Can't move save data from repro Soul Silver to legit cart

[Mismatched]

I originally bought a repro cart to play Soul Silver. I have since acquired a legit cart and want to move my data onto it, however I haven't been able to get it to work. I've successfully moved around data between other cartridges, but can't get the save data from my SoulSilver to load on anything else. I've tried using Savetool and checksum, and when I transfer it to the legitimate cartridge the data on the cartridge is replaced and it takes me to the tutorial like I have no save data and it's a new game. I've tried loading the .sav in DeSmuME and it's the same thing. PKHEX doesn't seem to recognize it either. The game is still playable and you can even trade from it on the 3ds, however trying voltorb flip crashes the game and when starting the game if I hit continue on the game crashes unless I hit new game, mash through the tutorial until I can walk around, then soft reset, then I can open my file without it crashing. It used to require that only on the OGds but as of today after making backups it requires me to do that on my new 3ds xl as well.

 

Any advice, or other things to try? I'm guessing the repro cart either saves the data in a different  format, or the game is so broken those programs can't read it. I'm worried the game may one day give out entirely and I really want to have my data saved.

 

I couldn't figure out how to add a file to this post so here's a dropbox link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s7ed8yhuiaqvawj/POKEMON SS.sav?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0u1gtz61kr1i7vg/POKEMON SSfirstbackup.sav?dl=0

 

[Kaphotics]

Whatever you dumped is not valid data. Likely because whatever dumping tool does not know how to correctly extract the save data from the repro cart.

Repro carts are rarely supported, because they do not accurately mimic the original hardware the games were distributed on.

[Mismatched]

The thing is though I have captured data from a number of repro carts before, and successfully used it, just not this particular one. I wonder if it's related to the issues on bootup. I think the programs may not be accurately capturing the data.

 

Are there alternative methods of data capture? Like a ds cart ripper or something? Or any way I could extract data while it's running, like a save state?

[Mismatched]

Ok here is what's visible from GodMode9

I added a picture of my legitimate cart as well, for comparison. Any ideas about anything I could do with this data, or where it might be saving to if not as a .sav? If it's not here does it mean it isn't detectable by GM9, or does it mean it saves internally in a different way. It is saving somehow, I can still open it and play my 300 hour save file.

[theSLAYER]

Well, not every repro cart is the same. Given that the programs try to dump the correct partition, perhaps the data isn’t saved in the correct partition.

Here’s something you can try to do, but keep in mind you can’t post the file here:

Dump the ROM, and try to find the save inside it. Usually only Gen 3 bootlegs store the saves in the ROMs, but I don’t know, maybe you’re experiencing it?

In any case, if Kaphotics says a file you provided isn’t a save, then it isn’t a save. He knows what he’s doing. So given you’re desperate and nothing is working,  maybe try any idea you may have, throw it at the fan, and see what sticks.

[Mismatched]

Thanks everyone for responding.

 

I've dumped the ROM- how do I go about looking through it. and what in particular should I be looking for?

8 minutes ago, theSLAYER said:

 

Dump the ROM, and try to find the save inside it. Usually only Gen 3 bootlegs store the saves in the ROMs, but I don’t know, maybe you’re experiencing it?

 

Also any other ideas of various things to try would be helpful. I've been trying, but I'm pretty new at this.

[theSLAYER]

9 minutes ago, Mismatched said:

Thanks everyone for responding.

 

I've dumped the ROM- how do I go about looking through it. and what in particular should I be looking for?

 

Also any other ideas of various things to try would be helpful. I've been trying, but I'm pretty new at this.

Maybe for starters look for your trainer ID? Take your trainer ID, convert it to hexadecimal, then swap the placements of the digits around for endianness.

For example, trainer number 10303 is 0x283F in hex. So in a save, it’ll be stored as 3F28 (First two and last two digits are swapped). if there’s any leading zeros, make sure to include it for the swap. Now, open the ROM in a hex editor, and Search, find hex, insert your digits, and search all. Make take a bit. 
 

I can’t give exact steps cause every hex editor is different, and I’m not by my com so I can’t recommend the one I use and show screenshots. In any case, let us know how many results it shows you. 

If that fails, or has too many results, I suppose the next thing we can try is to find your in game name. What’s the exact IGN you’re using for that game?

[Mismatched]

Thanks for the help! Good idea. I've done a fair amount of rng manipulation on the file, so I have some pokemon where I know their full PID's, if that's helpful. I also could get a pokemon's info from scanning another cart and then trade it over to the soul silver.

 

1 hour ago, theSLAYER said:

Maybe for starters look for your trainer ID? Take your trainer ID, convert it to hexadecimal, then swap the placements of the digits around for endianness.

