How to Flash GBA Games on ChisFlash v1.2

[Hunter]

I need to set something in flashgbx? save type? profile?

no, if the rom is patched correctly, the game will work.

 

[Nephiel]

just an update, I tried this site:
https://gbarompatcher.com/

the game boots, and when I do save, it freezes and there's two leds, one orange and one red blinking, but nothing happens

any hint please?

I tried to find out about this site, but none of the links on it seems to work? Other than the ko-fi one, they all just redirect to the main page.

 

[Hunter]

I need to set something in flashgbx? save type? profile?

No you dont, you just need to analyze the cartridge then write it, save type etc cannot be changed on the cartridge, only the rom.

 

[Hirugaru]

Hello fellow people,
I just got one of those Chisflash 1.2, after getting one Chisflash 1.1 RTC+Flash to use for my emerald rom to transfer some pokemons to my soul silver and being ultra happy with it, I just wanted to pick one that didnt have RTC to use with Leaf green version, since its cheaper

I also got mine from Electronic Creator Store and was hopping for it to also work with pal park but it didnt.
White screen with unpatched rom using GBFlash and also it didnt detected the FRAM chip on the cart.

I've read the thread and could make the ROM work after patching it for SRAM but I just really wanted to know if the problem recognizing the FRAM is about the circuit layout or the FRAM Chip model, the one on the RTC+Flash is a SST, the one on this is a Infineon FM28V100-TG.
So maybe changing this IC for the one on Chisflash 1.2 (SST39VF010) will make it work OK with 1M FLASH save file?

After patching the ROM I was happy for it not "freezing" for a second while saving, but I just wanted to recreate a genuine cartridge feeling, like transfering to Pal Park stuff (thats the only thing missing really), and I believe it was related on how Gen 4 games checked for the save file location on slot 2 cartridges. I dont know (because I'm starting to look up for that stuff now) if the SRAM patching changes how the game saves to the point of it dont even using the FRAM chip, which would be really a downside for the whole thing for me. Since its not freezing while saving, maybe it is using the FRAM?

So, maybe someone can clear out about the Circuit board / Chip model thing?
I can replace the IC it to test if I only knew if it would not be a complete waste of time
Thanks for any help!

 

[Nephiel]

Hello fellow people,
I just got one of those Chisflash 1.2, after getting one Chisflash 1.1 RTC+Flash to use for my emerald rom to transfer some pokemons to my soul silver and being ultra happy with it, I just wanted to pick one that didnt have RTC to use with Leaf green version, since its cheaper

I also got mine from Electronic Creator Store and was hopping for it to also work with pal park but it didnt.
White screen with unpatched rom using GBFlash and also it didnt detected the FRAM chip on the cart.

I've read the thread and could make the ROM work after patching it for SRAM but I just really wanted to know if the problem recognizing the FRAM is about the circuit layout or the FRAM Chip model, the one on the RTC+Flash is a SST, the one on this is a Infineon FM28V100-TG.
So maybe changing this IC for the one on Chisflash 1.2 (SST39VF010) will make it work OK with 1M FLASH save file?

After patching the ROM I was happy for it not "freezing" for a second while saving, but I just wanted to recreate a genuine cartridge feeling, like transfering to Pal Park stuff (thats the only thing missing really), and I believe it was related on how Gen 4 games checked for the save file location on slot 2 cartridges. I dont know (because I'm starting to look up for that stuff now) if the SRAM patching changes how the game saves to the point of it dont even using the FRAM chip, which would be really a downside for the whole thing for me. Since its not freezing while saving, maybe it is using the FRAM?

So, maybe someone can clear out about the Circuit board / Chip model thing?
I can replace the IC it to test if I only knew if it would not be a complete waste of time
Thanks for any help!

I don't think replacing the ICs would work. Both are 1Mbit, but one is FRAM (posing as SRAM) and the other is Flash. Likely different pinouts and packages too.

GBA Pokemon games use 1Mbit Flash saves, right? And you can patch them to save to SRAM (FRAM) instead. But Pal Park probably doesn't run the patched code on the GBA slot at all, instead just tries to access the Flash directly where the save is expected to be on a retail cart. So for Pal Park you would need a cart with the same type of save (1Mbit Flash) as the retail game.

 

[Hirugaru]

I don't think replacing the ICs would work. Both are 1Mbit, but one is FRAM (posing as SRAM) and the other is Flash. Likely different pinouts and packages too.

GBA Pokemon games use 1Mbit Flash saves, right? And you can patch them to save to SRAM (FRAM) instead. But Pal Park probably doesn't run the patched code on the GBA slot at all, instead just tries to access the Flash directly where the save is expected to be on a retail cart. So for Pal Park you would need a cart with the same type of save (1Mbit Flash) as the retail game.

Hey, Nephiel!
Thanks for the reply!

I was Looking into the pcb layouts and really, some pins have different functinons, but about 95% of the pinouts are the same, maybe It is possible to swap the chips after a couple modifications to the board.
I know it seems a strech to try this, since they are somewhat cheap, but in my country the dollar costs 5x the value, and we have a bunch of taxes upon imports of products from aliexpress, so I'm thinking in how I could resolve this using the components I have laying around without having to buy a new one.
Anyway, thanks for the help!

