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:

 

[Dracari]

Where i see these steps?
If it is installing TWLoader - TWLNAND.cia yeah i've installed it in NAND with FBI via MiniPasta, and installed it in the EmuNAND with BigBlueMenu, i'm using RxTools

*facepalms* "whelp theres yer problem "i'm using RxTools" migrate to something better Buddy.

 

[RocketRobz]

Where i see these steps?
If it is installing TWLoader - TWLNAND.cia yeah i've installed it in NAND with FBI via MiniPasta, and installed it in the EmuNAND with BigBlueMenu, i'm using RxTools

You'll have to switch from RxTools to Luma3DS, as it does some patches need for TWLoader to work properly.

EDIT: Been Cubic Ninja'd.

 

[Zm1231]

The US Rom I used allows me to start and finish level 1 and maybe more with no cart inserted at all. You just have to wait a while to load the castle.

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


Try completely deleting TW Loader and reinstalling. It really does work all the way through Level 1. I have no reason to make that up.

So i removed twl loader and reinstalled everything i still cant get into the castle but the odd thing is i set up everything on my friends o3ds and on his i can get into the castle on his same settings, files and rom but still cant get into the first world still get a white screen. Even if i copy eveything from his 3ds SD to mine i still cant get into the castle. The only difference is mine is a n3ds xl his is an o3ds

 

[Andreol263]

Okay, but i will need to install ARM9loaderhax to get CFW Luma3DS working?

 

[RocketRobz]

So i removed twl loader and reinstalled everything i still cant get into the castle but the odd thing is i set up everything on my friends o3ds and on his i can get into the castle on his same settings, files and rom but still cant get into the first world still get a white screen. Even if i copy eveything from his 3ds SD to mine i still cant get into the castle. The only difference is mine is a n3ds xl his is an o3ds

The model differences shouldn't matter. It's probably the SD cards being different.

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

Okay, but i will need to install ARM9loaderhax to get CFW Luma3DS working?

Nope, but you still need the arm9loaderhax.bin file.

 

[Zm1231]

The model differences shouldn't matter. It's probably the SD cards being different.


hmm could be he has a class 4 16gb sd i have a class 10 64gb sd card

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

I don't know why it wouldn't work for others, but I just tested SM64DS (U) with TWLoader (in official nds-bootstrap card.v2 version, no less) and it works with and without cart (I tested the former to see if it readed my save in the cart, it does). It even goes in the castle without freezing and goes through World 1 in both cases! (Though it does have slowdown when you get the "High Score" sign shown after clearing a level)

 

[Zm1231]

I don't know why it wouldn't work for others, but I just tested SM64DS (U) with TWLoader (in official nds-bootstrap card.v2 version, no less) and it works with and without cart (I tested the former to see if it readed my save in the cart, it does). It even goes in the castle without freezing and goes through World 1 in both cases! (Though it does have slowdown when you get the "High Score" sign shown after clearing a level)

what does your bootstrao.ini file say?

 

[RocketRobz]

what does your bootstrao.ini file say?

The .ini file isn't the issue.

 

[TimX24968B]

Okay, but i will need to install ARM9loaderhax to get CFW Luma3DS working?

switching from rxtools to luma is as simple as replacing some files on the SD card

 

[DarkGabbz]

DS Download Station 1 works but the downloading of the demos with a another ds is very slow and then stop and give me a error.

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

I tried Mario Party DS it stays in a white screen. I tested it along with the other games (RRDS, SM64DS, MDDS, etc) in the card.v2 official release.

Unrelated but I also tested MPDS Debug MultiBoot mode (Cart with NitroHax as client, and flashcard as parent), and it does work quite nicely! After the connection is done, you are sent to the beginning of the debug menu like normal too, but it shows "WID:0" in the parent and "WID:1" in the client (It clearly looks like the player count/ID), and the first player controls the menu, as it shows moving in the other player screens. When you select the minigames they start instantly and behave if they were played in multiplayer (All other players must press A for the 1st one to press A to start the game). Board Entrance sends you to the board select menu, and oddly after going back it sends you to the mode menu select, like if you were playing download play normally (It even say "end DS Download Play?" when you try to exit that menu, but when you do, both players go to the main menu). Also note that the player characters in modes selected through Debug Menu are always the same (P1 is Mario, P2 is Daisy). All other options after leaving their modes go back to the debug menu, and interestingly you can play the boss fights in multiplayer mode this way (Though the menu acts like single player, and it freezes in a black screen after trying to play it, since they always were for one player).

 

[Stack3r]

Has there been anymore improvements or fixes?

 

[RocketRobz]

Has there been anymore improvements or fixes?

The latest commit adds speed-up for SD cards with 4kb (minimal) cluster size.
Haven't tried it yet.

 

[Zm1231]

The .ini file isn't the issue.

Yea I've ran out of ideas trying ever combination of things i can think of. But can't get the same thing as everyone else.

Only thing i could think of is it was something with twlloader since the version i have has both a bootstrap-dldi.nds and a bootstrap-card.nds ive turned off auto update in twlloader settings, manually downloaded bootstrap v2 put in in the _nds folder twice once named as bootstrap-dldi.nds and again as bootstrap-card.nds so that way no matter what it should launch with v2 of bootstrap. The bootstrap.ini has a line for boorstrap witch looks at bootstrap-card and a bootstarp-hb which looks as bootstrap-dldi.

I really have no idea

 

[RocketRobz]

Yea I've ran out of ideas trying ever combination of things i can think of. But can't get the same thing as everyone else.

Only thing i could think of is it was something with twlloader since the version i have has both a bootstrap-dldi.nds and a bootstrap-card.nds ive turned off auto update in twlloader settings, manually downloaded bootstrap v2 put in in the _nds folder twice once named as bootstrap-dldi.nds and again as bootstrap-card.nds so that way no matter what it should launch with v2 of bootstrap. The bootstrap.ini has a line for boorstrap witch looks at bootstrap-card and a bootstarp-hb which looks as bootstrap-dldi.

I really have no idea

Try setting bootstrap auto update to Unofficial, and re-launch TWLoader. There's a latest commit that should give a speed boost.

 

[Zm1231]

Try setting bootstrap auto update to Unofficial, and re-launch TWLoader. There's a latest commit that should give a speed boost.

Still can only get into the castle with a cart inserted, and white screen on choosing the first level. I wonder if i should format my sd card with a certain cluster size

 

[Zabhahs]

Sorry to comment again but how do i make the game icon show up in twloader in the bottom screen? its a question mark, and i do have box art working

 

[RocketRobz]

Sorry to comment again but how do i make the game icon show up in twloader in the bottom screen? its a question mark, and i do have box art working

Look at "Banner icon instructions" in the TWLoader thread.

 

[hoogachakka]

Sorry to comment again but how do i make the game icon show up in twloader in the bottom screen? its a question mark, and i do have box art working

it's on the first post