ROM Hack Pokemon Black SD Card Issue needs PATCH

[Xeology]

THIS IS FOR BOTH POKEMON BLACK AND WHITE. NO CURRENT SOLUTION WILL BRICK ANYTHING YOU OWN. BACKUP ALL FILES AND SAVE FILES BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANYTHING POSTED HERE.

Well this is directly off the IRC topic for the AKAIO team,

"Official: v1.7.1 Beta: 1.8.0b3 | Pokemon bricks acekards, so we don't support it. Fix your own black"

However this is a major release and whatever the problem is exactly Nintendo will utilize this and expand it to other major releases, possibly targeting a wider range of cards. A project needs to be opened to deal with this problem. The problem is NOT with SDHC type cards only but ALL card types, has nothing to do with class or brand but with the make of the card. How the card was made tends to be a big factor so we can also include where they were made. I am going to post some links to old topics and hopefully this will reach someone who has some knowledge on how this can be fixed.

NOTE:

Just because this works on your card doesn't mean it will work for everyone else, batches have to do with it as well. This IS an issue and it probably will be used in future releases to thwart flashcart use. AP fixes currently out DO NOT FIX THIS ISSUE, DO NOT SAY THEY DO. Even though it worked for you it doesn't solve this issue that remains for people. PLEASE do not discuss rom locations on here and do not post that you have the same problem or that it works for you, we don't need to clutter this up with stupid BS. This is to SOLVE the problem without an AKAIO update.


Symptoms:

The problem prevents the load of save files, and freezes the game AFTER the professor speech. This is still happening AFTER every patch has been attempted, the patch will fix some instances but not all.

Facts:

-SD cards are the issue.
-It is not limited to Class, SDHC/2G, Size, Brand, Country or manufacture date.
-The issue is not always fixed with AP patches, including the EXP patch, Hex Edit, or Rudolph's Universal Patch.

Myths:

-It only affects SDHC. I proved this wrong myself.
-It only affects cards made in Taiwan. My current is in Taiwan and works and some other people's as well.
-This is fixed in AKAIO 1.8

Possibilities:

-This is a form of AP targeted at SD cards.
-This is not a form of AP but Nintendo may turn it into one intentionally in upcoming releases, including the US release.
-There is a clash in how the ROM is trying to access data and how certain cards transfer data.
-There is code in the ROM specifically for detecting behaviors of a certain type of SD card and how it transfers data or how it comes through.

Current Resolutions:

-Buy a 2G SD card from SanDisk, they have the highest working rate I have seen so far. (keep in mind that just because one person says there's works doesn't mean the one you buy will! Keep receipts and exchange till you find one!) Walmart has the Sandisks for $10
-Patch, sometimes it will work but mostly it will not fix your issue if you have the symptoms above. Try them all, who knows, maybe you are lucky!
-Update to AKAIO 1.7.1 and update Loaders. (Usually not the issue)
-Wait and pray. . .


Please note I am not heading any project that comes form this it is only a resource in hopes that one will get started. This is not limited to Pokemon remember that. If I were Nintendo I would see this issue and try to expand it to all cards and make it an AP in all future releases.




PATCHES:

English + EXP: http://gbatemp.net/t256628-pokemon-black-a...e-english-patch
Rudolf's: http://gbatemp.net/t217811-rudolf-s-child-...on-hgss-and-b-w
AP + Hex Edits: http://gbatemp.net/t255095-official-ap-pat...black-and-white


Not An SDHC Issue:

My Post: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=258...p;#entry3173639


Tutorials:

abel009's: http://gbatemp.net/t255489-pokemon-white-b...tional-tutorial




Posts that will help:

-Theories on what is causing it.
-The type of SD card you use posted like this,

SD Card Brand: Sandisk
SD Card Country: Taiwan
SD Card Type: SD
SD Card Size: 2G
SD Card Bought at: Walmart
SD Card Status: Working with Pokemon Black

or

SD Card Brand: Sandisk
SD Card Country: Taiwan
SD Card Type: SDHC
SD Card Size: 4G
SD Card Bought at: Walmart
SD Card Status: NOT WORKING

or

SD Card Brand: PNY
SD Card Country: Taiwan
SD Card Type: SD
SD Card Size: 2G
SD Card Bought at: Walmart
SD Card Status: NOT WORKING

-Any method you used to get a NON working card to work that is not listed as a solution for that card. If you found a solution for a non working card make sure you post what card in the format above.



Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[Saionji]

Only for Black?
Can you post patch for White?

 

[Chris_Skylock]

I used to get it working but when I tried using the Union Room...BAM....not loading my save file. Will try the 1.7.1.

