help Iv'e tried the cart with and without the SD cart on. Pls if anybody knows a way to fix this help

Hi, what do you mean by "Doesn't recognize it anymore"? Does it mean it boots to white screen?

 

[OddFox]

Hi, what do you mean by "Doesn't recognize it anymore"? Does it mean it boots to white screen?

It's as if i didn't had a cart inserted, it just says gameboy and nothing pops up, just the standard image.

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Well, that's a problem. I've had similar issue with flashing the SCFW firmware on the original GBA too. In my case I ended up with white screen. In both of those cases the cart got bricked. From what I've seen, original GBA has some compatibility issues with SuperCard that cause visual glitches, SCFW loads corrupted folders and I need to restart GBA several times before games finally work as intended. The same problem goes with flashing. Because of the compatibility problems the firmware wasn't flashed correctly causing the brick.

Now to the fix. In my case, I just had to use a DS with R4 and a flashing tool with which I restored the original firmware and managed to get it working again (I flashed it then with SCFW on a GBA SP with no issues). Your case seems more serious though there is a chance the DS will recognize the cart and will be able to rewrite the chip with working firmware. If you don't own a DS, that will be a problem as there currently aren't any other way you can overwrite the firmware

 

[OddFox]

Hi could I get any help with my cart? I tried installing the firmware everything went fine. But when I tried to restart my cart it just doesn't work anymore, my GBA doesn't recognize it anymore (with and without the SD card) this honestly put me really down, does anybody have any guidence on how to repair this???

Post automatically merged: Jun 16, 2024

Hi my GBA can't recognize my flashcart anymore, I have an old GBA the one that uses AA batteries. Everything went fine the firmware installed successfully but when I restarted it to try it out the new firmware my GBA wont recognize the cart, I know that it isnt the cart reader because I tried out a game and that worked fine pls if anybody has a fix for this help Iv'e tried the cart with and without the SD cart on. Pls if anybody knows a way to fix this help

Pls if anybody comes by this, DO NOT install the firmware.firm. Just stick to using the kernel.gba that worked great for me. I'm pretty sure my cart is gone and I'll have to get a new one. Trust me being able to use SDHC really isn't that worth it, wait till the developers launch a fully working firmware with little to no risk to install it. For now ill see if I can get a replacement, or at least, a refund.

My GBA doesn't seem to be able to read the cart anymore, all i get is the standard Gameboy start-up as if I hadn't inserted any game in it, no pop up, no errors, nothing, it just isn't working anymore.

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Pls if anybody comes by this, DO NOT install the firmware.firm. Just stick to using the kernel.gba that worked great for me. I'm pretty sure my cart is gone and I'll have to get a new one. Trust me being able to use SDHC really isn't that worth it, wait till the developers launch a fully working firmware with little to no risk to install it. For now ill see if I can get a replacement, or at least, a refund.

My GBA doesn't seem to be able to read the cart anymore, all i get is the standard Gameboy start-up as if I hadn't inserted any game in it, no pop up, no errors, nothing, it just isn't working anymore.

Did you read what I replied to you? Flashing the firmware works fine on other systems than the original GBA. I have two carts flashed with SCFW and it works flawlessly... In any case DON'T flash the firmware on a GBA - AGB-001. I believe the problems have something to do with different WRAM chips used on different GBA motherboard revisions.

 

[OddFox]

If you don't own a DS.

Well guess what? My brother owns one he has an R4 and everything, but you know what? The top screen doesn't work, yup im screeeeeeewed.

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Well guess what? My brother owns one he has an R4 and everything, but you know what? The top screen doesn't work, yup im screeeeeeewed.

Guess what. flashmp uses only the bottom screen. That's what I used to save my cart. Try it too

It will say "Not found!" when loaded though your cart will be in. Hold L+R+UP and it will work. Just remember to plug the supercart in your DS before running the software, otherwise it will reboot

 

[OddFox]

Did you read what I replied to you?