 

[Hunter]

but I just wanted to recreate a genuine cartridge feeling,

if you want this, there are some pokemon rom hacks that are available on aliexpress that have 32M + 1Mb Flash Save that you just need to join 2 pads with solder to make them writeable to write the pokemon games to them, then you can just get the shells from the batteryless versions and swap them around etc, and make yourself a good set of the 3 games for about $15 each or less. look for Quetzal or Unbound from Danial Game Store, I did write about it a while ago,

Post in thread 'ChisFlash - open source GBA flashcart'

Mar 25, 2025

i read on the issue tracker it doesn't work on DS/Lite

I edited the post above, it is working

Post automatically merged: Mar 25, 2025

if you want a flash card for non-rtc pokemon, get this cartridge choose the Unbound one, you need to remove the solder joint from the pads at F0 and join the pads at D0 to make it a writable cartridge again (this is a 1Mb Flash save, not SRAM)

this works on the BurnMaster and Burn2Slot also

• Hunter

just need to patch the roms with https://github.com/lesserkuma/Custom_1M_FLASH_Patcher

I have done two sets like this for family.

 

[Hirugaru]

if you want this, there are some pokemon rom hacks that are available on aliexpress that have 32M + 1Mb Flash Save that you just need to join 2 pads with solder to make them writeable to write the pokemon games to them, then you can just get the shells from the batteryless versions and swap them around etc, and make yourself a good set of the 3 games for about $15 each or less. look for Quetzal or Unbound from Danial Game Store, I did write about it a while ago,

Post in thread 'ChisFlash - open source GBA flashcart'

Mar 25, 2025

i read on the issue tracker it doesn't work on DS/Lite

I edited the post above, it is working

Post automatically merged: Mar 25, 2025

if you want a flash card for non-rtc pokemon, get this cartridge choose the Unbound one, you need to remove the solder joint from the pads at F0 and join the pads at D0 to make it a writable cartridge again (this is a 1Mb Flash save, not SRAM)

this works on the BurnMaster and Burn2Slot also

• Hunter

just need to patch the roms with https://github.com/lesserkuma/Custom_1M_FLASH_Patcher

I have done two sets like this for family.

Niiice! Thanks, I will give this cart a try, maybe next month
But I really really wanted one like this one that Sakitosh got
One that doesnt have the RTC function, doesnt need to patch and have this clean PCB look.
I'm a little picky with the PCB design (Layout), I have a couple of black blobs bootleg carts that I use for other games, but for my pokemon ones I wanted a good and clean PCB design...

Thank you for your time and atention!

i bought one that is made with that exact design. you can easily tell by the board layout.
it came on a transparent shell, i put it into this green one from another cart that was one of those batteryless save patched trash and of an older romhack version to begin with.
this one has 128kb flash and no clock, that is fine as pokemon clover doesn't use it.
it works perfectly fine and flashing it with my joey jr. was as easy as always.

 

[Lingwendil]

if you want this, there are some pokemon rom hacks that are available on aliexpress that have 32M + 1Mb Flash Save that you just need to join 2 pads with solder to make them writeable to write the pokemon games to them, then you can just get the shells from the batteryless versions and swap them around etc, and make yourself a good set of the 3 games for about $15 each or less. look for Quetzal or Unbound from Danial Game Store, I did write about it a while ago,

Post in thread 'ChisFlash - open source GBA flashcart'

Mar 25, 2025

i read on the issue tracker it doesn't work on DS/Lite

I edited the post above, it is working

Post automatically merged: Mar 25, 2025

if you want a flash card for non-rtc pokemon, get this cartridge choose the Unbound one, you need to remove the solder joint from the pads at F0 and join the pads at D0 to make it a writable cartridge again (this is a 1Mb Flash save, not SRAM)

this works on the BurnMaster and Burn2Slot also

• Hunter

just need to patch the roms with https://github.com/lesserkuma/Custom_1M_FLASH_Patcher

I have done two sets like this for family.

Pokemon "Quetzal" version from Alixpress worked for me with FlashGBX. SRAM patched with Lesserkuma's tool here, and a new version of FlashGBX that is pre-release. I'm not sure if this functionality is baked in to the current version, but worst case wait a bit until the next version.

I was able to successfully burn Leafgreen to the cart. Saves and functions perfectly. No Solder bridge was needed. No RTC but less than ~$6 USD shipped.

This is what the PCB for it looks like-

 

[Hunter]

Pokemon "Quetzal" version from Alixpress worked for me with FlashGBX. SRAM

this is a SRAM Based cartridge that will also need you to solder a battery to it for the actual SRAM to be used correctly,

otherwise you can only use this as a batteryless sram patched cartridge. (will not work with Pal Park / DS linking)

different sellers sell different style cartridges, I cannot confirm what seller sells what cartridge as my last orders were about 6 months ago and I am not in need of any other Flash based cartridges

 

[Trip_Away]

Question:
The GBA-Gamecube link works?
I bought a EZ Flash Omega Definitive Edition, but cost me like 100 dollars and maybe i can consider a cheap option for another flashcard for my GBA.

 

[Hunter]

EZ Flash Omega Definitive Edition

it will work if you have it in B mode with the save and rom transfered to the nor

 

[toledot]

I got one of these because I wanted a flash cart. It is running great. I'm getting gb flash in the mail this week. I hope to be able to flash ROM at some point, to test it, even if I immediately put good boy back on (it's really fun!). Is there a known easy to read instruction for using the program gb flash with this cartridge? All I could really tell from the images shown is that I have to select generic and it works? Is it that easy?