Hacking Sky3DS losing save data

[Francesca]

Something odd just happened to me on Sky3DS. I had three games on it, the first of which I was playing very actively. Since I had to cycle through 2 games each time to get to the first, I decided I'd remove the other two (move them down) to save me some time.

What happened is that when I re-inserted the Sky3DS cart, my save data was "corrupted" and I couldn't continue from my saves before.

Two questions about this:
1. Is there any way to recover my old saves somehow, be it pressing the blue button, holding it, re-inserting it or any combination of the three or more (the Sky3DS site's instructions are terribly confusing)?

2. How would I conduct such a simple operation in the future without losing my saves? I mean, I didn't even delete the game I was playing! Couldn't see it coming that the save would be gone after removing two other games with the DiskWriter.

 

[Deleted-355425]

apparently when you have saved your game, before you close your console or switch it off you need to press the blue button to load up a new game then you can switch off the console and keep your save.

 

[Francesca]

Yeah, that's what I've been doing all this time. Still lost the save though.

 

[asdfghjk]

apparently when you have saved your game, before you close your console or switch it off you need to press the blue button to load up a new game then you can switch off the console and keep your save.

My Sky3DS is loaded with a few games but I play only one at the moment, and it acts like a real 3DS cart. My save is still there despite switching off the 3DS or closing it, though I haven't tried removing the cart or the SD card before pressing the blue button.

2. How would I conduct such a simple operation in the future without losing my saves? I mean, I didn't even delete the game I was playing! Couldn't see it coming that the save would be gone after removing two other games with the DiskWriter.

I previously added a few new games to the cart after having been playing one game actively. After saving that game, I pressed the blue button to cycle to the next. When you do this, the save files in Sky3DS's EEPROM get saved (safely?) to the microSD card. I wrote new games to the card as normal, and when I loaded the game, my save is still there.

Though is your game marked as EEPROM NO? I recall seeing somewhere that these games behave differently save-wise.

 

[Francesca]

I've always saved my game by pressing the blue button. I haven't ever lost my save by switching it off or closing it, but removing two completely different games with DiskWriter made me lose my save - the game described it as 'corrupt' (which I believe it says also when you haven't previously played a game you're loading in Sky3DS for the first time).

Perhaps I don't get the blue button mechanics right, but the instructions I've read just really confuse me.

Do I need to use Backup/Restore functions in DiskWriter when doing something like this?

The game is a EEPROM Yes; just checked.

 

[asdfghjk]

That's odd. I suppose the block configuration of the microSD card or some blue magic gets disturbed by deleting the other games and so the save file becomes corrupted.

Anyway, it's good to back up the game saves first before you do anything. To make sure the save isn't copied over incorrectly, you can check its header. A legitimate save header contains the game ID.

 

[Francesca]

Just made a quick experiment:

Made a new save, bluebuttoning. Reset the console.

1. In DiskWriter, firstly backed up my save, then moved the game down to reserve, moved another one up, moved the game with the save up.

After using Sky3DS again (not holding the blue button while starting the console or anything), my save was intact (the last one).

2. Did NOT back up my save this time. Moved the second game to reserve, moved a third game up. Also moved with game with the save down then back up.

...My save wasn't corrupted this time.

So maybe the corruption is an exception to the rule and not an actual rule? Sorta like random freezing every now and then has been. Still doesn't hurt to backup the save data whenever I use the DiskWriter.

 

[Sonansune]

u have to initialize sky when you put another tf card into it...

for most games, the eeprom is yes, card1 type game.
when you remove the tf card, you should press the button, to save the current sav from eeprom to tf card..if you don't do that, game save will corrupt, unless the tf card which you insert back has the same current game. (ie. I'm playing MH4U, then save my game and quit it, without press the button, I remove the tf and reinsert it, data won't corrupt. If I switch to another tf and the current game is SSB, without press the button is fine, once you press it, sky try to write the MH4U data to the SSB game, obiviously the SSB's save will corrupt...btw, next time you play MH4U, since the data didn't overwrite the old data, sky will load the old data....it's like you go back to the pass time......


so......do not forget to press the blue button!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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my suggestion.....if you don't mind to give up the current game progress, use this tool to convert the 3ds rom from card1 to card2 type and re write the game use the new rom, new template..
with card2 type rom, you don't have to press the button in order to save the data to tf card, and eeprom won't read or write anything for the game. reduce the chance of save data corruption to minimum...

