Hacking 3in1 GBA save export?

Pariah69 · Feb 7, 2010

OK, here's the deal. I need to edit a Leaf Green sav file (for my young son

) to give him a few of his favorite Pokemon and items. He's been playing via GBAExploader on a EZFlash V 3-in-1, in PSRAM mode.

However, the sav files created in-game to the GBA_SAVE folder on the microSD are useless... I can't import them into VBA or No$GBA, even after conversion on Shuny's site. Upon examination with a hex editor, these sav files seem to be 100% FF. What gives?

I used GBAExploader to save all SRAM to SRAM.BIN, and this appears to have valid data in it... the sav file must be in there somewhere.

Can anybody guide me on how to extract a compatible sav file for use with VBA, or why the 3in1 sav files are useless?

how_do_i_do_that · Feb 7, 2010

You don't use the Shuny's site for gba saves.

In VBA, you import the save file directly.

Use a file cutter to chop the sram.bin file.

Pariah69 · Feb 7, 2010

Any tips on how to cut up the SRAM.BIN to extract the sav file?

how_do_i_do_that · Feb 7, 2010

you can look up the game save size here:
http://gbatemp.net/newgon/?dat=gba

for a file cutter, any file cutter will do. just google it. You can also check the download section to see if there is a gba specific file cutter.

Pariah69 · Feb 7, 2010

OK, so I solved this. Not elegantly, and I still can't figure out why my GBA_SAVE files are useless. But it seems the only way I can access the in-game save file is via saving SRAM.BIN, cutting it up, importing it into No$GBA, cheating

, saving, splicing it back into SRAM, and loading SRAM.BIN from file in GBA_Exploader.

I used File Trimmer to cut the first 64KB and last 320KB from SRAM.BIN, renamed the resulting 128KB file to .sav, and placed it in No$GBA's BATTERY subfolder. (Note... VBA couldn't import the save file). But good ol' No$GBA opened it up just fine. After playing, I used the in-game save, and exited No$GBA. Then I changed the name of the No$GBA sav file to part2.bin

Then I had to reverse the process by splicing it into a new SRAM.BIN. Assuming you saved the original 64KB and 320KB pieces as part1.bin and part3.bin, you can then use good ol' DOS to combine:
copy /b part1.bin + part2.bin + part3.bin SRAM.BIN

Then of course, SRAM.BIN goes into the GBA_SAVE folder (backup the original, or course), and after launching GBA_Exploder 0.58b0, use the Y option to load SRAM.BIN from file, then launch the game as usual (I've been using PSRAM mode). And there's your No$GBA game waiting for you!

That's quite the roundabout way to get there, but I did. I'm documenting this mainly for myself, but others too. I'm probably missing a really easy way to do this via GBA_Exploader, or some other 3in1 utility, but so be it. Brute force, but it works.

Hacking 3in1 GBA save export?

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