ROM Hack ARM7 swapping batch file

FAST6191

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As some of you may be aware the arm7 binary of the DS rom contains the "copy protection" code, is also the same for a large selection of roms meaning that you can swap out a unpatchable arm7.bin for and older patchable version should your cart of choice not have an update to cope with the new protection.
Rather than mess around with DSBuff/DSLazy I figured I would beat my ndstool batch files into something that would do it for you.
I am in a bit of rush so it will be the definition of quick and dirty (the clean up sections were quite literally tacked on in about 10 seconds), it does however work (and it does not need .net either).

To use, first here is the batch file code:

Edit: updated the batch file.

Code:
ndstool -x donate.nds -7 arm7new.bin
ndstool -x swap.nds -9 arm9.bin -7 arm7.bin -y9 y9.bin -y7 y7.bin -d data -y overlay -t banner.bin -h header.bin
copy arm7new.bin arm7.bin /y
ndstool -c finished.nds -9 arm9.bin -7 arm7.bin -y9 y9.bin -y7 y7.bin -d data -y overlay -t banner.bin -h header.bin

rmdir data\ /S/Q
rmdir overlay\ /S/Q
del *.bin

Have the rom you want to donate from called donate.nds and the rom to be swapped called swap.nds (I will sort this later so you can have whatever you want and I might even make a GUI) in the same directory and ndstool and the batch file.
Run it and up will spring a file called finished.nds, use this file as usual.

Some of you may not have used a batch file before, if so:
Copy that into notepad and save with the extension .bat
Take this new .bat file and place it in an empty directory along with the rom that is donating the ARM7.bin (named donate.nds), the one that is getting it (swap.nds) and ndstool.

If you do not have a copy of ndstool here is the one I use:
http://www.4shared.com/file/2170119/a40ec269/ndstool.html
Here is darkfader's mirror:
http://darkfader.net/ds/
Here is devkitpro (the package the tool originally comes from):
http://www.devkitpro.org/downloads/
 

kazumi213

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Thanks FAST6191
wink.gif
 

Rayder

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Yeah, I found a file that does this just a little while ago.....I uploaded it to the GBAtemp Downloads under the Tools & Utilities sections....awaiting validation.

I verified that it works with Worms2 and Simple DS series 21 on the R4DS using the SimCity (J) ROM as the "doner". Any noob should be able to use this to fix ROMs that require the ARM7 fix.

It contains a readme (credits to the creators and instructions for use), a bat file, 2 folders (doner & patient) and NDStools.exe. It's 48k zipped.


Until it validates, you can get it here:

arm7_fix.zip (48k)
 

Rayder

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jmm0070

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Yeah, I found a file that does this just a little while ago.....I uploaded it to the GBAtemp Downloads under the Tools & Utilities sections....awaiting validation.

I verified that it works with Worms2 and Simple DS series 21 on the R4DS using the SimCity (J) ROM as the "doner". Any noob should be able to use this to fix ROMs that require the ARM7 fix.

It contains a readme (credits to the creators and instructions for use), a bat file, 2 folders (doner & patient) and NDStools.exe. It's 48k zipped.


Until it validates, you can get it here:

arm7_fix.zip (48k)


how do i make it work on ds-x? i can make the nds file but when i try to run it in the ds it just shows me a white screen, what rarely happens...
 

FAST6191

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In what must seem almost a traditional response "When it gets done", I have about 15 different projects right now as well as my tendency to watch videos on my computer when I am on it does not help either.

I am also toying with the idea of copying the code across (it is quite simple in theory) rather than "rebuilding" but I will have to brush up on my C as autoit and ASM probably will not cut it (I would like to have a level of portability).

Guess I could tweak one of the save conversion apps though.
 

FAST6191

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There is no download link as I the GUI is little more than a glorified picture at present.
There a few other scripts, explanations and GUI based methods linked in this thread and further links in those threads though.

Edit to acknowledge the edit above.
 

DwayneDays

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Sorry to sound like a huge noob here but im having a problem

The game thats giving me the problem is tiger woods 08. So I got the tw nds file and the hosigami (j) nds file created the batch file then put them all in the same folders as the ndstool and loaded up the batch. The finished file I keep getting is okb big. A I doing somthing monumentally wrong?

EDIT. And yes iv'e renamed the two files to swap and donate.nds
 

FAST6191

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I improved the batch file (forgot somehow that a full disassembly was not needed for the donor). Same everything else as before. @DwayneDays try the new version below.

Code:
ndstool -x donate.nds -7 arm7new.bin
ndstool -x swap.nds -9 arm9.bin -7 arm7.bin -y9 y9.bin -y7 y7.bin -d data -y overlay -t banner.bin -h header.bin
copy arm7new.bin arm7.bin /y
ndstool -c finished.nds -9 arm9.bin -7 arm7.bin -y9 y9.bin -y7 y7.bin -d data -y overlay -t banner.bin -h header.bin

rmdir data\ /S/Q
rmdir overlay\ /S/Q
del *.bin

Edit: updated first post and put in some work on the GUI. Hopefully the later will be ready some point in the next day or so.
 

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