Hardware Flash2Advanced USB Writer HELP!!

[wolfeman]

Greetings.

I recently misplaced my old GBA Linker device I used to use to flash my 256Mb F2A card. God knows where the damn thing is.

I had a little USB thingy laying around branded: "Flash2Advance WRITER" so I thought I'd use that.

I found drivers and software all over the place including here in the downloads section. The problem is, ALL the F2A software I tried keeps asking my to turn my GBA on and press Select + Start.

Now this is nuts because this device is not the USB linker, or the iLinker, it is the "USB Writer". It has a mini USB on one end and a regular USB on the other end of the cable, it is NOT the cable that plugs in to the GBA for F2A USB. The unit itself is small black and has a mini usb slot and a slot for the flash cart, and like I said, it is specially branded Flash2Advane WRITER. It looks a lot like the EZ Flash kits that used to be out for the old flash carts but this is definitely F2A. And before some helpful person ask, yes, I did try the EZ flash software and it was a no go. I also tried pretty much every version of the F2A software to no avail. All of them keep asking me to turn on my GBA and press Star + Select... which is really driving me nuts since this is NOT that linker.

So please, some old time flash card users help a brother out here. How do I use the Flash2Advance WRITER unit? I can get the writer to be seen via USB, the drivers install and it shows green and as working in the device manager, but the damn software will not work which makes me think ther4e must be a special version of the software I need that I can't seem to find

many thanks in advance for all huge knowledgebase out there

-W

 

[DanTheManMS]

I know in the PowerWriter software you can specify in the options whether you're using a USB cable or the standalone writer, but I believe that's for F2A Ultra carts only. I've never used any regular F2A software so I don't know exactly what to tell you, sorry.

 

[wolfeman]

I have a 1GB Ultra cart too, and tried that as well... no go. it's not seeing the writer and thinks I have a GBA attached and there just seems to be no way to set it to look for the writer.

 

[DanTheManMS]

The downloads section of http://www.flash2advanceultra.tk/ seems to indicate that you need some "preboot" files for the USB Writer, though honestly I have no clue how you'd actually use these files.
EDIT: I'm blind, right next to that is a link for special software specifically for the USB Writer. Perhaps you've tried this already though.

 

[wolfeman]

The downloads section of http://www.flash2advanceultra.tk/ seems to indicate that you need some "preboot" files for the USB Writer, though honestly I have no clue how you'd actually use these files.
EDIT: I'm blind, right next to that is a link for special software specifically for the USB Writer. Perhaps you've tried this already though.

hmm, I think I was on this site but, i can't remember. where do you see the link you're talking about? I'm searching now, I'm sure I'll stumble over it.

edit: well, if it was f2aw31 you saw, then it does the same exact thing... you hit flash and it asks you to turn on your GBA.. grrrrrr. I'll keep looking though but this does not bode well. it's almost as if this device never existed. there isd also a link to some OSX software, I'm gonna try that as well.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

if its on a gba or a gba sp, you have to do the button mashing combo to get it into the mode.

I think it was press SELECT + START buttons simultaneously.

The F2A cart is kinda old and the loader came in two parts, thats where your preboot files come in.

 

[wolfeman]

if its on a gba or a gba sp, you have to do the button mashing combo to get it into the mode.

I think it was press SELECT + START buttons simultaneously.

The F2A cart is kinda old and the loader came in two parts, thats where your preboot files come in.

ok, i really do understand how to use it with the GBA link cable, but I'm using THIS:

http://www.chipspain.com/f2a-usb-writer-v10-p-1226.html

check it out, this is the usb writer that bypasses the gba, see the explanation of it on the link above.

the question is, how do I get past the "START+SELECT" command?? This is killing me because I can not find documentation anywhere and god knows where that mini cd-r that came with it went, I'll never find that thing again.

there must be someone out there who has used this thing before that can tell me wtf to do.

