SRAM files are not being written to SD card

the_randomizer · Post by **the_randomizer** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 3:57 pm

Since you guys support other Snes9x ports, I'll post my problem here.

|----System Information----|

Card type: SDHC
Filesystem: FAT32
Size Capacity: 8.0GB
Wii System: 4.2 NTSC
Snes9xGx Version: 4.2.7
Downloaded from: Google code
HBC Version: 1.0.8

|----Emulator Settings-----|

Load Device: SD
Save Device: SD
Auto Load: SRAM
Auto Save: None
Snes9x Forwarder Version: 1.1

Note: SDHC card was formatted on 4/19/11 as a precaution

So here's the problem I've been faced with, .SRAM files are being made on the SD card itself, but are refusing to load upon opening an .SFC/SMC file. Let's take Final Fantasy V for example, so, I load a savestate and let's say I want to make a native save later on(.SRAM) just in case the savestate gets corrupted (this is something I always do, as we all know that states should never be relied on exclusively). After that, I soft reset to make sure it was actually made, and it seems to be there. BUT, let's say I switch games and/or decide to close Snes9xGx to play a Wii game, and then go back to Snes9xGx later on. Well, I did just that, and Final Fantasy V no longer has a native save to load from. But like I said before, when I load a savestate, and go to a save point, the empty save slots I saw after opening Snes9xGx are occupied. WTF?

To sum up:

Scenario A - Open up Snes9xGx, load a random game that uses SRAM, save in-game, reset, and the save is there.

Scenario B - Come back to the same game later, no SRAM save is loaded;
load savestate and note the "occupied" save slots.

SRAM is visible after loading a savestate, but nonexistent when booting a ROM up before loading a savestate.

I spoke with dborth (the guy who maintains Snes9xGx Wii) and he couldn't reproduce this glitch. I've had this SDHC card for nearly three years, so, it can't be dying already, can it? And yes, I already tried loading Snes9xGx from the HBC instead of the forwarder, and made no difference.

SparroHawc · Post by **SparroHawc** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:40 pm

I'm going to make a suggestion that you'll probably hate.

Try using a regular SD card (2GB or less).

If it works, please give that information to dborth.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:26 pm

SparroHawc wrote:I'm going to make a suggestion that you'll probably hate.

Try using a regular SD card (2GB or less).

If it works, please give that information to dborth.

yeah, was gonna say I use a 2GB SD Card in my wii.. also, does the Wii even support sdhc cards?

OV2 · Post by **OV2** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:49 pm

It works fine for me.

One thing that you don't seem to realize: a savestate includes SRAM data, so if you load a savestate you automatically load the contained SRAM data - which is why you see all in-game saves made prior to loading the savestate.

the_randomizer · Post by **the_randomizer** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:53 pm

*Sigh*

I think I'm going to crawl in a hole for a while and weep openly. *Dochebag rant removed*

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:42 am

the_randomizer wrote:
adventure_of_link wrote:
SparroHawc wrote:I'm going to make a suggestion that you'll probably hate.

Try using a regular SD card (2GB or less).

If it works, please give that information to dborth.
yeah, was gonna say I use a 2GB SD Card in my wii.. also, does the Wii even support sdhc cards?
Yes, with the System Menu, 4.0 and on, the Wii can support up to 32GB SDHC cards just fine. Read Nintendo's statement for Wii System Menu 4.0 and on. NOTE: I HAVE USED THIS SAME SDHC CARD IN PREVIOUS VERSIONS AND IT WORKED FINE UNTIL 4.2.7. I ALSO HAD THIS FOR THREE YEARS AND VERSION 4.2.6 WORKED FINE.

What do I do, start from scratch or just transfer the SRAM files from my PC?

Again, I will NOT use a 2GB card because the SDHC worked fine in the past! How much more can I emphasize this?[/i] There's no reason to be skeptical about my being able to use this SDHC card in the past.

And now for something completely different.. SDHC cards work with every other HBC Wii program (Genesis Plus, Wii64, WiiSX, Visual Boy Advanced GX, FECUGX, ScummVM, Dragon Media Player, Wii Media Center) Surely, it can't POSSIBLY be do to the fact I'm using an 8GB SDHC. I'm not trying to get in an argument, I just don't like it when people assume I have my head up my a** and don't have a clue what I'm doing. I've been using emulators extensively and I am thoroughly familiar with the popular ones since 1997.

Jeez, there was no need to be this damn rude... all I was trying to do was help, but what do I get? a bunch of bloody flames coming from YOU.

