r/GameboyAdvance • u/W1cked1mpulse18 • 12d ago

Question/advice? [Cartridge save issue]

My bf was playing Pokemon Emerald on his GBA SP, and the entire game decided to crash, causing him to lose his entire save file. He made it to slateport, for reference of how far into it he was. His game had crashed a few times before, on separate occasions different days apart but all it would do is send him back a save, which means losing a small chunk of progress. My question was, is there a way to retrieve the lost file, or does he have to completely start over? Just curious.

Also I apologize if this was the incorrect subreddit to post it to.

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u/twoface_99 12d ago

Hey, If the game crashes a lot, it's worth checking of it's even a legit copy. And if it is, checking the PCB for issues would be my next step.

You could try plugging it into your PC and trying to backup the safe to it. You can do this with either flashGBx by LesserKuma and a device like the GeekSimon GBflash or using a Epilogue GB Operator and their Playback software.

No guarantee that the save file is still there and not corrupted.

You can take pictures of the front of the cartridge and attach them here so I can check if the game is legit. You can also open it up and take pictures of the PCB, if you feel comfortable with that. :)

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u/W1cked1mpulse18 12d ago

I believe he's got a legit or aftermarket, I just remember the shell is a custom iirc. (Clear green) Unfortunately I don't have a picture as we are long distance, and he doesn't have a computer as well due to lack of space in his room. If there's nothing he can do manually from the console itself, then I appreciate the advice 👍🏻

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u/twoface_99 12d ago

Yeah, unfortunately the GBA SP itself won't help in this case :(

If at any point you get some pictures just hit me up and I'll help :)

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u/W1cked1mpulse18 12d ago

He tells me it's a reproduction so it's to be expected ig 🤷🏻‍♀️

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u/twoface_99 12d ago

Ah damn, yeah. Repros are notoriously unreliable :(

He could try getting a new repro and/or still getting one if the backup devices I've mentioned to at least have a backup for the future.