Hardware Converting VBA .sav files to use with EZ 3-in1?

[CraddaPoosta]

I have an R4 with Wood 1.06 and GBA Exploader .58b. Everything runs perfectly; I've had no games fail me so far.

What I've been doing lately has been to load Kingdom Hearts CoM in the NOR, using GBA Exploader .58b, then I just boot the GBA games straight from Wood 1.06. I found that if you have a larger game installed to the NOR than the game you're currently trying to run, you don't need to even boot Exploader when you want to play a different game.

What this winds up doing is creating, for example, 'Double Dragon Advance (U).gba.sav', in the same folder I have all of my GBA ROMs in. If I load a game using GBA Exploader, it creates .sav files in the GBA_SAVE folder, not the same ROM folder as the GBA games.

I want to play Final Fantasy VI Advance, but I know how long it will take me to grind for Gau's Rage techniques, so I wanted to do that part using VBA so I could overclock it and cut that time down to a tenth of what it would normally take.

The problem is, VBA isn't recognizing the .sav files from Exploader. Also, Exploader doesn't recognize the .sav files from VBA, so I can't get either of them to work.

Does anyone know the precise, step-by-step method to transfer a VBA save file to use on my flash card, and vice versa? I've looked around, but none of the guides I've tried has worked.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

All saves will work directly except eeprom save types and 1 type of flash save type. That means you do not have to convert any saves from VBA to use on the 3in1.


Use File->Import->Battery File, some games will only recognize the save that way, others you can just drop in the save and it will work. When you do a import, immediately save the game with the game save function for the data to stick or your save will revert to any previous one you had.

Look up your game save type before you decide to transfer. If it is the EEPROM save type, etc; you will not be able to use it directly. To fix a EEPROM save file, you will need to get a hold of the GBA backup tool program in the download section. In it is a VB script file that will fix any eeprom save file to use in VBA if the game save came from gba exploader. Use it on any eeprom save file that came from VBA to get it to work on the 3in1. If your using a mac, your out of luck running that script.

If you need to see how to look up your game uses eeprom here is a visual:

 

[CraddaPoosta]

Perhaps there is something I am missing.

I tried to find that tool you mentioned, and all I found was Rudolph's GBA Tool, which was an NDS file.

Here's the thing; I load all of my GBA games directly from Wood R4. I never even use GBAExploader, even though I have the files on my cart.

It always creates '.gba.sav.' files in the same folder I keep my ROMs in; nothing ever appears in the GBA_SAVE folder, period.

The way I got it to work like this was to install Kingdom Heats - CoM to NOR, because it's the largest GBA game I can load into NOR. When I do that, then I can just skip using GBAExploader at all, and just boot the GBA games directly from Wood R4's menu.

Do you think that has anything to do with why it makes the save files a totally different size than VBA? For example; my .gba.sav file for Harvest Moon FoMT is 33kb, but when I play it in VBA, it is 64kb, and neither can be used on the other. I can't import the battery file as you suggested, because it always says it is not valid.

 

[Masked Ranger]

http://filetrip.net/file.php?id=3680

Inside the file should the .vba or .vbs file.

 

[CraddaPoosta]

I already had this; same exact file, as a matter of fact. There is no .vba or .vbs file in that package. Just the GBA Exploader .58b that I have been using this whole time.

I really think there is no way for me to modify this .sav file.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

It is in this file: http://filetrip.net/file.php?id=3228
The gba backup tool. use the vbs file on eeprom save types only.

 

[Masked Ranger]

how_do_i_do_that to the rescue!! I knew it was either in the Exploader or the backup tool, just couldn't remember which one.

 

[CraddaPoosta]

I tried downloading and running that. I installed Harvest Moon - FoMT to NOR.

I put the Harvest Moon.gba.sav in the GBA_Backup folder that it created. I tried to replace the SAV with that one, and it said it worked. I reloaded, and it didn't.

I tried using the VB script. It did nothing.

No matter what I do, I cannot transfer the SAV file of my saved game of Harvest Moon and get it to run on VBA.

I don't suppose either of you swell fellows would care to help me out by having me upload this SAV file for you, and to see if you can figure it out for me? I will repay you with tales of adventure and fortune.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Using GBA Exploader, you use the GBA_SAVE folder, GBA_BACKUP is used by the backup tool.

You put your saves in the GBA_SAVE if your going to flash your game to NOR and flash the save manually.

 

[CraddaPoosta]

I guess maybe I am not explaining myself well enough, or that I have made it sound like I am a total noob at this.

I have tried that. I have done everything you can possibly think of, and no matter what I do, this 33kb SAV file that my EZ 3-in-1 has created CANNOT be used in VBA, and I cannot even copy Harvest Moon to my cart to NOR and manually flash the save. It simply does nothing.

I've put the SAV file in GBA_Backup, as both "Harvest Moon.gba.sav" and "Harvest Moon.sav". Same for GBA_SAVE. I tried using both of them, with both GBAExploader, manually, in NOR, and using the GBA_BACKUP folder and the GBA Backup tool.

Nothing works. All that ever happens is that I wind up with a game that doesn't have ANY save file; it's like I never had a SAV to begin with, and it starts me off at the New Game screen.

I tried using the VB script to convert the SAV so I could use it on VBA, and it says it cannot import that SAV, either.

Not kidding; if you can think of it, I have tried it, using GBAExploader and GBA Backup Tool. Every possible configuration has failed me.

I am pretty much going to just give up at this point.

 

[sonictopfan]

Hi everyone, i been having a similar problem for about a month now and can't get to it, i finally got an EzFlash 3in1 V for my NDS lite, i have an R4 + Wood R4, running GBA ROMs now works fine, but i can't seem to get any saves from my VBA to my flash card!

To be honest i only wanna do this for Sonic games "Sonic Advance 1, 2, 3 Sonic Battle and Sonic Pinball Party" but everytime i start the game it always gives me the "select language" screen...

Running the ROM without GBA Exploader seems to save the game fine but cannot load an existed save from VBA, i googled my problem for hours and still no clue of what's wrong, i only wanna get my Sonic save files to work on the go because i don't wanna start them all over again, for the other GBA games as long as they run and save i can always start over with no problem, any help will be appreciated, thank!

Edit: nevermind, after some more testing i got it working, the problem is with the Tiny Chao Garden "Sonic Advance 1, 2 and Sonic Pinball Party" in which when loading a save file while it loads but when you go to the Chao Garden and hit "save and exsit" the game freezes, i could live with that, thanks anyway!!

 

[starboy64]

I've got a dstt (with gbaexploder 0.58b) and a ez 3in1 and I wanted to use cheats in pokemon ruby and emerald and used gbaatm(to use cheat codes for GBA games and converts them into machine language that is embedded into the games ) but failed so I decided to play it on add cheats on vba and got the cheats on the .sav file .Now I want to convert the .sav file to make it ez 3 in 1 compatible . Can anyone help me?