So, I got my PowerPak in the mail today, but I'm having a fatal issue.

I have a 8GB CF Card made by Transcend. I copied the POWERPAK folder into the root of the card, and I also put one ROM in the root of the card.
Upon starting it, I got a "FILE NOT FOUND" error. I reset/powered on and off multiple times, same error.
So I did a format of my CF card. Copied over the POWERPAK directory and the ROM, and I still get the same "FILE NOT FOUND" error multiple times upon starting it, but sometimes it will go to the screen with the version numbers- and it will stay there and not do anything, so I press start and it prints the "FILE NOT FOUND" error game.
Sometimes it actually loads and gets into the folder/file browser, but it's messed up. I have one folder for the ROM, and the POWERPAK folder. Most of the time it only shows the POWERPAK folder, but sometimes it shows both the POWERPAK folder and the folder I have the ROM in. When I select the ROM and try to load it, I get the "FILE NOT FOUND" error again, same with the NSF.nes file in the POWERPAK folder.

I'm 99% sure this is a problem with my CF card, not the hardware itself, judging by how it keeps printing "FILE NOT FOUND" and has issues reading the directories and ROM files. But if anybody thinks they know a solution that isn't getting a new CF card, let me know.

So, could anybody with a working PowerPak here tell me what CompactFlash card they are using? All help is greatly appreciated.

I use a 16 gig Dane Elec CF card with my powerpak.

This is the brand that Retrousb.com sells.

I use a chinese brandless  2 GB card and it works great. If it helps, it has a a white with blue label Ok, that wasn't very helpful.

Here how the Powerpak works

Turn on your NES, you get the PowerPak boot screen you described with version numbers on the bottom.  From this screen you can do one of two things

1) Press A or B to access your CF card

2) Press START to load the last game played.  This is the "Start game" / game genie code / save file screen.

Since you powerpak is new, there is no last game played. So when you press start on the main/first screen you are getting "file not found" because there is no file to be found. IE, you have not played a game on your powerpak yet.
(This will also happen if you format your SD card and put all new files back on there.)


Now your CF card sounds like it might not be set right. The root of your card should have the "POWERPAK" folder in it only. You want to put the ROMs folder inside of that folder, also your "SAVES" folder should be in here also.

example, here is the location of my ROMs folder. (Your drive letter may be different)

X:\POWERPAK\Roms


Now when your turn your NES on, you will get the PowerPak splash screen. From here press A or B. You will now see POWERPAK , put the arrow there, and press A or B. Now you should see at the very least your ROMs folder. Just use A or B to navigate through to find the ROM you want. Again, select it with A or B. You will now be on the "Start game / game genie code / save file screen". Highlight "start game" and press A or B again.


TIPs:

-The only thing START does is toggle between the main screen and the "Start game / game genie code / save file" screen. Start does not actually select anything like you are use to with NES games.

-If you go into the wrong folder, use the " / . . "  on top to go back one folder.



 

MrMiniMog is mostly right, be careful with the START button. Also remember that when you're at the Game Genie screen, just before the game is started, pressing START will bring you back to the beginning of the menu. Personally I pulled a lot of hair out because of this.

bumpers

Big nose caveman with Nes PowerPak :

when i play Big nose caveman with Nes PowerPak in 3rd stage and any later stage the screen flicker.


its very difficult to play.


i have last 1.35b2 beta mapper with last loopy mappers and savestate 1.5


i have no problem with others games difficult to run: startropics 1 and 2 run perfect.


Thanks for help.

Big nose is one of my favorite game and i use the nes powerpak in travel. i dont have to bring all my nes cart.

sorry my english is not great. THANKS

IMPORTANT NOTE: i said flicker, but im not sure i use the good word. the problem is the screen move up and down very fast. LIKE A EARTHQUAKE !! LOL So i become very dizzy. its not very funny to play this game like that. I have the original game and it dont do that. i think the screen cant stay in the center of the screen, and the problem happen. ANYWAY THANKS FOR HELP

haha, ok, got it. I'll put it on the naughty list then. I wonder why this thread is going down even if it's a sticky...

Stickied threads are only set for a certain duration.

I have since edited this thread and set it to be stickied for 365 days. 

So here's to another year for this amazing thread.

Thanks to you Jorge!

Loopy said he fixed firehawks mapper here:

http://nesdev.parodius.com/bbs/vi...

can i download the new mapper somewhere, to put it in my powerpak folder. Thanks again guys

edit: I JUST downloaded loopy last mapper at his web site and the problem is always there. But its begin ONLY at stage 3. i dont have to hit anything it just happen in the beginning of stage 3. screen begin to go up and down every 4 or 5 seconds.

Strange ! Loopy dont have the problem with the game. very strange. i will try another rom.

