custom firmware for sega flashback 2018

dcuk7 · Jan 12, 2019

@ged55 Yes, mine works perfectly fine. I've flashed it a few times with both custom firmwares and it works fine.

@rrifonas I don't mind cracking mine open. I've got a SEGA Multi Mega here that I need to do some soldering repair work on within the next few days so I'll do the Flashback at the same time.

WD_GASTER2 · Jan 12, 2019

rrifonas said:
Try installing the firmware with Genesis Plus GX, if the games are freezing after some time you likely have a hardware problem.

@dcuk7, I will take a picture of the board with the data points. Bad news is that you will need to open the device and you will also need a USB cable to destroy. I could read the firmware without soldering wires but it may not be easy to make the contacts.

is this the 2 bridge points i think you are talking about? if so yeah, soldering is advised only for experienced peeps (tiny points next to each other)

rrifonas · Jan 12, 2019

WD_GASTER2 said:
is this the 2 bridge points i think you are talking about? if so yeah, soldering is advised only for experienced peeps (tiny points next to each other)

Nope, it's possible to connect the device to the PC without soldering :-)

WD_GASTER2 · Jan 12, 2019

ooh now thats interesting.

rrifonas · Jan 12, 2019

You don't need a permanent access to the NAND as there is not much to see or to do using the usb connection. Just touching the test points with the wires is enough to dump the NAND. Once you have the dumps, you can use 'firmware updates' to make any additional change.
Creating 'fimrware' updates with correct partition size and flashing only the partitions you want to change make this device impossible to brick. Atgames did a good job separating the partitions so you don't need to mess with the OS to modify the emulators. Even the menu with a script outside the OS partition.

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

WD_GASTER2 · Jan 12, 2019

in the early days of the release of the device i went gung ho and bridged those 2 points permanently. i figured i needed a permanent way to recover since at the time i had no idea of how sd card updates could be made. You Micronut and I were going in pretty blind at the time

quite frankly tho, you are the man when it comes to this device! creating the complete firmware updates over the sd card is just killer!

Steve_Rose · Jan 13, 2019

Is it possible to advise on the method of creating dumps? And additionally is there any documentation around on how to create a modified image?
It would be good for me to make a full backup (as I already screwed up once)

Steve

SccS · Jan 13, 2019

rrifonas said:
Try installing the firmware with Genesis Plus GX, if the games are freezing after some time you likely have a hardware problem.

@dcuk7, I will take a picture of the board with the data points. Bad news is that you will need to open the device and you will also need a USB cable to destroy. I could read the firmware without soldering wires but it may not be easy to make the contacts.

@rrifonas any update on how to dump the firmware? are you refering to the points that link to the usb socket or different points? i have a stock one here i can dump before i update with the cfw

Darren

rrifonas · Jan 14, 2019

I've sent some insights directly to dcuk7. Most of the process to backup the device is very well documented in mdfbrew.org. The instructions there are for the 2017 model, but the tools and the process apply to the 2018 version. The only significant different is the NAND size (256MB) and you will need to keep the recovery button pressed while turning the device on to put the device in loader mode.

The process to dump the firmware is not as simple as the NES/SNES classic, you will need to open the device and may need to solder wires to access the NAND. I could read the AND only touching the wires in the test points, but its not an easy task.
Here is the pinout if anyone want to backup the device:

y4mHBEPv-uy8JZ5YafuKC_y7EC0wxcpAoajZfQKgVBkKV9hQaCfnE4kKiW7dxhEj6BeHKKJvx7__AWx4WcPF9zhywhsymxcEZx63Sh-bJcSSpkSO0XVn1zwfmZ5tfkypjnYvG_9t6BKZ5mD_GFmQNgiHSpdYYqNuzrTZWTJThBdjhUrm0zxRU9st7s9V6RnV9hG-DuG7bxobqnGPM6TC5VxPw

This device is running Linux so there is not way to access it using adb.

SccS · Jan 14, 2019

Perfect Thank you, Got it sorted all bar the block count for the data partition.....
i found a post in atgames-sega-flashback-2018-edition-is-out-in-the-wild.522990/page-4#post-8383164 (cant post links)

but im not sure what value i should be using, is it 0x0004E800 as posted? or something different?

rrifonas · Jan 14, 2019

You need to dump first the parameter file: Start = 0, Count =2
Then you can compare your parameter file with this one:
0x00000800@0x00000800(misc)
0x00004000@0x00001000(recovery)
0x00000800@0x00005000(boot)
0x00000800@0x00005800(resource)
0x00002800@0x00006000(kernel)
0x00007000@0x00008800(rootfs)
0x0001E000@0x0000F800(rom)
0x00004000@0x0002D800(emulator)
-@0x00031800(data)
The address on the RIGHT is the "Start" and the address on the LEFT is the "Count"
You will need to dump each partition individually. And you don't need the "data" partition as the update in Atgames site is just the same thing.

