Loading... Please wait...

Our Newsletter


EZ FLASH Omega User Manual

EZ-FLASH OMEGA User Manual

Welcome to the EZ-FLASH OMEGA User Manual. This guide explains how to prepare your MicroSD card, update the kernel, launch games, use NORFLASH, configure add-on features, use save states, enable cheats, and troubleshoot common issues.

 
Manual Version Information

This manual applies to EZ-FLASH OMEGA Kernel 1.04. Features and menu options may differ if you are using another kernel version.

 

 

 
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ BEFORE USING YOUR EZ-FLASH OMEGA

EZ-FLASH OMEGA uses a save system that writes save data to the MicroSD card. After saving your game, please wait at least 2-3 seconds before turning off your console or resetting the game.

Turning off or resetting the console too quickly may interrupt the MicroSD write process and could result in lost or corrupted save data.

 

 

Quick Navigation


  Setup & Operation  


  Advanced Features  


  1. Getting Started  


  5. SD Card Launch Menu  


  2. Updating the Kernel  


  6. NORFLASH  


  3. Basic Operation  


  7. In-Game Menu  


  4. Hotkeys  


  8. System Settings  


  9. Help  


  10. Important Notes & Troubleshooting  

 

1. Getting Started

Before using your EZ-FLASH OMEGA, download the required files from the EZ-FLASH download section.

Visit the EZ-FLASH Downloads Page

The download section contains files such as:

  • EZ-FLASH OMEGA Kernel
  • Game thumbnail image pack
  • Cheat library

MicroSD Card Preparation

For best results, format your MicroSD card using the appropriate file system and cluster size shown below.


  MicroSD Card Size  


  File System  


  Recommended Cluster Size  


  2 GB or smaller  


  FAT / FAT16  


  32 KB  


  Up to 32 GB  


  FAT32  


  32 KB  


  Up to 128 GB  


  exFAT  


  32 KB or larger  

 

 
TIP

You may also use the official SD Memory Card Formatter to format your MicroSD card.

Download the Official SD Memory Card Formatter

 

Extracting the EZ-FLASH Files

Extract the downloaded EZ-FLASH package directly to the root directory of the MicroSD card.

 
IMPORTANT

When extracting the files, do not use an option that creates an additional folder around the extracted files. This may cause folder nesting and prevent the EZ-FLASH OMEGA from locating the required files.

 

 

After extraction, confirm that the following folders and file are located directly in the root directory of the MicroSD card:


  File / Folder  


  Location  


  Purpose  


  EZKERNEL.BIN  


  MicroSD Root  


  EZ-FLASH OMEGA kernel file  


  IMGS  


  MicroSD Root  


  Game thumbnail images  


  CHEAT  


  MicroSD Root  


  Cheat database  

 

You may now copy your compatible game files to the MicroSD card. You can organize your game files into folders if desired.

Back to Top

2. Updating the EZ-FLASH OMEGA Kernel

The firmware and kernel installed on a newly purchased EZ-FLASH OMEGA may not always be the latest available versions. We recommend checking the download section for updates before using the cartridge.

Kernel Update Procedure

  1. Download the latest EZ-FLASH OMEGA kernel.
  2. Locate the EZKERNEL.BIN file.
  3. Copy EZKERNEL.BIN to the root directory of the MicroSD card.
  4. Insert the MicroSD card into the EZ-FLASH OMEGA.
  5. Insert the EZ-FLASH OMEGA into your console.
  6. Press and hold the R button.
  7. While holding R, power on the console.
  8. Allow the update process to finish completely.
 
WARNING - DO NOT TURN OFF THE POWER DURING AN UPDATE

Never turn off the console while the kernel or firmware is being updated. Interrupting the update process may cause the EZ-FLASH OMEGA to stop functioning correctly.

 

 

When the update is complete, the system will boot normally. The installed kernel version can be viewed in the upper-right corner of the System screen.

Firmware Updates

If the firmware version installed on your cartridge is older than the firmware included with the new kernel, the EZ-FLASH OMEGA may automatically perform a firmware update.

After a firmware update, restart the console so the new firmware can take effect.

 
WARNING

Do not turn off the console during a firmware update. Wait until the update has completely finished before restarting the system.

 

Back to Top

3. Basic Operation

The EZ-FLASH OMEGA interface is divided into several sections. Use the following controls to navigate the menu.


  Button  


  Function  


  L / R  


  Switch between the SD Card, NORFLASH, System, and Help screens.  


  A  


  Open the launch menu for a selected game or confirm a menu option.  


  B  


  Cancel or close the current menu.  


  UP / DOWN  


  Move through menu items and launch options.  


  LEFT / RIGHT  


  Move between pages in the file browser or change certain settings.  

