Backup Save Files on DUO-RX???

[atr3yu]

Is there any way to backup my save files for CD-ROM games like with a special HU card?? I just lost my whole Rondo of Blood file and I was 92%. I never even knew of the way to axxs the saves till tonight. Man I wish I had a manual but that wouldn't do me any good as I can read Japanese.

[Joe Redifer]

Yes there is a card out there called The Tennokoe Bank or something like that which will copy or swap the entire contents of your backup RAM.

[Tatsujin]

this is your friend:


but be aware, that those uses a battery inside, which probably doesn't work properly anymore, after 15 years of existence:


how to replace the battery:
http://gamers-high.seesaa.net/article/26435097.html
http://nonta6913.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2007-09-29

[guyjin]

people keep saying that, but I have yet to see any battery backed game go bad yet.

[Tatsujin]

yeah..therefore i said "be aware that the possibility is there, that the battery could be flat and not store your data over a long period of storage"

[termis]

You can use nanami's bank to permanently move your save data from your TG/PCE to your computer. (& burn it onto a CD-R which can be written back on to the console any time you wish).  Once I know I can't/won't improve my stats on a game, then I'll proceed to use nanami's bank to permanently back that file up.

However, the process is a bit tedious, as you'll be spending at least 5-10 minutes (even for a small file) to fully move over one file, as you have to manually type in the binary data if of the save file on your computer.  You'll see what I mean if you actually try to use it.  And because of the cryptic user interface, I wouldn't recommend this method to anyone who's not comfortable working in a command-line interface.

[atr3yu]

Well I got one off of Ebay for 20 bucks shipped. Don't know if it is a good price but worth it to me

[SignOfZeta]

Yeah, the Ten no Koe Bank is a must have for anyone with a PC Engine.

Be advised though, if the Duo's internal save menu confuses you, you'll be totally lost with the Bank. Neither one is complicated though.

[CrackTiger]

You can use nanami's bank to permanently move your save data from your TG/PCE to your computer. (& burn it onto a CD-R which can be written back on to the console any time you wish).  Once I know I can't/won't improve my stats on a game, then I'll proceed to use nanami's bank to permanently back that file up.

However, the process is a bit tedious, as you'll be spending at least 5-10 minutes (even for a small file) to fully move over one file, as you have to manually type in the binary data if of the save file on your computer.  You'll see what I mean if you actually try to use it.  And because of the cryptic user interface, I wouldn't recommend this method to anyone who's not comfortable working in a command-line interface.

How exactly does Nanami Bank work? Is it a rom that you run on a flash card to read the save files kinda like Chris Covell's BRAM Tool?

[termis]

1. You download nanami, and it's an iso that you burn on to a CDR. 
2. Then you execute it on your PCE CD-based system.
3. Then to "back-up" a file, all that nanami does is display all the hex data of the save file on screen, and you have to manually write this down on a sheet of paper.  (Though it's 10 billion times easier & much less error prone if you just to take a few snapshots via a digital camera.)
4. Then you run one of the nanami utilities on your PC, and once again, manually type in all that binary data back in.  Obviously this is the part where it takes the longest time.  (though quick for small save files, a long RPG game, you can be typing for a good 7-10 minutes).
5. This recreates the save file on your PC
6. Then you create an iso file using one of the tools included in nanami.A
7. Now you burn another CDR of this iso image.
8. Now with this CDR again, you have to option to write that save file back on to the PCE SRAM, or go back to step 3) whenever you want to "backup" another file.

In sum, the big cons of this system is that you have to waste a CDR every time you want to write the save files you have on your PC back on to your Duo, and step 4), since it's a pain-in-the-ass.  But the big Pro is the fact that you have a permanent save file much more secure than a ten-no-koe bank, and you can store virtually unlimited number of save files on to that one CD.  Once again, I only recommend that you "backup" files via nanami only after you know for a fact that the particular save file you want to save is the "final" version you want to archive.  I basically treat ten-no-koe as my "temporary" backup these days.

[atr3yu]

Nice will do this with a few I really want to keep, now as for the Bank how do I check the batteries or add them??