 

[Psyfira]

Never used one myself, but it sounds like you're using the wrong software. Google indicates you need something called "F2A USB Writer 1.02", filename F2AUSBWRITER_v102Setup.exe (PowerWriter will not work with the external writer, and USB Writer 1.1 looks like it's for the GBA cable).

Edit: bloody hell, that took forever to find:
http://www.importshop.nl/software/f2a/F2AU...R_v102Setup.exe

More info about the F2A USBWriter:
http://www.eurasia.nu/modules.php?name=Dow...h&query=f2a
http://www.64scener.com/gba/f2ausbw.htm

For more information try searching in the Archive Forum, which has plenty of information about older hardware.

 

[Psyfira]

(deleted cause some idiot pressed the wrong button

)

 

[wolfeman]

Never used one myself, but it sounds like you're using the wrong software. Google indicates you need something called "F2A USB Writer 1.02", filename F2AUSBWRITER_v102Setup.exe (PowerWriter will not work with the external writer, and USB Writer 1.1 looks like it's for the GBA cable).

Edit: bloody hell, that took forever to find:
http://www.importshop.nl/software/f2a/F2AU...R_v102Setup.exe

More info about the F2A USBWriter:
http://www.eurasia.nu/modules.php?name=Dow...h&query=f2a
http://www.64scener.com/gba/f2ausbw.htm

For more information try searching in the Archive Forum, which has plenty of information about older hardware.

wow, never knew about the archive forum, thanks

I will give your advice a shot. thanks for taking the time to search for that, now you know what I've been up to for the past week. I have tried just about ALL the software out there I could find, but maybe your link will be the one that works. So many links I tried were dead.

I'll report back after I try it, many thanks!!

 

[wolfeman]

real quick, the files here:

http://www.importshop.nl/software/f2a/

WORK!!

can't seem to get the SAV to upload though, says it is not supported... AAACK!!!

more later

many thanks to Psyfira

 

[Psyfira]

No problem, glad it worked

I've added it to the downloads section.

 

[wolfeman]

Well, it is confirmed that the USB writer does not allow you to transfer saves, which pretty much makes it next to useless in my opinion. I read one of the original reviews of the product and they said at the time it was rushed and buggy and that certainly holds true today. I'm shocked no one ever improved upon the software since then but since the advent of easier to use devices, support for old school flash carts has evaporated to nothing.

I've got to get one of those GBA to USB linker cables from somewhere, does anyone know where I can still buy one or does someone want to sell one or trade for one?

In closing, the USB Writer is good if you're flashing games that do not have save files or that you're not concerned with backing up save files for. It's much faster than the old style linker, I'm not sure how it compares to the GBA/USB linker since I never had one to use.

I have an extra USB Writer I can trade to someone with an extra cable... while it's doubtful that will come to fruition, it's here if someone wants it.

thanks for the help.

 

[enarky]

If you can't find your F2A cable and you have a DS & Slot-1 card you might be able to use Pogoshell and GBA Backup Tool as a (very inconvenient, but at least somewhat working) workaround to manage SRAM saves on your F2A cart.

I havent tried this, but here's how it should work:

Pogoshell itself occupies SRAM banks 2-4 on a F2A cartridge to store compressed SRAM saves for all games. It always loads the SRAM of the last game you loaded to bank 1, which in turn should be accessible by GBA Backup Tool. You can't backup the compressed Pogoshell SRAM in banks 2-4, but you'll at least be able to backup SRAM for each game your cart holds one by one by loading it and its SRAM through Pogoshell.

And if you only load one single game to your F2A cartridge you won't even have to bother with Pogoshell at all.

Hope you get what I mean...

 

[wolfeman]

If you can't find your F2A cable and you have a DS & Slot-1 card you might be able to use Pogoshell and GBA Backup Tool as a (very inconvenient, but at least somewhat working) workaround to manage SRAM saves on your F2A cart.

Cool idea, I'll give it a shot. I did try using FAS1 but it didn't work with F2A , only FA, which I don't have.

I'll try it and report back. thanks

 

[enarky]

[wrong topic, sorry]