Launching a Game

  1. Open the SD Card tab.
  2. Use the directional pad to locate the game you want to play.
  3. Press A to open the launch menu.
  4. Use UP or DOWN to select a launch option.
  5. Press A again to confirm.
  6. Press B if you want to cancel and close the launch menu.

Back to Top

4. Hotkeys

 
HOTKEY INFORMATION

The hotkeys in this section are available while using the SD Card tab.

 

Recently Played Games

While viewing the SD Card tab, press START to display the list of recently played games.

Toggle Game Thumbnails

While viewing the SD Card tab, press SELECT to turn game thumbnail display on or off.

Thumbnail loading speed depends heavily on the speed and performance of your MicroSD card.

Multiboot

To launch a game using Multiboot:

  1. Select a game from the SD Card tab.
  2. Press A to open the launch menu.
  3. Highlight CLEAN BOOT.
  4. Press L + A.

Multiboot launches the game with the GBA BIOS loaded. This feature is generally used for certain link-play functions or when connecting the Game Boy Advance to compatible accessories.

Delete a File

To delete a file from the MicroSD card:

  1. Highlight the file in the SD Card tab.
  2. Press L + START.
  3. A confirmation window will appear.
  4. Confirm the deletion only if you are certain you want to remove the file.
 
CAUTION

Deleted files may not be recoverable. Verify that you have selected the correct file before confirming deletion.

 

Back to Top

5. SD Card Launch Menu

Press A while a game is selected in the SD Card browser to display the launch menu.


  Launch Option  


  Description  


  CLEAN BOOT  


  Launches the selected game without add-on functions.  


  BOOT WITH ADDON  


  Launches the game with the add-on functions currently enabled in System Settings.  


  WRITE TO NOR CLEAN  


  Writes the selected game to NORFLASH without add-on functions.  


  WRITE TO NOR ADDON  


  Writes the selected game to NORFLASH with the add-on functions enabled in System Settings.  


  SAVE TYPE  


  Manually select the game's save type when automatic detection does not work correctly.  


  CHEAT  


  Opens the cheat selection interface when a compatible cheat file is available.  

CLEAN BOOT

Launches the selected game normally without any additional EZ-FLASH OMEGA functions.

BOOT WITH ADDON

Launches the game with the functions that you have enabled under System Settings > ADDON.

WRITE TO NOR CLEAN

Writes the selected game to NORFLASH without enabling additional functions.

WRITE TO NOR ADDON

Writes the selected game to NORFLASH with the add-on functions enabled in System Settings.

 
CHEAT USERS

If you are writing a game to NORFLASH with add-ons, select the desired cheats before writing the game to NORFLASH.

The cheat selection cannot be changed after the game has been written.

 

SAVE TYPE

Under normal circumstances, leave SAVE TYPE set to AUTO.

Some fan-translated or heavily modified games have been patched to use a different save type from the original game. In these cases, automatic save-type detection may not identify the correct save format.

If you experience save problems with a translated or modified game, use LEFT and RIGHT to manually select a different save type.

CHEAT

The cheat function requires the CHEAT folder from the EZ-FLASH OMEGA cheat library to be installed on your MicroSD card.

The CHEAT option will appear when a corresponding cheat file exists for the selected game.

Selecting Cheats

  1. Highlight CHEAT in the launch menu.
  2. Press A to open the cheat selection screen.
  3. Use UP and DOWN to select a cheat.
  4. Press A to enable or disable the selected cheat.
  5. Use LEFT and RIGHT to change pages.
  6. Press B when you have finished selecting cheats.
  7. The menu will return to BOOT WITH ADDON.
  8. Press A to launch the game.

Enabling or Disabling Cheats During a Game

While playing a game using BOOT WITH ADDON, press:

 
L + R + START

Opens the in-game menu

 

 

  • Select CHEATON to activate the selected cheats.
  • Select CHEATOFF to deactivate the selected cheats.
 
CHEAT COMPATIBILITY

The cheat library contains codes collected from various sources. Some cheat codes may be incorrect or incompatible with a particular game and could cause the cheat to fail or the game to crash.

 

Using Your Own Cheat File

You may place your own .cht file in the CHEAT folder. The cheat filename must match the game filename.


  Game File  


  Cheat File  


  mario.gba  


  mario.cht  

A matching custom cheat file can be used in place of the corresponding file from the cheat library.

Back to Top

6. NORFLASH

The NORFLASH section allows compatible games to be stored directly in the EZ-FLASH OMEGA's NORFLASH memory.


  Option  


  Function  


  DIRECT BOOT  


  Launch the selected game directly from NORFLASH.  


  DELETE  


  Delete a game from NORFLASH.  


