NEO2 512 save problem

[slothette64]

this game im having trouble with
Legend of Zelda - Majora's Mask (Europe)
it refuses to save on my NEO2 512 cart

i try to save song of time or owl statue
i quit the game and see my save there
power off N64 and go back to the game
no save

on this same cart i have Ocarina of Time
this game saves just fine

i have a PAL N64
using Donkey Kong 64 for CIC
using the 2.2 PAL menu
save settings are 6105/7105 / FRAM 128KB

this is a bitch of a game to test save with
so any help very appreciated!!

[slothette64]

i think i found my own answer

Megaman 64 uses the 128KB FRAM for saving. I'm not sure if I tested that fully on flash only. I'm not even sure how you get 16 slots - 4Kb EEPROM has 8 slots, 16Kb EEPROM has 8 slots, 32KB SRAM has 3 slots, and the 128KB FRAM should have only 1 slot. There's not room in the GBA SaveRAM for more than one 128KB save (given the extra info stored in the GBA sram)

128KB FRAM same as Majora's Mask

so does this mean there is only room for 1 of those saves
and maybe i cant save because i already have 1 OOT save there??

[Conle]

so does this mean there is only room for 1 of those saves

Yeah , you need an SD card for unlimited saves. Alternatively you can backup/restore the neo2 sram from the programmer every time 

i quit the game and see my save there
power off N64 and go back to the game
no save

The core is up to date?

Edit : By the way , with "256Mbit cart" you don't mean the one with the SD interface..right ?

[slothette64]

core is V3
and yeah, no SD, its the one that came with the NeoMyth pack

[slothette64]

im having a problem with a different game now
Resident Evil 2 (Europe)
its .SRA format this time not .FRA

i get the ink into the typewriter and save
power off and power on again (not reset)
load the game and first it said save error
when i turned on/off again it said no saves

now i think its a problem with anything i put on my NEO2

[slothette64]

now im in real trouble
i fear my NEO2 has died
after putting RE2 on there (a big one)

i tried to update the menu to 2.4 PAL
to hopefully fix any save problems
it wouldnt let me
so then i try to format with the manager
it gets half way and says:=
"USB Device Time out! Please re-plug the USB device and try again!"
i know the plug is fine

i try the NEOCMD tool to format/unbrick
it tells me all bad blocks!! nooooooo!!

"block 0001 of 0512 failed, total bad blocks: 0001, 0 complete"
 -->
"block 0512 of 0512 failed, total bad blocks: 0512, 99 complete"

i could format before RE2 was there
now i cant even do that
now i cant do anything with it

meanwhile my NEO2PRO-1024M still works fine
thankfully

but the NEO2-512M is very problematic
i did save with it only once
and now i think its dead

[sanni]

The Neocmd tool always shows badblocks even if your cart is fine. So don't worry about that.
If you wanna be sure, you can flash resident evil 2 with neocmd and then read it back and compare the two files. If they are indentical everything is fine. Since the neocmd is not an official program, meaning it's not made by neoflash, it might not support your cart but you can still try it if you want.

As for your problem with the Neo Pro Manager. Try to format it with Neo Pro Manager again but this time use a shorter usb cable or try it on another pc. There seem to be some compatibility problems for some people with the Neo Pro Manager.
What Operating system are you using?

[slothette64]

thanks sanni
the USB is directly into my motherboard
definitely 2.0 powered
using XP with writer drivers installed

cannot format with manager
it refuses every time now

[slothette64]

me again
still no luck with my NEO2 

this time ive been trying advice from this thread:=
http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index.php/topic,6710.msg50762.html

To fix this:

1) download madmonkey's neocmd
2) you may also download and install this
3) download the two files attached to this post.
4) put them in the same directory as neocmd
5) un- and replug the Neo Myth cart
6) run unbrick.bat.

7) Un- and replug the Neo Myth cart again
8 ) start the official Neo Programmer
9) You now get the "detroied" error message
10) click on the Format tab and select the following settings:
Menu Format: Normal Format
Rom Format: Fast Format
Menu Type Select: N64
11) press "Neo2 Format"

ive followed this many times
tried some variations
the unbricker seems to work but i still cant format

id like to know EXACTLY what stuff i should be using
driver version
client/manager version
neocmd version

there are different versions floating around
maybe im not using the correct combo?
is this info still the correct combo to unbrick a NEO2?

i unbrick then get the "detroied" message
tried formatting different ways but always get errors
(again i am 100% sure it's USB 2.0 so not a USB problem despite what it says)

[slothette64]

aaaaAAAAHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!
FIXED!!

it was the USB Slim Loader IV that was the culprit!!

i managed to get back to normal by using the NeoMyth as the writer
i feel like an idiot for not trying it sooner

USB NeoMyth does not give me any connection errors
even when using an extension cable

but i think my Slim Loader is junk now
worked alright at first but now is obviously the problem

sorry to make a mess here
but hope this info will help someone else

(BTW when it seemed to work with the switch at the top to the right!!)

[sanni]

Don't be sorry, be proud because thanks to you I can create a new FAQ in my FAQ thread. Good detective work