Super Mario World proto-SF7 dumping problems

[rbudrick]

This is for Van_Halen, LiWang, TheRedEye, Zidanax, and everyone else who has been hoping I will finally get around to dumping my Super Mario World proto. So I finally have a computer with a setup that allows true DOS to use the program TSF3 to connect this machine to my parallel port to dump the game.

As some may remember in this thread,

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/view...79207&start=25

Zidanax gave me some pointers on how to make this work. I tried for hours last night and it was no use. So, I need some help.

First, some questions.

1). Do I have to dump the game to disk first before I dump it to the internal memory?

2). Do I have to dump it to the disk OR the internal memory at all before I can run it through the parallel port? In other words, can the parallel port and program just grab it from the cart?

Every time I try to dump the game to the internal memory it asks for a disk, even if it's got one in it, and then promptly gives me a disk error. It's driving me crazy because I just want to dump the game to the internal memory, so why does it ask for a disk? Argh. I ordered a new floppy drive anyway, so we'll know soon.

Then I thought, maybe I'm messing up the command line structure. When I get to the DOS prompt, I go to the path the program is in, which is c:/windows/desktop/gdsf7/. The way Zidanax explained the command once you get to the path was sounded something like

TGS3 1/filename

But, I looked in the instructions, and it was more like

TGS3 1/filepath

In other words

TGS3 1/c:\windows\desktop\gdsf7\sf4269

So, more questions:

3) Do I need a space after the 1 for my port number?
4) What about after the slash after the 1?
5) Is the file name I put in that path supposed to be the one on the TV screen in the SF7 menu?

Either way, it always says file not found.

6) Is this because I didn't dump the game to disk or memory as in question 1 and 2? Cuz it sure won't let me.

Hell, if I could get the damn thing on disk, I wouldn't need the TSF3 program!

Hope you can help!

-Rob

[scooby105]

Here's how you go about dumping the game to memory without a disk. Your drive error may be causing the problem though.

Hold the R Button when booting up the system. Then go to Utility. Click on Back Up Card. It'll tell you the game size and say "Reading." Then it will say "Insert Disk Please." Press Select. The game should be in your internal memory.

I'm not sure about using the TSF3 program since it doesn't like my parallel port. SF7s are picky with parallel ports. You can always try the TSF2 program as well.

I think it goes like this:
TSF3 1/c:\windows\desktop\sfXX001
with the XX being the size of the gamefile. It should be in multiples of 8, so 08, 16, 24, 32, 40, etc. based on how many slots it takes up. If it fills slots A and B, it would be 16.

Where do you live? I assume you don't want to send the proto to anyone, but you might live by someone who could dump the game for you with you there.

[NEOFREAK9189]

any pic of game

[NEOFREAK9189]

you have this proto

[rbudrick]

you have this proto

No I don't. I can't say I've seen that one before. Mine appears to be the released version of the SFC game when you play it, but it is on eeproms. For all I know the code is identical. I got it from a former Nintendo employee.

Is that one you showed pics of dumped anywhere?

-Rob

[shadowkn55]

You can use ucon64 to dump the game. It doesn't need a true dos environment and works fine in Windows XP. However, you still may want to try the floppy method. It's less work to get setup and ucon4 can join the pieces back together.

[rbudrick]

Well, it's only a 4mb (4MB?) game, so I don't think it will be split or anything. But yeah, if it turns out that TSF3 is just plain not going to work with my computer, I'll give ucon a shot...I dunno why, but I forgot about that.

-Rob

[shadowkn55]

mb = megabit (mbit)
MB = megabyte

Most likely its 4mbit rather than 4MB.

[rbudrick]

mb = megabit (mbit)
MB = megabyte

Most likely its 4mbit rather than 4MB.

Right, I knew the difference, it's just that people so frequently misuse them I wasn't sure which it meant (I just assume most folks, even most techies will misuse it).

So, SMW is basically 512KB. It amazes me how much developers were able to squeeze into what is so small by today's standards.

-Rob

[50TBRD]

A lot of times it may just be the fact that people don't want to use the shift button to capitalize the MB. It happens all the time with other proper names and just about everyone does it at one time or another.

[shadowkn55]

Thats true but the capitalization in this respect changes the intended meaning. Lack of capitalizaion in proper names does not change the meaning as dramatically as in this example.

[jajaja]

Not going to threadjack, but while were at this topic i got a question. I tried to dump a SNES proto with my Super Wildcard, i belive its 24mbit (not the 64mbit version). When i insert the proto and boot the SNES i dont get any picture on the screen, ergo i cant dump anything. Anyone knows why?

[shadowkn55]

Is the proto bigger than the internal memory of your SWC? Can you play the game using the SWC as a passthrough device? (playing the game through the cartridge without dumping it)

[jajaja]

No, when i boot the SNES i dont get anything on the screen. When i put a retail game in i get up the menu where i can choose to copy the game or just play it. I dont know how big the proto is in size, but im pretty sure i've gotten bigger retail games to work on the SWC.

[Dimitri]

SF7 units have very finicky parallell ports. I've never gotten the parallell on my unit to work. I've replaced the floppy drive a couple times, though -- it's really quite easy. Might want to make sure the drive cable it fully seated, as I recently had my unit stop reading disks properly until I reseated the cable. A regular PC floppy drive should work fine, though, and replacements can be found for under ten bucks.

No, when i boot the SNES i dont get anything on the screen.

All I can think of is if the game has additional hardware (DSP, SuperFX, SA1, etc...) in it.

But then, even Capcom C4 games will still come up to the SF7 menu -- I know this as I've done it -- though you can't dump those because the C4 handles the ROM banking.

[dairugger]

you have this proto

has this proto ever been found? id be most interested to see this!

[Kuros]

you have this proto

has this proto ever been found? id be most interested to see this!

Ditto, I'd love to give that proto a shot.

[shadowkn55]

SF7 units have very finicky parallell ports. I've never gotten the parallell on my unit to work.

It can't be that finicky since I just loaded and dumped a game onto the sf7 for the first time using ucon64. The only thing you need to do in terms of setup is copy io.dll to the same folder as ".ucon64rc". I must say, it sure beats loading ToP with 6 floppies.

[GizmoGC]

you have this proto

has this proto ever been found? id be most interested to see this!

Ditto, I'd love to give that proto a shot.

Raises hand! Where did those come from?

[NEOFREAK9189]

you have this proto

other