Hardware Setting date and time on GBA flashcart?

[Ami_]

I recently purchased an RTC flashcard (model AGB-R1M-02V4) flashed with the ROM hack Pokémon Unbound.

When I received the cart, the date and time were already set correctly. However, during gameplay, it was suddenly reset to January 2000. The clock has kept time correctly since that moment. I need help setting the date and time back to current day.

I've tried using RTCRead with my DS. The tool correctly identifies the cart as "POKEMON FIRE," but it seems to return garbage values when reading the date and time. Setting the date here had no effect on the game.

Next I tried:

• backing up my save using GBA Backup Tool
• loading my save in mGBA on my PC, with the correct date set
• saving ingame
• restoring the save file to the cart using the tool

After doing this, I can see that the latest save is correctly dated. However, the current date is still stuck in January 2000.

I need help answering these questions.

• Why can't RTCRead read or set the RTC data correctly?
• Where is the date stored on the cartridge, if not in the game's save file?
• How was the original seller able to set the date?

Any information that will get me closer to setting the date on my cart.

 

[Lingwendil]

GBXcartRW supports repairing RTC time natively in its FlashGBX GUI. Honestly that will be your best bet.

 

[emmanu888]

Ah fucking hell... These carts have been giving me the same troubles!

Two or three will be completely fine, then I get carts with knackered RTC's and I have to ask the seller for a replacement.
Press where the battery is, if the time starts going normally then the battery might be badly soldered.

There's just something super odd about these carts, either the clock crystal is bad, either the battery isn't making good contact, then you get a cart where everything's fine.

Highly recommend getting a GBXcartRW or a GBFlash. If FlashGBX can't fix it then the RTC on your cart is bad.