FlashKit MD released!

[raindropua]

Hi there!

Have someone tried to dump QuackShot for Mega Drive via FlashKit MD dumper/programmer? I have recently made several tries to dump this game from three Mega Drive cartridges and all the tries were successfull, but ROM file size was smaller than expected and non-working. According to "cart info" the ROM size is 256KB.   All these cartridges work fine on real hardware console and on Retron 5 which also preliminary dump cartridge data to memory before start the game. So, Mega Drive cartridges were dumped in a smaller size and only Genesis version of QuackShot was dumped with a normal 512KB ROM (and works fine). But Genesis and Mega Drive ROMs should be identical. I have never experienced such issue with any other games while dumping the ROMs.

What do you think about this?

[KRIKzz]

Must be some bug in rom size detection. I will check

[Eke]

If you are detecting mirrored ROM data to determine real ROM size, beware that Quackshot PAL cartridge is wired differently than normal ones: the ROM size is 512 kB but the lower 256 kB is mirrored in the lower 1MB memory range and the upper 256 kB is mirrored in the next 1MB memory range.

https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/blob/master/core/cart_hw/md_cart.c#L353

This also explains why the PAL dump is 1,25 MB so it can be flashed on normal cartridges and correctly loaded in emulators.

[raindropua]

Thank you very much! I will fork Flashkit MD software tool and try to update this logic.

[omonim2007]

krikzz, I found two more incompatible games, please check what's wrong with the cart's software:


1. PGA Tour Golf II (UE). Cart says the ROM size is 2 Mb, but actual size is 1 Mb. After trim operation (just delete last 1 Mb in HEX editor) the ROM became identical to GoodGen dump. I think cart incorrectly determines ROM size (second Megabyte is just blank space). Download dump, photos are here (upper USA dump with 4 pictures is mine).


2. Mystic Defender (UE). Cart just said it "Unknown (W)" and dump has correct size but is absolutely wrong internally. Download dump.

[symbios24]

Hello, is the FlashKit cart MD working with any megadrive game/rom with the Max rom size of 4Mbyte and lower?

thanks

[KRIKzz]

Hello, is the FlashKit cart MD working with any megadrive game/rom with the Max rom size of 4Mbyte and lower?

thanks

Will work if game does not require on-board RAM or co-processor, like virtua racing

[falz]

Can the Flashkit Programmer MD be used to dump Sega Master System/SMS carts with a power base converter inserted between for pinout?

[KRIKzz]

Can the Flashkit Programmer MD be used to dump Sega Master System/SMS carts with a power base converter inserted between for pinout?

No.

[catskull]

Hey everyone,

I was able to get the software working natively in MacOS 10.12.6. I also bundled it into a native .app. What's strange is that it won't launch by double clicking the .app. You have to open a terminal, navigate to the directory, and type "open flashkit-md-v1.0.0.0.app". Some graphical stuff is messed up, such as the progress bar, but it works to read and write carts. I just thought I'd post it here in case anyone else would find it useful or knew how to fix some of the weird stuff.

here's a download: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2JWZbiqagfDNzRFNU95MUFSZWM

If you're curious, I've developed a new flash cart for my Genesis compilation album-on-cart. We used the krikzz flasher to flash the carts and so far it's working great! Check out this link for more info: https://catskullelectronics.com/YM2017

[KRIKzz]

catskull You have nice avatar, by the way. It make me smile (:

[Yami]

Hello,
may I ask if Flashkit MD can write on "open source" MD PCBs based on EEPROMs like the one of HD Retrovision?
https://www.hdretrovision.com/free-stuff#genrom

Thank you very much.

[lunch_box]

Hello,
Does anyone know if I can use the flash kit md to make region free sega cd bios carts? I just want a single cart solution to play different region games, can it be done as I know the everdrive allows it??

Thanks

[KRIKzz]

Hello,
Does anyone know if I can use the flash kit md to make region free sega cd bios carts? I just want a single cart solution to play different region games, can it be done as I know the everdrive allows it??

Thanks

No, it can't. There is required extra logic on cart to boot bios from cartridge port.

[lunch_box]

Thanks for the reply!

I’m going to order one later. Is it just as simple as selecting write rom, choosing my game and then it will write? Or do I need to something else? Is there a guide anywhere?
 
Thanks