EDIT: i tried several roms. the problem always there.

in stage 3 sometime the screen go up and down very fast for 2-3 seconds too like a earthquake.

its look like a sync problem. how can i be the only one to have this problem LOL

the game become really unplayable.

I HAVE THE ORIGINAL GAME , AND THE ORIGINAL GAME DONT DO THAT.
Thanks people for help if possible.

AAAAAAAAahhhhh VERY STANGE.

ITS ONLY DO THE PROBLEM WITH A CRT TV not a LCD TV

But the problem dont happen with the ORIGINAL GAME on a CRT TV.

i will post it on youtube.com in 5 minutes

LOOPY send me a patch for Big NOSE the Caveman that change the colors: i sent him this message:

IT WORKS PEREFECT !! No more screen problem. i played several stages.

Im really Happy !! i really love this game.

THANKS A LOT LOOPY !! What a great gift !!

i bought this game when it was released 20 years ago and i always love it LOL when i had 10 years i was always playing this game.

Long live to LOOPY !!!
- Long live to Loopynes
- Long live to pocketnes ( i play with pocketnes even today with my visoly flashcart and my gba sp)

without you the nes wont be the same.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT !!!!!

I've been having an issue trying to transfer a battery .sav from my Powerpak of Earthbound Zero to play it on number of different emulators, only to find that the saved data doesn't load up at all. Same ROM, same .sav, but no results. Currently trying to hex edit the .sav when compared to one I just did with my Android phone to try to make it work.

I'll get the Powerpak data (like what mapper and boot rom version it is) tomorrow when I can get access to my NES again.

Does this sound like something that can be fixed, or will I have to continue my adventures only on my NES?

I cant get Kirby adventure to work with my nes powerpak:

i tried several roms. i tried PGR0 and PGR1

Both freeze at the intro or after the stage 1 begin to load.

its seem this game is compatible.

Right now i have 1.35b2 with loopy mapper. But the savestates mapper are not installed. i know they can help with colors in Kirby but anyway the game doesnt work at all. i remove the savestate mapper, because i erase my startropics 2 sram save because i pressed the button to save state in error. anyway i dont know exactly what i did wrong but i prefer to dont use save state.


NOTE: i spent all my days testing different games and roms. I tried more than 200 roms and games. i tried all the games i like to play.
the only games that i found a problem was Big Nose (now fixed by loopy)and Kirby's adventure ( game freezing) All others games i like are playing correctly. ( a lot of camerica games have screen problem with my crt tv but i dont play them anyway )

THANKS FOR HELP AGAIN

''  LATEST LOOPY MAPPER MAKES KIRBY FREEZING ''  you cant finish the first stage.   If i just install the 1.35b2 mappers NO PROBLEM.  ( i dont use save states mappers)  As soon as i copy latest loopy mappers, kirby freeze within 2 minutes. CAN SOMEONE CONFIRM IT TOO ?  THANKS

Good news. Kirby work with original mappers from retrousb.com

mappers 1.34

i will do more testing

edit1:  even with original mapper 1.34 screen problem with my crt tv happen with camerica games.

edit2: WITH 1.35b2 MAPPERS KIRBY WORKS !!!
I think the problem are the latest loopy mappers. i will confirm it later.
maybe last loopy mappers have problem with kirby? isnt?

edit3:  IT SEEMS THAT LATEST LOOPY MAPPERS MAKES KIRBY FREEZE.
But the stage 1 begin this time. But still freeze after a few seconds.
install the latest loopy mappers and try to finish the kirby first stage.
( the save states mappers are not installed)

edit: OK IM 100% SURE OF IT. I did more testing. i reinstalled different mappers several times.  Latest mappers from Loopy make Kirby freezing. you cant even finish the first stage.

Loopy corrected the problem. it was a memory timing problem with last mappers.

I'm not sure anyone notice but just now I was playing Crisis Force and there seems to be a ton of graphical glitches during the cutscene in the main menu and during gameplay.

Also, I'm using Loppy's mappers.

gotta check that.

Hello.

I never tried Loopy's or The Fox's mappers. So yesterday I tried them and now a good majority of the games freeze at Loading Game. Some hang at a black screen right before it is supposed to go to The Fox's Action Replay menu. But others work fine. These same games all worked in the official mappers from retrousb. Anyone know what's going on? Also, some roms that used to work on the official now get Bad Header message. Any ideas?

Can you give specific titles on whats not working? Every game uses different mappers/settings, so if you tried X number of games and all did not work, its possible all of them have a different problem.

Yea sure. I just tried a few...Adventure Island said Bad Header but worked before I switched, Adventure Island III freezes right before it gets to the save state menu, American Gladiators freezes at Loading Game. All of these worked before.

Actually, nevermind. It seems i had some CF card corruption. I noticed that there were a bunch of missing roms on my CF card that used to be there. i formatted the card and rebuilt it and am no longer having an issue. Thanks everyone. The mappers are great!