The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

Persichini — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:27:49 GMT

Looking for help. I feel like i have a partial brick. just can't figure it out.

So i followed the guide, got everything working, but there was no dual boot. So i tried to flash a different version to get it. now i'm stuck. the LCD won't turn on, and i get these errors.

Info : STM32H7 flash has a single bank
Error: this device has a single bank only
Error: auto_probe failed
** Programming Failed **

this seems like it should be fixable. please help

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

Persichini — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:19:32 GMT

Ok so i messed something up somewhere. here is my path of stupidity.

I folllowed the guide to the letter, and got it installed with a few games. However i didn't realize that dual boot wasn't in this guide. so like a idiot i followed a different guide to reflash it. now i'm stuck with what i assume is a softbrick. the LCd stays black but when i tried to follow the guide to reflash (skiped the backup parts) i get this.

[embed:dc8ab71f-3b98-42d9-b0f6-e21e02a0f8e2:cffaba7a-6749-4123-a485-ac38c23babfb:type=text&text=oot%40anthony-IdeaPad-Slim-3-14IRH8%3A%2Fhome%2Fanthony%2Fdevelopment%2Fgamewatch%2Fgame-and-watch-retro-go%23%20make%20flash%20COVERFLOW%3D1%20JPG_QUALITY%3D90%20COMPRESS%3Dlzma%20GNW_TARGET%3Dzelda%20EXTFLASH_SIZE_MB%3D64%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27LCD-Game-Emulator%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27blueMSX-go%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27caprice32-go%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27fceumm-go%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27gwenesis%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27potator%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27prosystem-go%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27retro-go-stm32%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27smw%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27tamalib%27%0D%0A%0D%0AEntering%20%27zelda3%27%0D%0A%0D%0Amake%5B1%5D%3A%20Entering%20directory%20%27%2Fhome%2Fanthony%2Fdevelopment%2Fgamewatch%2Fgame-and-watch-retro-go%27%0D%0A%0D%0A%5B%20BASH%20%5D%20Checking%20for%20updated%20roms%0D%0A%0D%0Aopenocd%20-f%20scripts%2Finterface_stlink.cfg%20-c%20%22program%20build%2Fgw_retro_go_intflash.bin%200x08000000%20verify%20reset%20exit%22%0D%0A%0D%0AOpen%20On-Chip%20Debugger%200.11.0%0D%0A%0D%0ALicensed%20under%20GNU%20GPL%20v2%0D%0A%0D%0AFor%20bug%20reports%2C%20read%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fopenocd.org%2Fdoc%2Fdoxygen%2Fbugs.html%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20auto-selecting%20first%20available%20session%20transport%20%22hla_swd%22.%20To%20override%20use%20%27transport%20select%20%3Ctransport%3E%27.%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20The%20selected%20transport%20took%20over%20low-level%20target%20control.%20The%20results%20might%20differ%20compared%20to%20plain%20JTAG%2FSWD%0D%0A%0D%0Anone%20separate%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20clock%20speed%201800%20kHz%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20STLINK%20V2J37S7%20%28API%20v2%29%20VID%3APID%200483%3A3748%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20Target%20voltage%3A%203.267066%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20stm32h7x.cpu0%3A%20hardware%20has%208%20breakpoints%2C%204%20watchpoints%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20starting%20gdb%20server%20for%20stm32h7x.cpu0%20on%203333%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20Listening%20on%20port%203333%20for%20gdb%20connections%0D%0A%0D%0Atarget%20halted%20due%20to%20debug-request%2C%20current%20mode%3A%20Thread%20%0D%0A%0D%0AxPSR%3A%200x01000000%20pc%3A%200xfffffffe%20msp%3A%200xfffffffc%0D%0A%0D%0A%2A%2A%20Programming%20Started%20%2A%2A%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20Device%3A%20STM32H7Ax%2F7Bx%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20flash%20size%20probed%20value%20128%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20STM32H7%20flash%20has%20a%20single%20bank%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20Bank%20%280%29%20size%20is%20128%20kb%2C%20base%20address%20is%200x08000000%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20Device%3A%20STM32H7Ax%2F7Bx%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20flash%20size%20probed%20value%20128%0D%0A%0D%0AInfo%20%3A%20STM32H7%20flash%20has%20a%20single%20bank%0D%0A%0D%0AError%3A%20this%20device%20has%20a%20single%20bank%20only%0D%0A%0D%0AError%3A%20auto_probe%20failed%0D%0A%0D%0A%2A%2A%20Programming%20Failed%20%2A%2A%0D%0A%0D%0Ashutdown%20command%20invoked%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0Amake%5B1%5D%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20%5BMakefile.common%3A1006%3A%20flash_intflash%5D%20Error%201%0D%0A%0D%0Amake%5B1%5D%3A%20Leaving%20directory%20%27%2Fhome%2Fanthony%2Fdevelopment%2Fgamewatch%2Fgame-and-watch-retro-go%27%0D%0A%0D%0Amake%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20%5BMakefile.common%3A1035%3A%20flash%5D%20Error%202]