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

normally move down the game won't corrupt your data, only if the current save in eeprom is not suit the game before remove and insert back the tf card.

ie. game1: Pokemon OR, game2: MH4U, game3: FEA
the last game I play is MH4U, and now I only want to play FEA.
without press the button, I remove the tf, and use DW move OR and MH to the second list.
without initialize, insert back tf directly. press the button, tada!!!! the MH4U data in eeprom write in to the FEA save successfully!!!!!!

when you understand how sky save function work, this wont be the problem

 

[asdfghjk]

u have to initialize sky when you put another tf card into it...

for most games, the eeprom is yes, card1 type game.
when you remove the tf card, you should press the button, to save the current sav from eeprom to tf card..if you don't do that, game save will corrupt, unless the tf card which you insert back has the same current game. (ie. I'm playing MH4U, then save my game and quit it, without press the button, I remove the tf and reinsert it, data won't corrupt. If I switch to another tf and the current game is SSB, without press the button is fine, once you press it, sky try to write the MH4U data to the SSB game, obiviously the SSB's save will corrupt...btw, next time you play MH4U, since the data didn't overwrite the old data, sky will load the old data....it's like you go back to the pass time......


so......do not forget to press the blue button!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

my suggestion.....if you don't mind to give up the current game progress, use this tool to convert the 3ds rom from card1 to card2 type and re write the game use the new rom, new template..
with card2 type rom, you don't have to press the button in order to save the data to tf card, and eeprom won't read or write anything for the game. reduce the chance of save data corruption to minimum...

That's very helpful. Thanks a lot!

Just to make sure: Does Sky3DS transfer the save from EEPROM to microSD (and back) only when the blue button is pressed? When could the transfer also happen otherwise? I find losing game progress to be really stressful, considering the amount of time good games nowadays could take in...

I think changing card1 games to card2 is also beneficial in that it saves the EEPROM from write cycles that could be avoided. Though does the write cycle limit really matter?

 

[Sonansune]

That's very helpful. Thanks a lot!

Just to make sure: Does Sky3DS transfer the save from EEPROM to microSD (and back) only when the blue button is pressed? When could the transfer also happen otherwise? I find losing game progress to be really stressful, considering the amount of time good games nowadays could take in...

I think changing card1 games to card2 is also beneficial in that it saves the EEPROM from write cycles that could be avoided. Though does the write cycle limit really matter?

convert all game to eeprom no will be quite nice if u haven't start play any game...
only press the button will write the save from eeprom to sd card.
reboot the console or initialize sky: reload the save from sd card to eeprom. (prepare to play the game)

load from card to eeprom won't corrupt the save of current game, the only thing lost, is the save in the eeprom of previous game

 

[asdfghjk]

convert all game to eeprom no will be quite nice if u haven't start play any game...
only press the button will write the save from eeprom to sd card.
reboot the console or initialize sky: reload the save from sd card to eeprom. (prepare to play the game)

load from card to eeprom won't corrupt the save of current game, the only thing lost, is the save in the eeprom of previous game

I found that if I reboot the 3DS without first pressing the blue button, my save is still there for the current game. It seems rebooting doesn't transfer the save file.

How do you "initialize" the Sky3DS?

Also, could I get the name or homepage of the card1-to-card2 converter? I found an archive here (http://jheberg.net/captcha/card-1-to-2/), but I'd like to make sure that I get the latest version possible.

 

[Sonansune]

I found that if I reboot the 3DS without first pressing the blue button, my save is still there for the current game. It seems rebooting doesn't transfer the save file.

How do you "initialize" the Sky3DS?

Also, could I get the name or homepage of the card1-to-card2 converter? I found an archive here (http://jheberg.net/captcha/card-1-to-2/), but I'd like to make sure that I get the latest version possible.

reboot actually reload the game(I have done before), maybe not the save(I'm not so sure)...

Hold the button insert the sky into the card slot...reject it, insert back...wait the fast flash light over...reject..insert back...game back to the 1st one....
3 steps over, finish initialize sky...
I should know these operation right?

here is the converter

 

[Sonansune]

I found that if I reboot the 3DS without first pressing the blue button, my save is still there for the current game. It seems rebooting doesn't transfer the save file.

How do you "initialize" the Sky3DS?

Also, could I get the name or homepage of the card1-to-card2 converter? I found an archive here (http://jheberg.net/captcha/card-1-to-2/), but I'd like to make sure that I get the latest version possible.

btw, do you know how to set an auto maccycle for router??? https://gbatemp.net/threads/need-help-on-dd-wrt-router-homepass.391978/

 

[asdfghjk]

btw, do you know how to set an auto maccycle for router??? https://gbatemp.net/threads/need-help-on-dd-wrt-router-homepass.391978/

Sorry, I use Windows to cycle the MACs. You'll get more help here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/how-to-have-a-homemade-streetpass-relay.352645/

 

[Xenon Hacks]

Wow this is a lot of complicated shit isnt sky complimented on its simplicity?

 

[Sonansune]

Wow this is a lot of complicated shit isnt sky complimented on its simplicity?

no...they want money...most problems are fixed by users group, not their dev team…

 

[Skyhigh_]

Hm thats a bit odd, because i never press the blue button to save...

Ive been saving and playing a game for the last couple of weeks and haven't encountered any issues yet with my save(s) dissapering. However i haven't deleted any games and i only been playing and saving about 2 of them.

 

[Sonansune]

Hm thats a bit odd, because i never press the blue button to save...

Ive been saving and playing a game for the last couple of weeks and haven't encountered any issues yet with my save(s) dissapering. However i haven't deleted any games and i only been playing and saving about 2 of them.

you press the button to switch game.......meanwhile, it write the save to tf for future reload.