diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/cavesh3.c b/src/mame/drivers/cavesh3.c
index 1e6acaf58dc..e64c05b0c28 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/cavesh3.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/cavesh3.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ public:
 		: driver_device(mconfig, type, tag) { }
 
 	UINT8* flashregion;
-
+	UINT8* flashwritemap;
 
 	osd_work_queue *	queue;					/* work queue */
 	osd_work_item * blitter_request;
@@ -5656,6 +5656,7 @@ static WRITE8_HANDLER( flash_cmd_w )
 				if (data==0xd0)
 				{
 					flash_change_state( space->machine(), STATE_BLOCK_ERASE );
+					state->flashwritemap[flash_col] |= 1;
 					memset(state->flashregion + flash_col * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, 0xff, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
 					//logerror("erased block %04x (%08x - %08x)\n", flash_col, flash_col * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE,  ((flash_col+1) * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE)-1);
 				}
@@ -5668,6 +5669,7 @@ static WRITE8_HANDLER( flash_cmd_w )
 				if (data==0x10)
 				{
 					flash_change_state( space->machine(), STATE_PAGE_PROGRAM );
+					state->flashwritemap[flash_row] |= (memcmp(state->flashregion + flash_row * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, flash_page_data, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE) != 0);
 					memcpy(state->flashregion + flash_row * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, flash_page_data, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
 					//logerror("re-written block %04x (%08x - %08x)\n", flash_row, flash_row * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE,  ((flash_row+1) * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE)-1);
 
@@ -6038,8 +6040,12 @@ static TIMER_CALLBACK( cavesh3_blitter_delay_callback )
 
 static MACHINE_START( cavesh3 )
 {
+	size_t size = machine.region( "game" )->bytes();
 	cavesh3_state *state = machine.driver_data<cavesh3_state>();
 
+	state->flashwritemap = auto_alloc_array(machine, UINT8, size / FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
+	memset(state->flashwritemap, 0, size / FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
+
 	cavesh3_ram16_copy = auto_alloc_array(machine, UINT16, 0x10000000);
 
 	state->cavesh3_blitter_delay_timer = machine.scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC(cavesh3_blitter_delay_callback));
@@ -6092,9 +6098,9 @@ static NVRAM_HANDLER( cavesh3 )
 {
 	/* Yes we have to crawl through the entire ~128MB flash because some games
 	   (eg. Deathsmiles) save data there on top of to the actual EEPROM */
-	UINT8 *region_game = machine.region( "game" )->base();
-	UINT8 *region_copy = machine.region( "copy" )->base();
+	UINT8 *region = machine.region( "game" )->base();
 	size_t size = machine.region( "game" )->bytes();
+	cavesh3_state *state = machine.driver_data<cavesh3_state>();
 	if (size % FLASH_PAGE_SIZE) return; // region size must be multiple of flash page size
 	size /= FLASH_PAGE_SIZE;
 
