SFIII 2nd Impact NoCD

[msamiullah]

Hi Folks, I recently came across SFIII 2nd Impact game on which region is shown as Brazil. This version has Akuma as selectable character as well. I looked into mame and the only noCD version fo 2i I see is for Asia. My question is this a modified bios ? I do not see darksoft text anywhere and cannot get into darksoft menu by hitting start on boot. Any ideas ?

 

[Darksoft]

Can you please open the cart and see if it has a battery still? Post a picture of.both sides please.

 

[msamiullah]

No battery, here are pictures:

 

[Darksoft]

Then it's a handcrafted version. Are you able to read the memory?

 

[msamiullah]

Then it's a handcrafted version. Are you able to read the memory?

No I do not have any way to read the memory, what does handcrafted version mean ?

 

[nem]

Then it's a handcrafted version.

Very likely, but 2I does work without a battery.

You should send it to @ShootTheCore to dump and then flash to Ultrabios.

 

[kazuo]

Perhaps naive, but would doing a memory check in the BIOS menu be sufficient to confirm whether or not this is legit? Modified code should throw errors on SIMM 1&2, right?

 

[msamiullah]

Perhaps naive, but would doing a memory check in the BIOS menu be sufficient to confirm whether or not this is legit? Modified code should throw errors on SIMM 1&2, right?

I did the SIMM and memory check, its passes all the SIMM checks while on memory check it gets stuck on CD-ROM check (not sure if its normal behavior for noCD games as there is no CD-ROM attached).

 

[GoldenGlover]

That should say “SKIP” instead of get hung up there. My $ is that this BIOS might’ve been modified (not by Capcom) to disable the CD check. Could also be my tired eyes, but the BIOS chip also looks like it could have been reworked.

 

[kazuo]

That should say “SKIP” instead of get hung up there. My $ is that this BIOS might’ve been modified (not by Capcom) to disable the CD check. Could also be my tired eyes, but the BIOS chip also looks like it could have been reworked.

That was my first thought as well, I think the fact that it hangs on the drive check indicates it's a modified BIOS.

Behavior on the Capcom BIOS is skip the CD check; Darksoft BIOS hangs on it when you're using NO CD. Only way to get out is power cycle. Very frustrating! Same deal with a CD BIOS actually, the difference is it hangs after the SIMM check step instead of the CD check.

Sure would be nice if a new version of the BIOS fixed that, but not a requirement.

 

[msamiullah]

If its really a modified BIOS (not by Capcom) then is it normal for it to pass the SIMMS check ?

 

[MetalliC]

Modified code should throw errors on SIMM 1&2, right?

are you sure it's true for SFIII 2nd? which by design use not encrypted game program SIMMs = no need to modify them = checksum should be OK

 

[XeD]

I have the cart and after dumping it and running it in MAME I do not see Akuma. Custom code install on the simm?

 

[msamiullah]

I have the cart and after dumping it and running it in mame I do not see Akuma. Custom cone on the simm?

I am not expert on this but regarding Akuma could this have to do anything with dip switch settings ?

 

[thegreathopper]

I do not think there are any dip switches on CPS3, not that affect settings.

 

[MetalliC]

CPS3 store settings and unlocks in 93C46 EEPROM, perhaps it's just previous PCB owner already entered Akuma unlock code?

 

[msamiullah]

CPS3 store settings and unlocks in 93C46 EEPROM, perhaps it's just previous PCB owner already entered Akuma unlock code?

that makes sense, so once code is entered then akuma stays always unlocked ? even when board is powered off and on again ?

 

[MetalliC]

I have the cart and after dumping it and running it in MAME I do not see Akuma. Custom code install on the simm?

out of curiosity, what is the differences with regular BIOS, only region code byte or more?

 

[msamiullah]

I have submitted it to @Darksoft to analyze it. Lets see!

 

[msamiullah]

folks, not so good news - looks like its a handcrafted bios!