Hacking What GBA Flashcart should I get?

[FlameTakuya]

The AKAIO gba saves are not compatible. It sticks an extra 16bits for a header. You have to trim that off before you can use it on a EZ-Flash IV.

Okay, is there a program around that does that? From what I know, the saves don't work on Visualboyadvance either. :/

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

use a hex editor.

Then delete what is boxed in red:

 

[FlameTakuya]

Aargh! It's no good! I deleted the first line and tried replacing the saves in my saver folder. It's not working at all! It just either keeps giving me a new game or a fully completed game with 9999 of everything! I don't get it at all! What's happening?

It won't even let me start new games and save even without using my old saves. I don't understand why this is happening...

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

You only delete the header if your moving your save FROM AKAIO to VBA or GBA Exploader.


If you want to start over without using the save and you have to remove the copy of the game in NOR to do it. This is what you do:

In AKAIO, bring up the 3in1/FAS1 menu screen, then you have to use the button Blank NOR to delete your previous game. Then remove any save files related to the game on the microSD that you do not want. When you start a new game it should make a new save for you to use instead.


AKAIO, by default will RUN rather than start over if the game in the ini file matches the game your trying to run, this also includes the save data. There is no way to supercede that setting without writing a new game.

 

[FlameTakuya]

Strange. The saves don't seem to be reading in VBA either. Even after I've deleted the first line...

EDIT: They do now. Okay, let's see what happens now...

EDIT2: The remove line save thing doesn't seem to be working for Mother 3...

EDIT3: Turns out you don't need to remove the first line for Mother 3. Must've been because it was from my iPhone emulator. :/ Anyways it works now. Let's see if the load save state thing works for all of them...

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

For some games you have to use the File->Import function.

 

[FlameTakuya]

OMG yay they all work now. Thank you verrrrrrry mucho! And sorry for asking so many questions!

 

[jrifter]

Hi, I need to ask, Im using the EzFlashIV (the one with Mini SD) for my GB Micro too,
Im having problem with soft-resetting several games... like Final Fantasy VI Advance, Mario Games...
can someone advise me what to do..

Thanks

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

I don't use soft-reset. So I can't really help much on when to use it.

Other than that, if you set the reset option when you patched the rom with the EZ4 Client, you should be able to use the reset function any time.

 

[FlameTakuya]

Oh btw, it seems it doesn't allow me to run Mother 3 English patch because when I used the loader to put it in it became more than 32 mbs, (like 32.5 or something) so it doesn't let me run it. Is there any way to make the rom smaller? Or is it already trimmed by the loader?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

There is a trim option if you use it, otherwise it is normally not trimmed.

Mother 3 is one of the few games where it is better to use pure NOR flashcart rather than any of the existing ones that have small SDRAM or NOR, like those found in the EZ4, M3 Perfect, Supercard, etc. The way the pure NOR flashcarts get around the size issue is the use of a loader menu that can ignore the file size.

The only pure NOR flashcarts left are the Elink and the fake EFA-Linkers.



Someone previously mentioned before that even after trimming the rom they were still 2KB over the limit to run on the EZ4. You might have the same problem.

 

[JakePsycho]

Don't get a SuperCard mini-SD. My reason is because after a month or two they break.

 

[FlameTakuya]

Thank you for answering! I shall try that later, though if it doesn't work I guess I'll just have to play it on my DS or PC... :/


And I'm back with yet another query... (Thanks for answering my questions all this time)

I quite confused about the EZflash 4's 'saver' thing that seems to start every time I save a game and then turn the gba off and on again. What does it actually do? I'm not sure if letting it save is the correct thing to do since it seems to randomly delete/erase my savefiles leaving everything blank when I startup a game that I played and last saved.

I'm also not sure what the 'saver manner' thingy is. It has two options, auto and obliged. It seems to be working the other way around, since auto seems to give me the choice to hold L while starting up to skip saving and obliged seems to force the kart to do whatever it is doing and not letting me skip it.

Which setting is it best to leave it on? And should I skip the saver? I don't want to lose my save games again...

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

I try to use the least amount of features as possible, I haven't needed to used that function before and the description is not very good. You can try the wiki and see if it explains it to use to you any better. Use the link to the guide and tutorial.

http://ezflash.sosuke.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=923

 

[DomaGB]

Until recently SuperCards were very reliable. And contrary to what many people think, most games are not slow. In fact very few games have a slow down problem that effects play. Also SuperCard team still supports their product, but have heard EZFlash does not.

I have had about 8 SuperCards go through my hand, and all but the 1st eventually broke. There are discussions about this elsewhere, but suffice it to say, the broke ones mostly came from DealExtreme a few months ago, and they don't sell them any more. I ordered 2 more elsewhere, and will have to see if they are good. But my original SuperCard still works wonderfully!

However, if you play the few games that are slow, it may leave a bad taste in your mouth, and thus some people give sour reviews of the unit. The price is very cheap, and if you get a good one and don't care about the very few games it won't play, this is the card for you.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

I have had both SC & EZF4 -- get EZF4....

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

This topic is about GBA flashcarts, not DS/i flashcarts.

 

[HeadHunt]

I also want a card for my my gba sp, is the supercard mini sd the same as an ezIV? or are there significant differences?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

minis and lites are half the size of a regular gba sized flashcart and DONOT fit in a GBA SP.