Hacking M3 GEP RTC stopped working after 3 months

[Satetsu]

So I have a M3 GEP for like 3 months now and recently I started playing Pokemon Ruby. RTC worked perfectly but today when I started the game I got "battery has run dry" message. I checked Emerald version and same msg appeared. Then I formatted my microSD using Panasonic SDFormatter, copied new AKAIO 1.9.0 and GBAExpLoader 0.58b0, disabled multi save and still same result. I aslo tried copying ak2_sd.dldi from the official firmware. So it seems that it is hardware's fault but why? I bought M3 GEP because of the RTC function and now after 3 months it's dead? What to do?

 

[migles]

well, "battery has run dry" on the error message? it's ironic how you can't see that thats the problem..
i mean.. if you are talking about a GBA flashcart (m3 perfect) the problem is exactly that one. the battery has run dry...
inside the card there is a coin size battery which you will have to replace

hers a thread, i also had questions before buying my ez iv, there is pictures of 2 gba cards with the battery so you can see what i am talking about
https://gbatemp.net/threads/ez-flash-iv-gba-games-wont-save-load.358336/

the battery is needed for RTC to work, because it is a real clock, and how else it knows the real time on the real world without being powered by a battery all the time?

edit: it seems you are talking about a different m3, a version for ds lite which i am not sure if it has a battery inside.. if thats the case, then i dont know how that works, but usually theese cards got a battery on them.. specially if they got rtc, but if this card uses the DS mode for play games, it probably someway uses the DS clock... if this is the case and you changed the DS clock time.., probably thats the problem..

 

[Satetsu]

well, "battery has run dry" on the error message? it's ironic how you can't see that thats the problem..
i mean.. if you are talking about a GBA flashcart (m3 perfect) the problem is exactly that one. the battery has run dry...
inside the card there is a coin size battery which you will have to replace

hers a thread, i also had questions before buying my ez iv, there is pictures of 2 gba cards with the battery so you can see what i am talking about
https://gbatemp.net/threads/ez-flash-iv-gba-games-wont-save-load.358336/

the battery is needed for RTC to work, because it is a real clock, and how else it knows the real time on the real world without being powered by a battery all the time?

edit: it seems you are talking about a different m3, a version for ds lite which i am not sure if it has a battery inside.. if thats the case, then i dont know how that works, but usually theese cards got a battery on them.. specially if they got rtc, but if this card uses the DS mode for play games, it probably someway uses the DS clock... if this is the case and you changed the DS clock time.., probably thats the problem..

I am talking about M3 GEP and yes it has battery inside. But is it normal for battery to run dry after 3 months? I wasn't even using it untill recently. And yes I changed DS clock but it worked after changing, only day later the message appeared.

 

[enarky]

That cartridge is a lot older than three months, more like 9-10 years. It's perfectly normal to empty in that timeframe.

 

[migles]

I am talking about M3 GEP and yes it has battery inside. But is it normal for battery to run dry after 3 months? I wasn't even using it untill recently. And yes I changed DS clock but it worked after changing, only day later the message appeared.

i changed my pokemon ruby battery for a cheap one, less than 1 month it was run dry...
it really depends on the quality of the battery, how old it is and the card itself.. but a good one can last 8 years on a normal cart...

 

[Satetsu]

Ok so which battery is best if I want to change it? And is it difficult to do?

 

[migles]

Ok so which battery is best if I want to change it? And is it difficult to do?

you need a tabbed battery (tabbed means with that metal pins that are attached to it) and know how to solder...
you can get a battery without tabs, but you need to ask someone with equipment and knowledge to do it, my dad tried to use a normal soldering iron and the battery exploded....

you should replace by the same size and type.. this should be printed on the battery itself (i dont remember which numbers..)

you can find them on electronic repair shops (and can ask there to replace it) they shouldn't charge you a lot for it...
or on amazon or other online places.. you just need to type the battery code (for example cr2016) and you should find the right battery, keep an eye if the battery is tabbed or not...
the battery that i purchased was a cheap ass one, costed 3 euros... didnt last one month.. (but probably they had that batteries laying for years anyway)

 

[Gyron_Oldvic]

So I have a M3 GEP for like 3 months now and recently I started playing Pokemon Ruby. RTC worked perfectly but today when I started the game I got "battery has run dry" message. I checked Emerald version and same msg appeared. Then I formatted my microSD using Panasonic SDFormatter, copied new AKAIO 1.9.0 and GBAExpLoader 0.58b0, disabled multi save and still same result. I aslo tried copying ak2_sd.dldi from the official firmware. So it seems that it is hardware's fault but why? I bought M3 GEP because of the RTC function and now after 3 months it's dead? What to do?

The battery is done, it's probably been in there about 8 years. Change it like for like if you can. The GEP uses an ML-1220 (rechargeable), but you can use a CR-1220(non-rechargeable) if you want.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/m3-gba-expansion-not-working-anymore-on-gba-exploader.366005/