Help with Faulty Action Replay GBA

Cosmic_Link · Apr 14, 2019

Hi,

I have an Action Replay for GBA which is faulty. I was wondering whether it might be salvageable? I have managed to find the PC software for it and the device drivers. I have uploaded a video to youtube to better show the problem I am having. No matter what game I have inserted with the Action Replay, I still get it booting into the same screen. I cannot get it to communicate with the PC client software. I have tried the "Factory Reset" button combination at boot and it doesn't do anything (A+B, then Start + Select). I am out of ideas and I cannot find an instruction manual for the device for troubleshooting.

If anybody has any ideas, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

gamesquest1 · Apr 14, 2019

have you tried booting into a windows XP virtual machine or something, i would imagine a lot of these older devices wouldn't work correctly on W7/W10

Deleted User · Apr 14, 2019

Whenever you boot up an Action Replay, you should be getting a menu to select your games, add codes, etc etc. You're not getting that.

See if there's a firmware update for your particular AR, if you can figure out which exact model it is. Then try using some AR software from within an XP virtual machine to update or fix it.

If not, it could just be straight up bricked.

Cosmic_Link · Apr 14, 2019

I will give it a go, but from what I could tell, there was an issue with installing the device driver on a 64-bit machine, so I have installed on a 32-bit W10 OS machine and was able to successfully install the device driver and it does more than it would on my main comp. lol When trying on my main comp, I wouldn't even get the dialog box with the PC and GBA Animation.

The 32-bit machine was the one used in the video.

I have attached a screen snip of the driver icon on my main comp just for reference. It's got to be worth a try with a VM. I will give it a go later and report back.

Deleted User · Apr 14, 2019

Cosmic_Link said:
I will give it a go, but from what I could tell, there was an issue with installing the device driver on a 64-bit machine, so I have installed on a 32-bit W10 OS machine and was able to successfully install the device driver and it does more than it would on my main comp. lol When trying on my main comp, I wouldn't even get the dialog box with the PC and GBA Animation. The 32-bit machine was the one used in the video. I have attached a screen snip of the driver icon on my main comp just for reference. It's got to be worth a try with a VM. I will give it a go later and report back.
View attachment 163698

If it's a driver error, then I'm 100% sure its an imcompatibility with Win 8/10 as alot of older drivers don't seem to work on it (personal experience).

Definetely try a Windows XP VM and make sure to set the virtual machine to automatically capture the AR when you plug it in. Might take a few tries but I'm sure this is the solution.

gamesquest1 · Apr 14, 2019

yeah i have had a few action replays with a corrupted firmware, usually happens when your adding new codes and messes up, usually if they have a USB interface like yours you can just upload a new cheat table to it which will overwrite the corrupt code list

Cosmic_Link · Apr 14, 2019

Right, I've tried with Windows XP VM and still getting the same problem.

Anymore ideas?

gamesquest1 · Apr 14, 2019

try this

Insert your Action Replay into your console, and a GBA game into Action Replay�s GBA slot. While the GBA or DS is powered off, hold A+B+Start+Select+Right shoulder button+Left shoulder button. While holding the above buttons, switch on the GBA or DS, but do not release these buttons. A message box appears. Let go of the �A� button, then press and hold it again. The console powers up, and factory settings are restored.

Robika · Apr 14, 2019

Ohh I have the same Action replay mine won't boot anymore I have to clean the connections. Can you share the software pls?

Cosmic_Link · Apr 15, 2019

Robika said:
Ohh I have the same Action replay mine won't boot anymore I have to clean the connections. Can you share the software pls?

I got the software from here:

https://gamehacking.org/wiki/Action_Replay_(Game_Boy_Advance)

gamesquest1 said:
try this

No luck with that.

Just boots to the same screen with no response.

Sharkskinninja · Sep 1, 2021

Deleted User said:
If it's a driver error, then I'm 100% sure its an imcompatibility with Win 8/10 as alot of older drivers don't seem to work on it (personal experience).

