Hacking Question Regarding Flash2Advance Ultra

billzo

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I'm aware that these bad boys require that cable to work.

f2a_ultra_sp.jpg


My cable, unfortunately, seems to be completely MIA, and while I have a "Visoly Advanced Gear" linker, it seems the two don't seem to play nice together. I realised all this after I buy one from ebay XD

However, I was wondering if I bought a GBA gameshark kit that had the cable like this one:

mN2cEpo8oOt54KSNQ4_ueyA.jpg


would I be able to use that with the Flash2Advance USB writer software? If not, it's cool. I'm still new to the (now mostly-obsolete) GBA scene, so losses are expected on my part.

Thanks a ton!
 

billzo

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Inb4 people telling you to get an EZ Flash IV.

Absolutely. I plan on it. But I'm also kind of starting a collection of other devices for the GBA like the Flash Advance Xtreme (which I have working fine) and then this Flash2Advance. Of course, if someone could provide an example of someone making such a cable I'd try that as well.
 

how_do_i_do_that

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The microcontrollers on the F2A usb cable and Visoly usb cable are not the same, which means the drivers for each are not the same. The F2A program is made to to use and detect xLA/ULA compatible drivers.

You can cobble one together from a DevaSys board and some wiring. The board cost about 89 and the flash manager program is 20 bucks.

http://reinerziegler.de/GBA/gba.htm#cart reader

Your better off trying to buy the cable off someone else in the trading section, you can get it for less than the 109 bucks from cobbling your own reader/writer. You must meet the requirements for that section.


---

I am assuming you bought one of those F2A Ultra from this thread:
http://gbatemp.net/threads/is-f2a-ultra-512m-any-good.382621/


---

Your other possible choice might be the FAS1 support in AKAIO. You would have to have a AK2.1 or AK2i and a NDS/L. It might work or it might not.
 

billzo

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You were right in where I got the F2A Ultra. I'm not too bummed that I won't be able to use it for a while. I really just want it for programming purposes, but I'm a big hardware buff, so that's why I wanted to get these things working instead of just taking the Flash Advance IV. I might even just end up waiting til krikzz releases an everGBA *fingers crossed*

In the meantime before I can join the trading section, I can hang out around here. No rush :)

I was thinking though... I took a look at getting the FAS1 to work on the ds, and while it does seem to function with an older F2A (not Ultra), how hard do you think it would be to change modify the FAS1 source (which is available) to work with the driver from if2a for flashing the F2A Ultra (also available)?

Then anyone buying the F2A Ultra from ebay would be able to flash their carts on the via the ds.
 

how_do_i_do_that

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As far as editing code, you would need:

A. know your way around ASM and C code.
B. the ARM devkit (modifying code is nothing if you can't compile it to test)


The FAS1 support in AKAIO works on the F2A 256M, as far as I know. I have used it several times to know. I don't know if it works on the F2A Ultra.
 

billzo

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It unfortunately doesn't seem to work with F2A Ultra. Meh, maybe someday I'll look into getting it to work. I'm familiar with C and I've made a few crude gba/ds games with devkitARM, but working directly with hardware via drivers in that way is something I'd definitely need help with. If someone is ever interested in going at it with me, I'm game. Otherwise, it'll have to wait.

Thanks for helpin a noob!
 

junn

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Strange, FAS1 in DStwo can write on my 512M FA Ultra and detected as Turbo FA 256M.
Can flash a 32MB File on it, would give an exception verify error after writing [no error if file <32MB] but the game still run and saves fine.
carts1.JPG


00003.png

FAS1 doesn't work on my 256M FA ultra, though.
 

billzo

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I'm using an R4 SDHC (Dual-Core), but I'm not having any luck at getting it to detect it like that..... It doesn't seem to be a cart problem though, as it seems to read the saves from it though :/
 

billzo

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Strange, FAS1 in DStwo can write on my 512M FA Ultra and detected as Turbo FA 256M.
Can flash a 32MB File on it, would give an exception verify error after writing [no error if file <32MB] but the game still run and saves fine.

When you do it this way, do you still have some sort of boot screen on the cart? As in, does the cart run exactly as if it were any authentic cart (no F2A Ultra firmware booting screen, etc.)?
 

junn

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no boot screen and runs like an authentic cart. doesn't work on any of my gba/sp (white screen) though but works on ds phat/dsl and revo k101.
 

Smiths

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Just popping in to say "cool thread". Glad FAS1 is getting some attention in some way.

The source was moved over to github btw cuz Google Code shut down.

https://github.com/SmithsFAS1/fas1

If you have DevkitArm and libnds installed, you'll want to rename your devkitarm folder and libnds folder (typically in c:\devkitpro\) to like "devkitarm_current" and "libnds_current", then download the rars in that SVN containing the old libnds and devkitarm required to compile FAS1.

Then unrar those to c:\devkitpro and rename the folders from devkitarm_fas1 and libnds_fas1 to devkitarm and libnds. It'll compile then.

I know I helped someone get it to work with official Nintendo cartridges last year (though erasing seemed to not work). but I still don't have a F2A and GBA is played through PSP now with me basically.
 

billzo

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Hey Smiths! I figured you had an account here! I'm the guy you've been e-mailing haha

I'm just so confused as to why junn's cart is detected as a Turbo FA 256M..... I'm guessing he and I have two different types of the Ultra, which is a real shame. I'm hoping I can get one of those USB to GBA cables some day, which would make this process easier for me. I'm pretty sure the PowerWriter software for the Ultra lets you re-format the card, which I might need to do if I break it XD
 

billzo

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Interesting! I'll definitely have to look into this. Thanks a lot!

Also, I wish I had too many of them :( Sadly, I have only the one.
 

how_do_i_do_that

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any way to flash my f2a ultra 128mb ?
Use the tool FAS1 listed and linked above. If you are going to take the time to necro a thread, take the time to read said post.

The ultra line only comes in 256M, 512M and 1G.

If you got a 128M, you got a regular F2A not an ultra. The FAS1 lists the 128M as supported.
 

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