Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 Save Backup Issues

[gilgatex]

Ok, I've hit a wall with this. I cannot get any program to backup or write saves to Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 on the GBA. This is especially frustrating because the game is essentially unplayable because it frequently crashes while saving, completely wiping the save game.

Here is what I have:

• An NTR-001 NDS (electric blue if that matters)
• A CycloDS Evolution card with a Class 4 Toshiba Micro SDHC card (4GB). Firmware is up to date.
• GBA Backup Tool 0.21
• 2 Copies of Dave Mirra (trying to transfer one save to the other, to troubleshoot the crash)

Here's what I've done:

1. Tried using GBA Backup Tool v2.1 with Dave Mirra 2
   1. It autodetects an EEPROM save file with a size of 512 bytes. When I save the file and open it up in a hex editor, it is 512 bytes of Fs.
   2. When I try to restore the save with all the Fs on Dave Mirra Cart 2, nothing happens. Cart 2's original save is still there.
   3. When I try to wipe the save file on the GBA cart and run it, the save file is still there
2. Tried using GBA Backup Tool with Air Force Delta Storm ("AFDS")
   1. It autodetects an EEPROM save file with a size of 512 bytes. When I save the file and open it up in a hex editor, it is 512 bytes of varying data
   2. When I try to wipe the save file on the GBA cart and run it, it correctly wipes the save
   3. When I used GBA Backup Tool to restore the save, it correctly restored it.
   4. At this point I assumed there was something wrong with the autodetect on the Dave Mirra game
3. I opened up both Dave Mirra and AFDS
   1. I noticed both had the same physical size on the EEPROM chip. However, AFDS had 9853 on it and Dave Mirra had 9854. After some googling, I found that 9854 is the 64kbit (8KB) size, not the 4kbit (0.5KB).
   2. I edited the GBA Backup Tool ini to use 8KB for save files instead of auto.
   3. When I loaded GBA Backup Tool it reflected my changes.
   4. When I backed up the save, it created an 8KB file. However, it was just 8KB of Fs in a hex editor.
   5. Wiping saves and restoring saves still did nothing. No error messages.
4. I tried using the EEPROM converter and loading the "F" files in mGBA and VBA. Both had empty saves.
5. I tried using DS Savegame Manager and it doesn't work with eeprom saves
6. I tried using eepinator to dump the save. It created an empty 64KB file. The hex dump of eeprom option gives me a "not implemented yet" message.
7. I tried using GodMode9i. It didn't have an option to copy a GBA save to the SD card, only from NDS to GBA flash card.

Anyone have any other ideas that don't require buying new hardware? I've run out of things to google.

If anyone has has a copy of Dave Mirra 2 on GBA with a different flash cart or hardware, can you see if you can get a save backup to work and let me know what you used?

TIA!

Post automatically merged: Jan 10, 2023

One quick update, I dumped both Dave Mirra carts and the roms had the same checksums.

Then I tried a new game on cart 2 in a different system even and had the game crashed on save just like the first cart. So I think the crashing is definitely software related, so I definitely need to be able to back up to complete this game.

 

[SchuchWun]

I randomly bought this cart at a game store in Mississauga ON Lol
I also managed to score locally a Benn Venn Joey Jr for a reasonable price.
Would love to help.