  FORMAT  


  Erase all contents of NORFLASH.  

DIRECT BOOT

Select DIRECT BOOT to launch a game stored in NORFLASH.

If the game was originally written using WRITE TO NOR ADDON, launching it with DIRECT BOOT will operate in the same manner as BOOT WITH ADDON.

DELETE

To remove a game from NORFLASH, select the appropriate game and choose DELETE.

The original EZ-FLASH OMEGA menu expects the last game in the NORFLASH list to be removed first. Attempting to delete another entry may produce a warning.

FORMAT

The FORMAT option completely erases NORFLASH. The process takes approximately 4 minutes.

 
WARNING - DO NOT TURN OFF THE CONSOLE WHILE FORMATTING NORFLASH

Interrupting a NORFLASH format may damage the NORFLASH data. Use the FORMAT option only when necessary and allow the process to finish completely.

 

Back to Top

7. In-Game Menu

When a game has been launched using BOOT WITH ADDON, press the following default hotkey to open the in-game menu:

 
L + R + START

Default In-Game Menu Hotkey

 

 

The options displayed in the in-game menu depend on which add-on functions are enabled in System Settings.

Use UP and DOWN to select a function, then press A to confirm.

The in-game menu hotkey can be changed in System Settings.


  Menu Option  


  Function  


  RESET  


  Immediately resets the game and returns to the EZ-FLASH OMEGA interface.  


  SAVE  


  Saves the current game state to the RTS folder on the MicroSD card.  


  LOAD  


  Loads a previously saved game state from the RTS folder.  


  CHEATON  


  Activates the cheat codes selected before launching the game.  


  CHEATOFF  


  Deactivates the selected cheat codes.  

RESET

Immediately resets the current game and returns to the EZ-FLASH OMEGA kernel interface.

If RESET is the only add-on function enabled, the configured in-game hotkey will operate directly as the reset hotkey.

SAVE

Creates a real-time save state and stores it in the RTS folder on the MicroSD card.

LOAD

Loads a previously created real-time save state from the RTS folder.

CHEATON / CHEATOFF

Use CHEATON to activate the cheat codes selected before launching the game.

Use CHEATOFF to deactivate those cheat codes.

Back to Top

8. System Settings

The currently installed firmware and kernel versions are displayed in the upper-right corner of the System screen.

Use UP and DOWN to select an option and press A to confirm.

TIME

To set the system clock:

  1. Use LEFT and RIGHT to select a time or date field.
  2. Use UP and DOWN to change the value.
  3. Select OK.
  4. Press A to save the setting.

ADDON

The ADDON menu controls the additional functions available when using BOOT WITH ADDON.

Use the directional pad to select an option and press A to enable or disable it. Select OK and press A to save your settings.

Kernel 1.04 Save-State Mode

Beginning with Kernel 1.04, you can enable only the save-state function while leaving the other add-on options disabled.

This enables the newer save-state mode without requiring the normal in-game menu and may provide improved compatibility.

When this mode is active, the configured sleep and menu hotkeys operate as the Save State and Load State hotkeys.

LANGUAGE

Use LEFT and RIGHT to select the desired interface language, then press A to save.

FAST PATCH ENGINE

The FAST PATCH ENGINE is enabled by default and should normally remain enabled.

You may need to disable it when using BOOT WITH ADDON with certain fan-translated games or other heavily modified ROMs.

Disabling the Fast Patch Engine causes the EZ-FLASH OMEGA to use the manual patch engine instead. This can increase the amount of time required to patch and launch the game.

SLEEP KEY

The Sleep Key places the console into sleep mode while a game is running.

To wake the console from sleep mode, press:

 
SELECT + START

Wake From Sleep

 

 

The wake-up hotkey cannot be changed.

To configure the Sleep Key:

  1. Use LEFT and RIGHT to select a key position.
  2. Use UP and DOWN to change the selected key.
  3. Select OK.
  4. Press A to save.
 
IMPORTANT

Do not configure opposite directional buttons to be pressed simultaneously, such as UP + DOWN or LEFT + RIGHT.

 

 

 
BATTERY USAGE

The console continues to consume battery power while in sleep mode. For longer periods of inactivity, consider creating a save state and turning off the console instead.

 

ADDON KEY

The ADDON KEY controls the hotkey used to open the in-game menu. If RESET is the only enabled add-on function, this hotkey also acts as the reset hotkey.

To configure the ADDON KEY:

  1. Use LEFT and RIGHT to select a key position.
  2. Use UP and DOWN to change the selected key.
  3. Select OK.
  4. Press A to save.
 
IMPORTANT

Do not configure opposite directional buttons to be pressed simultaneously, such as UP + DOWN or LEFT + RIGHT.