For example, trainer number 10303 is 0x283F in hex. So in a save, it’ll be stored as 3F28 (First two and last two digits are swapped). if there’s any leading zeros, make sure to include it for the swap. Now, open the ROM in a hex editor, and Search, find hex, insert your digits, and search all. Make take a bit. 

So my TID is 02002 and my SID is 02012 (I rng'd it for the cute charm glitch), and my ign is NICC. So I should be searching for D207 ?

[Mismatched]

There are quite a few results for D2 07, and for my secret ID in hex as well

[BlackShark]

20 minutes ago, Mismatched said:

There are quite a few results for D2 07, and for my secret ID in hex as well

There's a bunch of them in the SS ROM data. Better search for your trainer name then: 380133012D012D01FFFF

[theSLAYER]

2 hours ago, Mismatched said:

Thanks for the help! Good idea. I've done a fair amount of rng manipulation on the file, so I have some pokemon where I know their full PID's, if that's helpful. I also could get a pokemon's info from scanning another cart and then trade it over to the soul silver.

 

So my TID is 02002 and my SID is 02012 (I rng'd it for the cute charm glitch), and my ign is NICC. So I should be searching for D207 ?

You should check as per what BlackShark gave you, but just in case, mind sharing a screenshot of your trainer card? Just wanna make sure the name is formatted as you say, with no extra characters or anything. Even changing the formatting or capitalisation would change what needs to be searched.  

[Mismatched]

4 hours ago, BlackShark said:

There's a bunch of them in the SS ROM data. Better search for your trainer name then: 380133012D012D01FFFF

No dice searching for that, sadly.

 

Here's my trainer card

 

1 hour ago, theSLAYER said:

You should check as per what BlackShark gave you, but just in case, mind sharing a screenshot of your trainer card? Just wanna make sure the name is formatted as you say, with no extra characters or anything. Even changing the formatting or capitalisation would change what needs to be searched.  

 

It doesn't seem to need the go through tutorial and soft reset trick on the 3ds (not new) anymore, it just boots right away, which is good, though it still needs it on the new3ds

 

No idea why. Maybe if I homebrewed my old 3ds I could rip from there? Are there alternate methods of ripping?

[theSLAYER]

The issue should be irrelevant to which device you mod I suppose. If you can play it, then that same device can dump its data. Just whether can it find the data is up to the make of your cart.
 

Is TWLsavetool unable to read the cart to dump the save?

[Le Wolf]

It doesn't recognize the game in TWL.

I made a new save using his repro rom, and the save was able to be read on pkhex.

OP mentioned the current homebrew 3ds sometimes has issues loading the game, but works perfect on his old 3ds. Maybe could be something to do with this?

He's going to try and homebrew the old 3ds next and retry dumping the save on that device.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Le Wolf

[theSLAYER]

28 minutes ago, Le Wolf said:

I made a new save using his repro rom, and the save was able to be read on pkhex.

And how did you do that. Play his ROM on a emulator? On a flash cart? Reflashed an old repro cart of yours?

[Le Wolf]

48 minutes ago, theSLAYER said:

And how did you do that. Play his ROM on a emulator? On a flash cart? Reflashed an old repro cart of yours?

Forgot to include that info, I used an emulator. 

[theSLAYER]

6 minutes ago, Le Wolf said:

Forgot to include that info, I used an emulator. 

Yeah then your conclusion doesn’t really help ><

If the issue is their cart, and the save is being saved on some other physical chip, hence why the device can’t recognize it, playing on an emulator doesn’t really help to get to the bottom of that problem. 
It does confirm that the ROM isn’t the problem, but it usually isn’t the problem anyway, and we’ve been operating with the reasonable assumption that the ROM isn’t the problem.
We’re back to square one, being the cart being the problem.

 

Anyhow, you mentioned something I missed. Another device can play the game more consistently? In the case dump using that device. As per my previous post, if the device can play it, try to dump from there.

[Mismatched]

On 5/9/2022 at 5:54 PM, theSLAYER said:

\

 

Anyhow, you mentioned something I missed. Another device can play the game more consistently? In the case dump using that device. As per my previous post, if the device can play it, try to dump from there.

Got busy with work for a few days, but I'm trying that now. I'll have to homebrew it first however. If I've already homebrewed one 3ds can I use it to speed up the process? or copy the files directly from it?

 

On 5/9/2022 at 5:54 PM, theSLAYER said:

Anyhow, you mentioned something I missed. Another device can play the game more consistently? In the case dump using that device. As per my previous post, if the device can play it, try to dump from there.