Im sad it's not implemented on 1.8. T_T

 

[Xeology]

Only for Black?
Can you post patch for White?

Generally what ever works for 1 will work for both, this does include both, dont worry

 

[gumbyx84]

Ya Im slightly concerned about this. I am using Kaarosu and KazoWAR patch with Pokemon Black and it worked past the professor's speech.


Please explain one thing: Does this brick the flash card, the MicroSD card, and/or the saves file? You do not specify in your post and that can and probably will cause people to panic.

SDHC cards: I notice you had problems with a PNY MicroSD card, but was able to get it working with a SanDisk. Do you have any other MicroSD cards of different brands to test? I ask as I have a Transcend SDHC 4GB MicroSD and I haven't experienced this problem (the freezing).

Only for Black?
Can you post patch for White?

Generally what ever works for 1 will work for both, this does include both, dont worry

Do not assume anything. You should test it with Pokemon White as well. Again, without clear information, people will panic. If you have tested it with White and the same problem occurs, I suggest changing the title of the thread (if you can) to clear up any confusion.

 

[Xeology]

Ya Im slightly concerned about this. I am using Kaarosu and KazoWAR patch with Pokemon Black and it worked past the professor's speech.


Please explain one thing: Does this brick the flash card, the MicroSD card, and/or the saves file? You do not specify in your post and that can and probably will cause people to panic.

SDHC cards: I notice you had problems with a PNY MicroSD card, but was able to get it working with a SanDisk. Do you have any other MicroSD cards of different brands to test? I ask as I have a Transcend SDHC 4GB MicroSD and I haven't experienced this problem (the freezing).

Only for Black?
Can you post patch for White?

Generally what ever works for 1 will work for both, this does include both, dont worry

Do not assume anything. You should test it with Pokemon White as well. Again, without clear information, people will panic. If you have tested it with White and the same problem occurs, I suggest changing the title of the thread (if you can) to clear up any confusion.

I cleared it up but I cannot change the title, and no these three cards are the only ones I personally have tested however there are posts all through the site about which ones work, I hope someone can consolidate them all here from this point forward.

 

[Mantis41]

I doubt this is even an intended AP implementation. It is probably just a game that requires a fast random access speed due to loads of small chunks of texture, speech, music and data to be loaded constantly for every on screen action. The Acekard has always had issues with choppiness and slow downs, in this case it causes the game to crash at certain points.

This problem will probably become more and more prevalent as new DS games push the hardware and the disk speed required.

The Acekard does not compensate very well for a poor performing SD. This is probably more hardware than firmware related and I am not sure how much could be done to correct this from the firmware.

Taiwan made SD cards are as a general rule slower than Japanese cards. I am not saying a Taiwanese card won’t work, but you would have a much greater chance of success with a Japanese card.

One SD may work and one of the same size and brand may not as different batches will always have different properties. That is the nature of silicon manufacture and is why CPUs are produced with different clock speeds. Once again Japanese cards will generally be made to a higher standard than others and will generally yield, on average faster silicon. There are also the issues of ghost runs where batches of failed silicon will be processed with fake identifiers and sold out to the Asian markets and back stalls.

The best thing to do is start a thread where everyone with and an Acekard can post their SD cards make, model, size (identifier), country of origin, where the purchased it (country and shop) along with a rating of 1-10 with a comment like – no problems in any games, some slow downs or crashes all the time. This can then be placed in a table in the OP. Acekard uses can then use this information to make an informed choice when purchasing an SD.

 

[Chris_Skylock]

Hey!! I used to play with my Pokemon Black but when I entered the Union Room it blackens out. Restarted the DS, Acekard and BAM, unable to continue my save file.

I'll test with a new save with the same EXP patched ROM. Im using class 4 Kingsto 4GB. I dont have my Acekard with me but I will test it with a new save file.

 

[dskartmasta]

When I updated to the latest translation IDK what happen but it made it so my R4 couldn't load any sav files. Just needed to switch Sd cards and it worked again. Odd.

 

[Mantis41]

Post your SD card and experience using it on the Acekard here:

http://gbatemp.net/t258856-acekard-sd-database

 

[Hakoda]

What's causing it? The random access speeds of the card. If the controller for random access speed is too strict the data will not flow, giving a black screen whenever a mass amount of data is requested.

The fix? Some sort of patch, not on the ROM but with the firmware. I don't think the ROM is the problem, it can't control the interactions between it and the DS but there is of course, the middle man; the firmware. I thought AKAIO 1.8 had fixed it but its possible they didn't address the problem.

You also have to take into account, its Smiths. It could mean anything.

EDIT: Link