Hacking M3 DS Real GBA Expansion

[LD560]

Hey guys I was wondering if there is anyway to write the GBA game itself to the GBA Expansion pack on-board RAM memory?

I ask this as I have been using my M3 for a few days now and noticed it can boot from slot-2 whist holding select on the DS.

It got me wondering that if I could use the Expansion pack as a regular GBA card, I could put it in my GBA SP and run it like a normal GBA game.

(I have a DS original GBA expansion so it will fit..lol)

Can anyone tell me if this is possible or if I'm being a total idiot to even think of the concept ..

LD560

 

[gosp]

While technically you can write to the pack without booting to it, when you link one game to the other, it loses it's memory when it loses power, so you wouldn't be able to put it in the GBASP and keep any data.

 

[Phrosh]

but if the savegames of the 2nd slot roms are only written on the SD card after a reboot of the DS, it definitely HAS the ability to keep data stored without a switched-on NDS.
when i go to the file browser and select a .gba-rom with the Y-button, it says the rom is transferred to the gba-expansion - the progress bar shows up, too.
but when i quit the file browser and choose to boot from the 2nd slot, there is apparently nothing saved on it; it only shows the "GAME BOY" logo without the "nintendo" below and does not do anything else - as if you turned on a GBA without any game inside.
i think at least this should work, since i read about to do it that way in a - i think - reliable forum.
there was also said that someone managed to use his gba-expansion in a gba.

so, do you know more about this? this is bothering me since i got the M3 DS Real...
maybe just the battery is empty and has to be changed (i dunno how)...

can i send my M3 back to get a new one because of a malfunction or does it actually work, but not the way i like it to?

 

[gunns]

just quickly off topic for a second (I didnt want to make another thread)

but does the m3 Rumble pack work now?
has the firmware been fixed on it?

because Last year when I put it in, the rumble would only work on a few games, and when it did it made a REALLY LOUD sound and was OVER viabrating..

anyone know if this has been fixed in the new firmware?
thax

 

[thedicemaster]

the gba expansion actually has 2 bits of memory.
32MB of RAM used for games, which is erased when you turn of your DS(and which most likely can't be booted in any way other than loading the GBA game through the (A) button)
and a few KB's of sram, which also gets erased when it loses power, but this memory is supported by a backup battery to make sure you don't lose your save.

those few KB's of sram can't be booted, and it's too small to fit an entire game.

those that got their "expansion" running in a real GBA either had an EZ-flash 3 in 1 which requires a 3rd party tool, or a slot-2 standalone which can also function as expansion.

EDIT:gunns, you do know only a few games have been built to support rumble right?
games that don't have built-in rumble support will never rumble no matter what firmware or expansion you use.

 

[Tomy Sakazaki]

the gba expansion actually has 2 bits of memory.
32MB of RAM used for games, which is erased when you turn of your DS(and which most likely can't be booted in any way other than loading the GBA game through the (A) button)
and a few KB's of sram, which also gets erased when it loses power, but this memory is supported by a backup battery to make sure you don't lose your save.

those few KB's of sram can't be booted, and it's too small to fit an entire game.

those that got their "expansion" running in a real GBA either had an EZ-flash 3 in 1 which requires a 3rd party tool, or a slot-2 standalone which can also function as expansion.

EDIT:gunns, you do know only a few games have been built to support rumble right?
games that don't have built-in rumble support will never rumble no matter what firmware or expansion you use.

The M3 Real GBA Expansion doesn't have any NOR mode so?

Another question, gbaexploader can work with M3 DS Real GBA Expansion in any of it's versions?

 

[Phrosh]

damn xD
thank you for your reply. it helped me a lot. =)
hmm... the thing is, all the 2nd slot solutions i found either do not support .gbc/.gb roms or can't virtualize the game smoothly.
...
ok now i looked up the EZ Flash 3 in 1 thingy. maybe the thing i'm looking for.
but there is no information about compatibility to gbc and gb roms. do you know something about it?

 

[thedicemaster]

the m3real GBA expansion supports GB/GBC if you use touchpod firmware.
but you don't need a slot-2 expansion for GB/GBC, because lameboy can emulate almost all GB/GBC games perfectly.

if you really want to play gb/gbc games on a GBA, you can try getting an EZ-flash 3 in 1 and using the goomba(color)emulator.

 

[Phrosh]

it "supports" is a bit exaggerated... better say: it knows what to do with it xD. when it can not load savegames from gbc roms, i don't speak of support

.

ok, i will try it with the emulator...
but emulating always has the problems: it's slower and uses more power than playing "directly"... i mean, the gba has gb/gbc support implemented, would be better if there is a card that actually can use this feature.
but ok, if there is no other way, i will try.
one last question

: the emulator is link-cabable (whoa, greatest invention of this moment

), is it? because else the whole thing would be useless for me xD.

ps: thx 4 your fast answers

 

[Phrosh]

// whoa, doublepost due to connection probs ... please delete

 

[thedicemaster]

no.
no gb/gbc emulator for the DS/GBA can do linking.
for that you really need either an emulator on the PC, or a GBC flashcart(don't even know if it exists)

but about emulation speed you don't have to worry.
the DS can emulate GB/GBC games at easily 200-250% of the normal speed.(that is, if you press the [L] button in lameboy which turns off the speed limiter)

 

[gunns]

thanks dicemaster for th reply about the rumble pack,

Seems like its pointless to have a rumble , anyway cheers man

 

[thedicemaster]

it isn't pointless if you play games that do support rumble(like mario kart, metroid prime pinball, and custom robo arena)

 

[gunns]

but is the rumble still going 200 km/h,
last time I used it, it made the biggest rumble ive ever felt in my life,

has the new sakura fixed it?

 

[Phrosh]

same with my one, gunns ^^'
mine doesn't even work with mario kart. only when i insert it after turning on the NDS it rumbles like an earthquake and doesn't stop... i don't need it anyway

oh crap. without the linkage stuff, the whole thing is pointless to me

. the speed thing is awesome, though ^^.

 

[Rob_Threat]

it isn't pointless if you play games that do support rumble(like mario kart, metroid prime pinball, and custom robo arena)

I love rumble games... well some of 'em

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ninte...k_Support_games

I wish Diddy Kong Racing DS was more fun, or that Mario Kart DS did rumble... it really could have... oh well.