Help... Please

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

tmcmanamey — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 20:57:03 GMT

Hi, I'm trying to use my rpi for this but having trouble building openocd for it. It doesn't look like the owner for the link above is responding to other users. Am I better off getting an stlink and using an amd compatible system?

[embed:dc8ab71f-3b98-42d9-b0f6-e21e02a0f8e2:20c932f7-b4db-4042-98b9-967d9b81d84f:type=text&text=src%2Fflash%2Fnor%2Fstm32h7x.c%3A%20In%20function%20%E2%80%98stm32h7_probe%E2%80%99%3A%0Asrc%2Fflash%2Fnor%2Fstm32h7x.c%3A960%3A13%3A%20error%3A%20%E2%80%98stm32x_info%E2%80%99%20undeclared%20%28first%20use%20in%20this%20function%29%3B%20did%20you%20mean%20%E2%80%98stm32h7_info%E2%80%99%3F%0A%20%20960%20%7C%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20if%20%28stm32x_info-%3Eidcode%20%3D%3D%200x10016480%29%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7C%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%5E~~~~~~~~~~%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7C%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stm32h7_info%0Asrc%2Fflash%2Fnor%2Fstm32h7x.c%3A960%3A13%3A%20note%3A%20each%20undeclared%20identifier%20is%20reported%20only%20once%20for%20each%20function%20it%20appears%20in%0Amake%5B4%5D%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20%5BMakefile%3A3740%3A%20src%2Fflash%2Fnor%2Fstm32h7x.lo%5D%20Error%201%0Amake%5B4%5D%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20Waiting%20for%20unfinished%20jobs....%0Amake%5B4%5D%3A%20Leaving%20directory%20%27%2Fhome%2Ftmcmanamey%2Fubuntu-openocd-git-builder%2Fopenocd-git%2Fopenocd%27%0Amake%5B3%5D%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20%5BMakefile%3A5105%3A%20all-recursive%5D%20Error%201%0Amake%5B3%5D%3A%20Leaving%20directory%20%27%2Fhome%2Ftmcmanamey%2Fubuntu-openocd-git-builder%2Fopenocd-git%2Fopenocd%27%0Amake%5B2%5D%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20%5BMakefile%3A2194%3A%20all%5D%20Error%202%0Amake%5B2%5D%3A%20Leaving%20directory%20%27%2Fhome%2Ftmcmanamey%2Fubuntu-openocd-git-builder%2Fopenocd-git%2Fopenocd%27%0Amake%5B1%5D%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20%5BMakefile%3A6%3A%20all%5D%20Error%202%0Amake%5B1%5D%3A%20Leaving%20directory%20%27%2Fhome%2Ftmcmanamey%2Fubuntu-openocd-git-builder%2Fopenocd-git%27%0Adh_auto_build%3A%20error%3A%20make%20-j4%20returned%20exit%20code%202%0Amake%3A%20%2A%2A%2A%20%5Bdebian%2Frules%3A4%3A%20binary%5D%20Error%20255%0Adpkg-buildpackage%3A%20error%3A%20debian%2Frules%20binary%20subprocess%20returned%20exit%20status%202%0A]

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

kmm68121 — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:04:09 GMT

Hello,

Thank you for your helpful post. I was able to successfully complete the backup process.