Welp, I homebrewed my old 3ds which use to boot the game without issue, and now it no longer can. Same thing happened to my new 3ds xl. I have to do the start up trick like on my other one. Very odd

[theSLAYER]

Very odd indeed. 
 

Maybe try reading this: https://gbatemp.net/threads/new3ds-cannot-load-certain-nds-cartridges-after-installing-cfw-twlfix-not-working.576971/

I wonder if it’s an installation procedure or some missing that is messing with your NDS connection. Try loading the NDS wifi settings in your 3DS system settings, see if it loads. 
Also give a brief read to that thread. It seems like they might have the same issue as you, not sure if it was resolved tho.

[BlackShark]

I just learned something neat by coincidence. Twilight Menu has a RAM dump option! Unlike the one Luma has this actually works.....

I don't see why this wouldn't work for repro carts. If the cart is able to load on the console the data should at least be somewhere in the RAM.

- setup Twilight Menu https://wiki.ds-homebrew.com/twilightmenu/
- get Poke J's PKX Extractor https://projectpokemon.org/home/files/file/4187-pkx-extraction/
- boot Twilight Menu
- boot your game
- press L + DOWN + SELECT , this should open a menu on the bottom screen
- choose dump RAM and wait
- you will find the dump on your SD card in _nds/nds-bootstrap/ramDump.bin
- open that file in the PKX Extractor and see if you can find your Pokemon

Edited May 17, 2022 by BlackShark
oops

[Mismatched]

15 minutes ago, BlackShark said:

I just learned something neat by coincidence. Twilight Menu has a RAM dump option! Unlike the one Luma has this actually works.....

I don't see why this wouldn't work for repro carts. If the cart is able to load on the console the data should at least be somewhere in the RAM.

- setup Twilight Menu https://wiki.ds-homebrew.com/twilightmenu/
- get Poke J's PKX Extractor https://projectpokemon.org/home/files/file/4187-pkx-extraction/
- boot Twilight Menu
- boot your game
- press L + DOWN + R , this should open a menu on the bottom screen
- choose dump RAM and wait
- you will find the dump on your SD card in _nds/nds-bootstrap/ramDump.bin
- open that file in the PKX Extractor and see if you can find your Pokemon

 

 

Ooh this sounds really promissing.

 

Sorry I've been MIA for a bit, busy with work. I'll try this now though!

[Mismatched]

Ok, I'm having a few  issues now

30 minutes ago, BlackShark said:

- press L + DOWN + R , this should open a menu on the bottom screen
 

this doesn't seem to do anything when I do the input after opening the game through twilight menu

 

 

Also, the way I traditionally start the game without it crashing is starting a new file, mashing through the intro until I can walk, then soft resetting with L R SELECT START then hitting continue, however that button combo seems to bring be to the twilight menu main menu instead of doing the in game soft reset.

 

 

Also I've downloaded PKX to my PC- how do I run it?

 

[BlackShark]

40 minutes ago, Mismatched said:

this doesn't seem to do anything when I do the input after opening the game through twilight menu

Ooops my fault, I actually meant L + DOWN + SELECT.

40 minutes ago, Mismatched said:

Also I've downloaded PKX to my PC- how do I run it?

Make sure to extract all the files from the zip (exe, dll and json). You also need .NET 5.0 to run it https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/5.0/runtime

40 minutes ago, Mismatched said:

Also, the way I traditionally start the game without it crashing is starting a new file, mashing through the intro until I can walk, then soft resetting with L R SELECT START then hitting continue, however that button combo seems to bring be to the twilight menu main menu instead of doing the in game soft reset.

But you can see the continue button with your trainer name etc? Once you see the button you can dump your RAM, the data is already loaded.

[Mismatched]

18 minutes ago, BlackShark said:

Ooops my fault, I actually meant L + DOWN + SELECT.

Make sure to extract all the files from the zip (exe, dll and json). You also need .NET 5.0 to run it https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/5.0/runtime

But you can see the continue button with your trainer name etc? Once you see the button you can dump your RAM, the data is already loaded.

unfortunately those commands on TM++ only work when running a game from a flashcart, they don't work when running a game from a cartridge. I think finding a way to do a RAM dump is a good lead though, I'm looking into that now. If anyone knows a good way to RAM dump let me know

[Mismatched]

On 5/12/2022 at 9:45 PM, theSLAYER said:

V

theSLAYER, I saw you had a topic from a while ago on  doing ram dumps while receiving an event distribution from a pokemon center. Does the method you used still work?

https://projectpokemon.org/home/forums/topic/40633-gen-67-ntr-ram-dump-for-local-wireless-wcfull-data/
 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Mismatched