Controller Pak Write Enable Pin

If the Controller Pak RAM chip has a damaged WRITE ENABLE pin, data cannot be written to the Controller Pak. This error condition will not be detected by osPfsInit(), osPfsChecker(), or osPfsAllocateFile(). It will return a value of PFS_ERR_INVALID from osPfsFindFile(). So developers must verify that all osPfsFindFile() calls are successful.

The verification of a successful osPfsFindFile() should be performed during initial power-up, or whenever osPfsInit() is called. Waiting until data is actually written to the Controller Pak may be too late for the consumer (i.e., the consumer has already played the game up to the save point and THEN finds out that the Controller Pak is defective). If this verification is unsuccessful, the message "Damaged Controller Pak. Game cannot be saved." must be displayed on the screen before game play begins.

The developer may modify a standard Controller Pak, if desired, in order to test this function. Cut the trace from pin 27 of U2 (SRAM) in the Controller Pak to be used for testing.


© 1999 Nintendo of America Inc.