@@ -6103,10 +6109,10 @@ static NVRAM_HANDLER( cavesh3 )
 		UINT32 page = 0;
 		while (page < size)
 		{
-			if (memcmp(region_game + page * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, region_copy + page * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE))
+			if (state->flashwritemap[page])
 			{
 				file->write(&page, 4);
-				file->write(region_game + page * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
+				file->write(region + page * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
 			}
 			page++;
 		}
@@ -6120,7 +6126,7 @@ static NVRAM_HANDLER( cavesh3 )
 			file->read(&page, 4);
 			while (page < size)
 			{
-				file->read(region_game + page * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
+				file->read(region + page * FLASH_PAGE_SIZE, FLASH_PAGE_SIZE);
 				file->read(&page, 4);
 			}
 		}
@@ -6180,8 +6186,6 @@ ROM_START( mushisam )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD("mushisam_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(b1f826dc) SHA1(c287bd9f571d0df03d7fcbcf3c57c74ce564ab05) ) /* (2004/10/12 MASTER VER.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,    0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP("u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(138e2050) SHA1(9e86489a4e65af5efb5495adf6d4b3e01d5b2816) )
@@ -6195,8 +6199,6 @@ ROM_START( mushisama )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD("mushisama_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(2cd13810) SHA1(40e45e201b60e63a060b68d4cc767eb64cfb99c2) ) /* (2004/10/12 MASTER VER) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,     0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP("u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(138e2050) SHA1(9e86489a4e65af5efb5495adf6d4b3e01d5b2816) )
@@ -6209,9 +6211,7 @@ ROM_START( espgal2 )
 	ROM_RELOAD(0x200000,0x200000)
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_LOAD( "u2",      0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(222f58c7) SHA1(d47a5085a1debd9cb8c61d88cd39e4f5036d1797) ) /* (2005/11/14 MASTER VER) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0, 0x000000, 0x8400000 )
+	ROM_LOAD( "u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(222f58c7) SHA1(d47a5085a1debd9cb8c61d88cd39e4f5036d1797) ) /* (2005/11/14 MASTER VER) */
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(b9a10c22) SHA1(4561f95c6018c9716077224bfe9660e61fb84681) )
@@ -6224,9 +6224,7 @@ ROM_START( mushitam )
 	ROM_RELOAD(0x200000,0x200000)
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_LOAD("u2",       0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(3f93ff82) SHA1(6f6c250aa7134016ffb288d056bc937ea311f538) ) /* (2005/09/09 MASTER VER) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0, 0x000000, 0x8400000 )
+	ROM_LOAD("u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(3f93ff82) SHA1(6f6c250aa7134016ffb288d056bc937ea311f538) ) /* (2005/09/09 MASTER VER) */
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP("u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(701a912a) SHA1(85c198946fb693d99928ea2595c84ba4d9dc8157) )
@@ -6240,8 +6238,6 @@ ROM_START( futari15 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD("futari15_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(b9eae1fc) SHA1(410f8e7cfcbfd271b41fb4f8d049a13a3191a1f9) ) /* (2006/12/8.MAST VER. 1.54.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,    0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP("u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(39f1e1f4) SHA1(53d12f59a56df35c705408c76e6e02118da656f1) )
@@ -6255,8 +6251,6 @@ ROM_START( futari15a )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD("futari15a_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(b9d815f9) SHA1(6b6f668b0bbb087ffac65e4f0d8bd9d5b28eeb28) ) /* (2006/12/8 MAST VER 1.54) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,     0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP("u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(39f1e1f4) SHA1(53d12f59a56df35c705408c76e6e02118da656f1) )
@@ -6270,8 +6264,6 @@ ROM_START( futari10 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD( "futari10_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(78ffcd0c) SHA1(0e2937edec15ce3f5741b72ebd3bbaaefffb556e) ) /* (2006/10/23 MASTER VER.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,     0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(39f1e1f4) SHA1(53d12f59a56df35c705408c76e6e02118da656f1) )
@@ -6285,8 +6277,6 @@ ROM_START( futariblk )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD( "futariblk_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(08c6fd62) SHA1(e1fc386b2b0e41906c724287cbf82304297e0150) ) /* (2007/12/11 BLACK LABEL VER) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,      0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(39f1e1f4) SHA1(53d12f59a56df35c705408c76e6e02118da656f1) )
