Hacking EZ Flash Omega ROMs issues

[Cuikis]

Hi everyone, I don't know if there is already a thread discussing this, but I am a recent new user of this Ez Flash Omega flashcart, and the happines of receiving it contrast with the frustration that I have right now after follow of the instructions of the user manual.

After format the micro sd cart using the 'SD card formatter' program suggested by the aforementioned manual, and update the kernel and the firmware, and copy the IMGS and CHEAT folder in SD root folder, I tried a single and loved ROM for me, Super Mario Advance 2. But after launched it, I got a error message displaying "Your saved data is corrupt", what has been pretty shocking for me as I'd couldn't even played it, so, how could be the save corrupt?

Later, I've tried to play with a Pokemon Emerald ROM and everything worked fine, so, any ideas for the problema with the Super Mario Advance 2 Rom?

Furthermore, I was playing a new game in this pokemon emerald rom in my EZ Flash IV (microSD version) and I've tried to use the save file in the EZ Flash Omega with exactly the same ROM, but once I press start in the Rayquaza screen, a "the game has been erased" message is shown. Is there any chance that I could continue my game in EZ Flash Omega, or the only solution is to start it over, or continue in EZ Flash IV?

At last, I've tried to play Super Mario Land 2 DX in Omega, but saving is not working, maybe this is caused by the fact is a fan-modified ROM. I have to test others GBC roms to evaluate this feature.

Thanks in advance for all, and excuse my English if in some point I have been a little confusing, as I'm not an English native.

 

[FAST6191]

Does SMA2 say it is corrupt after you launched the game and got somewhere you could save?
If it is a new game with a blank save file then the game might have tried to read it, found something it thought was corrupt and started a new file to go from there. It is fairly standard in games.

If it happens after you make it to a save point in the game and save then come back.

I am not sure what the emerald problem will have been. Occasionally some emulators have problems with importing saves but between carts like this should have been fine. Have you tried a second time?

Mario 2 DX is a hack (for others playing along at home http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/3784/ ). I am not sure what might have caused this, it being a hacked game (quite considerably hacked at that) might have some bearing.

 

[Cuikis]

SMA2 shows the message you can see in the uploaded photo as soon as I try to play it. Not even the initial "Game boy" and "Nintendo" logo (and music) appeared or sound. Just simply shows that message. I've tried to launch it several times after that, but not better results have been obtained... but the .sav file is certainly created in the SAVER folder. To me, right now, is a mistery why the game doesn't work.

Respect the pokemon Emerald, I've tried to load the save file many times too, always with the same result: the game has been erased.

 

[kuwanger]

What's the md5 hash of your SMA2? Are you using Clean Boot or Boot with Addons? When you get that message, do you press Start/A to get past it and try to save a game or is it stuck on that screen?

 

[Cuikis]

I confess I have no idea what was md5 hash, after some researchs, I have a vaguely notion of it. The hash I get using the utility md5summer is:

5b384c5c4dcf82dfbc276f69ba9fb68a

I have tried to launch the game both as clean boot and boot with addons, with identical results. The screen freezes in that message, no matter what combination of buttons I try, with the exception of the hotkeys of reset if I launched the game as boot with addons. Thats the only feature I enabled in the system, reset, and in that case I mentioned I come back to the EZ Flash Omega menu

 

[kuwanger]

That hash makes me think you don't have a clean dump. That may be why you're having issues. SMA2 (EU) should have a md5 of f877b87f140945ad93cfce50411507c0 . Always be sure that your dump is good before reporting problems just so we can eliminate that as a possible problem.

 

[Cuikis]

That hash makes me think you don't have a clean dump. That may be why you're having issues. SMA2 (EU) should have a md5 of f877b87f140945ad93cfce50411507c0 . Always be sure that your dump is good before reporting problems just so we can eliminate that as a possible problem.

As Heisenberg said (Breaking Bad, 5x07): Yoy're goddam right. I have searched a different rom (it takes me more time that I thought) and it works perfect. My most sincere thanks.

Have you got any idea about how can I transfer and play the save file of Pokemon Emerald from EZ Flash IV to EZ Flash Omega?

 

[FAST6191]

I am now curious what might have gone wrong with the other ROM. There are all sorts of bad 16 bit era and older dumps out there but after that things tended to be good.

Save wise any chance you can upload it somewhere? I have a bunch of things I can try (for instance I might try getting it to load in VBA, exporting that and then loading it to the omega, another might be fiddling with save writing order) but if you are not so familiar with things and they might not work it might be easier if we can just get to and do.

 

[EZ-Flash2]

Every morning I open the forum to see a new issue thread and I'm scared, but after open it, you've solved it and I'm relieved

 

[Cuikis]

I am now curious what might have gone wrong with the other ROM. There are all sorts of bad 16 bit era and older dumps out there but after that things tended to be good.

Save wise any chance you can upload it somewhere? I have a bunch of things I can try (for instance I might try getting it to load in VBA, exporting that and then loading it to the omega, another might be fiddling with save writing order) but if you are not so familiar with things and they might not work it might be easier if we can just get to and do.

