Smc Issues With 2 Year Old Gp32


zombie_chris

Still Fresh
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Messages
9
I currently have an ongoing problem with my 2 year old GP32.

For about a year, under win98, the unit worked perfectly, but after installing XP, the unit or the software seems to have developed a couple of issues: Errors transferring programs and files to it (mostly resulting in a "error during process" with an accompanying "process error" on the GP32 screen) and more commonly, getting the software to recognise the harware at all (giving the error "Timed out" or "error during process"). I've also been unable to 'authorise' the unit with gpreg, repeatedly getting the "unkown error happened" error.

In most cases, I've been able to boot to Linux and reformat the card with gplink, which usually clears up any problems, although the problem re-occurs after a time. Any files or folders that have been created with gplink are not recognised by the GP32. So, for example, after formatting, creating folders and copying freelauncher across, the GP32 will report that there is no SMC inserted. If I reboot at this point, then PC-Link has access. I've experimented with 'program compatibility' and found that Windows 2000 compatibility works best, although this still can render the GP32 inaccessable after a few operations.

When using gplink to "recover" my SMC, the command "gplink info" tells me that the SMC has 0 bytes available, and 0 bytes used, which I suspect points to something going wrong on the Windows side of things that is writing "bad" values or corrupting the FAT on the SMC. I have 2 SMC's, one 64MB and 128MB, and the problems are consistent with both.

Right now, I'm possibly looking at a problem with

a) the XP USB drivers (I've used both the original GamePark drivers and the patched ones, there's no difference)

b) a hotfix is causing problems with the USB drivers (as was the problem with my NetMD)

c) the units age is causing a problem somewhere.

I'm really at my wits end with this, and seriously considering reinstalling win98 to get the GP32 useable again, or at least removing all my XP hotfixes. Can anyone elaborate on these issues, or suggest to a fix for any of them?

Sorry for the long winded post, but I wanted to illustrate the problem, and how I've worked so hard, to fruitlessly try to find a solution.
TIA.
 
My recommendation would be to buy a new SMC and get a SMC reader/writer. The SMC reader/writer would solve all of your driver problems and if that doesn't work then buy a new SMC, as you Smart Media Card may just be worn out.

BTW, SMC reader/writers cost less than $10. ;)
 
U need to format the card, obviously, first. ;) after that a card reader or gpdrive would work fine. :)
 
You also need to reflash or get freelauncher. Freelauncher is
availible by IRC, or by a cracked version. The official registering thingy
is down.
 
You also need to reflash or get freelauncher. Freelauncher is
availible by IRC, or by a cracked version. The official registering thingy
is down.

Right I've got it to work - it's a little flakey but it copies files across, and I'm able to flash it. The one remaining problem is now that Freelauncher hangs whenever I try to execute a program, I've tried 3 versions of CaSTaway, and a Metal Slug conversion that I downloaded, and none of them will run. I've got a card reader on order now, will that sort out this problem?

EDIT: I'm using a version of freelancher from the IRC channel from efnet (!encrypt command)
 
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