 

GAME RTC

RTC stands for Real-Time Clock.

If you are not playing a game that requires RTC functionality, you can disable GAME RTC to reduce power consumption.

An unchecked GAME RTC option means the feature is turned off.

Back to Top

9. Help

The Help section of the EZ-FLASH OMEGA interface displays useful feature information and shortcut-key references.

It also includes a QR code that links to the online EZ-FLASH OMEGA documentation.

Back to Top

10. Important Notes & Troubleshooting

IMPORTANT: Always Wait After Saving

 
WAIT AT LEAST 2-3 SECONDS AFTER SAVING BEFORE TURNING OFF OR RESETTING YOUR CONSOLE.

The MicroSD card requires a short amount of time to finish writing cached save data.

Turning off or resetting the console immediately after saving can interrupt this process and may result in lost or corrupted save data.

 

 

For additional safety, after saving your game you can simply count slowly to five before turning off the console or resetting the game.

When Should I Wait?

Wait several seconds after any operation that writes save information to the MicroSD card, including:


  Action  


  What To Do  


  Saving normally inside a game  


  Wait at least 2-3 seconds before turning off or resetting.  


  Creating a save state  


  Wait several seconds before turning off or resetting.  


  Using a GBC/NES emulator  


  After pressing L + R, wait several seconds before exiting.  

Error Codes

If the MicroSD card or save data has a problem, the EZ-FLASH OMEGA may display one of the following error codes:


  Error Code  


  Meaning  


  Recommended Action  


1


  Game ROM Error  


  Check the game file and MicroSD card for errors or corruption.  


2


  Saver Folder Error  


  Check the save folder and MicroSD file system.  


4


  Save File Error  


  Check the save file and MicroSD card for corruption.  


5


  Create File Error  


  Check available space and verify that the MicroSD file system is functioning correctly.  

MicroSD Card Errors

Turning off the console too quickly while save data is being written, resetting during a save operation, or exiting an emulator immediately after saving can potentially damage data or cause file-system errors on the MicroSD card.

If you experience file-system errors, you may be able to repair the MicroSD card using your computer's disk checking or disk repair utility.

If the problem cannot be repaired, back up any readable files and reformat the MicroSD card.

 
BEST PRACTICE

After saving your game, count slowly from one to five before turning off the console or resetting the game.

This gives the MicroSD card additional time to complete the write operation.

 

GBC / NES Emulator Saving

When using the built-in emulator, use the L + R save/exit procedure before leaving the emulator.

After pressing L + R, wait several seconds so the save operation can finish before exiting.

 
IMPORTANT

Do not immediately power off the console after saving inside an emulator.

Use the emulator's L + R, then exit procedure so the save data can be written correctly.

 

Sound Problems After Loading a Save State

In some games, the sound may become distorted or turn into noise after loading a save state.

This can occur because certain sound registers in the Game Boy Advance hardware are write-only and therefore cannot always be fully saved and restored as part of a save state.

Changing to another scene or area in the game will often cause the sound to return to normal.

Some games may continue to experience incorrect sound after loading a save state. This is related to the limitations of the Game Boy Advance hardware and save-state operation and does not necessarily indicate a defective EZ-FLASH OMEGA.

Fire Emblem Series - Kernel 1.04

Beginning with EZ-FLASH OMEGA Kernel 1.04, battlefield auto-save support for the Fire Emblem series was removed.

When playing these games, use the game's manual battlefield save and chapter save points.

Quick Button Reference

Use this table as a quick reference for the most commonly used EZ-FLASH OMEGA buttons and button combinations.


  Button / Combination  


  Function  


  L / R  


  Switch between the main EZ-FLASH OMEGA tabs.  


  A  


  Select / Confirm / Open launch menu.  


  B  


  Cancel / Return / Close menu.  


  LEFT / RIGHT  


  Change file-browser pages or adjust certain settings.  


  START  


  Open the Recently Played Games list while on the SD Card tab.  


  SELECT  


  Toggle game thumbnails while on the SD Card tab.  


  L + A  


  Use Multiboot when CLEAN BOOT is highlighted.  


  L + START  


  Delete the selected file from the SD Card browser.  


  L + R + START  


  Default hotkey for opening the in-game menu.  


  SELECT + START  


  Wake the console from sleep mode.  

 

 
Need EZ-FLASH OMEGA Downloads?

Kernel updates, thumbnail packs, cheat files, and other available downloads can be found on the EZ-FLASH download page.

Visit the EZ-FLASH Downloads Page

 

 

 
REMEMBER

After saving a game or creating a save state, wait a few seconds before turning off or resetting your console.

Waiting a few seconds can help protect your save data.

 

 

Back to Top