Yes, I did, but its better for people to not risk their cartridge for something that differs VASTLY on different conditions such as their console model/batteries, charge ect. You know why? Because for.
1. Many people don't own a DS let alone an R4
2. It's better for people to wait for a more stable builds to be released.
3. Kernel.gba works perfectly fine (aside from a glitch on Street fighters alpha 2, where my character wouldn't be able to move) it's just unreasonable to risk a cartridge for something that can already be used perfectly fine through kernel.gba.

This is a request, pls can you set a warning for people that don't own a DS/R4 to not attempt this??? I know i should've known this, but i guess wanting to experiment with my old GBA really got to me.

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Yes, I did, but its better for people to not risk their cartridge for something that differs VASTLY on different conditions such as their console model/batteries, charge ect. You know why? Because for.
1. Many people don't own a DS let alone an R4
2. It's better for people to wait for a more stable builds to be released.
3. Kernel.gba works perfectly fine (aside from a glitch on Street fighters alpha 2, where my character wouldn't be able to move) it's just unreasonable to risk a cartridge for something that can already be used perfectly fine through kernel.gba.

This is a request, pls can you set a warning for people that don't own a DS/R4 to not attempt this??? I know i should've known this, but i guess wanting to experiment with my old GBA really got to me.

I mean, it says that you risk bricking your cart before actually flashing it so you take the risk by doing so...

I was there too and I bought a DS for this very reason - to fix my supercard.
MetroidManiac clearly states on the github page that you don't need to flash the firmware at all and that it's completely voluntary

 

[OddFox]

Guess what. flashmp uses only the bottom screen. That's what I used to save my cart. Try it too

Man come over here and give me a hug if this really works you're a hero. I'll try this out tommorow morning and I'll let you know if it works. But im still a bit skeptical, like I said, my GBA acts as I didn't have a cartdrige in, which could mean one of the chips went bad. Btw just wondering, when your flashcart bricked did the nintendo logo appeared on the bottom of the game boy boot screen? Something that i noticed is that whenever I plug/unplug my cart my gameboy attempts to restart the cartridge as if it was trying to read it again, which that doesn't happen with normal cartridges, in the normal cartridges the GB logo just sits still and nothing happens, where in the SC cart it attempts to restart.

This defitnely gives me some hope but I'll have to see tomorrow if my SC is savable, other than that ill try to get a replacement and I'll stick to using just the kernel.gba for a looong time lol.

Thx a lot for your patience and time I really appreciate your efforts in trying to help me regardless of the outcome.

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Man come over here and give me a hug if this really works you're a hero. I'll try this out tommorow morning and I'll let you know if it works. But im still a bit skeptical, like I said, my GBA acts as I didn't have a cartdrige in, which could mean one of the chips went bad. Btw just wondering, when your flashcart bricked did the nintendo logo appeared on the bottom of the game boy boot screen? Something that i noticed is that whenever I plug/unplug my cart my gameboy attempts to restart the cartridge as if it was trying to read it again, which that doesn't happen with normal cartridges, in the normal cartridges the GB logo just sits still and nothing happens, where in the SC cart it attempts to restart.

This defitnely gives me some hope but I'll have to see tomorrow if my SC is savable, other than that ill try to get a replacement and I'll stick to using just the kernel.gba for a looong time lol.

Thx a lot for your patience and time I really appreciate your efforts in trying to help me regardless of the outcome.

My cart still got recognized (The nintendo logo appeared) and it shifted to pure white screen due to the corrupted firmware. I believe it's not getting recognized by your GBA because the firmware is so corrupted it doesn't even look like a game to GBA anymore. The DS should be able to fix it though.

Good luck! I hope it's gonna work for you!

 

[OddFox]

I mean, it says that you risk bricking your cart before actually flashing it so you take the risk by doing so...

I was there too and I bough a DS for this very reason - to fix my supercard.
MetroidManiac clearly states on the github page that you don't need to flash the firmware at all and that it's completely voluntary

Yes, i was fully aware of that, but I currently only have 1 SD cart and you know, its a cheapass chinese SD, I wanted to be able to use higher capacity ones in case my SD broke. I wanted the firmware as a backup plan, a "just in case" type of plan. Unfortunately it seems that my efforts to prevent some sort of failure seemed to have ended in a higher level of failure.

