Region Patch doesn't always work

[tehmiker]

I'm wondering if anyone else is having this issue or if it's just me.

I have a US NTSC CDX and I'm using the latest rev 2.1 board Everdrive, firmware version 8, OS v9. For most Japanese roms I'm trying to load, I'm getting the region lockout message (this cartridge was not developed for use in North America blah blah..). Just recently it happened with Golden Axe III, Bare Knuckle III, Thunder Force IV, and Rockman Megaworld. Rockman actually didn't give any message, just a very bright red screen with no text or anything. On the other hand, Verytex and Zero Wing (both Japanese roms) load up just fine.

I've tried these roms with every combination of Region Patch and Megakey on and off.

Any ideas? Maybe some games just don't support the type of patching the Everdrive uses? Should I just patch Japanese roms before I load them to my SD card from now on?

Oh yeah, while not related to my region patching problem at all, I noticed one other thing. On the "device info" screen it says CD-ROM: NO, so for some reason it can't see the CDX's drive?

Also, has to be said.. I just got my Everdrive today so I'm still playing around with it. But damn, what an awesome piece of hardware! So glad I bought this. :-)

-Mike

[Yakumo]

Zero wing and Verytex are old games and don't have any region lockout. Only newer games by sega, konami and Capcom really used the region lockout

The Everdrive region patch won't patch games. I had the same problem. The easiest fi it to add a region switch but since you are using a CDX that isn't a real option so patching the ROMs yourself is the best solution.

[Eke]

Red screen = Checksum error, try using a good dump

I think the region patch option in Everdrive actually patches the ROM header region section (U,J,E,etc) when the ROM is flashed, to make it matches your console region. It might work with some games that does not use hard-coded region values in their code but this will fail for a lot of others, in which case region switching is required (or manually patching ROMs region lockout)

On that note, Thunderforce IV (J) requires a full region switch, i only have a NTSC/PAL switch and it still displays an error message on startup because it wants the console to be japanese, not only 60hz. The european version plays just fine if you switch to 60hz after the intro, not sure if the game is optimized for 50hz though.

I have no idea what the "megakey" option is doing btw.

[tehmiker]

What software would you guys recommend for the manual patching? I tried using SMDTool and the Neo2 Ultra Menu software from the NEOTEAM site but neither worked. Can't say I've ever had to do this before. Usually the emulator itself just changes regions on the fly for me. ;-)

[l_oliveira]

Megakey is a piece of hardware which hooks on at hardware level on the region/version register of the Mega Drive chipset. It likely plays with the bus control signals overriding the internal read and replacing it with it's own. It originally contained an dip switch on the back where you could setup the desired region, completely bypassing the inte5rnal region jumper.


As for Thunderforce4 it uses different code for checksum and region checking. So adding JUE to the header does not work. And putting 0000 on the checksum field of the header have no effect as the checksum is stored elsewhere. As it does not use SEGA standard CRC check code, TF4 does not redscreen in CRC error, it just hangs in a loop. :thumbsup:

[KRIKzz]

Red screen = Checksum error, try using a good dump

I think the region patch option in Everdrive actually patches the ROM header region section (U,J,E,etc) when the ROM is flashed, to make it matches your console region. It might work with some games that does not use hard-coded region values in their code but this will fail for a lot of others, in which case region switching is required (or manually patching ROMs region lockout)

I have no idea what the "megakey" option is doing btw.

you totally right about patching!
megakey it is hardware region hack, but this function will work only on everdrive v.1.0

currently CD-ROM detection in device info works only for mega-cd

[Heinz2001]

Do we need this CD-ROM detection for anything? Also whats the point of loading the Sega CD bios?

I just ask, because I have the European CDX called Multi-Mega.

[KRIKzz]

detection have not any practical use. for bios loading you just should write bios file (http://krikzz.com/pub/support/everdrive-md/Russell-region-free-cd-bios.bin) as game ROMand start game.

[8413]

Everdrive used Multi-Mega.
device info => CD-ROM: NO

[sheath]

I just joined. I wanted to say that I am enjoying the Everdrive very much. I also own several revisions of US Genesis and Sega CD including Model 1, Model 2, X'Eye and Nomad (one of each).

If you would like for me to test anything I would be happy to.

[KRIKzz]

I would be happy if you can test cd-bios loading on your systems, especially on cd-model2

[sheath]

I would be happy if you can test cd-bios loading on your systems, especially on cd-model2

I'll update my OS to 10 and try it tonight on both my CD1 and CD2 (both US models). I do not have the means to update my firmware yet, but I don't think that relates currently.

Genesis 2 Sega CD 2 Combo:
eu_mcd1_9210.bin = Teal screen "PAL Compatible only Southeast Asia" Error
jp_mcd1_9112.bin = Teal screen "PAL Compatible only Southeast Asia" Error
Russell-region-free-cd-bios.bin = black screen no error message

X'eye:
All = black screen no error message

Genesis 1 Sega CD 1 Combo with 32X attached
eu_mcd1_9210.bin = Sega CD 1 Bios v1.10 1992 shows
jp_mcd1_9112.bin = Sega CD 1 Bios v1.10 1992 shows
Russell-region-free-cd-bios.bin = Sega CD 1 Bios v1.10 1992 shows

I didn't test the new OS without the 32X on the model 1s only.