Getting into an argument? Posts like yours will surely cause one, in fact I'm sorta contributing to said argument right now.

that being said, my work here is done.

the_randomizer · Post by **the_randomizer** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:44 am

It wasn't my intent to be rude, as I now retract what I said. I just don't know why I have to use a normal SD versus SDHC. Like I said, it worked on earlier versions. I have a tendency to take advice and criticism the wrong way and if there's anything is coming to get back at me, I sure as heck deserve it. Now if you will excuse me, I think I will just mosey on out of here. I won't blame anyone if they decide to despise me.

BearOso · Post by **BearOso** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:03 am

the_randomizer wrote:It wasn't my intent to be rude, as I now retract what I said. I just don't know why I have to use a normal SD versus SDHC. Like I said, it worked on earlier versions. I have a tendency to take advice and criticism the wrong way and if there's anything is coming to get back at me, I sure as heck deserve it. Now if you will excuse me, I think I will just mosey on out of here. I won't blame anyone if they decide to despise me.

Concerning the hostility: Keep in mind that when we try to help, we have no idea how experienced you are. Simple suggestions often help because we DO get many people asking questions who barely know what they're doing. We're not here to antagonize you, and can often understand the frustration you go through when something doesn't work. But we're connected over a very disjoint medium and it's often very difficult to reproduce the same scenarios you encounter. The best thing you can do is to be patient and provide as much information as you can.

As far as the issue goes: The only difference between the two formats would be the security related to the newer card protocol, and whether or not the homebrew modifications can handle it. But since you say an SRAM file is being written (I assume it isn't zero-sized), I doubt the storage media is the problem.

Read what OV2 has said regarding the SRAM being contained in the save states and see if that applies. If not, it's probably going to be an edge case in the Wii port loading the ROM differently when the program is in various states of operation, which dborth will probably need to fix. Just to check, if you totally neglect savestates, and use only the in-game saves (SRAM), is the file is created and loaded properly?

the_randomizer · Post by **the_randomizer** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:38 pm

I just realized that the SRAM wasn't being written after all (ah, crap) and after finding that out after I posted this, it makes me feel even more moronic. The SRAM files aren't even being written to the card (d'oh)! But what was said about the whole savestate containing the SRAM data at the time of loading, that makes sense, actually. If it isn't being written, what options do I have? I haven't tried using the SRAM exclusively yet, but dborth said he can't reproduce this.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:33 pm

...is the locking tab set to lock by any chance?

the_randomizer · Post by **the_randomizer** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:18 pm

adventure_of_link wrote:...is the locking tab set to lock by any chance?

Hmmm...never thought of that. I'll check it out, but still, very perplexing nonetheless.

SparroHawc · Post by **SparroHawc** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:24 pm

Allow me to explain myself. And to be fair, I -did- warn you that you'd probably hate my suggestion.

I'm more interested in finding the source of the problem than finding a workaround or a quick fix. If it's an issue that the dev team already knows about (like the button mapping not working on the Windows port) then I don't worry too much about it, and instead try to find a workaround, but that isn't the case here. It's a strange situation that has little or no precedent.

If using an SD card works when an SDHC card doesn't, especially with it having worked in the past, that is a bug and it needs to be reported to the person maintaining the port. The more information you can give to the developer, the easier a time he will have fixing it. I'm not asking you to use nothing but 2GB SD cards from here on out, I'm trying to find out if that's what is causing the problem so it can get fixed quickly.

That being said, there is a quirk that you should know about involving SRAM and SNES9x GX.

The SRAM isn't saved until you press the home button to drop back to the menu. If you power off the console or somehow quit out of SNES9x GX without returning to the menu, you will lose any and all SRAM progress.

It's also possible that auto-SRAM saving doesn't work or is turned off. I'm paranoid about that myself and always go into the menu, and just to double-check I manually save the SRAM. I've never had a save go missing when I do that. (I avoid using save-states most of the time, partly because of the potential of it clobbering my SRAM saves.)

StevieME · Post by **StevieME** » Fri Jan 20, 2017 4:22 pm

Hello everyone... I am having this exact issue with Snes9x GX and Visual Boy Advance GX as well for some odd reason and can't seem to find a solution.

I can save and load states no problem with FCE Ultra GX and Genesis Plus.

Please help. Anyone?

Snes9x.com

SRAM files are not being written to SD card

SRAM files are not being written to SD card

Re: SRAM files are not being written to SD card