Hacking EZ Flash iV won't play GBA games, freezing at Game Boy screen

[Sulz]

I recently got an EZ Flash iV (phat) to play GBA games on. So far, I've been able to play none of them.

I followed the guide to set it up pretty much to a t: http://ezflash.sosuke.com/wiki/index.php?title=EZFlash_IV_Tutorial

My main issue is, I haven't been able to get any games to load properly. At first all I got was white screens; then I figured out I was patching them incorrectly. After patching them correctly using EZ4Client and GBATA, I've still had no luck. At one point I was able to get a few games to play, but a few seconds into them they would lock up and have audio issues. Now, I usually get to the Game Boy screen with games, but either there's no Nintendo logo, or it's all garbled. I just cannot seem to do anything to fix this, and I'm really not sure what's causing the issue.

The EZ4Client is supposedly from 7/25/2008. The firmware I'm using is the one found here: http://filetrip.net/gba-downloads/c...sh-iv-1720-reset-mother-3-skin-10-f24994.html

I guess it's also worth noting that I'm using a microSD to miniSD adapter - Transcend brand bought from newegg, 2gb. I've heard there are issues sometimes from using a microSD but I find it hard to believe and would like to know if there's anything else I might be doing wrong and could try to fix. (not trying to sound rude here, it's just I'd rather not buy a minisd and have it not work either and lose money)

I should also note the games I've tried so far are:
Super Mario Advance - I know this has a 8.3 naming thing, I got it to work at one point but it locked up.
Sonic Advance - never gotten past Game Boy screen.
Breath of Fire II - got to load, froze shortly into the game and will not go past Game Boy screen.
Astro Boy - same as Sonic.

I've tried formatting the SD card multiple times as well using Panasonic SD Formatter, still no luck.

I've also tested on DS Lite, Micro and SP, same results across the board.

Can anyone please help fix this issue?

If I left out any important info let me know...would really like to figure this out, this is extremely frustrating. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[FAST6191]

What you are describing is classic microSD to miniSD adapter being bad (if your logic going in is you have seen countless microSD to full SD adapters work without fail for years I would agree and saw the same thing, we have also seen lots of cases of the micro to mini adapters causing issues like this).
Still you might also want to try giving the pins on the EZ4 itself a clean; pencil rubber/eraser if that is all you have (go with the grain) but a cotton bud/qtip dipped in something that will not leave a residue (proper acetone nail polish remover without any added extras is something more people will have to hand than proper contact cleaner) is nicer.

 

[Sulz]

I figured as much, the more I read into it. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't something else I may be doing wrong first. I actually got things to work after formatting the card using Linux (using this guide: http://ezflash4.tumblr.com/formatting), but shortly afterwards had the same troubles again. Managed to find 2 other adapters and some other microSD cards (honestly didn't know I had so many lying around) and test various combinations of cards and adapters and yep, weird errors all over the place. I'd never guess it was the adapter.

In any case, I have an actual miniSD on the way now, so hopefully that works. I'll post with results I suppose...

One more question: would an issue with the micro to miniSD adapter also cause games to not load into NOR properly, or might something be wrong with my EZ4? Every time I would try to load games into NOR they would load way faster than they should (judging from videos and others' descriptions of the process at least), and then they would fail to appear on the cart.

 

[FAST6191]

What seems to happen is those miniSD adapters do not make contact properly leading to it randomly not being there and the EZ4 is not coded to handle such events (indeed short of crazy high price industrial/medical/server world I doubt anything is) which would mess up its routine involving the saves (which the NOR still uses) and it seems fairly logical to go on from there with it failing to see the card and thinking it is done (most GBA games respond very badly to being overtrimmed too).

I am hesitant to suggest it for no other reason than you will have to find a way to get it on there in the first place (not something I would want to attempt with what is effectively a flaky SD card) and in your case it will not do that much good (you lack a viable way to get things on the NOR) but Kuwanger modded a version of the kernel to use in desmume/VBA (it worked until it got to the point where it had to read the SD).

 

[Sulz]

Well, got the new memory card. Not a thing has changed. Going to assume its a bad cart.

EDIT: more info, using a miniSD this time, following all the usual steps. Games just will not load at all. I can operate all the other functions of the cart perfectly fine, but trying to play any rom at all results in the Game Boy screen, and thats it. I'm not sure if there's something else I should be doing in the EZ4Client or what.

DOUBLE EDIT: I've tested the memory card in my old Supercard MiniSD, and it works just fine. Not the memory card's fault, then.