Hacking EZ Flash IV 2.0 Kernel Release - No more patching

[Jayro]

Card compatibility has changed with 1.75 you might want to stick to 1.74

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Okay, thank you. I got the miniSD inside of a Wii from Goodwill, and put it to use so I didn't need a microSD adapter.

 

[THYPLEX]

Looking forward to try this. I assume the 256Mbit times are the NOR flashing times, right?

What's the Nor ?
never used or possessed a ezflash , so i'm curious

 

[FAST6191]

What's the Nor ?
never used or possessed a ezflash , so i'm curious

GBA games require fast memory to run, without it you run into all sorts of problems (slowdowns, crashes, glitches, need for extensive hacking/patching to have games even run...). This is also why GBA carts are quite expensive relative to DS ones which can run happily from microSD cards, more on that shortly though.

Older GBA flash carts had increasingly large NOR chips with new versions, however NOR has limitations, larger sizes get very expensive (especially during the GBA's lifetime) and is also quite slow to write. Today you will mainly only find fire cards that do NOR only, and there is a reason they only come in 128Mbit (16 megabytes) and 256Mbit (32 megabytes) sizes.
Various flash carts then moved to having a section of fast memory and a section of slower but larger stuff used for long term storage. They write the stuff from the long term storage to the fast memory, set the fast stuff as what the GBA sees and go from there.

There are two types of memory which are fast enough to run GBA games reliably.
RAM (in flash carts a type typically called PSRAM). Fast to write to, relatively cheap and like most RAM loses data when the power goes out.
NOR. Slow to write to (minutes for the full 32 megabytes), quite expensive for the size, has some quirks (if you write 4 files and want to delete the second then 3 and 4 are coming off as well in the typical FILO - first in last out setup), does not have the longest lifetime (to wear out RAM you might need decades but you could realistically do NOR under something sort of resembling normal conditions) but the data will stay there until you erase it.

The EZ3 (and then EZ4 and EZ3 in 1) opted to have both types on 1 cart. In most configurations* of the EZ3, EZ4 and 3 in 1 you have 128Mbit of PSRAM and 256Mbit of NOR. For reference GBA games mostly top out at 256Mbit ( https://mgba.io/2015/10/20/dumping-the-undumped/ ) but most games people want to play are 128Mbit or less, I have a list of 256Mbit titles in http://gbatemp.net/threads/buying-a-gba-flash-cart-in-2013.341203/page-18#post-4756995 if you were curious.
Other carts like some of the m3 line have 256Mbit of RAM so there is that (that combined with them still having a real time clock for pokemon made them somewhat desirable for many years), also the new everdrive GBA line does some interesting things and has even faster to write RAM.

*there are some 3 in 1s with 512Mbit of NOR even if nothing uses it, the EZ4 lite deluxe has 256Mbit of RAM and 384 (it is 256+128) of NOR, the EZ4 lite compact barely has anything (it was aimed at those with a GBA cart but wanting to run DS ROMs) and I looked at my microSD EZ4 when it came in and it technically has a 512Mbit NOR chip http://gbatemp.net/threads/new-ez4-sdhc-in-house-at-gbatemp.381182/#post-5333429 but it is soft locked to 256 it seems.

 

[simbin]

I'm thinking about picking one up for my DS Lite. I already own the EverDrive-GBA X5 but don't like how it sticks out. What features am I losing?

 

[Localhorst86]

I'm thinking about picking one up for my DS Lite. I already own the EverDrive-GBA X5 but don't like how it sticks out. What features am I losing?

Instant loading of games, RTC support. Also, build quality of the EZFlash IV is not as top notch as the EDGBA.

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[simbin]

Instant loading of games, RTC support. Also, build quality of the EZFlash IV is not as top notch as the EDGBA.

Any limitation on how many games per folder? Hoping SmokeMonster Pack works out of box.

 

[Localhorst86]

Any limitation on how many games per folder? Hoping SmokeMonster Pack works out of box.

Games per folder have increased to 300 and something. However, filenames can't be longer than 60 characters.

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[THYPLEX]

GBA games require fast memory to run, without it you run into all sorts of problems (slowdowns, crashes, glitches, need for extensive hacking/patching to have games even run...). This is also why GBA carts are quite expensive relative to DS ones which can run happily from microSD cards, more on that shortly though.

Older GBA flash carts had increasingly large NOR chips with new versions, however NOR has limitations, larger sizes get very expensive (especially during the GBA's lifetime) and is also quite slow to write. Today you will mainly only find fire cards that do NOR only, and there is a reason they only come in 128Mbit (16 megabytes) and 256Mbit (32 megabytes) sizes.
Various flash carts then moved to having a section of fast memory and a section of slower but larger stuff used for long term storage. They write the stuff from the long term storage to the fast memory, set the fast stuff as what the GBA sees and go from there.

