Hacking Fire Linker 128M Transferring Saves

[HippyTesla]

Hi! I've recently got a Fire Linker with a 128 Mbit flash cart. I can write ROMs to it using the Chinese software provided with it and with the English SPLink software. But, I have troubles saving games. Games that use SRAM won't save at all. Golden Sun says "Could Not Save". Final Fantasy VI says "Corrupt File", then asks to delete it, anda then says it's corrupt as soon as I try to save again.
Games that use flash say it's saved, but it's erased even if I only restart GBA using A+B+SELECT+START.
Games that use EPROM(e.g.Minish Cap) Save OK, and keep their saves. But I cannot transfer them to my PC, which is REALLY important. When I use the Chinese software, it backs up saves to the PC, but no matter how big the save file should be(e.g.Minish Cap uses 8 kB EPROM) it is backed up as a 64 kB.sav file. When I use SPLink, it's save manager sees 4 "unknown games" 64 kB eaca. I backed 'em up using ALL the resize options, and it didn't help. It doesn't bac up files correct, because as soon as I transfer them bac on the flash cart, they are blank. BUT, if I upload a Visual Boy Advance save using SP-Link and the"auto resize" option, it works,the save file is OK on the GBA. That means the programs are unable to copy saves from the flash cart to the PC.
Internal battery's voltage is 2,5 V, which is OK, it's still charging. Below 1,5 V is bad. So, it's not the battery.
Any ideas?
Thanks

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Try using GBA Backup tool to dump the save. Requires you have a DS and a slot1 to use.

GBA Backup tool : http://filetrip.net/f3228-GBA-Backup-Tool-0-21.html

 

[HippyTesla]

Unfortunately, I fdon't have an NDS yet, anything that might work with Fire Linker LPT cable and a regular GBA?

 

[HippyTesla]

OK, I just noticed a weird thing. If I use program "sendsave" to transfer savegames from the flash cart to the PC, it looks like it goes OK, but I cannot load that save in VisualBoyAdvance. It's an empt save file. After that, the "Nintendo" logo is garbled until I resend the ROM to the cart. Now, if I try to restore that save file to the flash cart, it goes on forever, it never really writes it.

Now, the wird thing is, after one of these unsuccesful attempts, while experimenting with Zelda ALttP, I turned on the GBA and it loaded three games I wrote to the card several days ago! I mean, ther were tons of games written to it after that, and those three games were not! How is it possible that it reverted to the memory content from days ago? And why the heck is it so hard to backup savegames to my PC?

It's a weird one, this flash cart...

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Zelda ALttp uses a save type of EEPROM, in that save file is a backup of the save. Any unreadable data in the main save is overwritten by the backup.

If you didn't SRAM patch the game before use, these reversions of your saves will ALWAYS happen or you lose the save completely.

I personally find the firelink gba carts to be utter crap, I have never gotten them to work reasonally in any manner. I can't give you any real help on the flashcart itself.


As for the VBA issues, that is related to the save types. The firelinker doesn't support EEPROM save types while VBA does. Any saves you can dump will only work with a patched rom of the game. And from your all the problems your listing is that you didn't SRAM patch Zelda before trying to run it on the firelinker and your trying to use the save with a clean version of Zelda on your PC.

 

[HippyTesla]

I think you misunderstood. I'll try to be as clear as I can, since English obviously isn't my native language.

Games that use EEPROM save (Zelda ALttP and TMC, Final Fight One, etc), save OK. Saves are there even days after not using the cart. The only problem is that I cannot transfer them to my PC, no matter what program I use.

Games that use either SRAM or FLASH, cannot save at all! Both Golden Suns report a save error when I try to save. Final Fantasy Games, too. Chu Chu Rocket, and all the others. It's like the cart doesn't spport SRAM and FLASH, which is wierd. Usually, when it comes to this cart, poeple report lack of EEPROM support, and the other too work.

I think SRAM patching any EEPROM game will cause it not to work on Fire Linker at all, but I'll give it a try. Can't hurt.

And, one other thing: when I said that the cart reverted to the three games I burned days ago, I didn't mean three save games, I ment three actual ROMs! After firing it up, I found loader with three games I played days ago, and after them had at least ten different games burned. And I always fill the memory up, there's no way they couldn't have been erased by the time this happened. How is this possible?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

No I didn't. You can stay where you are then.

 

[HippyTesla]

What program should I use to patch a ROM? I know there exists GBA-something-Tool, can't remember what was it called exactly.

Main problem is my country, I hardly found this one, I doubt I'll find another flash cart. That's why I'm so persistent about this.

 

[HippyTesla]

Sorry for double posting

SRAM patching didn't work. It saves fine, but saves cannot be transferred. I think I'll use this cr*p for games that do not use, or need save function, and just get a new one, normal card that goes to USB for starters.

Is there a GBA flash cart that CAN be shipped to Serbia?

After that, feel free to close the topic, thanks for the efforts