My GBA cartridge won't save anymore

[simonbelmont2]

I have castlevania aria of sorrow ntsc and won't save anymore .
I make one picture with the castlevania and one cartridge with working saving:
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj190/simonbelmont2/cartridges.jpg
My question is:
What chip is for the saving (I want to change the broken chip)?
The first cartridge in the picture (from left to right) is castlevania; it have 2 chips.
On the first chip (from left to right) is wrote 256k FRAM and on the second is wrote MASK ROM AGB on the PCB.
This 2 chips from castlevania are almost indentical with the other cartridge.
Someone know the schematic for the gba cartridge or what can I do to make my castlevania save again?

Thanks!

[simonbelmont2]

Update: If you want to know what is my problem just download VisualBoyAdvance-1.8.0-beta3 and download/dump castlevania aria of sorrow ntsc then follow this steps:
- On the emulator go to Options - Emulator - Save Type and select None from the list.
- Open/start the game.
- Go to the first save point and you will see what is happening.
That is happening on my game boy advance/sp/ds with my cartridge; by the way the cartridge is not fake and not the other.

Thanks!

[simonbelmont2]

Update: I've make some research and I found some datasheet for the MB85R256 FRAM chip (the first chip from left to right):

The MB85R256 is an FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) chip in a configuration of 32,768 words x8 bits, using the ferroelectric process and silicon gate CMOS process technologies for forming the nonvolatilememory cells.
Unlike SRAM MB85R256 is able to retain data without back-up battery. The memory cells used for the MB85R256 has inproved at least 1010 times of read/write access per bit, significantly outperforming FLASH memory and EEPROM in durability.
The MB85R256 uses a pseudo - SRAM interface compatible with conventional asynchronous SRAM.

The second chip is MX23L6406-12C (don't find any datasheet) MASK ROM AGB and some serials for example: AGB-A2CE-x for Castlevania Aria Of Sorrow; where "x" is for USA, EUR, etc.

The other cartridge have this chips: MB85R256S FRAM chip and MX23L12806-12C MASK ROM AGB chip.

So, I think they are indentical.

My question is: the firs chip (FRAM) stored the save data and the second chip (MASK ROM AGB) stored the game?

Thanks!

[l_oliveira]

Buy some used game with the same size of save memory and salvage the FRAM chip.

FRAM memory degrades with time if you keep using it too much. Pretty much like FLASH memory, But FRAM have a funny caveat:

Every time the CPU reads it, the chip has to "refresh" itself internally. Which means every time you load the game the FRAM chip writes the data back in itself automatically. This means the chip will degrade over time even if you're not saving.

Is it possible that you put your GBA cart close to some kind of magnetic source ?  FRAM uses nano magnets on it's silicon die to store data instead of silicon capacitors (EPROM and FLASH)

[simonbelmont2]

Thanks for the information l_oliveira.
About the FRAM chips I think are the same (same serials; size; manufacturer etc).
I think I will try what you've said and if doesn't work I will change the FRAM chip with the other (other cartridge).
About the FRAM chip and the MASK ROM AGB chip: FRAM chip stored the save data and MASK ROM AGB chip stored the game (case closed with this ).
Anyway, other suggestions?

Thanks!

[simonbelmont2]

L_oliveira I tried what you said about the magnets but that didn't solve my problem .
I think the last resort is to change the chip.
Update: IS NOT WORKING WITH THE OTHER CHIP .
Sad conclusion: if you have a cartridge with this chip then you are doomed ; you cannot repair or change the chip.
I think I will buy that special cartridge that can store backup games from originals and support SD CARD .
Case closed!

[l_oliveira]

I didn't say magnets would fix your cartridge.
I said one magnet close to it could damage it.

If you replaced the FRAM chip and it did not work, then I don't know.  Maybe the ROM chip is somehow damaged (the ROM chip has also the electronics needed by the gameboy advance to control the FRAM chip)