Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss & GBI

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Logan Jones
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Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss & GBI

Post by Logan Jones »

I want to run Gameboy Interface on my Gamecube via an Action Replay disc and a custom-made SD-card launcher. However, I'm suspicious that my Action Replay won't work for running Swiss and GBI. It's a far older version, version 1.13 to be exact. My Gamecube is an older model that has the Digital AV out and a DOL-001 model number, meaning my Action Replay only works on my model only. (I can use newer ARs, of course).

Here's the thing... Pictures and other information online indicate that my "AR" originally had just a special memory card without an SD card slot. That means that before the newer discs, ARs could only access their cheat codes on their specific memory cards from Datel. Does this mean that my AR might not be able to allow me to run programs Swiss and GBI? Does this mean that only specific SD card capacities will work, if they even work at all? (Mine is a non-HC 2-gig). Or, do all the ARs work the same way, and I don't have anything to worry about because I'm looking at this wrong?

If anyone has this same problem or scenario, please reply. I hope its just that I don't completely understand how the ARs work, as they function as "boot discs" for the programs.
Ikaruga11
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Ikaruga11 »

Yes, it will.

The DOL-001 (early GameCube with SP2 and Digital Out) has less security than the newer DOL-101.
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bobrocks95
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by bobrocks95 »

The older action replays may or may not work, but it's possible you could set something up on a softmodded Wii that would allow you to use it?

If not, check out this page for some save game exploits you could use in the meantime: https://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.p ... g_Homebrew. It also mentions a couple AR products, I don't know if they're yours though.
PS1 Disc-Based Game ID BIOS patch for MemCard Pro and SD2PSX automatic VMC switching.
Logan Jones
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Logan Jones »

GeneraLight wrote:Yes, it will.

The DOL-001 (early GameCube with SP2 and Digital Out) has less security than the newer DOL-101.
What I mean is, since the old GC AR does not typically read SD card launchers, does that mean it won't boot programs like Swiss and GBI? It's not the Gamecube that I'm worried about. I'm worried about the AR software. You see, whenever I boot up the GC AR it says "please insert Action Replay Hardware into slot B", which is supposed to be the AR memory card that originally came with it. I'm worried that the AR software won't read the SD card and/or let me run the programs since it is an older disc that did not originally read SD cards.
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Extrems
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Extrems »

http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/SDload

This is what you have to follow. Swiss can be used instead of SDload.
Logan Jones
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Logan Jones »

Extrems wrote:http://www.gc-linux.org/wiki/SDload

This is what you have to follow. Swiss can be used instead of SDload.
Thanks, Extrems, but I don't have the AR memory card, and since SD load is FAT16 only, it won't work for GBI. (Or am I wrong?) Is there a simple way to use Swiss with an older AR disc with a FAT or FAT32 formatted SD card in a custom made media launcher, and no AR memory card?
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Extrems
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Extrems »

Logan Jones wrote:Thanks, Extrems, but I don't have the AR memory card
"a Memory Card (the one bundled with Action Replay or any standard memory card, only for Action Replay)"
Logan Jones wrote:and since SD load is FAT16 only, it won't work for GBI. (Or am I wrong?)
You can use any loader. GBI itself supports a FAT12, FAT16 or FAT32 primary partition.
Logan Jones
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Logan Jones »

Okay, according to your instructions, I must do the following:

1. Prepare a GC memory card for storing the AR codes to run SD loader by permanently using my memory card for only AR and placing the memory card in slot B;

2. Prepare SD card from Windows by formatting it for either FAT 12, 16, or 32, and copying SDLOADER.BIN to the SD card root;

3. Copy the entire Gameboy Interface DOL file set to the SD card root;

4. Place the SD card in the launcher in slot A, and boot into the SD load menu by selecting "start game", opening and closing the lid, and then accessing the SD load menu;

5. Selecting any DOL files for Gameboy interface and other programs via SD load;

Is this correct? Am I supposed to now only use my Gamecube memory card for the AR codes from now on, and wipe my card of other game data? Or can I take it out and use it for storing my game saves? Do I have to do the opening-and-closing-lid process every time to boot SD loader menu? Or can I rename the SDLOADER.BIN file to autoexec.dol to boot immediately to the SD loader menu?

Thanks for the info!
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Extrems
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Extrems »

Logan Jones wrote:Prepare SD card from Windows by formatting it for either FAT 12, 16, or 32, and copying SDLOADER.BIN to the SD card root;
It has to be FAT16 and you must run sdpatch.
Logan Jones wrote:Or can I rename the SDLOADER.BIN file to autoexec.dol to boot immediately to the SD loader menu?
That's for the newer Action Replay/SD Media Launcher. You can't do that anyway as it's not a DOL. Swiss also ships in SDLOADER.BIN format.
Logan Jones
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Logan Jones »

How do I run SD patch?
Logan Jones
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Logan Jones »

(sigh). I guess I should just cough up the dough and go ahead and buy that. It honestly is far easier to set up. I heard that you can use any newer AR disc with any media launcher. All I would have to do is copy Swiss and GBI to the SD card root and go.

BTW, thank you Extrems for trying to help me with this. I apologize for my lack of understanding for this kind of stuff.

I can't wait to use your software to run my Gameboy games!
TestType
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by TestType »

Logan Jones wrote:(sigh). I guess I should just cough up the dough and go ahead and buy that. It honestly is far easier to set up. I heard that you can use any newer AR disc with any media launcher.
From what I've gathered, there is no difference between the disc in the SD Media Launcher kit and the newest Action Replay discs (the one that says "Compatible with Wii"). Also, I've heard nothing but bad things about Datel's SD card adapter, seems very unreliable and bad. Consensus is to buy any other adapter.
Logan Jones
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by Logan Jones »

That's great news. I've already bought the newer Action Replay disc and a custom-made SD media launcher!
GenPDP7
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Re: Will my OLDER Gamecube Action Replay work to run Swiss &

Post by GenPDP7 »

Please Help! I am in this same situation. I cannot get SDPatch.exe to run on Windows 10, and I've read it only works on XP. But I know people in 2019 are still using Action Replay, so how are they getting it to work? It's not reasonable to expect somebody to go find an XP system.... How do I get Action Replay to recognize my SD card?
UPDATE:
I went through a lengthy process of installing XP in a virtual machine using Virtual Box, and I got SDPatch.exe to work. Somebody should really think about making some kind of compatibility updated version of this for people using older action replays.
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