I have uploaded it in my profile download sections

 

[Localhorst86]

From your initial post I get the gist that you were using the EZ-Flash IV Micro SD version before and - as far as I can tell - tried migrating your ROMs and savegames from the IV to the Omega, is that correct?

If so, did you previously patch the ROMs using the EZclient PC Software for use with a kernel lower than 2.00?

 

[Cuikis]

Exactly, I still use the kernel 1.77 and have to patch the roms with the EZ client. I've tried to play the save in Omega with the same rom I used both before and after patched it, getting always the same "The game has been erased" message

 

[Localhorst86]

Exactly, I still use the kernel 1.77 and have to patch the roms with the EZ client. I've tried to play the save in Omega with the same rom I used both before and after patched it, getting always the same "The game has been erased" message

that's your issue, then. You should only use clean, unaltered ROMs for the omega. I am not sure how compatible an unaltered ROM is with the save of a modified one.
Note that the EZ-Flash IV has also started to use unaltered ROMs with firmware 2.00 onwards.

 

[migles]

Exactly, I still use the kernel 1.77 and have to patch the roms with the EZ client. I've tried to play the save in Omega with the same rom I used both before and after patched it, getting always the same "The game has been erased" message

thats your problem right there
they are patched the the type of memory used in the old ez iv,
get clean roms, use the same saves, it should work fine
and do yourself a favour and upgrade your ez iv to 2.something, it's well worth it

EDIT\PS: if you are lazy like me, i reccomend you this one https://gbatemp.net/threads/ez-flash-iv-v2-01-with-bluenight-skin-release.475911/
doesn't have stuff like go back to ez iv menu, but it just works, don't have to deal with cfg file to enable and disable the extra GSS feature things with games that require to..

 

[Cuikis]

So, finally, that's the problem. Well, fortunately, I've "only" played about 7 hours in the EZ Flash IV, so, I'll start again from the beginning, could be worse.

Thanks all for your quick answers.

The reason I've not upgraded to firm 2.0X is that I am a little paranoid about the battery life of the EZ Flash IV, and I wasn't sure about the soft reset option, and taking account I've already patched all the games I was interested in, didn't find worth it to do a little research about everything involving this firm. This summer I'll give it a shot.

 

[Cuikis]

Um, I feel quite clumsy and fool, but I've to come back with another problem.

I've get the Pokemon Emerald ROM from the same place I get the SMA2, and play it in the EZ Omega, but as soon as I try to save, a strange error sequence occurred. As I am spanish, and the version I used is spanish too, don't know exactly what is its translation, but should be something like this:

First:
Saving error
Checking security memory.
Wait a moment

Then, after a few seconds (aprox 10-15):
Checking finished.
Trying to save again
Wait a moment

Then go back to the first message and repeat one and another with interval of 10-15 seconds for three times, and finally, shows:

Security memory damaged, or internal battery dry.
You can play, but you can't save the game.

Sorry for being so annoying, but I don't really know what I am doing wrong. Also, can you give me the reference where you look to see is the hash is correct? I've tried to find it by myself, but with no useful results...

EDIT: I understood before that it shouldn't be the problem, but I have set the system clock of the EZ Omega at today, and launch the game both clean boot and with addon

 

[Localhorst86]

@Cuikis sounds like not a clean ROM. Make sure to get this version:

  File:  2164 - Pokemon - Edicion Esmeralda (Spain).gba
  Size:    16777216
  CRC32:    8C4D3108
  MD5:    67B770405F7B87589E0342513B25FE9B
  SHA-1:    FE1558A3DCB0360AB558969E09B690888B846DD9

It's probably a good idea to delete your current save file from the SD card for that game and have the omega create the proper file.

You can use https://datomatic.no-intro.org to check for hash values of trusted dumps.

 

[Cuikis]

@Cuikis sounds like not a clean ROM. Make sure to get this version:

  File:  2164 - Pokemon - Edicion Esmeralda (Spain).gba
  Size:    16777216
  CRC32:    8C4D3108
  MD5:    67B770405F7B87589E0342513B25FE9B
  SHA-1:    FE1558A3DCB0360AB558969E09B690888B846DD9

It's probably a good idea to delete your current save file from the SD card for that game and have the omega create the proper file.

You can use https://datomatic.no-intro.org to check for hash values of trusted dumps.

Thanks for the link.

About my issue, the ROM I got has the size, CRC32, md5 and sha-1 info that you posted. Also, all the times I've tried it (even right now) I deleted the save file that was in the SAVER folder, but the error persists.

 

[kuwanger]

Perhaps it's auto detecting the wrong save type? You could try to select manually FLASH128 and see if that makes a difference. I'd also probably chkdsk the microSD if the problem persists, just in case the card is corrupt.

 

[migles]

Thanks for the link.

About my issue, the ROM I got has the size, CRC32, md5 and sha-1 info that you posted. Also, all the times I've tried it (even right now) I deleted the save file that was in the SAVER folder, but the error persists.

try the american\european english one first (they are the same rom)
see if same error appears, if only happens with the spanish rom, then you need to ask the ez iv dude for a fix
if still appears in the english version, probably something wrong with your setup or something in that card