Hacking Possibly buying a EZ Flash IV in the near future...

Rokku

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So I might be buying an EZ Flash IV for my GBA SP, since I'd like to have access to GBA games without carrying a pocket full of cartridges. However, I've got questions related to setting up and using the EZIV.

1. I've heard that the maximum card size allowed for the EZIV is 2GB. However, I've also heard that 2GB MiniSD cards cause some kind of issues with the EZIV, and I can't seem to find a 1GB MiniSD online easily. Does the 2GB really cause problems with the EZIV?

2. What software do I use when setting up my EZIV for the first time? I'm sure my EZIV will come with some software version that isn't the ideal one and probably set to Chinese by default...

3. Does the EZ4 offer cheat support? If it does, how do I apply the cheats?

Thanks for the help in advance, everyone.
 

FAST6191

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1. The 2 gig stuff was that 2 gig support was not added for the first couple of updates (they were ridiculously expensive at the time), that should not be a problem now though.

2. The new models of EZ4 come with a new enough loader for most purposes bar the NOR. It probably will be in Chinese but that is a simple software switch-- once it has made it to the main screen press down three times, a three times, down once, a once. Once you have confirmed it working properly then you can start updating, many people like http://ezflash.sosuke.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=20397&start=15

3. Technically yes but few manage to get it to work. To that end most people just patch in cheats with GBAATM ( http://gbatemp.net/threads/gba-auto-trainer-maker-gbaatm.99334/ ) or use trainers ( http://gba.dellicious.de/gbatrainer/ ).
 

Rokku

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There isn't any problem with the EZIV running Pokemon and Megaman Battle Network games aside from the lack of real time clock, right?
 

FAST6191

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The only battle network game with RTC is the as yet untranslated (though there is a project to do it) rockman 4.5 title, which is a spinoff of sorts too. All the others work fine.

Pokemon has patches for RTC, they work and the main issue people face is rather than wait 24 hours real time to grow a berry you instead have to cheat or rack up 24 hours of play time instead. http://www.no-intro.org/tools.htm has a tool called GBATA that I suggest every GBA flash cart and emulator user has, it does for ruby and sapphire, emerald http://gbatemp.net/threads/any-rtc-...emerald-using-ez-flash-4.354231/#post-4767363

Oh and as for GBAATM it is fairly self explanatory (ROM you want to patch, cheats down the bottom, any options you want to check as far as activators, set an out and you are good), there probably is a video or blow by blow pictures guide out there somewhere though.
 

Rokku

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Thanks for the help, I ordered my EZIV last night so now I just need to get a MiniSD (or a 2GB MicroSD with a MiniSD adaptor, unless the EZIV doesn't like those).

What about FireRed/LeafGreen, though?
 

FAST6191

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On the GBA only the gem named games have RTC.
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Time

By and large we discourage people from getting a micro to mini adapter as they frequently cause issues for people. It would be lovely if they did work reliably as miniSD are hard to find these days*, moreover the micro to full SD adapters are practically bombproof in my experience so I have no idea why their smaller cousins cause so much pain. If the adapter is money you can afford to lose/it is a matter of borrowing it off a friend/you are just testing it in a shop and you have a use for the microSD you will have then by all means try it -- there are plenty of people that have had them work but it is definitely a known issue.

*why the EZTeam never moved to microSD I do not know, it is not like it changes anything on the electrical front.
 

Rokku

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I guess I'll just have to try and see if I can find a 2GB MiniSD for a non-insane price.

I'm not willing to pay some Amazon seller $39 for a 2GB SD card of any kind, that's just nuts.
 

FAST6191

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Ouch, I did not realise it had got that bad.

Shops that dealt in old mobile phones, old cameras and similar things have proven quite good sources these last few years but even those are starting to dry up (the old cameras and phones that used them not being terribly useful these days/worth the storage space).

