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Flash Equipment > EFA not writing ROMs (updated)

#23189 - tepples - Wed Jul 07, 2004 1:31 am

On a PC with an AMD K6 processor running Windows 2000, as a member of the administrators group, I do the following with my newly purchased EFA (Extreme Flash Advance) set:
  • Install EFA 1.9 driver downloaded from gbadev.org's hardware section.
  • Remove EFA cart from GBA.
  • Plug USB cable into root hub (on the back panel of the PC) and EFA cart.
  • Notice cart's LED turning green and EFA-Linker showing up in Device Manager.
  • Start EFA_Client.exe.
  • Click Search -> Read Card OK.
  • Check or uncheck Use Loader.
  • Click Add ROM, select one ROM known to run well in VisualBoyAdvance and on a GBA using my old Visoly Flash Advance Turbo 256 cart, and click OK. The ROM title (MULTIBOOTMNU if it matters) shows up properly.
  • Click Write ROM. I see Erasing..., Writing..., and then Read Card OK. But...
Result: The list of items on the card is empty, and "Nintendo" doesn't appear if I unplug the cable, put the card in a GBA, and turn on the GBA.

How can I fix this? Is there a different version of the driver or client application that is known to work?

UPDATE July 7: I got a chance to try it on a different computer running the same OS, with the card plugged into a Belkin self-powered hub, and it worked. Current hypothesis is that the first computer's root hub wasn't providing enough power to the USB ports. This seems consistent with ability to read and write the card's clock chip but not to flash the card (which takes more current). I'll update again once I've bought a self-powered hub for the first computer.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.

#32498 - YellowMan - Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:03 pm

Hi!

I?m a little curious if did get the card to work on your pc? I have the exact same problem with my efa512 card...
Works on my old amd1400 but not on my new amd3500 (mb: msi k8n neo2 54g). Same result as you got...

Or did you find out what the exact problem was? Was it not enough power to the usb interface?

Sorry for digging this old thread! ;)

/klas

#32520 - tepples - Thu Dec 23, 2004 4:28 pm

I got it to work on two other PCs, and we no longer use that PC. Given that I could sometimes get a really short ROM such as a 1 MB Multiboot Menu image to load correctly, it must have had a defective USB controller from back when USB was new. "Not enough power" wouldn't have mattered, as I was going through a self-powered hub and got the same problem.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.

#32526 - AC-Commo - Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:08 pm

Hi,

this is a old thread, so please try efa client 2.2. Will work with AMD >2000+, too.

Please avoid using via-chipset driver 4in1 or something like this.....

#32531 - YellowMan - Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:17 pm

tepples wrote:
I got it to work on two other PCs, and we no longer use that PC. Given that I could sometimes get a really short ROM such as a 1 MB Multiboot Menu image to load correctly, it must have had a defective USB controller from back when USB was new. "Not enough power" wouldn't have mattered, as I was going through a self-powered hub and got the same problem.


Ok, thanks for the reply. I guess my problem lies elsewhere then..

AC-Commo wrote:
this is a old thread, so please try efa client 2.2. Will work with AMD >2000+, too.
Please avoid using via-chipset driver 4in1 or something like this.....


I have tried all drivers/clients from v 1.9 to 2.2 with same result. So it feels like the problem is with the usb interface... and I?m not using via 4in1 or something ;)

#32533 - AC-Commo - Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:20 pm

Hi,

sorry...did not read your whole message...if you have written something to the card and after "refresh card" or "search card" nothing will appear, the card is broken.......

#32536 - YellowMan - Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:25 pm

AC-Commo wrote:
Hi,

sorry...did not read your whole message...if you have written something to the card and after "refresh card" or "search card" nothing will appear, the card is broken.......


That?s the result, yes... but like I said it works like a charm when I use my old amd1400 to upload... So I find it very hard to beleive, that the card is broken...

#32537 - AC-Commo - Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:28 pm

YellowMan wrote:
AC-Commo wrote:
Hi,

sorry...did not read your whole message...if you have written something to the card and after "refresh card" or "search card" nothing will appear, the card is broken.......


That?s the result, yes... but like I said it works like a charm when I use my old amd1400 to upload... So I find it very hard to beleive, that the card is broken...


It is hard to believe, but i think 99,9% that this card is really broken. Has the same problem like cards we?ve sold and this problem appears up to 90% with the 512m cards, not with the 256m version.....