Neo TeAm Forum
NEO Team's Projects for the GBA/NDS/NDS lite => NEO Flash and Magic Key 1/2/3 help, FAQ/guides and discussion => Topic started by: kunocorp on February 28, 2006, 10:11:04 AM
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I dont know what happen but no matter what I tried I canot save on my NeoFlash 512 or my MK3. I dont know what's going on, can the MK3 lose it's saving capibilites? is there anyway to reset it?
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are you by any chance using the 0.5 menu? Saving is broken with it. 0.4 or 0.3 should be used. If that doesn't work try changing the battery on your neoflash cart.
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Yes, as Angefly says, if you are using menu .5 to save, the saving function is completely broken. If you are trying to save to the SRAM on the flashcart, then follow his other suggestion to change the battery (or test the current battery with a voltmeter)
BruceG
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No I tied all that, It's still not working, I tink it has something to do wit =h the MK3 itself, Is there anyway to reboot it to factory settings? I can load a save file but when the game starts the load save game option is not there. only new game.
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How many games have you tried with? It sounds as if one specific game is causing you trouble. I'd try a few games like Mario Kart or Mario 64 that create a save right from the start.
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I've tried them and quite a few others. I was using moonshell, the latest one when i lost my ability to save.
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We need more details. What software you're using to flash the menu, what menu you're using, what roms you're using etc. etc.
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i've used menu 0.4 and 0.3, i've used powerkit 2.1 to flash directly to my cart, I used about 50 roms and they all will not let me save, i mean i can save but when I turn off the game and turn it back on my save file isnt there. I changed y battery in my cart, 've donce everything i can think of that would help. I'm pretty sure it's a hardware issye, it just stopped saving. I dont know why, is there someone i can contact that can offer a replacement or something?
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Hmm, it does sound like a hardware problem.
Have you tried using NeoMax to see if it makes any kind of difference?
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Maybe try the following first. Re-format the SD card completely (just in case some files got corrupted), re-load all the roms, and re-flash menu 0.4 to the cart. Then, try running a rom again (one that you knew saved properly before).
After you save your progress in-game, check that the 'mk2_save' file is present on the SD card (this is the saved game for the most recent rom that has been played). When it asks you to back-up the save, verify that the .sav file is showing up properly on the SD card (it sounds like it is).
Load the save game file as before when you got it working, and let us know if you are still having the same problems with the hardware.
Also, it wouldn't hurt to check ALL the contacts on the mk3/SD slots and clean them as well (you can use a q-tip and a small amount of isopropyl alcohol)
You would have to contact the people you purchased it from regarding a replacement.
BruceG
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Ok, I reformated the sd card, I reload some roms, I re-flashed the .4 menu to my cart. The Mk2save file is present after I start a game and go back to the menu. The individual game saves show up, but still nothing. It will load my save files but once i'm in hte game, new game is the only option i have. Has anyone delt with diveno? do you think they'd offer a replacement, maybe a trade for MK 2006 since it's cheaper?
edit: when I try Mario Kart, it says the data could not be written. I have tried using different original game already.
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This might sound a little silly, but the security tab thing on the SD card is set correctly, right?
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Assuming you checked/cleaned all the contacts as well (making sure nothing is bent or impeded), it does sound like a hardware problem.
I know that Divineo has a 30 day return policy. For defects after that period, you would probably have to contact them about that..
I hope you get some kind of resolution to the issue. Also, no harm waiting to see if menu .6 fixes anything (though it doesn't look like it will)
BruceG
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security tab is definetly set correctly, even when i'm playing a game directly from the cart using the gst patcher it wont save. is there a way to play from the cart without the mk3 being in?
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You can bypass the menu completely and use gst-patcher 3.4r to flash a single rom to the flashcart (using Neo Power kit in nds mode to do that). However, even if you have flashme installed, you likely still need to have the mk3 connected. You can try that, though, to test if saves are remembered using gst-patcher 3.4r (though they can't be backed up)
BruceG
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I just tried the gst patcher with Trauma Center and it did not save. I dont what the hell is going on.
does the mK3 have a changeable battery, maybe that's the problem.
edit: ok I just tried some gba roms and they all saved fine, so it has to be the mk3. Is there anyway to use te battery in the neo flash cart to save my nds saves?
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No, the actual magic key 3 is just the card that inserts into your ds, so there is no battery there. The pass-thru device is used as the interface for the ds cartridge and sd card. I'm assuming you tested all the contacts, so it seems like the mk3 is malfunctioning.
The battery in the flashcart is used primarily for GBA saving only (saves to the SRAM on the cart). Since the NDS saves are stored on the magic key itself, and backed up to the SD card, the battery on the neoflash cart isn't going to help at all in that regard.
BruceG
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I think you might want to appeal to wherever you bought the MK3 from to see if they'll give you a replacement.
oh and I fixed the name of the topic, sorry but it was bothering me :P
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I guess I'm screwed, I spent 150 on this cart, I wanted to buy another buy I'm going to consider all my options before I make another purchase. Thanks for all the support guys.
Update: I'm just going to use the gba_save feature from GST until I get A replacement.
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Actually theres a chance your not screwed. I took a look inside my MK3 today and there is a battery inside the unit. I'm not sure what it's used for but I'll post a pic of it later.
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hey angelfly,
Do you mean you took the pass-thru unit apart and there was a battery?? Or the actual mk3 card has a tiny battery itself (hard to believe since it's so thin)?
THanks for letting me know... I didn't know that. I don't think anybody changes that battery, though, so I don't know what the exact purpose is...
BruceG
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In the pass through theres a battery. I can't find my camera batteries so I can't take a pic of it but it's near the sd slot and it's very small like those hearing aid batteries.
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Hopefully Cory or someone can shed some light on this, I'd be interested in knowing myself if it has a battery that may or may not need changed.
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It has a battery that is one of the very few reliably rechargeable watch type cells. As with the Neo carts, the MK2/3 uses SRAM for the save data space since SRAM memory needs a constant current to retain data. Unlike the neo cart, the SRAM and battery combo in the MK2/3 seems much more reliable.
On a full charge these batteries can hold the data in SRAM from 5 days+ (perhaps much much longer, but 5 days was the last I checked). Unless it comes dead from factory it should not need to be replaced any time soon. Due to the nature of rechargeable Li batteries (and I am not certain with manese lithium batteries) it is possible these ones can become damaged if drained entirely.
I havent used my MK3 64 for a few weeks and it still retains 2.54V (according to the datasheet it should be 3.1V), the data still stays intact after 10 minutes. A DMM and a careful hand could tell you if your battery is bad (less than 2V or so would be needing a charge, less than .4V would be bad), but in this case I would look for an exchange if you have not had the MK for very long.
The battery is a Sanyo ML621 Magnese Lithium rechargeable battery (industrial Sanyo line) (PDF datasheet can be found here (http://www.sanyo-component.com/fileadmin/mc/products/industrial/catalogues/spec/lithium/ml/ML621.pdf))
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I guess the next question would be how would you go about changing this battery, if necessary?? (sorry not an expert here, but it doesn't appear very straightforward to do) Maybe it's not even designed for the user to change since it lasts so long?
BruceG
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finally got to take the pic http://img371.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mk345xn.jpg (http://img371.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mk345xn.jpg)
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cool! good job...
BruceG
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As you can see from the pic, the battery itself is easy to change (it just slides out). Removing the case without damaging it too severely is a pain though (it is hot-glued along one side). Also, getting a replacement for an industrial grade rechargeable "watch cell" type battery may proove frustrating too (I have never seen these type of batteries for sale outside of sample lots or rarely Euro mailorder electronics shops).