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Flash Equipment > Could not load DriverLINX driver?

#11878 - phdeez - Wed Oct 22, 2003 9:25 pm

Newbie Q: Am I supposed to load DLPORTIO.dll and DLPORTIO.sys into C:\windows\system? I get an error of "Could not load DriverLINX driver" when I load the F2A proggie, can anyone help please? Note: I didn't get a CD with my flasher- so I have no idea what the "instructions" are. I did d/l the instructions from F2A's website, but it didn't say anything about it.

#11884 - phdeez - Thu Oct 23, 2003 2:24 am

Ok, so I got that figured out, however now I can't successfully flash to the flash cart. Apparently the Flash2Advance "HiSpeed Linker" isn't compatible with a GBA SP. I've scoured their website, and cannot find anything indicating that support even will be coming for this product. Am I just SOL?! Please, gimmie some direction.

#11885 - tepples - Thu Oct 23, 2003 2:56 am

The USB linker should work with a GBA SP. Try turning off the internal light before flashing your cart. Writing to flash memory uses a lot of current, and that plus the light may just put the GBA SP's power supply over the limit.
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#11888 - phdeez - Thu Oct 23, 2003 4:11 am

Sorry, the "HiSpeed Linker" I'm refering to is the parallel port link. Here's what I tried:

Every LPT port combo [378, 278, 3bc]
Every connection type avail [EPP, ECP, EPP + ECP]
3 different computers- (2) XP Pro (also both desktops) and (1) 98 machine (yes- a laptop)
With the light off, on and with the power cable plugged in [and light turned off & on]. I can erase the carts ok, but when I flash, it completes [most of the time] but then when it goes to the CRC check- EVERY SINGLE TIME FAILS.

I've also tried other programs with no luck.

I appreciate your help.

I should add the card type is a FA-256 Pro, and I've tried writing multiple games and single games on the cart with the same results.

#11890 - tepples - Thu Oct 23, 2003 4:30 am

There are indeed problems between the GBA SP and the parallel port F2A linker. Have you tried it in something other than a GBA SP, such as a horizontal GBA or a GameCube Game Boy Player?

I see that it's a Visoly cart. Have you tried the MBV2 cable, whose software can flash Visoly carts and (reportedly) 256 Mbit F2A carts? It's just $20 plus shipping from lik-sang.com, and it flashes my Visoly FA 256 Pro cart just fine inside my GBA and my GB Player.
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#11891 - phdeez - Thu Oct 23, 2003 4:48 am

Well, I received this package in a trade for computer hardware under the assumption that these 2 components would work together. Obviously I was wrong. I was thinking about borrowing a regular GBA from a friend [if any have one], but I don't know anyone that owns the GBA GC adapter....thanks for the info though!

#11902 - niltsair - Thu Oct 23, 2003 3:02 pm

I can't speak for everyone, but my F2A parallel linker work just fine on my GBA SP, light On or Off.
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#11909 - tepples - Thu Oct 23, 2003 7:04 pm

Another thing to try: What if you have your GBA SP plugged into the wall while flashing your cart?
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#12031 - gb_feedback - Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:37 pm

Sorry not to notice this before. I thought everyone knew the answer to this one. The parallel F2A version was designed before the SP was available so wasn't tested with it. The affect of the slightly different interface is that the regenerated 3.3V supply on the adapter is REALLY noisy (I looked on an oscilloscope). A lot of people have used this fix, most with success.
Here's what I posted on another site back in June:
Quote:
I finally tried this at the weekend. I checked the signal with an oscilloscope and sure enough on the SP the 3.3V was really noisy compared to the GBA. I soldered on the capacitor and I'm no longer having a problem with SP.
Here is a picture...
The capacitor I added was a tantalum bead I happened to have handy (10uF 6.3V). It's the blue thing in the picture and I've marked the polarity.
Now I see it close up I see what crappy soldering I did. Also although I was really careful I broke off two of the plastic tabs, opening it up.


[Images not permitted - Click here to view it]
Obviously it's at your own risk...
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#12079 - phdeez - Wed Oct 29, 2003 2:49 am

Update:
Yep tried the above method, but installed a 2.2uF 250V (!) capacitor. According to the walkthrough I was reading, it needed to be at least 100V and polarized. Anyways- installed and now I don't have any problems! Thanks!

#12094 - gb_feedback - Wed Oct 29, 2003 10:24 am

OK. Glad it worked. If anyone else is going to try I suppose I should point out that if the capacitor is connected correctly it is going to have a direct voltage of almost exactly 3.3V across it.
So it doesn't need to be a higher voltage than slightly more than this - say 6V. I would guess that just about any capacitance above, say, 1uF will do the smoothing job. The reason it 'needs' to be polarised is just that a non-polarised one of this value would be too physically large. So you're looking for an electrolytic capacitor of at least 1uF and at least 6V.
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