Hacking Windows 7 driver for EFA Linker II/Linker/Longcard?

[Ninjamohawk]

Hey all,

I have a 1Gb "EFA Linker II" which I suspect is a clone of the EFA Linker since I don't recall the II having a 1Gb model.

Anyway, is there software and drivers to get Windows 7 x64 to read and write to the card? As it stands I have to boot into a virtual windows XP machine to get it to read, which is a bit of a pain to say the least.

Thanks!

 

[FAST6191]

There is an outside chance you could have got a version of windows 7 32 bit to do something if you sliced out most of the driver signing stuff (it would not be a version of windows 7 worth using), no chance for the 64 bit stuff. VM is your only real method, though it should not really be a pain -- a cut down version of XP running in modern virtualbox or something should not be too much of a drain for the few times you need to sit down and sort your flash cart out.

 

[nl255]

There is an outside chance you could have got a version of windows 7 32 bit to do something if you sliced out most of the driver signing stuff (it would not be a version of windows 7 worth using), no chance for the 64 bit stuff. VM is your only real method, though it should not really be a pain -- a cut down version of XP running in modern virtualbox or something should not be too much of a drain for the few times you need to sit down and sort your flash cart out.

I agree a VM is the way to go. In fact, I have several XP VMs since they can run just fine with only 192MB of RAM allocated as long as you don't have very many background processes (not needing antivirus software due to non-persistent disks helps alot) and only one or two programs running on that VM.

 

[Ninjamohawk]

yeah it's not a huge problem as I have 12 gb of ram, but I'm lazy and was hoping someone sorted something out in the intervening years since I got the cart.

oh well

 

[zfreeman]

Would GBAldr be compatible with it?

 

[Ninjamohawk]

Possibly but it wouldn't be recognized by Windows 7 x64 because of the driver issue.

Follow up question is case anyone knows: I lost the stupid 3" long cable that came with the card and am looking for a compatible replacement. Will this cable work? It looks like it from the male end, looking at the female on the card itself.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...033&cm_re=4_pin_mini_b-_-12-119-033-_-Product

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Possibly but it wouldn't be recognized by Windows 7 x64 because of the driver issue.

Follow up question is case anyone knows: I lost the stupid 3" long cable that came with the card and am looking for a compatible replacement. Will this cable work? It looks like it from the male end, looking at the female on the card itself.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...033&cm_re=4_pin_mini_b-_-12-119-033-_-Product

yes that cable will work.


http://gbatemp.net/threads/using-virtualbox-to-manage-legacy-gba-flashcarts.275407/

 

[Ninjamohawk]

I got that cable but it gets painfully hot in literally two seconds when hooked into any of my USB ports, and the long card. Is this the card or the cable? The original cable was silver and looked very shielded.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

likely a defective cable with a short somewhere making it heat up.

 

[Ninjamohawk]

Hmm... okay I'll return it

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

It will likely cost you more to return it than to just get a new one.

 

[Ninjamohawk]

Yeah, they have a restocking fee and it was dirt cheap to begin with. I don't want to risk getting another faulty cable though, I wonder if other manufacturers make this type of cable.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

amazon, target, walmart, best buy or local radio shack (if they haven't all closed by now).

You make it like there is a namebrand that makes these only. USB is a standard.

 

[Ninjamohawk]

I know it's a standard but this particular end is pretty unique, and I don't want another one to heat up like this.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

It is a rarely used variant of the mini usb standard, like the miniSD was superseded by the micro variant of the standard.

If your not going to buy a new one, your going to have to live with the overheating issue.