[KRIKzz]

bios loading 100% not works if 32x attached.
please make update on OS11 (http://krikzz.com/pub/support/everdrive-md/os-bin/os-v11.bin) and try this bios roms (http://krikzz.com/pub/support/everdrive-md/free-bios/)

[sheath]

Okay, I will test all units without 32X from now on. So far I have only tested the Gen 1 Sega CD 1 combo with the 32X attached in this testing.

I will have to wait until tomorrow for further testing. I should post within the next fifteen hours.

[sheath]

Okay, sorry for the delay.

OS 11 Testing
Sega CD 2 Genesis 2 combo (no 32X)
CD-1-E.bin = Garbled Freeze (tiles broken)
CD-1-U.bin = Freeze at background pic
CD-2 -E.bin = Black Screen (Drive light on SCD2 blinks)
CD-2-U.bin = Normal Operation

Sega CD 1 Genesis 1 combo (no 32X)
CD-1-E.bin = Black Screen
CD-1-U.bin = Normal Operation (no imports)
CD-2 -E.bin = Black Screen
CD-2-U.bin = Black Screen

I am supposing we are not testing X'Eye at the moment.

[8413]

OS_V11 FW_V8
Everdrive used Multi-Mega(Asia).
device info => CD-ROM: JAP MEGA-CD!
CD-1-E.bin = Black Screen
CD-1-U.bin = Black Screen
CD-2-E.bin = Black Screen
CD-2-U.bin = Black Screen

[KRIKzz]

crap (: seems like it work only on my mega-cd1 + md2

[sheath]

I'll be happy to keep testing, and am happy anyway. I didn't even know about the SCD bios option until after I bought it.

[KRIKzz]

on multimega not works, so on CDX will not work too

[KRIKzz]

What?

bios loading not works on multimega

[link83]

Rather than trying to use a Mega-CD 1 or Mega-CD 2 BIOS on a Multi-Mega/CDX, has anyone tried the other region BIOS, eg:-
CDX BIOS on a Multi-Mega
Multi-Mega BIOS on a CDX
etc
Just thought maybe the Multi-Mega/CDX hardware is slightly different to a Mega CD1/2 so might only load a Multi-Mega/CDX BIOS? :shrug:

[raylyd]

hi as for it will not work on cdx systems i have tryed i just get a background image
i have not yet try it on my model two

[8413]

I want the Region Patch was applied to Sega CDX v2.21x Bios.

[8413]

OS_V11 FW_V8
Everdrive used Multi-Mega(Asia).
device info => CD-ROM: JAP MEGA-CD

region-free cd-1-u.bin & region-free cd-2-u.bin => ROM-Type:CD-BIOS

Sega CDX v2.21x (1993)(Sega)(US).bin &
Sega Multi-Mega BIOS v2.21x (1993)(Sega)(PAL)(EU).bin => ROM-Type:"SMD"

[scottzane]

Did you try the bioses hacked by Leonard ?

Mega-CD real region free on game discs:love2:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27562

[raylyd]

can one of you tell me what region is the sega multi mega 1994 bios
i know it undumped when i bought its jap console no matter what region i put it it will not boot cd games i have tryed the cd board with a cdx system that works and the cd board with laser works and boots so i know it not broken in that way

[8413]

Thank you. scottzane.

OS_V11 FW_V9
Everdrive used Multi-Mega(Asia).
device info => CD-ROM: JAP MEGA-CD

Sega CDX v2.21x (1993)(Sega)(US).bin => ROM-Type:"SMD" => booting! but BG only.
us_scd1_921011_regionfree.bin => ROM-Type:"CD-BIOS" => BlackOut
us_scd1_921011_regionfree_byteswap.bin => ROM-Type:"UNKNOUN" => BlackOut

[l_oliveira]

Thank you. scottzane.

OS_V11 FW_V9
Everdrive used Multi-Mega(Asia).
device info => CD-ROM: JAP MEGA-CD

Sega CDX v2.21x (1993)(Sega)(US).bin => ROM-Type:"SMD" => booting! but BG only.
us_scd1_921011_regionfree.bin => ROM-Type:"CD-BIOS" => BlackOut
us_scd1_921011_regionfree_byteswap.bin => ROM-Type:"UNKNOUN" => BlackOut


The byteswap file is meant to be burnt on the 27C1024 EPROM and put on the MD.

US_SCD1 is for the tray model USA unit.

The files are NOT SMD dumps.

They're RAW BINARY headerless files. :-0

So please configure your Everdrive correctly.

Also, the bios modded by me are meant to be used on the MCD unit as ROM chip. I don't know if they require modifications to work on Everdrive.

Ask Krikzz please.

[MEGADRIVE Jeroi]

I would love to have cdx and multimega true region free bios. If mr. oliveira does this and add jap cd games true compatibility, I will raise him as 16-bit hero in every forum or perhaps the first one do acomplish it.

The Multi Mega / CDX owners would all lift the developer to glory and hail him. Just because Multi Mega / CDX is THE megadrive console to own, that supports everything and can be modded singleswitch to change region for console and 32x aswell and everything. We just miss true region free bios that supports all region games and there is no jap bios availble for these beauties.