WD_GASTER2 · Jan 14, 2019

btw if you are good with a soldering iron:

just bridge the 2 red points and then you dont need to solder any other wires anymore. it will pretty much allow you to use the external micro usb cable to do the same thing rrifonas is suggesting.

SccS · Jan 14, 2019

Thanks guys, if i dont need the data partition then im good to go, ill run the update dump the fw again then take a look at the cfw.
if i can help out with testing etc ill be happy to help.

rrifonas · Jan 14, 2019

Cool! The way the menu interacts with the emulator doesn't permit to make any change besides what we have today, but it will be a pleasure to share the updates I've made with the proper EU menu.

dcuk7 · Jan 15, 2019

I have dumped the files and sent them to @rrifonas but if anyone else wants to play with them they are all here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7itcbb078fluyr9/AtGames_Flashback_2018_EU_dumps.zip?dl=0

I've also soldered on a micro USB female cable to my board so I can just plug in any time if ever needed.

Steve_Rose · Jan 15, 2019

I just bridged the solder points in mine to use the external port and drilled a small hole in the back to depress the recovery button without opening the case again lol. No point me sharing my backup, I already used the patches and converted from a Megadrive to a genesis by accident.. I just wanted a backup just in case lol

rrifonas · Jan 15, 2019

Thanks @dcuk7, I will look at them later today and create the updates for the EU version.

Bridging the solder points is an option but after we have a good backup you don't need to read the nand anymore, you can modify everything using update files.

I've bridged the solder points on my device and did a jumper from the recovery button to the physical menu button, so I can enter in recovery mode just keeping the menu button pressed while turning the device on. I've done this because I have a hardware issue (device freezes after some time) and I was testing different dumps to confirm if it was software or hardware.

EDIT: wow, there are a lot of guys here with soldering skills!

rrifonas · Jan 16, 2019

Here is the custom firmware for the EU version (Mega Drive Flashback HD 2019 / Mega Drive Flashback HD 2018):

Update for Mega Drive Flashback HD (EU) with Sega CD support (Genesis Plus GX)
Update for Mega Drive Flashback HD (EU) with 32x support (Picodrive)

If you are looking for the files to the US version (Genesis Flashback HD 2018), look at this post or download these files:
Update for Genesis Flashback HD (US) with Sega CD support (Genesis Plus GX)
Update for Genesis Flashback HD (US) with 32x support (Picodrive)

I will update my other post adding these links. Thanks @dcuk7 for kindly provide the dump from his Mega Drive Flashback. I've tested with my Genesis Flashback 2018 and it was properly converted to a "Mega Drive Flashback" so it should work in all versions (UK, Germany, Australia).

Just as a recap, this custom firmware unlocks with file extensions in the GAME folder, so it will read all files in this folder. This mod enable Genesis Plus GX to load Master System, Game Gear and Sega CD games from the SD Card.
The "Picodrive" update has the same mod but replaces Genesis Plus GX with Picodrive. This update add support to 32x and fixed the speed and sound issues with PAL games (I've tested with "Sonic 2" for Master System), but it breaks Game Gear (Picodrive doesn't support GG) and Sega CD (I couldn't find if there is a specific folder to drop the BIOS files).

Regarding the 'technical aspects', Genesis Flashback HD and Mega Drive Flashback HD are exactly the same device, using the same emulator and they have the same 'rootfs' partition. The only changes between Genesis and Mega Drive is the box art in the "roms" partition and a few images in the emulator partition.

D-an-W · Jan 17, 2019

Sorry for my n00b ignorance here!

I have just picked up the 2018 "SEGA Mega Drive Flashback with 85 Games" (UK spec), from the firmware releases currently available which should I use to give me unlocked access to the GAME folder but keep it as a Mega Drive?

I am probably missing something but the files above created by @rrifonas suggest they are for the Genesis?

rrifonas · Jan 17, 2019

These files are for the EU/UK version.
You can use the Genesis Plus GX update.

custom firmware for sega flashback 2018

Developer

Hated by life itself.

Well-Known Member

Hated by life itself.

Well-Known Member

Hated by life itself.

Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

Hated by life itself.

New Member

Well-Known Member

Developer

Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads

Popular threads in this forum