I'm currently trying to flash data to the device, but I’m running into an issue during the image upload step:

make flash COVERFLOW=1 JPG_QUALITY=90 COMPRESS=lzma GNW_TARGET=mario EXTFLASH_SIZE_MB=64

Specifically, I'm unsure where the image files should be placed, and even when I hold down the power button, the image doesn't seem to upload.

I would greatly appreciate your help with this issue. Thank you!

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

joanserrat — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 17:36:45 GMT

Hello ! Thank you for the guide; I am assumimg it's updated enough so I can proceed to mod my GREEN game without missing some inportant info. It will arrive to my house in a few days, it will be an adventure... Some people say that in order to solder the bigger memory chip it's high recommended to use a hot air pistol, and I do not have it; will be good to use my usual electronics iron soldering ? That is the only step I'm affraid of...

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

ipv1 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 18:45:54 GMT

Great writeup as usual.

Q: What PC is that?

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

shabaz — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 03:29:30 GMT

I just tested with the red version of the game, and that worked too. However there's not much point buying the red version new, because the green one has two extra buttons, and more memory by default. Also the green version is a lot lower cost (£30 on Amazon currently, versus £50 for the red version).

The blog now has a photo of the complete board inside the red version, and also I've added a photo and detail of some of the consumables I used, in case anyone was wondering. I've never used low-temp solder for removing parts before. It of course cannot replace proper desoldering tools, but for this specific type of package, it worked well.

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

shabaz — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 04:59:27 GMT

For a bit of fun some security has been implemented : ) This is the "greetings/gift" edition : ) It displays a greeting line on power-up, and makes the kid have to enter a passcode (just a key sequence, like up/down/left/left etc), displayed with asterisks, before they can proceed and play any games. Make them feel a little bit important : )

It would be neat to have a little photo of the agent too, but that's more effort.

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

genebren — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 18:14:36 GMT

Sure, everyone loves a good game, but maybe the next step in this hack might be to turn this little handheld into a DMM or a Oscilloscope. I had once approached a game development company with just this idea based on a GameBoy. The idea was a cartridge replacement with measurement circuits embedded. They like the idea but did not have the manpower to assist on it, but they did lead me a development system and I took a swing at it. The hardest part of the project was to bend the cell/sprite based display hardware into a pseudo memory mapped display system. I was able to achieve that, using a etch-a-sketch (picture drawing) program to test/prove the memory mapped display. Just as I was moving into the hardware development phase (not small feat back in the 1990's) they company needed there system back. I really enjoyed playing around with the concept, but I was disappointed that I could not get the whole project completed.

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

beacon_dave — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 12:48:43 GMT

"...There are some unused GPIO pins if you wish to connect the game to external hardware..."

Perhaps handy for incorporating one or more devices into a chain reaction machine. Have the recorded 'gameplay'/animation trigger from the input and pass from one device to the next then back out to the physical world / network.

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

beacon_dave — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 10:34:21 GMT

Just need to come up with an Element14 themed game now. [emoticon:c4563cd7d5574777a71c318021cbbcc8]

Not sure how much use these eBooks might be as they are aimed at Pygame but they may help reveal some retro game mechanics:

https://magpi.raspberrypi.com/books/retro-gaming

https://wireframe.raspberrypi.com/books/code-the-classics1

https://wireframe.raspberrypi.com/books/gamedevcookbook

RE: The N******o before Christmas: Upgrade Time!

Gough Lui — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 06:51:25 GMT

Looks like a case of trademark censorship in the title ;)