Hacking EzFlash Omega doesn't work on some models after flash.

[Stremon]

Hey guys,
I've been using the Omega for a while now, and it was always working.
But after updating to the last firmware, it stopped working completely on some devices.
On the GBA Micro and some DS lite models, the cart is not recognized at all (no cart detected). On the original DS, the cart is detected but get stuck in a bootloop at the EZFlash logo.
It only works fine on the original GBA and GBA SP.

Before you ask, I already cleaned the contacts many times, and everything else work on those devices, including my old EZFlash IV.
It worked perfectly before the update. Now it doesn't.

I know there already was the same kind of problem on the Omega once before, caused by the small differences in the way every model works with GBA games, but I thought it was fixed.

Do you guys have any idea on how to fix that?

 

[EZ-Flash2]

I don't think the firmware update will cause this issue.
You can downgrade the firmware to the lower version to confirm it.

firmware V3 force downgrader run it like a game. confirm downgrade as it prompting. power off when it done.

 

[Stremon]

Thanks for your answer
You are right, after downgrade it still doesn't work on the same devices... do you have any idea what could have happen that prevent it from working?
Because I am 100% sure it was working with all my GBA devices shortly before the update.
And the problem doesn't come from them either since they are all working perfectly with everything else, including other flashcarts.
I cleaned the contacts one more time just to be sure. Now they are clean as new. But still no change.

Edit: I even put some paper to raise the PCB to be sure it makes contact, no changes.

 

[EZ-Flash2]

report your non-working device model and region. check the label on the console

 

[Stremon]

Non-working devices:
- Eur NDS Lite (USG-001)
- Jap GB Micro (OXY-001)
- Eur NDS (NTR-001)

My other devices, like the GBA/GBA SP, and the Gameboy Player all still work correctly.
It feels like only the more recent devices without the GB/GBC compatibility have problem

 

[EZ-Flash2]

I'd tested with a random card from stock. FW 7, K 106
EUR GBM OXY-001
CHN IQUE DS Lite USG-001
USA DS Lite USG-001

It can be recognized well.

A suggestion: try not plug in the card to the end, pull out a little like 1 millimeter.

or we can wait the report of the other user who have same devices as you.

 

[Stremon]

I tested what you suggested, and indeed by moving it a little bit I managed to make it boot 1 time out of 10 on my GB Micro and my original DS, but it's extremely sensitive and hard to do.
And it still doesn't work on the NDS Lite.

Do you think the EZFlash Omega could have gotten damaged with the frequent switch between devices?
I inspected it completely inside and out when cleaning it, there are no bend or visible damages, everything looks good as new.

I also checked again all the non-working devices, just to be sure the problem doesn't come from them, and they all work perfectly on first try with the ~20 GBA games I tried, including the old EZFlash IV.

If you have a fix that could solve the issue, I would gladly try it

 

[EZ-Flash2]

From the 1/10 working chance, I think the metal contacts on you non-working devices are getting dirty, or losing elasticity. it causes the contact problem.

 

[Stremon]

No, I'm 100% sure the metal contacts are as good as new on my devices, I clean them regularly, and as I said I tested around 20 GBA games and my other flashcarts on them, they all work perfectly from the first try. I can show it to you in video if needed.
I even opened up my NDS Lite to check the pins, and tested them with a multimeter, they all work perfectly.

All my devices worked perfectly with the Omega before, but the now non-working one all stopped working at the same time.
There are literally no chances that they all started failing at the same time if it was the devices themselves.

The Omega itself has an issue. I just want to know how to fix it.

Worth noting that only the devices with newer hardware that don't support GB/GBC (from GB Micro and up) stopped working, which in itself can't be a coincidence.

 

[EZ-Flash2]

The purpose of discussing the problem here is not to argue who is right or wrong.
From the various user feedback we received here, your problem is a typical contact problem.
Your own test results also prove that the card is not completely inoperative, as long as it is in the correct contact position.

if you insist the card has issue. you can contact your dealer for a replacement. but we can not guarantee the return card will work on your all devices.
or we can sit here and wait the test results from other users who own the same devices as you.

 

[Stremon]

This is not about who is right or wrong, it's about scientific methodology of testing.
I have the 6 different devices that support GBA games (GBA, GBA SP, GBM, GB Player, DS, DS Lite).
The EZFlash suddenly stopped working on 3 of those, which were all working perfectly before I did the firmware update.
No matter if the issue is related to the update or just a coincidence, statistically there is almost 0 chance those 3 devices start to fail at the same time, and even less when the EZFlash Omega is the ONLY cartridge that doesn't work anymore on those.
It's not an opinion, it's a fact.

I know the typical contact problem that the GBA hardware have, since I already fixed some of my friend GBA and games that had the issue.
But it's clearly not the case here, I spend countless hours of testing and dismounting/testing my devices to be sure about it.

I understand you are defending your product, but right now it's not helping.

Now sadly my warranty expired, reason why I asked if there is a possible solution. It would cost me more to send it back than buying a new one anyway.

But I agree it is useless to wait for other users feedback, since most people who have the issue would think their hardware is faulty, and won't have the other devices nor the knowledge to do extensive testing like I did.

So I guess my only choice is buying a new one and throwing this one away.

 

[kuwanger]

No matter if the issue is related to the update or just a coincidence, statistically there is almost 0 chance those 3 devices start to fail at the same time, and even less when the EZFlash Omega is the ONLY cartridge that doesn't work anymore on those.

I think you're right but probably for the wrong reason. The devices that all failed at the same time probably have slightly different tolerances than the other devices (as you note, newer models that dropped the GBC backwards compatibility). The EZ-Flash Omega itself was also built with its own tolerances, and it's very clearly a long standing problem with many flash carts (including EZ-Flash's ones) to have contact issues. That's really the core issue, and for that reason it really is a toss up if a new EZ-Flash Omega would help.

Honestly, I'm sorry to hear you're having so many problems.

 

[Stremon]

I think you're right but probably for the wrong reason. The devices that all failed at the same time probably have slightly different tolerances than the other devices (as you note, newer models that dropped the GBC backwards compatibility). The EZ-Flash Omega itself was also built with its own tolerances, and it's very clearly a long standing problem with many flash carts (including EZ-Flash's ones) to have contact issues. That's really the core issue, and for that reason it really is a toss up if a new EZ-Flash Omega would help.

Honestly, I'm sorry to hear you're having so many problems.

Thanks
You're probably right, like you said the Omega have stopped making contact well with my more recent devices.
Still I can't figure what made it suddenly stop working like that, it was working perfectly on all devices few days before stopping...
There is no physical damage, bend or scratches, it stayed plugged at all time.
There aren't any contact issues with any other games, and the other devices that still work do work fine with it.