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DS Flash Equipment > GBA MP V1 & GBA MP Firmware hack

#57499 - NorQue - Sun Oct 16, 2005 3:59 pm

Hi all,

got a strange problem with my GBA MP V1. It's updated to Version e19 and I'm using it on a NDS with FlashMe installed together with a 256 MByte SanDisk CF card. It works with the GBAMP Firmware replacement by chishm, but only once in about three tries. It's a really strange problem, everytime I want to start something from CF card it's kind of a gamble - will it work this time or will it not, but mostly I only get to see two white screens and I have to restart my DS again. One more strange thing is that sometimes it then boots straight into DS mode again and crashes, on other occasions it boots the DS Firmware and I have to press A-B-X-Y again on next start and sometimes it simply boots _BOOT_MP.nds from CF card. I haven't noticed a pattern in this behaviour yet, shouldn't it either not work at all or work everytime?

Does anyone have an idea what causes this strange behaviour? My guess (well, you don't have to be a genius to notice that ;) ) is that it's somehow releated to the V1 MP using bootcode from the inserted GBA cartridge... but in which way? Is it only the Nintendo logo, which is mapped to the cartridge port? Is there maybe something important for the firmware replacement mapped in that region (0x04-0xA0, according to GBATek), which causes this strange behaviour?

I'd be really grateful for help, thanks in advance,

-- NorQue

#57553 - chishm - Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:44 pm

I don't know much about the v1, but I can tell you what I know about the v2. It has a CPLD that locks out most of the firmware, unless a certain read sequence is performed. If the wrong sequence is performed then it locks, and a complete power cycle (with delays) is required to unlock it again.

If it boots into NDS mode without the A+B+X+Y keypress then you can assume it is using its own header except for the logo area. The firmware replacement doesn't modify the logo area. It does modify the game name and maker code, and also the game code (obviously).
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#57569 - tepples - Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:05 am

If you modify the logo area then it won't work in GBA mode anymore. Currently I use it in GBA mode all the time because I haven't yet written my own Nintendo DS programs, in turn because of all the manual labor associated with testing each new build.
_________________
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-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.

#57598 - Kir - Mon Oct 17, 2005 6:20 am

NorQue wrote:
Hi all,

got a strange problem with my GBA MP V1. It's updated to Version e19 and I'm using it on a NDS with FlashMe installed together with a 256 MByte SanDisk CF card. It works with the GBAMP Firmware replacement by chishm, but only once in about three tries. It's a really strange problem, everytime I want to start something from CF card it's kind of a gamble - will it work this time or will it not, but mostly I only get to see two white screens and I have to restart my DS again. One more strange thing is that sometimes it then boots straight into DS mode again and crashes, on other occasions it boots the DS Firmware and I have to press A-B-X-Y again on next start and sometimes it simply boots _BOOT_MP.nds from CF card. I haven't noticed a pattern in this behaviour yet, shouldn't it either not work at all or work everytime?

Does anyone have an idea what causes this strange behaviour? My guess (well, you don't have to be a genius to notice that ;) ) is that it's somehow releated to the V1 MP using bootcode from the inserted GBA cartridge... but in which way? Is it only the Nintendo logo, which is mapped to the cartridge port? Is there maybe something important for the firmware replacement mapped in that region (0x04-0xA0, according to GBATek), which causes this strange behaviour?

I'd be really grateful for help, thanks in advance,

-- NorQue


As far as I know, GBA MP v1 (which I own) uses header of Super Mario Advance 1 (Mario World). You MUST take out GBA cartridge from GBA MP to properly start it in DS mode. First time when you turn your DS on it will show "DS option pak" in GBA Slot pic. Turn off your DS, and then immediately turn it in. You should boot in DS mode :) That's all. No need for keypresses, except pressing Select when you wish to boot GBA MP in GBA Mode (I often do this because of good bookreader, which can make bookmarks and have a good cyrillic font with small letter spacing, unlike giant Moonshell font with big spacings, which makes using it almost impossible)

#57601 - NorQue - Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:54 am

Kir wrote:
You MUST take out GBA cartridge from GBA MP to properly start it in DS mode. First time when you turn your DS on it will show "DS option pak" in GBA Slot pic. Turn off your DS, and then immediately turn it in. You should boot in DS mode :) That's all. No need for keypresses, except pressing Select when you wish to boot GBA MP in GBA Mode [...]


Yay, that works! Thank you very much :) . And thanks to chishm and tepples for helping, too :) .

-- NorQue