nds-bootstrap:

Thanks to the work of ahezard, Gericom, Apache, Robz8, _catcatcat, and shutterbug2000 and other contributors, we can now load NDS games from the SD card, without any flashcard/SLOT-1 card.

Don't expect high compatibility, but do expect many, many updates.

Compatibility listing:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LRTkXOUXraTMjg1eedz_f7b5jiuyMv2x6e_jY_nyHSc/edit#gid=0

The official Discord server for nds-bootstrap:
https://discordapp.com/invite/7bxTQfZ

The thread for the recommended loader (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/twloader-ctr-mode-nds-app.448375/

SRLoader for softmodded DSis (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/srloader-nds-app-for-dsi.472200/

If you're more of a forwarder person:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/nds-forwarder-cias-for-your-home-menu.426174/

Link to the releases page:
https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases

Anti-Piracy patch list by Robz8
https://gbatemp.net/threads/ap-patch-preservation.477536/

Also, thank you to our testers:
Historian
JoshuaDoes
thejsa
Alerdy
PokeAcer

Spoiler: Videos

Also, a video thanks to Robz8:


And another thanks to Alerdy:

 

[Marciolsf]

Long time lurker, first time poster! First of all, thanks for thanks for putting this together! I've also been impressed with the dedication you guys have towards his project... I work with devs all day long in my day-time job, and not all of them are this responsive!

Anyway, I've been unable to run anything since the latest bootstrap came out. I don't actually have mkds, but megaman zx and zxa used to load, at least. I also used to be able to set mmz and the donor rom, and a few other games (like lost in blue 2 and dawn of sorrow) loaded fine... now, nothing loads at all! I've gone so far as removing and reinstalling everything, but no dice. If I enable debugging, it tells me it's loading the rom with one parameter, but then it stays there. If it ever gets past that, it stays in the aforementioned white screen. I'm on new 3ds xl. Any thoughts?

 

[Joshua Wright]

Long time lurker, first time poster! First of all, thanks for thanks for putting this together! I've also been impressed with the dedication you guys have towards his project... I work with devs all day long in my day-time job, and not all of them are this responsive!

Anyway, I've been unable to run anything since the latest bootstrap came out. I don't actually have mkds, but megaman zx and zxa used to load, at least. I also used to be able to set mmz and the donor rom, and a few other games (like lost in blue 2 and dawn of sorrow) loaded fine... now, nothing loads at all! I've gone so far as removing and reinstalling everything, but no dice. If I enable debugging, it tells me it's loading the rom with one parameter, but then it stays there. If it ever gets past that, it stays in the aforementioned white screen. I'm on new 3ds xl. Any thoughts?

First get a MKDS rom then come back

 

[Marciolsf]

First get a MKDS rom then come back

Will do! Thanks.

 

[RocketRobz]

Long time lurker, first time poster! First of all, thanks for thanks for putting this together! I've also been impressed with the dedication you guys have towards his project... I work with devs all day long in my day-time job, and not all of them are this responsive!

Anyway, I've been unable to run anything since the latest bootstrap came out. I don't actually have mkds, but megaman zx and zxa used to load, at least. I also used to be able to set mmz and the donor rom, and a few other games (like lost in blue 2 and dawn of sorrow) loaded fine... now, nothing loads at all! I've gone so far as removing and reinstalling everything, but no dice. If I enable debugging, it tells me it's loading the rom with one parameter, but then it stays there. If it ever gets past that, it stays in the aforementioned white screen. I'm on new 3ds xl. Any thoughts?

Try manually updating bootstrap, if you already have MKDS set as donor ROM.
https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases/tag/V0.5.1

 

[Joshua Wright]

Try manually updating bootstrap, if you already have MKDS set as donor ROM.
https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases/tag/V0.5.1

He didn't set the rom before

 

[Poudink]

I'm trying to play ACWW but all I get is a white screen. I have MKDS set as donor rom and the clock speed is set at "67 mhz (ntr clock speed)". I tried multiple times and I also have luma and nds-bootstrap at their latest version. I'm using unofficial-bootstrap, the rom I'm using is trimed (but still runs on emulators) and it was downloaded on that love site.

 

[RocketRobz]

I'm trying to play ACWW but all I get is a white screen. I have MKDS set as donor rom and the clock speed is set at "67 mhz (ntr clock speed)". I tried multiple times and I also have luma and nds-bootstrap at their latest version. I'm using unofficial-bootstrap, the rom I'm using is trimed (but still runs on emulators) and it was downloaded on that love site.

Try deleting TWLD.twldr at "sd:/_nds/twloader".

 

[Poudink]

Didn't work.

 

[RocketRobz]

Didn't work.

Try a US ROM, if it isn't.

 

[Poudink]

Thanks! It worked!

 

[Adeka]

Is it possible for twloader to force mario kart ds as the global donor rom on first boot? so this issue isn't brought up here as much

 

[astrohoff]

Nanostray 2 red screen with 0.5.1:

Spoiler: image

 

[kevenz]

I tried the 3 Castlevania and 2 Zelda on Ds and only Dawn of Sorrow actually boots.... Portrait of Ruin also boots but fail to create a savegame at the begining thus doesn't work.

I updated to the latest bootstrap, official and unofficial one... the unofficial one works better so far.

Maybe i wil buy a flashcart instead...

 

[RocketRobz]

I tried the 3 Castlevania and 2 Zelda on Ds and only Dawn of Sorrow actually boots.... Portrait of Ruin also boots but fail to create a savegame at the begining thus doesn't work.

I updated to the latest bootstrap, official and unofficial one... the unofficial one works better so far.

Maybe i wil buy a flashcart instead...

Or just keep waiting 'til it progresses.
You may want to try updating the bootstraps again.

 

[Garblant]

Okay, so under the current Prerelease of the bootstrap (0.5.1), going to the underground will crash the game in diamond & pearl (USA).

It seems like the crash is due to some problem with how it handles wireless communications...

 

[Marciolsf]

Will do! Thanks.

First get a MKDS rom then come back

reporting back: it worked! Most of my roms load now. Thanks! So... what's so special about mkds (other than we donate the arm7 code from it)?

 

[RocketRobz]

Okay, so under the current Prerelease of the bootstrap (5.1.0), going to the underground will crash the game in diamond & pearl (USA).

That's 0.5.1.

It seems like the crash is due to some problem with how it handles wireless communications...

Because WiFi is still in TWL mode.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

reporting back: it worked! Most of my roms load now. Thanks! So... what's so special about mkds (other than we donate the arm7 code from it)?

It's the latest arm7 version nds-bootstrap can do save-patching on.

 

[Giodude]

I've heard this mentioned before, but what is stopping you from creating your own dummy .nds file with the arm7 binary embedded into it, so that it could be distributed along with twloader?

 

[RocketRobz]

I've heard this mentioned before, but what is stopping you from creating your own dummy .nds file with the arm7 binary embedded into it, so that it could be distributed along with twloader?

The arm7 binary is copyrighted content, I believe.

 

[Garblant]

The arm7 binary is copyrighted content, I believe.

Couldn't we just make a guide that allows us to do it? That way, the user gathers the file which (potentially) prevents the legal conflict.