Unable To Use Real Time Save On Any GBA Game

belden · December 17, 2006, 11:52:32 AM

I am using firmware 1.7 and the Supercard manager program 2.57. I have the original Supercard SD, not Lite. My problem is that I am unable to use the real time save on any GBA game I try to play. I have searched all over the forums here and could not find anyone describing a problem similar to mine. When I hit L+R+SELECT+B, the game just kind of pauses and makes a buzzing sound until I let go. I used to be able to use the real time save, but I don't remember exactly when it stopped working. Even games that I had used the real time save with and stored the save files don't work, meaning I am using save files that at one time did work but now won't load.

I have tried using three different brands of SD cards of different sizes. I tried downgrading my firmware. I tried using a variety of different Supercard programs from 2.51 to 2.55C to 2.57, but none of them changed anything.

Also, I don't know if this is related or not, but I have never been able to get games like "Zelda: A Link To The Past / 4 Swords" to work. It comes up saying that the save data is corrupted and won't let me start a new game or save.

stanleyopar2000 · December 18, 2006, 12:34:04 PM

Well I Kinda Had That same Problem (not the buzzing Thing) But when ou convert it with the converter that converts them into .DSI and DSQ? Right clicik well try on rom position option (when you put a NDS Game in the list and make the rom position option on the SD and The Saver position on The SD also I'M helping you because no one has responed to your post..yea I know what it feels like...

Let me know if i does not work!

Joey Ravn · December 18, 2006, 12:56:26 PM

It does not work. He's asking for GBA patching, not NDS. There are no DSQ files in GBA games, only .sci, .sav and .gba are the outcomes.

Dunno about your problem, Belden. I don't use RTS. Although, I can tell you that both Zeldas for GBA work perfectly with SuperCard, so many the problems in your card are connected somehow.

stanleyopar2000 · December 18, 2006, 01:06:59 PM

Oops My Bad! Totally Sorry!

Hi · December 18, 2006, 02:11:47 PM

I think the "save data is corrupted" thing is due to the lack of a real-time-clock found in the authentic cartrage of games that need it. It happens to me with super mario advanced 4. This always happens, the supercard doesn't include a real-time-clock. It's totally unrealated to your real-time-save problem, something I cannot help you with.

Here is the patch to make the games that need a real-time-clock work.
http://haggar.emuunlim.com/fix/

belden · December 18, 2006, 06:29:59 PM

Thanks for the help with the corrupted save data patch thing, but that really doesn't help the specific Zelda problem. I can play any of the games on that list just fine, the only game I specifically can't play is "A Link To The Past" because it's unable to create a save game file properly. And I don't think it has anything to do with the clock because Zelda isn't even on that list.

As for the lack of RTS in GBA games, it's really frustrating because it used to work and now it just doesn't. Is it possible for this to be related to a firmware upgrade gone bad on the Supercard itself? I mean, has anyone else had a problem with GBA games on firmware 1.7 or am I the only one? Could it have anything to do with the Supercard hardware, such as SRAM or something? I'm not entirely sure how the cartridge is set up, but doesn't a GBA game save to the cartridge itself and then that file is saved to the SD card? I don't know myself. I just wish I could find anyone who has had a similar problem because I can't find any relevant information anywhere.

Perseid · December 18, 2006, 11:02:02 PM

Hold down L and R and turn on the DS with the supercard in it. This will put the Supercard into test mode. Click through these tests until they wrap around to the first one again. One of them might report an error.

There is no inherent problem with GBA games with the latest firmware/patcher because that's what I use.

And yes the GBA games saves to battery backed up RAM on the cartridge. What I beleive this does on the supercard is write it to a position in the supercard's RAM and when you hit the save key combination it writes the contents of that memory to the .sav file.

Lastly, there was a bad version of the latest firmware/patcher. They fixed it an rereleased it with the same version number. So you might want to download it now and try again.

All I got for now.

belden · December 19, 2006, 12:11:11 AM

Wow, thanks. Bringing up the Supercard menu gives me this message:

Test SRAM
SRAM error:
0104

CPLD error

Everything else that comes up is listed as okay. So obviously the SRAM is messed up. I'm assuming this is something that can't be easily fixed or even if it could be, I would just be better off buying a new Supercard.