Backing up GBA cart save data - any solutions?

[Nu-Eclipse]

I'd like to back up the save data on a few of my GBA carts to my PC or Laptop, but primarily my GBA Pok?mon carts (for obvious reasons). Would also like to be able to transfer GBA save data back to GBA carts for re-use.

Anybody on here know of a way to do this? Fast, practical, foolproof, sure-fire and efficient solutions are what I'm after. Cheapness (ie. ?nil cost) would also be a bonus, although I wouldn't be totally against putting my hand in my pocket if need be.

Thanks in advance.

[noobish hat]

Ask Importaku, he has exactly the device you want, but I'm not sure where he got it. I don't know if it can transfer them to a computer cos it's just like a usb stick but with a gba link port thing on it, but it works a treat, everything is just stored on the stick.

[importaku]

Tadaa & im here to answer all your question you need one of these.....

http://www.eagb.net/advance/hr47.html

It will back up & restore every save type you can throw at it. The saves are kept on the stick but it works flawlessly. It's what i have all my important saves backed up to. You can use an action replay to back up saves to a pc but i found it not to work properly with certain save types as it wouldn't back up my ereader data off my mario advance 4 cart properly.

They aren't that easy to find nowdays but console plus still have them in stock, but only the 4 meg version. I got my 8 meg one from them.

http://www.consoleplus.co.uk/product_info.php?pName=4mb-sms-memory-backup-stick-for-gbasp

[Nu-Eclipse]

Tadaa & im here to answer all your question you need one of these.....

http://www.eagb.net/advance/hr47.html

It will back up & restore every save type you can throw at it. The saves are kept on the stick but it works flawlessly. It's what i have all my important saves backed up to. You can use an action replay to back up saves to a pc but i found it not to work properly with certain save types as it wouldn't back up my ereader data off my mario advance 4 cart properly.

They aren't that easy to find nowdays but console plus still have them in stock, but only the 4 meg version. I got my 8 meg one from them.
http://www.consoleplus.co.uk/product...tick-for-gbasp

Sounds and looks like an awesome solution. Cheers, importaku!

Two more questions - will this work with the GBA Pokémon games? and would 4MB be enough?

[importaku]

It will work on all gba save types & 4 meg should be enough i think. I have 10 games backed up on mine & it hardly made a dent on the 8 meg stick so 4 should hold quite a few before it fills.

[Papercut]

You could also use a DS, something like an R4 card, and some homebrew - Rudolph's "GBA Backup Tool".

Would probably be the easiest solution if you have a DS - you could then transfer from SD card to PC and back.

If you also get a Slot 2 flash card (EZ 3 in 1 or similar) you could then run copies of GBA games with your hacked game save data, without ever needing to touch the game save on the original cartridge, which would also be the safest solution. They would even work on a GBA, once the Slot 2 card was programmed by the DS.

[Nu-Eclipse]

You could also use a DS, something like an R4 card, and some homebrew - Rudolph's "GBA Backup Tool".

Would probably be the easiest solution if you have a DS - you could then transfer from SD card to PC and back.

If you also get a Slot 2 flash card (EZ 3 in 1 or similar) you could then run copies of GBA games with your hacked game save data, without ever needing to touch the game save on the original cartridge, which would also be the safest solution. They would even work on a GBA, once the Slot 2 card was programmed by the DS.

Cheers. I did think about the GBA Backup Tool, but I always thought that you could only use it if you had a SLOT-2 solution like the EZ 3-in-1. Downloaded and installed the latest version on my CycloDS Evolution earlier this evening and it seems to work fine. Will put it through its paces when I have more spare time. I still want to purchase the memory stick as it looks like a really cool device, and dirt-cheap too.

Speaking of the EZ 3-in-1...I have wanted one for the longest time, but they seem to be a bitch to get hold of these days. Any pointers to any reliable and trustworthy on-line stockists would be much appreciated.

[Papercut]

I got mine from dealextreme a couple of years ago for about a tenner.

I've never used these, but this was about the only supplier recommended on the cyclods forums:

http://www.flashlinker-shop.com/ez-flash-v-3in1-expansion-pack-nds-lite-slot-2-p-514.html

Otherwise I think there are other DS flash card slot 2 compatible devices, but there don't seem to be many floating around - I guess the DSi and dwindling GBA interest has slowly killed them off.

[ItsThere]

@ Nu Eclipse

Speaking of the EZ 3-in-1...I have wanted one for the longest time, but they seem to be a bitch to get hold of these days. Any pointers to any reliable and trustworthy on-line stockists would be much appreciated.

I also got one of these from Deal Extreme last year - £10 ish as well.

I found it much harder to use than I thought it would be to be honest... I am not technically minded enough to use it properly it seems!

[Papercut]

It depends on the Slot 1 card mainly... the CycloDS has good support for it, and some other cards too, otherwise you are stuck running homebrew to enable rumble, flash images to it, etc.

[ItsThere]

It depends on the Slot 1 card mainly... the CycloDS has good support for it, and some other cards too, otherwise you are stuck running homebrew to enable rumble, flash images to it, etc.

I was fiddling around with a R4. Not ideal but it was workable.

[speedlolita]

You want a program called "GBA ExpLoader" to use the EZ flash to it's full potential.

[ItsThere]

You want a program called "GBA ExpLoader" to use the EZ flash to it's full potential.

Yeah that is what I got in the end. I just remember it being tricky to get working for some reason. Maybe a mac thing but I think probably just my lack of skill!

[speedlolita]

Yeah, a more recent one I used didn't seem to be too good. But one of the earlier ones that I used around the time I first found it worked great.