If you can get a 512 or a 1 gig one for a price you can agree on then consider one of those -- most GBA games were 16 megs or less, the largest dumped ones are 32 megabytes and there are usually only 5 or so that people want to play* ( http://gbatemp.net/threads/buying-a-gba-flash-cart-in-2013.341203/page-18#post-4756995 )

*the link has every one of them. From what I have seen it boils down to
Yggdra Union
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Mother 3
Riviera - The Promised Land
Kingdom Hearts - Chain of Memories

Summon Night Craft Sword Monogatari - Hajimari no Ishi is being translated as we speak, no ETA on a proper release.

Of course there is also Kouchu Ouja - Mushi King but not everybody shares my affinity for fighting beetles. More seriously a few hacks are using the extra space and a few people also like the anime tie in games, I also think the yu-gi-oh entry has some fans. Personally I will play Mother 3 but I it would not be something I missed and the others I can see the effort having been put in but they do not work for me (I have not tried the summon night game despite the other two being some of my favourite GBA games). Everything else is tie in stuff (maybe not quite shovelware but close), "play the US version rather than the Euro stuff if you speak English as a language you care to play games in", "don't watch the GBA Videos" and "for all those 2 and 3 in 1 games just put the originals on there as individual games instead". Oh and Steel Empire is a fun little game but it was overdumped and in fact is 4 megs.
 

The Real Jdbye

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On the GBA only the gem named games have RTC.
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Time

By and large we discourage people from getting a micro to mini adapter as they frequently cause issues for people. It would be lovely if they did work reliably as miniSD are hard to find these days*, moreover the micro to full SD adapters are practically bombproof in my experience so I have no idea why their smaller cousins cause so much pain. If the adapter is money you can afford to lose/it is a matter of borrowing it off a friend/you are just testing it in a shop and you have a use for the microSD you will have then by all means try it -- there are plenty of people that have had them work but it is definitely a known issue.

*why the EZTeam never moved to microSD I do not know, it is not like it changes anything on the electrical front.
MicroSD adapters are not terribly reliable, I still have all of mine but a couple are cracked, and a bunch of them require ejecting/reinserting the MicroSD a fw times in order to be recognized. One of the newer ones I have is just poor design, the lock switch is so loose it's pushed every time I insert it into something effectively making that adapter read-only. Generally none of the ones I have had for a few years work correctly anymore and the more recent ones (within 1-2 years) work perfectly.
That mimics my little experience with MiniSD adapters, I never had a problem with the MiniSD adapter in my EZIV for the time I had it, but that was only a year or two, I don't know if it still works correctly today as I sold the EZIV with the adapter, but I wouldn't expect it. Anyway it's not such a huge issue having to replace the adapter every couple of years is it?

Rokku You should be fine with a MiniSD adapter, just get a few, as I mentioned they will probably last at least 1 or 2 years before the contact becomes dodgy, but they are cheap to replace so it doesn't really matter. It should cut down on costs even if you buy a few of them, then you could get a 2GB MicroSD for cheap. Some adapters might be better quality than others though so I suggest not getting 3 identical ones in case they turn out to be bad quality and break within two months (TM)
Just remember that once it's in there, it's hard to get out, if you try to pull it out with your fingers you'll just end up pulling out the MicroSD. You might need pliers or something :P
 

ital

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Wait for the new GBA Everdrive. Getting hold of those memory cards is quite hard now not to mention the fact that replacing the batteries in these EZFIV is also a major pain as most of them have ran dry by now.
 
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Pokemon Firered & Leafgreen don't have a RTC so you should be fine, Also there are patches for Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald so you can change the clock time whenever you desire. Just remember that since the EZ4 uses battery-backed SRAM rather than flash memory as the original games do it won't communicate with any of the Gamecube Pokemon titles or the DS ones without a patch. (DS games only)
 

FAST6191

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When you say to wait for the new ez-iv. Are you saying there is a new version coming out soon?
The EZTeam are still making them, they made a new batch/model last year (it is the reason for the updated loaders and why you can still find them easily enough) and are still active/considered an active team (I spoke to their head a couple of weeks ago).
 
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spruced

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While the microSD adapters are not terribly reliable, in the few years I've owned my EZ IV, I've used a mini to micro adapter and haven't had any problems - that said, I don't remove the memory card from the cart very often so take it as you will.
 

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