Is there any way or a device you can use to backup SNES *GAME SAVES*?

[dhowerter]

Is there any way or a device you can use to backup SNES *GAME SAVES*?

I'm really wondering if there is a way to backup Super Nintendo game saves stored on a SNES cart with a save battery. (presumably backing them up on some kind of flash media device or on your PC, tho whatever works...)

That way when the save battery for the cart inevitably dies, you could simply transfer the game save data back into the cart, after replacing the save battery of course, and then you would never lose any game saves. ^_^


I didn't even think this was possible until I recently discovered a third party cart called the "N64 Passport Plus III" (3) that when combined with a N64 Dex Drive lets you move the game saves IN a N64 cart to the controller pak and then to a PC. :-) (and BACK into the cart again so you could restore them later ). :-O

So does anyone know of any way to backup SNES game Saves from a actual SNES cart?

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[shadowkn55]

A game doctor sf7 will let you backup saves. It will also allow you to upload a save to a cart.

[SkiDragon]

This is really useful information. Is the SF7 the only model that will work?

[Thrillo]

My Super UFO Pro 7 has that ability as well.

[shadowkn55]

The sf7 is the only copier I know that works and is readily available. There may be many others that can do it as well.

[Sailorneorune]

What about the Naki Game Saver? There's one sitting at a local store fairly reasonably (will be even cheaper at the next holiday sale)... it's been there for a while since no one seems to know what it is.

Let me know if that would help at all.

[Jorpho]

That way when the save battery for the cart inevitably dies, you could simply transfer the game save data back into the cart, after replacing the save battery of course, and then you would never lose any game saves. ^_^

If I am not mistaken, it is possible to leave the battery disconnected for some time (an hour or something, maybe) without losing the save data. At least, that's the case for PC motherboards and CPS2 suicide boards.

[rbudrick]

What about the Naki Game Saver? There's one sitting at a local store fairly reasonably (will be even cheaper at the next holiday sale)... it's been there for a while since no one seems to know what it is.

Let me know if that would help at all.

Well that just saves states...and runs on batteries to keep em.

-Rob

[exit]

If I am not mistaken, it is possible to leave the battery disconnected for some time (an hour or something, maybe) without losing the save data. At least, that's the case for PC motherboards and CPS2 suicide boards.

Well if you leave the cart in the system, the save won't go away. I had a copy of LTTP with a bad battery and the save file wouldn't get erased, as long as I kept the game in the console.

[shadowkn55]

If I am not mistaken, it is possible to leave the battery disconnected for some time (an hour or something, maybe) without losing the save data. At least, that's the case for PC motherboards and CPS2 suicide boards.

The second you disconnect the battery is the second you lose the save file. I tried to do a quick hotswap ( < 5 seconds) and I lost my save when I turned it back on.

[dhowerter]

Well that just saves states...and runs on batteries to keep em.

-Rob

Hmm any clue how long the Naki Game Saver (is that its offical name?) could save the save states on 6 AAs? (1 year, 5 years, 10 years ,etc.?)

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[dhowerter]

Well if you leave the cart in the system, the save won't go away. I had a copy of LTTP with a bad battery and the save file wouldn't get erased, as long as I kept the game in the console.

That is interesting. Did the SNES cart keep the save even if you never turned the system on?
(I'm assuming the system was still plugged in

Any clue how long you can do that? :-)

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[dhowerter]

The second you disconnect the battery is the second you lose the save file. I tried to do a quick hotswap ( < 5 seconds) and I lost my save when I turned it back on.

Ouch. You are talking about SNES carts there, right? (or an arcade board)

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[shadowkn55]

It was an nes game but it uses the same sram chip as snes games. Sram chips only retain their information when they have voltage supplied to them.

[dhowerter]

BTW, once you HAVE a SNES game save either on one of the copiers or on a PC, how do you get it back into a REAL SNES cart? :-)

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[shadowkn55]

BTW, once you HAVE a SNES game save either on one of the copiers or on a PC, how do you get it back into a REAL SNES cart? :-)

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The copier can take care of that. The gd7 works both ways. You may need to use ucon64 to convert a pc emulator save to the appropriate copier format first.

[roushimsx]

Ive done that with my Super Wildcard DX2...but yea..the GD7 would be the cheaper, easier, and just as reliable route. Either way, you're going to be fucking with Ucon64

Not to thread hijack, but what's a good way to back up DS saves? I picked up an EZFlashV to throw all of my games on, and then after I started loading it up I realized that I neglected to think about how I was going to extract my save games I guess I don't really need a flash cart or anything similar, just a device to hook up via USB or parallel port to dump the save data.

[dhowerter]

Originally Posted by dhowerter
BTW, once you HAVE a SNES game save either on one of the copiers or on a PC, how do you get it back into a REAL SNES cart? :-)

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The copier can take care of that. The gd7 works both ways. You may need to use ucon64 to convert a pc emulator save to the appropriate copier format first.

Wait a sec.. If the Game Doctor SF 7 AND the Super Wildcard DX 2 can both copy game saves FROM a SNES cart to a PC, why would you need to convert PC Emu SNES game saves into a SNES cart save format?

I mean if you can copy a SNES cart format save FROM the actual cart, can't you just copy that save BACK to the cart?

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[shadowkn55]

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Wait a sec.. If the Game Doctor SF 7 AND the Super Wildcard DX 2 can both copy game saves FROM a SNES cart to a PC, why would you need to convert PC Emu SNES game saves into a SNES cart save format?

I mean if you can copy a SNES cart format save FROM the actual cart, can't you just copy that save BACK to the cart?

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The copiers can copy saves to a floppy, not pc. PC emulators such as zsnes have save files that have extra information that need to be removed before it can be uploaded to a cart.

[ccovell]

Are we all talking about save RAM files, or savestates? It depends on the copier, but some save the 8K (or more) SRAM file on disk with an extra 512-byte (or so) header. That seems to be the only difference between how copiers and emus use save files.