[Duo_R]

would this battery holder fit in the bank? Also, is there a reason that the CR2025 is used VS a CR2320?



http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3060977

this is your friend:


but be aware, that those uses a battery inside, which probably doesn't work properly anymore, after 15 years of existence:


how to replace the battery:
http://gamers-high.seesaa.net/article/26435097.html
http://nonta6913.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2007-09-29

[Mednafen]

Write a program to encode the BRAM with something like PWM and output as sound, then record it on PC and use a decoder program.  Presto!
If you ever want to restore it, I'm sure you could make a quick BRAM loader CD-ROM image that one would only need to append the BRAM data to to work.

[WoodyXP]

would this battery holder fit in the bank? Also, is there a reason that the CR2025 is used VS a CR2032?

It looks like you might be able to fab your own by the looks of the pic on this link.

http://www.geocities.jp/hiropong_7650/pc_engine/pc_engine.html

[NecroPhile]

would this battery holder fit in the bank?

It looks awfully thick, so I don't know.  What would be the advantage to putting one of these in instead of just soldering in a replacement battery?

Also, is there a reason that the CR2025 is used VS a CR2032?

I think you mean a CR2320 (at least that's what's shown on the linked pages); a CR2032 has a 60% higher rated capacity, is 60% thicker, and has double the standard discharge rate of a CR2320.  A CR2025 has specs similar to a CR2320 and is a bit smaller, but I don't see a compelling reason to pick it over the oem battery.

[blueraven]

I you go to an electronics store, you can get the 2320 batteries for just over a dollar.

Radio shack sells them for $3-4, and I went to a Walgreens and they wanted $4.50.

[Duo_R]

Necro, yes I meant to say 2320 sorry. The 2320 isn't found at the stores that I have visited, so my question was if the 2025 was a good OEM replacement, I didn't know the specs of the 2320 to begin with.

Also, I take it that you have never tried soldering to a lithium battery before? Let's just say that the results are explosive.... 

[Duo_R]

Old post, but after 2 years finally got around to replacing the internal battery. I used a 2025 and the following items finish the install:

* Goo Gone - clean up all the goop inside
* Gorilla Tape (tape the contacts to the battery
* Hot glue gun - seal the sucker back up

It wasn't that bad at all. Getting the old battery off was a bit tricky. And also when laying down the glue I had to quickly spread the glue then throw the cover back on. Works like a champ now! My card didn't die, but didn't want to wait until I did. I bought two banks so I could fix one, transfer all the files to that one, then do the second one.

I also slightly dremelled the cover from the inside since it was a tight fit with the battery and the gorilla tape, but you cant tell from the outside. Pics soon and I will post an English guide.

[MottZilla]

Just thought I'd throw this out there. Rather than burning a CD after typing all the numbers into that program, perhaps the PC-Engine program should be modified to have a mode for file entry on the console. Then you could as suggested take a digital picture of the screen displaying the hex bytes of the file and basically backup your files by having pictures. Then rather than wasting more CD-Rs you could enter the bytes back in on the console too. It wouldn't be that hard with the controller. Button 1 could cycle the lower nibble/digit (0 - F) and Button 2 could cycle the upper nibble. D-Pad could move around the editor cursor. Somewhere you could set the desired file length, perhaps when you first enter a file creation/restore option.

Can't be that much worse than typing on a keyboard. Typing words is pretty fast but typing a bunch of hex digits wouldn't be that much slower using a controller instead.

[NecroPhile]

Just thought I'd throw this out there. Rather than burning a CD after typing all the numbers into that program, perhaps the PC-Engine program should be modified to have a mode for file entry on the console. Then you could as suggested take a digital picture of the screen displaying the hex bytes of the file and basically backup your files by having pictures. Then rather than wasting more CD-Rs you could enter the bytes back in on the console too. It wouldn't be that hard with the controller. Button 1 could cycle the lower nibble/digit (0 - F) and Button 2 could cycle the upper nibble. D-Pad could move around the editor cursor. Somewhere you could set the desired file length, perhaps when you first enter a file creation/restore option.

Can't be that much worse than typing on a keyboard. Typing words is pretty fast but typing a bunch of hex digits wouldn't be that much slower using a controller instead.

Sounds like you're looking for Chris Covell's nifty BRAM tool. 

[MottZilla]

I wouldn't doubt it if Covell has already done what I was thinking about.

[ccovell]

Yep, my BRAM tool will work with a flashcart or on a CD-R.



https://www.chrismcovell.com/data/BRAMTool.zip