Hacking Ewin Expansion Pak - newish info

[Eyedunno]

I just got my Ewin Expansion Pak today. Here are a few details that don't seem to be mentioned elsewhere.

First off, compatibility is awesome. Unfortunately, saving in The Lost Vikings and Puzzle Fighter doesn't seem to work.

However, Puzzle Fighter runs, at least, which is not true of the 3-in-1 (at present). Is there maybe something I'm missing, perhaps some button combo for certain save types? Full info on the stuff I tested is as follows:
Title (Runs? / Saves?)
Super Dodge Ball Advance JPN (Y / Y)
Final Fight One JPN (Y / Y)
Super Street Fighter II X Revival JPN (Y / Y)
EX Monopoly JPN (Y / Y)
Street Fighter Zero 3 Upper JPN (Y / Y)
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo EUR (Y / N)
The Lost Vikings USA (Y / N)
Kunio Kun Nekketsu Collection 1 JPN (Y / ?) (not sure this game even uses save data - it's the NES Super Dodge Ball, for Pete's sake!)

Secondly, the Pak already apparently is detected as a RAM expansion in SNEmulDS. I haven't tested any other homebrew with it, but I'm guessing many people will be surprised with what works.

Finally, Opera. I got the first part of this info off of a Japanese page, and it's the reason I actually bought this thing. I wanted to use a clean Opera ROM. Well, actually, I don't much care if it's clean or not, but I wanted to use the Japanese version of Opera, and there's no patch for that. Anyway, to use Opera without patching on an R4 with the Ewin Expansion Pak, open the GBA Loader and press L+R. Everything else should be pretty obvious from here, except MAYBE for non-R4 users, who may have to QUICKLY turn off their DSes and turn them on again before starting the browser.

But that's not all! Unlike with the 3-in-1, you can use it with the OFFICIAL Opera card! Here's how:
1. Start the GBA Loader utility.
2. Press L+R.
3. Press A to patch the SDRAM.
4. After it's finished patching it (if you have an R4, it will take you to the R4 menu; this is fine), take out your slot-1 card, put in Opera, and QUICKLY turn your DS off, then on.
5. Start Opera as normal!

Hopefully this info helps people out. I'm a little disappointed about saves in The Lost Vikings and Puzzle Fighter, but at least the latter runs!

 

[jelbo]

Thanks for the L+R info. Actually, the (E) version of the DS Browser can be used with the SuperCard patch for use with the EEP.

I think the EEP has the same or acts the same as the SuperCard RAM, that may explain why SNEmulDS recognizes it.

 

[Eyedunno]

Thanks for the L+R info. Actually, the (E) version of the DS Browser can be used with the SuperCard patch for use with the EEP.
Yeah, but I want Japanese input, and I strongly suspect the (E) version doesn't offer it.

QUOTE(jelbo @ Oct 22 2007, 08:25 PM)I think the EEP has the same or acts the same as the SuperCard RAM, that may explain why SNEmulDS recognizes it.

Yeah, I have the feeling of reading somewhere that the Ewin Pak's SDRAM is almost identical to the Supercard's, but I can't remember where now, if I'm not just imagining it to begin with.

Oh, and anybody here know Chinese?

I wish I could get in touch with whoever developed the GBA Loader, so I could inform them of my save issues.

 

[jelbo]

Try these forums: http://www.tvgame360.com.tw/viewthread.php...3&extra=&page=1

eWin has forums too, but I can't seem to find them again.

 

[Sinkhead]

The Ewin forums are located here but they are Chinese.

- Sam

 

[Eyedunno]

Try these forums: http://www.tvgame360.com.tw/viewthread.php...3&extra=&page=1

I wasn't saying that because I know Chinese; I don't, and I was wondering if someone could put in a report for me.

That page makes my head hurt. It certainly seems like a site that could be helpful, but I wouldn't know what to type in the ?? section so Taiwanese people could understand me.

 

[jelbo]

I know, but I managed to register myself on both forums and you can always try to post your findings/issues in English.

 

[Wii_DS.]

i got a eWin Expansion Pack.

I love it.

But i wish there was a forum in English and there was a nice looking loader.

 

[shazattaz]

kool

i'm still waiting on my EEP to come in the mail. :/

 

[Destructobot]

If you can't get a game to save, try SRAM patching it with GBATA.

BTW, Super Puzzle Fighter II runs and saves just fine on the 3-in-1.

