Hacking EZ Flash IV MicroSDHC version won't launch games properly

[ltsheppard]

Sadly, all games seem to get stuck on the Gameboy logo screen. The Nintendo logo doesn't show up.

When I put the games into NOR, they do start.

I've patched them either with the original EZ Client and with the alternate ezgba.

Trying a different micro sd did not yield better results.

I've used kernel 1.76, 1.77, EZ-Flat 1.77 and BlueNight 1.77. Always the same result, stuck at Gameboy Logo.

Is my cart/PSRAM faulty or is there something I'm just not seeing?

 

[FAST6191]

Have you tried launching by holding L and then pressing A?

Alternatively if the microSD is loose it can cause some things like that, however the extended write times of the NOR tend to make it show up there more.

 

[ltsheppard]

Pressing L when launching did not make any difference.

I don't know how the SD could be loose. It's spring loaded afaik.

 

[FAST6191]

Loose might have been a bad choice of words in this case. If good contact is not made between the pins and the slot all sorts of things can happen.

But yes it would seem like your PSRAM is possibly faulty in this instance.

 

[ltsheppard]

I've just tested it again and Metroid Zero Mission also freezes when written to NOR. The only difference is that it shows the Nintendo Logo now. I find it improbable that both PSRAM and NOR should be damaged.

Any ideas?

 

[FAST6191]

If the NOR is also not working then I am back to the microSD maybe not making the best contact.

If you have the means to clean it then do so, if you lack such things then try removing and inserting the card a bunch of times.

 

[Localhorst86]

Check the Roms with an emulator as well. Other than that, all the usual other causes have already been mentioned.

 

[ltsheppard]

I've already removed it a bunch of times. Cleaned the contacts. ROMs should also be ok... there isn't really anything more I can do at this point I guess.

I'll try with a non sdhc micro sd if I can find one but I'm not very hopeful.

 

[ltsheppard]

Small update:

If I'm using kernel 1.75, I can start a game from NOR if I load holding L. This does not work on any newer kernel, and it doesn't seem to matter if hard reset should be enabled by default.

Starting from SD doesn't work on any kernel.

Might this be some kind of software problem in the end?

 

[Localhorst86]

That sounds really weird. What brand SD are you using? Have you tried completely reformatting the card?

 

[ltsheppard]

I've tried a 4GB Kingston, a 8GB SanDisk and a 32GB Transcend. All SDHC.

I've formatted all of them before using (not fast). FAT32 default settings.

I don't really think it's a SD problem. It's weird that I have to press L on a Reset enabled loader. And that it only works on 1.75...

 

[ltsheppard]

I'm pretty sure now that it's a hardware problem. Sometimes (twice now) I've got some games to work. But after reinserting the SD/EZ Flash, the same games won't start anymore.

In my opinion, there's either something wrong with the micro sd slot or the card itself.