Hacking Dead 3in1?

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

My brand new 3in1 (GBA sized) arrived today from 0shippingzone. I put it in my Phat DS, everything worked fine, played some homebrew, worked fine. All using AKAIO 1.5.1

Played Sonic Advance 2 for about 15 minutes, then it froze and the background started flickering. Rebooted, got asked to save my save game (phew!) then turned it off again.

Now it's back on, and it won't recognise the 3in1. GBA Exploader says nothing is inserted. The DS firmware says nothing is inserted (I flashed a game to NOR, it should). AKAIO firmware says nothing is inserted.

What now? Do I have to return it? Can I resurrect it? I'm annoyed that my brand new 3in1 just died...

kingsanto · Jan 7, 2010

I think I'd return it. My brand new one had save issues that scream dying battery, so I packed it up and sent it back today.

how_do_i_do_that · Jan 7, 2010

Sonic 2 uses a save type not supported by the 3in1. You will need to erase the SRAM.

Sonic 2 is also one of the games that doesn't work on any GEP or EZ4, regaurdless of whatever patch or thing you do to it.

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

how_do_i_do_that said:
Sonic 2 uses a save type not supported by the 3in1. You will need to erase the SRAM.

Sonic 2 is also one of the games that doesn't work on any GEP or EZ4, regaurdless of whatever patch or thing you do to it.

I can't erase the SRAM because it doesn't even recognise the 3in1 is there! And it froze HALFWAY THOUGH A LEVEL. Unless it saves every half a level (I doubt it) the savetype has got nothing to do with it.

Thanks for the info though. Why doesn't it work regardless of the patch? I mean, it saved fine (I'm assuming it saved when I finished world one) and upon booting AKAIO before it broke entirely, it backed up the save. I've yet to test this save with an emulator though.

how_do_i_do_that · Jan 7, 2010

you can use the blank SRAM file here:
http://filetrip.net/f2435-Blank-SRAM-BIN-f...Flash-3in1.html

you will need gba exploader to erase the current save with the SRAM.bin file.

AKAIO has a problem running gba exploader correctly, so you will have to use the official firmware for the moment and then you can revert back to AKAIO when your done fixing the issue.

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

Just before I try....

When you say 'doesn't run it properly' do you mean 'doesn't detect it at all'?

Before Sonic crashed...
Run GBA Exploader
All options available (though setting rumble doesn't work)

After Sonic crashed...
Run GBA Exploader
'Slot2 expansion pack not found. Please redo from start'

how_do_i_do_that · Jan 7, 2010

AKAIO's NDS autopatch messes with gba exploader's fatlib routines, so it randomly locks up.

you have to use gba exploader 0.58b to detect a 3in1+, you can download here if you don't have this version.

http://filetrip.net/f3680-GBA-ExpLoader-0-58b.html

Doesn't matter what your before and after is, just do it how I tell you to fix it.

1. Revert to official firmware
2. Put the blank SRAM.bin file in the GBA_SAVE folder
3. Run gba exploader 0.58b
4. Press Y in PSRAM mode to write the file to SRAM.

5. Revert back to AKAIO.

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

Using official Acekard firmware...

Loaded up GBA Exploader 0.58b
'Slot2 expansion pack not found. Please redo from start'

how_do_i_do_that · Jan 7, 2010

Your gonna have to disconnect the battery then reattach it if it is a complete SRAM brick.

If you can run NDS backup tool and detect it, it would not be a total loss. Using the NDS backup tool will also erase anything in SRAM if you backup a rom of a ds game.

You will probably need the patched version that detects the 3in1+.

NDS backup tool patch
http://filetrip.net/f5327-NDS-Backup-Tool-...-IPS-Patch.html

NDS backup tool
http://filetrip.net/f2486-NDS-Backup-Tool-3in1-0-31.html

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

I won't need the patch, as it's a GBA sized 3in1, and they're never a plus revision. Going to use Acekard firmware too for the NDS tool.

Will report back in a couple of minutes....

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

Same error as using the GBA exploader.

'Slot2 expansion pack not found. Please redo from start'

EDIT: What's easier: Resetting the battery or just returning it? And why does a corrupt SRAM make the entire card unusable?

how_do_i_do_that · Jan 7, 2010

Well if you disconnect the battery, you can't return it if it didn't fix the issue for you.

The SRAM also contains info on the game in NOR/PSRAM and as settings that are put there on initalization.

You can try cory's gbaldr, I don't remember if there is a earser mode or not. I haven't used it in a while.

I normally disconnect the battery then erase the NOR with the NDS backup tool, then reattach the battery. Then do it again with the battery reattached.

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

gbaldr results:

*3in1 not found*
Insert 3in1 and press a key.

If I then take out and replace the 3in1, the NDS reboots itself. Odd....

It's weird because it doesn't even see it at all.....

how_do_i_do_that · Jan 7, 2010

You might have to just get a new one.

Save types you should avoid:
FLASH512
EEPROM

montymintypie · Jan 7, 2010

Thanks for all the help.

I've already emailed 0shippingzone, and hopefully they'll be able to replace it nice and quickly.

I'll try and avoid those save types, but it's weird that this one died when it wasn't even saving.. Ah well, might be just a dud.

how_do_i_do_that · Jan 7, 2010

It is more a drawback on the AKAIO gba loader, there is no way to fix a problem once it happens, like writting incompatible save data. Your royally boned when it does happen.

Your not the first to brick yours so don't feel too bad about it.

Hacking Dead 3in1?

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