Homebrew Issues regarding to dumping EEPROM SRAM patched saves on bootleg carts

[Nix_Lon]

Due to pure boredom, I fiddled with bootleg GBA cartridges.
It uses SRAM 1Mbit w/ battery.

I tested every game that uses different types of saves with the SRAM patcher via GBATA and bbsan2k's Flash1M SRAM patcher on the SRAM bootleg cart.

All of them save properly (FLASH 512Kb / 1Mbit, EEPROM v122 / v124, and SRAM), and dumping the game/save using Rudolph's GBA Backup Tool [0.21] works except for EEPROM v122 / v124 games only.

Even with and without the SRAM patch for the EEPROM v122 / v124 games, Rudolph's GBA Backup Tool [0.21] still can't recognize them properly.

Rudolph's GBA Backup Tool [0.21] can't read EEPROM / EEPROM SRAM patched burned SRAM bootleg cart properly, it's stuck to white screen only. FLASH 512Kb / 1Mbit and SRAM work though.
GodMode9i's built-in GBA dumper somehow successfully dumps the game/save of the EEPROM / EEPROM SRAM patched burned SRAM bootleg cart.
nds-savegame-manager is excluded because it doesn't support EEPROM dumping according to the GitHub changelogs, even with the SRAM patch it doesn't change anything.

I had to do all of these steps to make Rudolph's GBA Backup Tool [0.21] recognize EEPROM / EEPROM SRAM patched burned cartridge properly:

1. Use the 3DS GBA Footer Generator [Set as SRAM]
   
2. Use the 3DS Simple GBA Converter [Generate the .CIA file]
   
3. Use Ctrtool [Extract the .CIA contents and obtain the code.bin file]
4. Rename code.bin as code.gba

After doing these steps, Rudolph's GBA Backup Tool [0.21] was now able to recognize the SRAM bootleg cart properly but this is where the issue starts.

Dumping the game ROM works properly, except for its save file.

Rudolph's GBA Backup Tool [0.21] dumps the save file at 8kb only, which I assume is the proper size for EEPROM save files.
GodMode9i dumps the save file at 64kb, which I assume is the conventional size for SRAM and FLASH 512Kb save files.

Trying to load them via GBA emulators shows that the save files that I dumped are purely blank.
Trying to flash the save file via Rudolph's GBA Backup Tool [0.21]:

• Using the 8kb save file works but it doesn't wipe off or overwrite the SRAM chip in the SRAM bootleg cart, weird.
• Using the 64kb save that came from GodMode9i freezes the homebrew software.

Pardon my ignorance but is there a homebrew software that dumps the SRAM chip directly from the bootleg cart instead of relying on the GBA game's save type?

 

[geo-kun]

Hey, I don't know if you found a solution or whether you still need it or not, but I was looking for the exact same thing and I think I found an answer.

You will need an NDS homebrew program called "GBA ExpLoader" (also created by Rudolph).

When you start it, it'll give you an error about Slot2 expansion pack, just ignore it and press A.

There'll then be two options we're after:

(X) Backup whole SRAM to SRAM.BIN
(Y) Restore SRAM BIN.to SRAM

The first one outputs to /GBA_SAVE/SRAM.BIN on your MicroSD.
The second one restores from this file to the GBA cartridge.

So far I've tested it with SRAM-patched Sonic Advance 3, and both options work as expected. It backups and restores.

 

[Nix_Lon]

Hey, I don't know if you found a solution or whether you still need it or not, but I was looking for the exact same thing and I think I found an answer.

You will need an NDS homebrew program called "GBA ExpLoader" (also created by Rudolph).

When you start it, it'll give you an error about Slot2 expansion pack, just ignore it and press A.

There'll then be two options we're after:

(X) Backup whole SRAM to SRAM.BIN
(Y) Restore SRAM BIN.to SRAM

The first one outputs to /GBA_SAVE/SRAM.BIN on your MicroSD.
The second one restores from this file to the GBA cartridge.

So far I've tested it with SRAM-patched Sonic Advance 3, and both options work as expected. It backups and restores.

Pardon if I am necroing this topic discussion but I'm going to check on this homebrew software later.
EDIT: I tried that homebrew before, still no luck but thanks for the info. BTW, Sonic Advance 3 is FLASH_V131 not EEPROM.