EZ-Flash USA Forum

Tried it again. Still nothing. It copies the game to NOR 100%, but doesn't write SRAM. Doesn't create .ini file either. Did you use Nigtmare in Dreamland? There's two Kirby games on GBA. I'm testing Nightmare in Dreamland, the US version (0775 release).

In fact, it just hangs up upon copying 100%. It never says Copying OK and never writes SRAM with this rom. Other roms do work properly though.

This is getting crazy. I downloaded yet another version of 0775 release (just in case mine was busted (unlikely though, I keep all clean sets)). Patched it through EZ4 client (named the game just "test"). Guess what? It still hangs up on copying 100%, the program doesn't write SRAM/create INI file. It just freezes.

UPDATE. Finally got it! It's not a problem with Kirby, it happens with Rockman Zero3, too. It's not a problem with a savetype or whatver, it's a problem with ROM SIZE. If the rom is EXACTLY 8,00 MB (8 388 608 bytes) then the flasher program WILL freeze upon copying it 100%, it won't write ini file, nor write sram. If the rom size is different (6MB or 20MB) it will work just fine. This easily could be a busted sector in my NOR. HOWEVER! This bug occurs in R5 version ONLY, I just tested 8MB roms (including Kirby) on R3 and they work properly! They save sram and write ini file.

Pff, I'm so glad that I finally tracked down this bug! Now it sure can be fixed. See, BigBoss, this is what my feedback is, we gotta make this flasher perfect!

Yeah, after all, you couldn't have given that feedback without being unappreciative.

What feedback have YOU given?

We're not talking about me, are we? Mine is in the mail from RealHotStuff, and when I get it, I intend on giving only feedback in a respectful manner.

We shall see then. Until then, please shut up, since it's not contributing to the discussion in any way. Use PM and refrain from spamming up the topic.

http://www.tabbal.net/copyTest-TR6.zip

Large saves should now work. I'm just copying the whole SRAM for now. It looks like the games only use the amount they need, but I'm playing it safe for now. SMA4 can save/restore just fine. I have not tested other games. However, I can write a test pattern to SRAM, save it to a file, and see it correctly saved in the files, so I know the SRAM save/restore works.

Old save files will work fine, they will become large saves after they are saved back to the slot-1 card.

I have considered using only the amount each game needs, but I would like to avoid getting into potential game-specific code. This way is universal, if somewhat wasteful. I might try just saving 128K instead of all 512K later.

I have also considered using game header data for the save filenames. The thing I don't like about that is the chance of getting invalid filenames. Then I have to fix them up later. If I use the game filename, I can be sure the file name is valid, as it wouldn't have been on the card in the first place otherwise.

The 8MB game problem Tadashi mentioned has been duplicated. I am looking into it but have not found the root cause yet. It's very odd as I can load larger games just fine. The WriteNorFlash call hangs and doesn't return on that one write. I may need to ask the EZTeam about it as it's their code that's handling that part. I can put a printf before and after that call and the one after it doesn't print anything, and the program appears to hang. But only on the last write of an 8MB file. Very strange. I'm going to experiment with it some more, but I have no idea how to deal with it right now.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I appreciate the kind words. Tadashi, consider that how you say things is as important as what you are saying. I am glad to get bug reports, but slamming the app over one bug is a bit much.

But the bug wasn't present in copyTest R3. Can't you just compare the sources and find the cause of it?


Yeah, it was uncalled for. I was in a bad mood.

Perhaps. The function is on the big side. I also like to be conservative when I say things like that. It could be a simple fix, it might not be.

http://www.tabbal.net/copyTest-TR7.zip

Fixed 8MByte ROMs in this release. It was just an off-by-one in the erase code. Oddly, the write seems to hang if you haven't erased the block. I suppose that makes for a good way to tell if you missed an erase.

BigBoss: might be worthwhile to check into exactly what the V1 and V2 values are in the write routine. Could be some sort of verification which fails if it tries to set a bit that hadn't gotten erased/reset (in which case it could/should be adjusted and used as ECC instead of a hung comparison, perhaps via a timeout or something similar). Haven't turned up a datasheet on the memory at this point, and I didn't note the problem myself (but it's quite likely ez4 client trimmed the ROM).

bigboss> Just give a try to TR6 and TR7 with f-zero-climax (16mB and save 128kB).
On TR6 game hang at the end of copy 100 %. Than when ds restarted and game launched via DS menu, it hang on a error screen (probably a save error in japanese text).
On TR7, all process gone fine (save sram, erasing NOR, writing NOR, and initialise save) but when i tried to start the game with X, i can see the gameboy advance menu and then it hang on a white screen.
DS restarted and game launched via DS menu, the japanese error screen appear (it's because save is brand new, on the next restart, no error screen) and, yeah ! the game start.
To verify backup sram process, i decided to write a small game called boulder dash Ex (4mB).
All process gone fine. Start the game with X and this one start corretly from here (no need to restart DS). Just for information this has already a save game in /gba/save directory
Go back to f-zero-climax and all process gone fine. Start with X and it start form here (confirm that there is a problem when save are first created no ? ).
The save is ok and i can continue the game.

And for my last test, i have tried The URBZ (US) (32mB) like i did on TR5. all process gone fine but when i try to start the game with X, white screen (This game have no save too), like for f-zero-climax . Than when ds restarted and game launched via DS menu, the game start but as in TR5, sprites are missing ?!
The same game uploaded with ez V kernel is ok.
That's very strange ...

PS : that's very hard to me to write in english, so be pleased my english is so bad ...

this thing is great, it fixed my pocketnes saving issues. way better than the built in ez5 gba transfer.

Anyone else notice the new release from R4 just now?

That sort of thing makes it a tad more simple when deciding what to do with multigames, I'd think...

Okay, that's cool. What does the R4 firmware support with it? They say it supports the card, but that could mean a lot of things. I may have to break out my R4 and give it a try tonight.