Building a Game Cube SD card reader

[korn16ftl3]

ok so i am reading around and googeling (and as mentioned before am investing time in my GC) and found the following tutorial for making my own GC SD memory card reader:
http://ngc.scorpei.com/GUIDE-SD_adapter.html

so far i have eliminated 1 of the parts on his parts list as i am going to directly solder a micro SD card adapter to the memory card pins thus making it a micro SD adaptor and still maintaining removable memory (as well as im sure saving a buck or 2 as im sure the SD sockets are probably about $5 USD + shipping and waiting) BUT at the end of his guide he mentions the following:

I hope you now have a nice GameCube SD adapter . Remember though, this guide isn't perfect (it is possible to retain the normal save function of your memory card if you know how. I don't so I did not incorporate this into my guide).

i am looking (not that im sure if it maters it would just be nice) to find a guide that shows me how to keep the normal memory card functions as well. I have googeled and googeled and googeled and keep cumming up with guides for the same schematics and methods as he has shown so i was hoping some 1 here would be able to show me an alternative guide to keep the MC function.

Another Question i am curious about once i complete this adapter will i be able to use the SD card as a standard GC memory card for game saves and all that? I am assuming so as im sure that is what the whole original point of these devices was for but i wanted to ask to make sure,i have no intentions of loading homebrew apps from this memory card and have full intentions of chipping the system i simply want a really nice reliable huge Memory card.

i have also read on another guide ( i didnt book mark it as it was the same method) that it is possible to use a larger SD card than 2GB but i fail to see how that is because any thing larger than 2GB is SDHC and from my readings these devices are not SDHC compatible (go figure eh )

if any one would mind clearing up one or all of these things i would greatly appreciate it

i have full intentions of posting my altered Micro SD to GC guide some where for those that may still be ordering SD sockets and haven't thought of this method, as well as the fact i have intention of contacting the owner of the above listed site with the tutorial i create so (if they wish) may update there guide and/or picture archives or what ever

[gtmtnbiker]

You're better off buying one of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/wiikey-sd- ... r-wii-3993

That's what I have. You can't beat it for $3.40.

To answer your other questions, you have to use an SD card, max size 2GB. No, you cannot use it for game saves.

You can use Swiss (see gc-forever.com) or SD Load/Action Replay. I used it to run a few emulators off the SD card such as the SNES one. If you don't have Action Replay (only certain versions will work, the older ones) or a mod chip, or a BBA/Phantasy Star Online I & II, then you cannot really use the SD card adapter.

Personally, I have a Viper GC extreme in one of my cubes. I use that to boot up a backup copy of Action Replay to run SD boot.

It's a lot of work to get an emulator running. Personally, I rather use my Wii Virtual Console or the original xbox.

[korn16ftl3]

To answer your other questions, you have to use an SD card, max size 2GB. No, you cannot use it for game saves.

you have just talked me out of any intrest i had in the whole project LOL

i dont understand why i wouldnt be able to format the SD card via the Game Cube Memory Card Utility in the Game Cube Bios tho... i mean i replaced the whole interface of the standard MC where my games save with an SD card how exactly does a GC know its an SD card and refuse to format it?

[CRTGAMER]

i dont understand why i wouldnt be able to format the SD card via the Game Cube Memory Card Utility in the Game Cube Bios tho... i mean i replaced the whole interface of the standard MC where my games save with an SD card how exactly does a GC know its an SD card and refuse to format it?

Not sure, something in the system can detect the memory though.
Use the SD card for Home Brew, Imports and Emulators.

Gamecube SD Gecko and PS2 HDAdvance/HDloader Guide
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 32#p322332

[korn16ftl3]

Not sure, something in the system can detect the memory though.
Use the SD card for Home Brew, Imports and Emulators.

Gamecube SD Gecko and PS2 HDAdvance/HDloader Guide
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 32#p322332[/u]

wonder what exactly detect the memory.....imma do some reading one would assume its the BIOS that would effect something like that and if thats the case than i should be more than able to do it with a Mod Chip as chips like the qoob completely over ride the GC BIOS with its own much like an XB1 at least to my understanding

than again maybe its something on board the GC its self i dunno lol

[gtmtnbiker]

That's a good question regarding the GC detecting the SD card reader as memory. To be honest, I don't know what the game save manager would show if you tried to use it. I never tried it.

When I first heard of the SD card reader, I thought it was a homebrew hack but apparently there was an official Nintendo product (for some unspecified purpose) at one time. I don't know if it was just a prototype or if it was released in limited quantities. So I suspect that the gamecube knows that it's not a memory card so no, you can't put your saves on it.

I will see if I can still find it and try it out later this week.

Here's thread over at assemblergames discussing the official Nintendo SD card reader:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/sh ... hp?t=33465

[CRTGAMER]

That's a good question regarding the GC detecting the SD card reader as memory. To be honest, I don't know what the game save manager would show if you tried to use it. I never tried it.

When I first heard of the SD card reader, I thought it was a homebrew hack but apparently there was an official Nintendo product (for some unspecified purpose) at one time. I don't know if it was just a prototype or if it was released in limited quantities. So I suspect that the gamecube knows that it's not a memory card so no, you can't put your saves on it.

I will see if I can still find it and try it out later this week.

Here's thread over at assemblergames discussing the official Nintendo SD card reader:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/sh ... hp?t=33465

The Gamecube Save Manager will not recognized Gecko SD Cards. There are homebrew save transfer programs that work, allows for an easy way to backup and load game saves to and from the PC and SD card.

[vlame]

some games will recognize it bc it has been programmed in, i think imports only, animal crossing?

[korn16ftl3]

some games will recognize it bc it has been programmed in, i think imports only, animal crossing?

would make good sence seeing as how the above image is actually an import item

another note i was thinking...... this image here:



shows the internals of the memory card actually having 3 internal epoxy covered chips (xbox360 epoxy removal trick?)... i wonder which chips are actually the ones that store the game saves... perhaps there is a hex or something on one of those chips telling the GC that it is indeed a memory card.....wish i had a bit of knowledge in the reverse engineering department.....perhaps buying a hand full of madcats cards at game stop (there dirt cheap like $3 for a normal 1X card) and carving the crap out of them and poking around with a multi meter would help answer my question and/or perhaps there is documentation around on the memory card its self i dont know.

than again maybe its just plain out impossible to make a SD card register as an actual memory card im just making assumptions but some thing hardware side has got to tell the GC if it is or is not an SD card if its not in the BIOS