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:

 

[RocketRobz]

does a cart need to be in the slot for any games to work? (the only cart I have is a HG cart and I don't want to lose my save.)

No.

 

[T3CHNOLOG1C]

I finally converted from menuhax luma to a9lh luma, and I'm now using latest twloader and latest nds-bootstrap via the updater.

Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (U)
White Screen

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (U)
White Screen

Will test a few more games, just gotta dump them first

 

[TimX24968B]

No.

got it. thanks.

 

[shutterbug2000]

Oh really? Well here is what @ahezard himself said with regard to @_catcatcat's reversing of max overload when I mentioned it to him in the hope that it might be useful :

Yes, we did use maxoverload and another patcher as a starting point, but the patches were written by us.

 

[SirHaxALot]

Uhh, it's still the one with normal/dldi branch, not the card one.

Yay, for some time i changed to master, as card was merged in it. however server is now building just the branch with the latest commit. Also added branchname to filenames.

 

[TimX24968B]

UPDATE: lego star wars: the complete saga goes from white screen to black screen
EDIT: IT BOOTS AFTER 10 MINUTES, then freezes
lego star wars II still white screens

 

[T3CHNOLOG1C]

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (U):
After about 2.5 Minutes of black screen, gives save error, might work with compatible save chip.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized (U):
After about 3 Minutes of black screen, gives save error, might work with compatible save chip.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Defiance (U):
Black screen, wont boot.

Call of Duty: Black Ops (U):
Black screen, wont boot.

 

[WarioTails358]

Region is USA, and bootstrap is the latest (card.v2) release.

I have both of those and I still get a black screen when entering the castle.

 

[FriendoDependo]

Since no one answered this, I'll answer this for you.

Post them here and then someone will add them to the google doc list.

Alright, cool.

These were all run on the second card release of nds-bootstrap (the latest, at the time of writing) at TWL clock speed, and with USA region retail roms. I put Brain Boost: Gamma Wave in SLOT-1, though I'm not sure what effect that may have, if any. It certainly didn't help any with saving issues.

• #0110 Lost in Blue - Boots relatively quickly up to the title screen, where the game gives a "Failed saving data" error
• #0112 Trace Memory - Animated cutscences play well, aside from minor hangs; allows player to start a new game, but gives an error noise when attempting to save; all text is broken, each line replaced w/ a block that's the same color as the text would be; game runs perfectly well otherwise (better than DeSmuME at least, not a tall hurdle to jump)
• #0615 Contact - Takes quite a while, but does eventually boot to the title screen; attempting to start a new game will cause the game to crash
• #0628 Touch Detective - Boots successfully and quickly; title screen FMV plays; very heavy on hangups; after tapping on the title screen, whether the game starts or hangs on a black screen seems to depend on whether the intro FMV was allowed to play out in its entirety (i.e. if intro is allowed to play, then black screen hang); chance of crashing during first dialogue sequence
• #0823 Hotel Dusk: Room 215 - Hangs on white screen
  
• #2252 The World Ends With You - Hangs on white screen
• #2266 Cory in the House - Boots successfully, smooth audio; when the game tries to automatically save after selecting a file to start a new game in, an error screen appears
• #2704 Time Hollow - After selecting a language, the screen fades to white and stays there
• #2982 Metal Slug 7 - Hangs on black screen
• #4821 Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey - Hangs on white screen
• #5478 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective - Hangs on white screen
  
• #5833 Kirby Mass Attack - Hangs on white screen

 

[LegndaryThemeCreator]

Managed to boot Worms Open Warfare (E), it showed the logo screens with minor graphical glitches (Card Release 1) and then gave me an error telling to turn off the device. With card release 2 it stays at a white screen but if a Cartridge of the game is in, it will boot 100%.

 

[umbjolt]

Pokemon blue rescue team black screen after 10 minutes.

And a question. The new v2 release should be in twloader folder as card or dldi?

 

[Damin72]

With new version, Sonic Rush work perfectly (Lags in menu and very slow map after 1-st zone, 1-minutes loadings, but gameplay... like on real DS). But need a cart in SLOT-1 (I have Dragon Quest 4 EUR).

UPD. Some new tests.
Trauma Center. HORRIBLE LOADINGS (In dialogs, in menu, in gameplay), but playable and no graphics bugs.
Ace Attorney. Animations works fine, but text loading is long.
Rogue Agent As always freeze on first level in command center with ladder.

 

[AntnioMoura]

With new version, Sonic Rush work perfectly (Lags in menu and very slow map after 1-st zone, 1-minutes loadings, but gameplay... like on real DS). But need a cart in SLOT-1 (I have Dragon Quest 4 EUR).

UPD. Some new tests.
Trauma Center. HORRIBLE LOADINGS (In dialogs, in menu, in gameplay), but playable and no graphics bugs.
Ace Attorney. Animations works fine, but text loading is long.
Rogue Agent As always freeze on first level in command center with ladder.

Trauma Center, AA and Rogue Agent is without cart or with cart?

 

[Damin72]

Trauma Center, AA and Rogue Agent is without cart or with cart?

"But need a cart in SLOT-1 (I have Dragon Quest 4 EUR)."

 

[AntnioMoura]

"But need a cart in SLOT-1 (I have Dragon Quest 4 EUR)."

Eeprom - 512 kbit right? Shoot...

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

Just tried Namco Museum DS with card.v2, and it now does boot to the intro and title screen! While I doubt Pac-Man Vs. currently works (Wireless-only game), I tried Pac-Man and it works perfectly without slowdowns. Galaga also does work fine and the others should too.

 

[hacksn5s4]

you can also run gba games off the sd card using gba runner idk how to get it to work though

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

Bangai-O-Spirits seems to stay in a white screen before in the latest official version though.
Similarly Sonic Classic Collection is in the same state as before, and Taiko no Tatsujin 2 still doesn't boot, but now it's a white screen in the top, and a black one in the bottom. The former 2 games are USA and the last one was (kind of obviously) JPN.

 

[RocketRobz]

Pokemon blue rescue team black screen after 10 minutes.

And a question. The new v2 release should be in twloader folder as card or dldi?

As card. dldi is for homebrew.

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

Super Mario Star Road DS controls test stays in a white screen for me after waiting like 6 minutes.

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

EDIT: Nope, PictoChat is still as before in card.v2, "Communication Error".