I've done a lot of work hacking the gameshark hardware. I'm still not ready to
reflash my gameshark, but I know enough to do so using the official upgrade
program. Using the hardware, you get the ability to communicate with a PC via
USB, and the ability to patch ROM. (ooh)
Before I'll be able to figure out the USB protocol, I still need to learn how
USB works. With the USB protocol, it would be easier to write USB libraries for
the PC and GBA.

Without the proper libraries in the ROM you upload, you'll be unable to use the
USB (obviously) but you'll also be unable to reflash the hardware through USB.
It wouldn't be a problem if someone could edit FLinker to write to gamesharks'
SST flash rom. I tried it once, but I couldn't even read the Product ID from the
chip. I have the info to do it, just none of it works. (ahhh!!)


If you'd like more info, just reply.
~ Parasyte

P.S. using the official USB program to reflash means you could only flash 128KB.
The program requires this file size. Also, you'll need to encrypt your ROM
before the program will accept it - I've written an encryption\decryption
program if it's needed.



--- In gbadev@y..., "TJ" <comfortably_numb_@h...> wrote:
> Nope, I haven't done this. Once you figured out how to reprogram the cart it
> might make for some useful hardware but you would also have to make a driver
> for it since it is a USB device. After all that I would still think the
> flash cart would be way more suited for developing on. It wouldn't be that
> much longer to flash the cart and you would have a normal sized cart to work
> with. The truth is if you are planning on making a program bigger than the
> ram on gba can handle you might as well spring for the flash cart and
> basically have no restrictions.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dennis Munsie" <munsied@m...>
> To: <gbadev@y...>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 2:36 PM
> Subject: RE: [gbadev] USB upload cable
>
>
> > Are you suggesting that you have done something like this or that you know
> > of a way to do this, or are you just telling what would need to be done?
> > Because the way it's worded, it appears that you are answering a FAQ :)
> >
> > Does anyone know anything about the internals on the game shark? I
> wouldn't
> > mind picking one up for hacking with -- it's not too terribly expensive,
> and
> > having a USB interface would be kinda handy. Also, depending on the size
> of
> > the flash, it could possibly be an 'expanded MBV2' cable -- you could
> upload
> > to the flash if you wanted to -- for those of us who don't think that 256k
> > is that small ;)
> >
> > dennis