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Topic: GBC battery changed but didn't lose save file?!

Posts 1 to 16 of 16

teqtoke

Hello all,
I run a game store, so I am no stranger to soldering in new batteries for all types of carts. It is obvious that when you remove the battery, you lose the save file.
Today, I changed two at the same time (Gold and Crystal). When I powered it on to create new save files to test them, both of them still had their old save files!! I have changed over 100 batteries and have never seen this happen before!

Anyone seen something similar?

teqtoke

6ch6ris6

have you actually tried the savefiles? did they work? maybe just the names survived the battery change?

Ryzen 5 2600
2x8GB DDR4 RAM 3000mhz
GTX 1060 6GB

teqtoke

@Morpheel: Hey, thanks, is that proven? Have you come across it? I mean, that's the most common sense answer I came up with, but I didn't think I did it any faster than usual.

Thank you!

teqtoke

LaserdiscGal

I can verify the saves stay if you change them quick enough, though I'm not sure the exact time frame I'd have to guess around 20 Seconds.

LaserdiscGal

3DS Friend Code: 0688-5519-2711 | My Nintendo: pokefraker | Nintendo Network ID: pokefraker

6ch6ris6

Darth_Vader wrote:

I can verify the saves stay if you change them quick enough, though I'm not sure the exact time frame I'd have to guess around 20 Seconds.

wow never thought changing batteries can be such a thrill

Ryzen 5 2600
2x8GB DDR4 RAM 3000mhz
GTX 1060 6GB

Smash_kirby

@teqtoke: I think Crystal was one of the first games to have built in save memory beyond the battery. I might be wrong about this, though.

Smash_kirby

teqtoke

@Smash_kirby: hey, no it wasn't until GBA.
If Crystal battery dies the save file goes.

teqtoke

needler420

Pretty sure you changed the battery fast enough that the board stayed having power long enough to not lose save file. I would say there isn't a exact time frame. It's quick and a matter of luck.

Edited on by needler420

needler420

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GanonDorf

I think Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal use the battery only for the real time clock, not for the saves.

GanonDorf

KingMike

That's Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald you're thinking of.
GSC used the same battery for both (I don't think GB/GBC carts even supported Flash/EEPROM saves).

KingMike

GauBan

No GB/GBC game has Flash memory. There is someone who came up with a way to mod a cart so you can use flash memory instead of the battery save. But this is mostly for home console games due to the extra space needed to add the components.

The first Nintendo home console to use Flash or save was th N64, but not all games did there are some which use battery backup. Also all memory cards used battery backup aswell (Well I've never opened one that didn't).

The first portable was the GBA and all ones with saves use Flash. GBA games which have batteries fitted is only for realtime clocks. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire & Boktai series.

GauBan

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GauBan

Morpheel wrote:

False, a number of gba games do use batteries to save the game.

Yep you are right. I stand corrected. There were decals games that Nintendo were cheap and used boards that had battery backup. I've never open a cart that had one bar one that used it for real-time clocks.

But not all versions of the same game use the same save technology.

My Japanese copy of Final Fantasy Tactics doesn't have battery back-up. But the UK version does. This would explain some save data issues I had with the Retron 5 on a couple of games before v2.0 firmware.

GauBan

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