Hacking [Release] EZF Advance (original) flasher for Nintendo DS

machinoman

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I recently found my old EZF Advance flash card but was unable to find the cable for it. Searching online, I found a DS homebrew app on github somebody wrote which flashes this specific card, but it replaces the whole card with one GBA file. I thought it might be fun to modify this application to allow for multiple games, so I ordered a used DS and bought a DS flash card on newegg, all for under $30, and then added the functionality to the app. I finished up this afternoon. Here is a photo of a few games I successfully flashed onto the card -

ezfa.jpg


As this homebrew is for one very specific GBA flash card (EZF Advance Realtime) I doubt if anybody will ever use this but me, but I figure if anyone might need it they would look for it on GBATemp, so I'm posting it here.

This app requires that you have the original firmware still on your card. If you have flashed over it with a game already, you can reflash the firmware @syrusch posted in this thread by using the original github project I mentioned previously. My app will not flash firmware, only copy and paste the existing one on the card.

Description:

This app takes GBA files from a folder named gba, which must be placed at the root of the DS flash card. The titles on the menu are generated from the GBA file names and are limited to 32 characters. I did not implement the file trimming from the original software, so I recommend using the Flash Advance Toolkit to reduce the file size of games, although it is not a requirement to use this homebrew. I should also note that I have not tested to see what happens if a user tries to flash more than the card can fit, so I recommend not doing that.

Release:

https://github.com/GitGarage/ezfa/releases/tag/v1.0
 

kuwanger

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That's really awesome to see. I know someone put some effort into making the EZFA work with Pogoshell. There's a link to it if interested. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if there's a link to the source anywhere. Also, I don't have an EFA so really have no idea if it works or not. If at all interested, though, I really like Pogoshell as an alternative to the build-in menu system because it has a much better save management system (it use the first 64KB for the current game and uses the rest to store all other saved games compressed).

Again, always nice to see some more development on older flash carts.
 
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Blue24

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This is just amazing! I found a gba on offer up with the ezf attached to a Action replay but I didn't have the cable or anything to flash games onto the card.
 

Blue24

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how do you know when its
I recently found my old EZF Advance flash card but was unable to find the cable for it. Searching online, I found a DS homebrew app on github somebody wrote which flashes this specific card, but it replaces the whole card with one GBA file. I thought it might be fun to modify this application to allow for multiple games, so I ordered a used DS and bought a DS flash card on newegg, all for under $30, and then added the functionality to the app. I finished up this afternoon. Here is a photo of a few games I successfully flashed onto the card -

ezfa.jpg


As this homebrew is for one very specific GBA flash card (EZF Advance Realtime) I doubt if anybody will ever use this but me, but I figure if anyone might need it they would look for it on GBATemp, so I'm posting it here.

This app requires that you have the original firmware still on your card. If you have flashed over it with a game already, you can reflash the firmware @syrusch posted in this thread by using the original github project I mentioned previously. My app will not flash firmware, only copy and paste the existing one on the card.

Description:

This app takes GBA files from a folder named gba, which must be placed at the root of the DS flash card. The titles on the menu are generated from the GBA file names and are limited to 32 characters. I did not implement the file trimming from the original software, so I recommend using the Flash Advance Toolkit to reduce the file size of games, although it is not a requirement to use this homebrew. I should also note that I have not tested to see what happens if a user tries to flash more than the card can fit, so I recommend not doing that.

Release:

https://github.com/GitGarage/ezfa/releases/tag/v1.0

how do you know when its done flashing? it just stops do i turn ioff the ds?
 

SimonL91

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Amazing job the installation of the roms works perfectly
Only problem is that it corrupts the save files :(

The flasher in your post that only transfers 1 rom works like a charm :)
 
Last edited by SimonL91,

LDigital

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Wow. I cant believe this exists! I love my old cart and wanted to switch up some games but couldnt get the old drivers to work on win 10 or be bothered with the virtual box thingy. It works perfectly. Its just a shame I cant see what space I have on the card. If you are still around, a big thank you for making this. There are probably dozens of us!
 
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