I've been using my Everdrive a LOT, it's amazing and I'm looking forward to the SNES version I am sure it will last me a very long time, but just wondered : If the surface mount flash memory which stores the game ever went 'bad' or came to the end of it's life, would it be possible to replace the chip? I'd have no problem just buying another as they are such a bargain, but it'd be nice to know.
If you find the right chip, it's possible to find someone experienced in soldering these things to replace it. But unless the flash is defective, it should last you a life time.
1) you need many tens of years for kill flash 2) how you can write OS on replaced chip? you have external flasher?
Hi Krikzz, I have an EPROM programmer but would never try anything like that myself, I was just interested to know as it's the one Megadrive cartridge I would not want to lose
flash memory will work 50-70 years if you will reflash cart 5 times each day, so don't worry 100 000 rewrite cycles minimum!
Do you flash the OS to the chip before being soldered? If so do you mind if I ask what memory address it is written to? (I assume the OS file would need to be padded to be burnt to flash chip?) Just thought it might be good to know in case there ever was a problem with the flash chip. Also, would it not be easier to make a future firmware search the flash to boot the OS, and if it cant find any OS make it search for a file called "os-vXX.bin" on the SD card and then burn it to flash? Or is that beyond the capabilities of the CPLD?
flash chip already soldered when i do OS upload. for flashing i use my custom flasher. CPLD can't do so complicated actions as os write to flash, especially small MAX II which i use.
I agree regarding the everdrive. I never thought I'd see the day of a nice simple cart like this that can play Genesis/32X AND SMS games! I love it! I really do not think you will have to worry about the flash. I think we'd be at the end of our life before the chip is
You can write the flash using the CPLD's EXTEST mode, but it will be SLOOOOOW XD Like maybe a half hour.
