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Restoring Save Data to Saturn - Can't Get Any Utilities Working

Tracker_TD - Jan 6, 2023

		Tracker_TD	Jan 6, 2023
		Today I had to swap out my Saturn's dead internal battery for a new one, and it turned out I'd forgotten to back up some of my internal saves to the cartridge. I did, however, back them up to my PC using the brand new QR code utility by Ervilsoft to back them up as BUP files. Since I've got plenty of CD-Rs and one of those red Pseudo Saturn Kai Lite v6.134 cartridges, I figured I'd use one of the various save data utilities to just copy the files back over. Unfortunately, I can't get any of them to work. Cafe-Alpha's Save Data Manager just hangs with the title of the application on the screen. It works fine in Yabause, so I don't know why it won't load on my actual Saturn. Likewise, the Save Data Copier will load on my Saturn, but when I select the CD Filesystem it claims there are zero files (even when just burning the version with all the pre-included saves). When I try to add my own saves using WinISO, it won't boot at all, even in Yabause. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I was able to use the Saturn Save Converter to check my Blast Wind save in Mednafen, and it works fine - I just can't get any of these utilities to work, and I've already made plenty of coasters in trying.

		dibz	Jan 6, 2023
		Just a random thought, but is there a problem with the saturn itself? I'd test saving a game on the saturn itself, normally, if you haven't already.

		Tracker_TD	Jan 6, 2023
		dibz said: Yeah, that seems to work fine. Booted up Daytona USA, fiddled with the options and hard-reset the console - works fine. It's just getting the applications to actually load that's the problem - I might be doing something wrong with WinISO for the Save Data Copier, but I don't know why it can't detect anything from even the included stuff when burned to the CD-R. Save Data Manager I also have no idea about, my best guess is my version of Pseudo is too old. https://imgur.com/BW6RtCZ

		privateye	Jan 6, 2023
		Have you tried different burning software like ImgBurn...? The fact that the pre-included save files are not showing up in Save Game Copier makes me think that WinISO is making coasters. I recommend burning at the lowest speed that your disc burner supports (for most modern drives, that 10x). Also, SaveRepack utility provides a convenient way to inject your save files into Save Data Manager: https://segaxtreme.net/threads/sega-saturn-27th-an...   Tracker_TD said: Since these carts are unshielded, they tend to cause issues on certain Saturn hardware revisions: PPCenter :: Pseudo Saturn Kai Compatibility List... I recommend applying shielding, if possible: PPCenter :: Pseudo Saturn Kai Compatibility List... I'm not saying that this is the cause of your issues, but it's something to keep in mind.

		Tracker_TD	Jan 6, 2023
		I was actually using imgburn to burn the discs, just using WinISO to edit the ISOs. Likewise, I did use SaveRepack for the saves, I just couldn't get it to load. In the end, I got it working though! Well, inconsistently - it hangs on the import menu a lot. But it's better than it was. Weirdly I had to use the 'disable SatCom Int' thing in the Kai's cheats menu, and it eventually worked. I definitely could do with a better Kai model at some point (or just flashing my own to a fresh AR cart), so I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the help!

		slinga	Jan 6, 2023
		From the Save Game Copier readme:     All files on a CD are limited to 8 character names plus 3 characters for the .BUP extension. The .BUP extension is required. If you want your ISO to work properly on a Saturn you have to rename the file to an 8.3 character file. For example if the file you are adding is FPS_6MEN_01.BUP, rename to FPS_6MEN.BUP. Are you using a 8.3 filename? Does it end in .BUP? If that doesn't work can you please attach the BUP file to this thread so I can investigate? Thanks .

		Tracker_TD	Jan 7, 2023
		slinga said: They were renamed using the 8.3 format, yes. I think it must be something I did wrong when editing the ISO in WinISO, but I'm not sure what. I uploaded the files to drive, although these are the versions before I converted the filenames to 8.3. So when I tried using the copier with Burning Rangers for example, I used BRANGERS.BUP. I did manage to get the Save Data Manager working last night, but extremely inconsistently. Most of the time it'd just hang when trying to access the files on the disc, despite loading everything else totally fine. I've got a Fenrir ordered, so I guess that'll tell me if it's just a laser issue, but it's not something I've run into with any other game or homebrew.

		slinga	Jan 7, 2023
		The .BUP files look correct to me. I verified they load in Yabause: So could it be a compatibility issue with Psuedo Saturn Kate Lite? An issue with how you are burning the ISO? I made a build of SGC (with only your saves) with additional logging. Please let me know if you see any error messages.

		Tracker_TD	Jan 8, 2023
		Using that ISO allows me to use the internal memory viewer, however the CD filesystem still appears blank. (using my actual Saturn, burned using IMGBurn). Works fine in Yabause, as you said. No error codes though, sorry. Unless there's a step I'm missing - I simply let the disc boot and check the CD Filesystem option, I don't know if there's anything extra I need to do before that. https://imgur.com/a/NlrD2sS

		slinga	Jan 8, 2023
		Weird. I can try and dig up my Pseudo Saturn cart to see if I can repro. If you are interested in debugging further: 1) Are you comfortable doing the swap trick? Basically run the game without using the Psuedo Saturn cart. 2) I believe there are different loading options in Pseudo Saturn? Can you try different options?

		Tracker_TD	Feb 7, 2023
		Sorry for the radio silence, but I recently nabbed a Fenrir Duo and now the utilties seem to be working fine - so I'm guessing the Psuedo cart was the culprit after all.

		NoAffinity	Apr 6, 2024
		Hey @slinga... - I've migrated from the SGEX thread to here now. I'm at the final steps, having a similar problem to what Tracker_TD was reporting. I compiled a SGC iso using Jo Engine. I tested it in a couple emulators, running the Jo Engine scripts, and my Castlevania SOTN save game shows up no problem from the booted .iso. I then burned the iso and boot it on my saturn. The disc boots fine, but when going into CD File System, it reports "Found 0 saves on the device. It is a 8+3 .bup save file. I also tested the SGC compiled iso in Yabause, and transferred the save file into that environment. I then loaded a Castlevania SOTN iso in Yabause and was able to successfully load and play from the save, within the game, within Yabause. As a final sanity check, I loaded the burned CD into Yabause, and Yabause sees the save file on the disk just fine. The save file is attached, as well, if needed for further investigation. :edit: so here's something interesting. On a hunch, I booted the burned disk on my other saturn, which has one of the older mods allowing play of backup disks, and region free bios. This is the system that the save file came from. It boots the disk and sees the save file on the disk. I'm trying to swap it to my other saturn for various reasons, but the main hinderance on all of this is the saturn I'm trying to swap the save file on to has a flashed AR plus cart hard-wired in where the cart slot once was; the cart slot was horribly failed, so I decided to just permanently remedy it's failure. So I can't just insert a AR cart (and I do have others), and transfer the file because there is no cart slot. And for whatever reason, that Saturn doesn't see the save file on the burned disk.

		slinga	Apr 7, 2024
		Unfortunately I don't know what advice to give you. Your save looks correct and the ISO you made works on an emulator and boots on hardware.

		slinga	Apr 7, 2024
		What happens when you try the burned CD (not ISO) in an emulator? I'm assuming it will work? That should rule out a bad burn right?

		NoAffinity	Apr 7, 2024
		I mentioned that above. The burned cd works in yabause too. I think it's a laser issue. I even had a spare laser and swapped that in but that thing didnt work at all. At any rate, I ended up ordering a fenrir cuz i think it's time to go ODE in this ol saturn. All that is to say, none of this is a reflection on SGC. It worked like its supposed to.