Then again, I would recommend Metroid to set a higher warning for anybody that doesn't own a DS/R4 bcs it seems to be the only way to fix this issue. Bcs if you don't own one of these you are fact checked verified and 100% fuuuuuuuucked

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Yes, i was fully aware of that, but I currently only have 1 SD cart and you know, its a cheapass chinese SD, I wanted to be able to use higher capacity ones in case my SD broke. I wanted the firmware as a backup plan, a "just in case" type of plan. Unfortunately it seems that my efforts to prevent some sort of failure seemed to have ended in a higher level of failure.

Then again, I would recommend Metroid to set a higher warning for anybody that doesn't own a DS/R4 bcs it seems to be the only way to fix this issue. Bcs if you don't own one of these you are fact checked verified and 100% fuuuuuuuucked

Yup. If you own only one flashcart and no DS, you are cooked

 

[OddFox]

My cart still got recognized (The nintendo logo appeared) and it shifted to pure white screen due to the corrupted firmware. I believe it's not getting recognized by your GBA because the firmware is so corrupted it doesn't even look like a game to GBA anymore. The DS should be able to fix it though.

Good luck! I hope it's gonna work for you!

Could the DS end up bricked if I attempt this??? Like I said it isnt mine and i dont want to brick it.

Post automatically merged: Jun 16, 2024

Could the DS end up bricked if I attempt this??? Like I said it isnt mine and i dont want to brick it.

Thx a lot again im super tired rn and im not sure if ill be able to reply to your next msg. Cheers.

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Could the DS end up bricked if I attempt this??? Like I said it isnt mine and i dont want to brick it.

You are not writing anything on its internal chips, so no. There is no way you can do that, at least not with the flash tool I sent you. This one is specifically made to only flash SuperCard (and some other media cart ig)

Post automatically merged: Jun 16, 2024

Could the DS end up bricked if I attempt this??? Like I said it isnt mine and i dont want to brick it.

Post automatically merged: Jun 16, 2024

Thx a lot again im super tired rn and im not sure if ill be able to reply to your next msg. Cheers.

No worries. I hope it's gonna work for ya. Good night

 

[asper]

Is it possible to have a link with latest compiled code ? The github page and the 1st post of this thread just have source codes not binaries.

 

[OmDRetro]

Is it possible to have a link with latest compiled code ? The github page and the 1st post of this thread just have source codes not binaries.

Hi,

I'm the maintainer of the "Pre-release" builds (Goomba, PocketNES, SMSAdvance, and now PCEAdvance).
I actually forgot to include the binaries on each pre-release(on Github) as I was busy trying to figure out how to add features to the kernel. If you want to try out the binaries with all the emulators bundled in, please open this GBATemp link and you'll find the compiled binaries attached in the first post as a zip file.

Let's keep this thread for Release builds.

Edit: I've added the kernel binaries to each pre-release now

 

[asper]

Hi,

I'm the maintainer of the "Pre-release" builds (Goomba, PocketNES, SMSAdvance, and now PCEAdvance).
I actually forgot to include the binaries on each pre-release(on Github) as I was busy trying to figure out how to add features to the kernel. If you want to try out the binaries with all the emulators bundled in, please open this GBATemp link and you'll find the compiled binaries attached in the first post as a zip file.

Let's keep this thread for Release builds.

Edit: I've added the kernel binaries to each pre-release now

Thank you very much ! Is it possible to have some pictures of the Flash Card this kernel can be used on ?

for example, is this one supported ?

Or this one:

 

[Apache Thunder]

The second photo with the Boba Fett graphics. The first one is a DS flashcard. The software being talked about in this thread is for a GBA based flashcart.

 

[asper]

The second photo with the Boba Fett graphics. The first one is a DS flashcard. The software being talked about in this thread is for a GBA based flashcart.

Thank you ! Can the firmware be flashed directly over those cards without bricking ?