There are two types of memory which are fast enough to run GBA games reliably.
RAM (in flash carts a type typically called PSRAM). Fast to write to, relatively cheap and like most RAM loses data when the power goes out.
NOR. Slow to write to (minutes for the full 32 megabytes), quite expensive for the size, has some quirks (if you write 4 files and want to delete the second then 3 and 4 are coming off as well in the typical FILO - first in last out setup), does not have the longest lifetime (to wear out RAM you might need decades but you could realistically do NOR under something sort of resembling normal conditions) but the data will stay there until you erase it.

The EZ3 (and then EZ4 and EZ3 in 1) opted to have both types on 1 cart. In most configurations* of the EZ3, EZ4 and 3 in 1 you have 128Mbit of PSRAM and 256Mbit of NOR. For reference GBA games mostly top out at 256Mbit ( https://mgba.io/2015/10/20/dumping-the-undumped/ ) but most games people want to play are 128Mbit or less, I have a list of 256Mbit titles in http://gbatemp.net/threads/buying-a-gba-flash-cart-in-2013.341203/page-18#post-4756995 if you were curious.
Other carts like some of the m3 line have 256Mbit of RAM so there is that (that combined with them still having a real time clock for pokemon made them somewhat desirable for many years), also the new everdrive GBA line does some interesting things and has even faster to write RAM.

*there are some 3 in 1s with 512Mbit of NOR even if nothing uses it, the EZ4 lite deluxe has 256Mbit of RAM and 384 (it is 256+128) of NOR, the EZ4 lite compact barely has anything (it was aimed at those with a GBA cart but wanting to run DS ROMs) and I looked at my microSD EZ4 when it came in and it technically has a 512Mbit NOR chip http://gbatemp.net/threads/new-ez4-sdhc-in-house-at-gbatemp.381182/#post-5333429 but it is soft locked to 256 it seems.

Man , thanks a lot for your explanation (maybe a little too hard rock understand for me , but i appreciate the effort)

 

[codezer0]

Any limitation on how many games per folder? Hoping SmokeMonster Pack works out of box.

Some games required 8.3 naming on very old firmware. That issue has seemingly been fixed as of 1.78 per my own usage.

on ez's site about it, they claim a maximum of 99 per folder for optimal performance. I can't speak about character limits, but at least every game that once needed an 8.3 name has since been fixed as of 1.78 for me.

 

[simbin]

I'm thinking about picking one up for my DS Lite. I already own the EverDrive-GBA X5 but don't like how it sticks out. What features am I losing?

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm sticking with my EverDrive-GBA X5 for now. I don't like how it sticks out of my DS Lite but $25-$30 is still too much for the EZ-Flash IV and its shortcomings. Maybe $20 I'll snag one.

 

[matt!]

Can 2.01 be skinned?

 

[Localhorst86]

Can 2.01 be skinned?

Yes

 

[matt!]

Yes

Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks

 

[Localhorst86]

Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks

You need to use a skinning tool, I myself use the skin builder by draxoon (see this link), extract the kernel from a 2.01 release and replace the RomBuildPro.rom in the res folder with the new kernel.

 

[matt!]

Thanks!

 

[123Martin321]

Guys I just got the cartridge, loaded 2.01 on it, pressed R and turned on the gameboy. But I stopped pressing R before "ERASING" was shown. Now I think its stuck at "UPDATING" what should I do? Did I release the R button too soon? What will happen if I turn off and on the gba?

 

[migles]

Guys I just got the cartridge, loaded 2.01 on it, pressed R and turned on the gameboy. But I stopped pressing R before "ERASING" was shown. Now I think its stuck at "UPDATING" what should I do? Did I release the R button too soon? What will happen if I turn off and on the gba?

you dont need to press R all the time, you just need to get into the erasing part

 

[123Martin321]

yes, but I released R BEFORE i got to the erasing part. What should I do now?

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

you dont need to press R all the time, you just need to get into the erasing part

I am so in panic now. I don't want the card to be screwed up before I even started playing.

 

[migles]

yes, but I released R BEFORE i got to the erasing part. What should I do now?

nothing, it's good.
the propose of the R is to tell the card you want to flash it.
YOU DON?T NEED TO HOLD R. R is just used to tell the card you want to update

 

[123Martin321]

nothing, it's good.
the propose of the R is to tell the card you want to flash it.
YOU DON?T NEED TO HOLD R. R is just used to tell the card you want to update

Ok, but its stuck at "ezfla_up.bin, updating" for 10 minutes. Is it normal? I haven't even been in the menu or something like that. Can I turn off the gbasp and try it again?