Definetely try a Windows XP VM and make sure to set the virtual machine to automatically capture the AR when you plug it in. Might take a few tries but I'm sure this is the solution.

Anyone know how to set the vm to auto capture the usbon action replay? Currently working on a ds/ gba ar.

tech3475 · Sep 1, 2021

Sharkskinninja said:
Anyone know how to set the vm to auto capture the usbon action replay? Currently working on a ds/ gba ar.

From my experience you usually get the option when you plug it in, at least on vmware.

Sharkskinninja · Sep 1, 2021

tech3475 said:
From my experience you usually get the option when you plug it in, at least on vmware.

Im using vm box. Ill try running it on xp, as i tried vista yesterday with no luck. Problem is; vm box doesnt see it either.

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

Sharkskinninja said:
Im using vm box. Ill try running it on xp, as i tried vista yesterday with no luck. Problem is; vm box doesnt see it either.

correction, it doesnt even see it as unidentified.

esmith13 · Sep 6, 2021

Did you put the AR in USB mode when you hooked it up to a pc? Think it is L+R+A+B when you power on and you get a screen where u can put it in usb mode to connect to a PC with the software.

Billyboii · Jun 28, 2022

For anyone still looking for a solution for this. I got it to work!!!

Tools:
Host PC: Windows 10
Oracle VM Virtual Box: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Windows XP SP3 32 Bit: https://archive.org/details/WinXPProSP3x86
Action Replay GBX Software http://uk.codejunkies.com/support/article.aspx?article_id=215

In case any of this software gets taken down in the future, you can download the files from here:
https://mega.nz/folder/4FV3jBxK#hAL6e0E1mMSzXjL9-FF7mw
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/dilgu60gc0c8g/Action_Replay
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c4i5bq4loxx5z5k/AACR6MALLOxrRU93xSZoozsUa?dl=0

There are plenty of guides out there on how to set up Windows XP in VirtualBox so I won't be going over that, but if you need help check this out:

Once Windows XP is setup and booted, install the Action Replay software

For actually getting the device to work, I needed to do the following:
- Have the action replay plugged into a GBA with a cartridge in it.
- The GBA needs to be powered ON normally and NOT IN USB MODE. If you need USB mode for some reason, you power on the GBA and hold L+R+A+B.
- The GBA should be booted to the Action Replay main menu.
- Then plug the USB cable into the Action Replay and directly into your PC, not a USB Hub.
- You *should* be able to see it in the device manager on the HOST PC at this point as a device called "GBA Link" with an error. Although this wasn't always consistent.
- At this point you'll want to virtually plug the USB device into the XP machine. Turn the XP machine on and once it is booted up, from the VirtualBox window select Devices -> USB -> Datel GBA Link [0001]. This 0001 number may differ for you, the important part is the Datel GBA Link
- Once that is checked off, you *should* be able to see the device in the Windows XP Device Manager under "USBIO controlled devices" as "MaxDrive". You can open the Device Manager by clicking on the Start Menu -> Run... and typing in devmgmt.msc in the pop up window, then hit enter.
- Right click on "MaxDrive" and select "Update Driver"
- On the first prompt, select "No not this time"
- On the second prompt, select "Install from a specific location (Advanced)"
- On the third prompt, select "Don't search, I will choose the driver to install"
- On the fourth prompt, select the "Have Disk..." button
- In the window that pops up, click the browse button.
- Browse to C:\Program Files\Datel\ActionReplayGBA\Drivers and select gbalink.inf and click the Open button
- Then hit Ok on the Install from Disk popup window
- Then hit Next on the Hardware Update Wizard window
- The Action Replay should now show up in the Action Replay Software!
- If you have trouble getting it to show up, shutdown the XP machine by doing to the Start Menu -> Turn Off Computer, reboot your host PC, then start the XP machine back up. That helped usually if any of the steps above didn't seem right.

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