EZ-Flash USA Forum

Thanks in advance,

I'm new to the forum, but I think I've already read every page of it trying to solve my fairly common but likewise maddenning issue.

Fat File System Error.

I have a 1Gbit EZ3 Cart, which came to me with what appears to be the EZ Writer 2. That's what it has engraved in the underside of the writer, anyways. I personally own a GBA SP, a micro, and an NDS lite, but I'm just trying to use this cart for GBA games on the micro, not worried/interested with NDS at the moment.

Now then.
The first thing I tried was downloading the newest drivers and software (2.20 methinks) allowing windows to auto-detect and auto-select drivers from the downloaded ones. It reads it as an Ez-Writer3, which I think is wrong but am nontheless unable to prevent. Upon opening the EZmanager I can format the cart and install the loader no problem, and use the 256mbit part just fine. The 1 Gbit section format crashed -right- at the end however, and I get the error in the GBA. Not good.

So I've unplugged it. Re plugged it in. I tried both ways in the EZ-mode. Do I set it to 1/2 because I have a writer-2? Or do I set it to 3 because I have an EZ3 cart? I've tried both ways many times. No dice.

I've downloaded older drivers. I've deleted the files, restarted, reloaded older drivers. I've tried EZManager 2.09,2.08,2.07,2.02,(1.0!) ... nadda. I cannot format the 1gbit partition to save my soul. It always crashes right before it finishes with some bizarre error messagebox with random characters.

I state with a certain seriousness that I have clicked on and read every thread on this board that so much as hints and Fat File System errors. I took the card to work to mess with it there. Nothing. My coworker spend a couple hours with it. Nothing. We're in the bloody IT department here!

Ahhh.... I'm beginning to accept resigning myself to only having 256mbits to play with.

If you suggest burning the cart I'd try it. If you say Bhuddism I'm ready to convert. Has anybody got ANY ideas?

Thanks.

The linker thing is a bit confusing, this article should sort it out:
http://www.sosuke.com/ezflash/wiki/index.php/Linker

If EZMode is not greyed out then select EZ3.

Thanks, but I actually managed to find that one myself only minutes after posting. Still no dice. The blue and white progress bar freezes roughly two pixels before it finishes formatting, idles for awhile, and then pops up with a single, illegible error. (I do have an EZWriter3, after all)

The saver folder appears, and I can copy roms onto the 1gig partition. However, if I pop the cart into my gba it still gives me the error and the folder is inaccessible. Interestingly, if I put the cart back into the cradle, everything seems AOK according to the Manager. It doesn't suggest I reformat or anything, and even shows any files I may have loaded on, as if the device is working perfectly.

But it ain't.

This FAT error is so common that I doubt there is anything wrong with my card, and I don't want to send it back. If I can never get it working I guess I'm just stuck with 256Mbit.

Maybe my problem is actually different. Most threads I find talk of it crashing 70-80% through, with two back-to-back error messages, mine tends to crash right at the end. It pauses, and then pops up with just a single messagebox.

What is it supposed to do when it works? Does the bar just fill up and the whole dialog dissapear, or is there a "formatted successfully" messagebox or something to tell you it works?

I've just became interested in trying to format my 1gig properly, because without it, I can't get my save games off the PSRAM for back-up, or even to play different games in between. Kinda frustrating. Any advice would be appreciated.

The funky message you're getting isn't an error. It's an OK box, in chinese, but an OK box none the less.

Have you actually written a loader to the cart yet ? Once the cart is in the linker, you can format, write roms, etc, but until you write a loader, you're not going to get anywhere.

In the System Settings menu, just choose Write EZ3 Loader and wait. You're likely to get some funky "error" box again. The chances are it's all going to be good.

Wait till it's written, shut the software down, wait 5 seconds, then remove the cart from the linker.

Okay... so just to clarify.

> I'm going to format the 1gig. The popup at the end is actually a success dialog. (D'oh!)
> Copy whatever onto it.
> Then, re-write the loader onto the cart.
> Shut 'er down. Wait a tick, and then it should be good?

I have been writing the loader first thing, and then formatting and copying stuff. That could be the problem.

Thanks.