 

[Eyedunno]

If you can't get a game to save, try SRAM patching it with GBATA.

BTW, Super Puzzle Fighter II runs and saves just fine on the 3-in-1.

Weird. I couldn't get past the intro FMV on the 3-in-1.

As for SRAM patching, I don't see how it would work on the 3-in-1, which uses clean ROMs patched when loaded to SDRAM via small files on the slot-1 card.

 

[Destructobot]

As for SRAM patching, I don't see how it would work on the 3-in-1, which uses clean ROMs patched when loaded to SDRAM via small files on the slot-1 card.

I assume you're talking about the eWin expansion cart here. I'd try patching with GBATA anyway. It might work, and it's not likely to cause any harm.

 

[Eyedunno]

I assume you're talking about the eWin expansion cart here. I'd try patching with GBATA anyway. It might work, and it's not likely to cause any harm.

Oh yes, sorry. I was indeed talking about the Ewin. I had a few minutes to leave for work, and thought I'd just reply in 30 seconds. :/

Anyway, I'll give it a shot when I get home for the evening.

Also, anybody know what savetype the Ewin Expansion Pak uses? They're 128KB, but I'm not sure what other devices, if any, would produce compatible savetypes. I already have a completed Lost Vikings savegame, and I'd like to use it, once I get saves working to begin with.

 

[shazattaz]

well i got my EEP today

everything has worked so far except mother 3, which the EEP has troubles patching.

 

[Eyedunno]

Ugh, nothing is working. I tried patching with GBATA AND with the SuperCard software. In each case, the games ran correctly, but failed to save.

I even tried different dumps. Still no dice.

 

[Sweater Fish Del]

I think the EEP has the same or acts the same as the SuperCard RAM, that may explain why SNEmulDS recognizes it.

Yeah, I have the feeling of reading somewhere that the Ewin Pak's SDRAM is almost identical to the Supercard's, but I can't remember where now, if I'm not just imagining it to begin with.

Is this true?

The Supercard's are crappy carts to use for GBA because the RAM in them is slower than in other slot-2 flash carts and much slower than an actual GBA cartridge, so many GBA games have very bad slowdown when being played on a Supercard. Does the Ewin Expansion Pak also have this problem of slowdown in GBA games?

Also, if I patch the Opera ROM with the Triforce patch, can I just load Opera directly without having to fool around with the Ewin loader and resetting the DS quickly or any of that first?


...word is bondage...

 

[golden]

Does anyone know if the eWin's extra 4megabytes or so of RAM over the ez flash 3in1 actually make a difference with Opera and SnesMulds?

 

[OSW]

1. i don't think it has any extra ram.... certainly not 4 megabytes.
because the memory only comes in certain amounts. like 8, 16, 32 etc.

2. if it does have more ram, i have a feeling Opera can't use it (i think it would have to be hacked to do so)

EDIT: Sorry, it seems i was at least partially wrong. it does have 32 megabytes, and i'm no longer confident about the opera statement

 

[Maikel Steneker]

1. i don't think it has any extra ram.... certainly not 4 megabytes.
because the memory only comes in certain amounts. like 8, 16, 32 etc.

It does. The 3in1 has 16 MB of RAM and the EEP has 32 MB.

 

[Eyedunno]

The Supercard's are crappy carts to use for GBA because the RAM in them is slower than in other slot-2 flash carts and much slower than an actual GBA cartridge, so many GBA games have very bad slowdown when being played on a Supercard. Does the Ewin Expansion Pak also have this problem of slowdown in GBA games?
Absolutely not. All games run at full speed.

UNLESS, that is, you save patch them using the SuperCard software. Then they'll be just as slow as they are on the SuperCard. This makes me suspicious of the claim that it really is RAM speed that causes SuperCard GBA issues.

QUOTE(Sweater Fish Deluxe @ Jan 13 2008, 09:06 AM)Also, if I patch the Opera ROM with the Triforce patch, can I just load Opera directly without having to fool around with the Ewin loader and resetting the DS quickly or any of that first?

Sadly, no. If you use a patched Opera, you need a quick power cycle after running it once for the RAM to be detected. Hence the official loader is currently the best option for running Opera.

Okay, onto the other browser concerns. I might be mistaken here, but it is my understanding that both the patches and the loader software are patching the RAM on the expansion cart (so that the browser's code thinks it's the official RAM cart) rather than the actual RAM access code of the browser.