@@ -6299,9 +6289,7 @@ ROM_START( ibara )
 	ROM_RELOAD(0x200000,0x200000)
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_LOAD( "u2",      0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(55840976) SHA1(4982bdce84f9603adfed7a618f18bc80359ab81e) ) /* (2005/03/22 MASTER VER..) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0, 0x000000, 0x8400000 )
+	ROM_LOAD( "u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(55840976) SHA1(4982bdce84f9603adfed7a618f18bc80359ab81e) ) /* (2005/03/22 MASTER VER..) */
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(ee5e585d) SHA1(7eeba4ee693060e927f8c46b16e39227c6a62392) )
@@ -6315,8 +6303,6 @@ ROM_START( ibarablk )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD( "ibarablk_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(5e46be44) SHA1(bed5f1bf452f2cac58747ecabec3c4392566a3a7) ) /* (2006/02/06. MASTER VER.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,     0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(a436bb22) SHA1(0556e771cc02638bf8814315ba671c2d442594f1) ) /* (2006/02/06 MASTER VER.) */
@@ -6330,8 +6316,6 @@ ROM_START( ibarablka )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD( "ibarablka_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(33400d96) SHA1(09c22b5431ac3726bf88c56efd970f56793f825a) ) /* (2006/02/06 MASTER VER.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,      0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(a436bb22) SHA1(0556e771cc02638bf8814315ba671c2d442594f1) ) /* (2006/02/06 MASTER VER.) */
@@ -6344,9 +6328,7 @@ ROM_START( deathsml )
 	ROM_RELOAD(0x200000,0x200000)
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_LOAD( "u2",      0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(d45b0698) SHA1(7077b9445f5ed4749c7f683191ccd312180fac38) ) /* (2007/10/09 MASTER VER) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0, 0x000000, 0x8400000 )
+	ROM_LOAD( "u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(d45b0698) SHA1(7077b9445f5ed4749c7f683191ccd312180fac38) ) /* (2007/10/09 MASTER VER) */
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(aab718c8) SHA1(0e636c46d06151abd6f73232bc479dafcafe5327) )
@@ -6359,9 +6341,7 @@ ROM_START( mmpork )
 	ROM_RELOAD(0x200000,0x200000)
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_LOAD( "u2",      0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(1ee961b8) SHA1(81a2eba704ac1cf7fc44fa7c6a3f50e3570c104f) ) /* (2007/ 4/17 MASTER VER.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0, 0x000000, 0x8400000 )
+	ROM_LOAD( "u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(1ee961b8) SHA1(81a2eba704ac1cf7fc44fa7c6a3f50e3570c104f) ) /* (2007/ 4/17 MASTER VER.) */
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(4a4b36df) SHA1(5db5ce6fa47e5ca3263d4bd19315890c6d29df66) )
@@ -6374,9 +6354,7 @@ ROM_START( mmmbanc )
 	ROM_RELOAD(0x200000,0x200000)
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_LOAD( "u2",      0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(f3b50c30) SHA1(962327798081b292b2d3fd3b7845c0197f9f2d8a) ) /* (2007/06/05 MASTER VER.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0, 0x000000, 0x8400000 )
+	ROM_LOAD( "u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(f3b50c30) SHA1(962327798081b292b2d3fd3b7845c0197f9f2d8a) ) /* (2007/06/05 MASTER VER.) */
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(4caaa1bf) SHA1(9b92c13eac05601da4d9bb3eb727c156974e9f0c) )
@@ -6390,8 +6368,6 @@ ROM_START( pinkswts )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD( "pinkswts_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(92d3243a) SHA1(e9d20c62f642fb2f62ef83ed5caeee6b3f67fef9) ) /* (2006/04/06 MASTER VER....) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,     0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(4b82d250) SHA1(ee98dbc3f791efb6d58f3945bcb2044667ae7978) )
@@ -6405,8 +6381,6 @@ ROM_START( pinkswtsa )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD( "pnkswtsa_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(829a862e) SHA1(8c0ee2a0eb33b68869252fd68aed74820a904287) ) /* (2006/04/06 MASTER VER...) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,     0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(4b82d250) SHA1(ee98dbc3f791efb6d58f3945bcb2044667ae7978) )
@@ -6420,8 +6394,6 @@ ROM_START( pinkswtsb )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "game", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD( "pnkswtsb_u2", 0x000000, 0x8400000, CRC(a5666ed9) SHA1(682e06c84990225bc6bb0c9f38b5f46c4e36b430) ) /* (2006/04/06 MASTER VER.) */
-	ROM_REGION( 0x8400000, "copy", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
-	ROM_COPY( "game", 0,     0x000000, 0x8400000 )
 
 	ROM_REGION( 0x800000, "ymz770", ROMREGION_ERASEFF)
 	ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "u23", 0x000000, 0x400000, CRC(4b82d250) SHA1(ee98dbc3f791efb6d58f3945bcb2044667ae7978) )