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:

 

[bakawun]

i think there should be a bright red message in the op stating "Because all data has to pass through the armX cpu. Games will have their loading times increased 10x"

it would be even better if you could mention the actual difference in kb/s.

this should be stated explicitly because it stands seperate from actual game compatibility.

@RobZilla10001 , this pretty much answers your question

 

[raphamotta]

Mario and Luigi Partners in Time is working. Loading times are crazy but works very well.

Spoiler

 

[TinchoX]

Mario and Luigi Partners in Time is working. Loading times are crazy but works very well.

You may want to put those pictures in spoilers.

 

[raphamotta]

You may want to put those pictures in spoilers.

Edited. Thanks for the tip.

 

[TinchoX]

Edited. Thanks for the tip.

No problem. Oh and to save uploading times? Maybe you could half the size of your pictures, they are ginormous!

 

[Queen of SoS]

Has anyone tested any Rune Factory games and have had success loading game.

 

[TimX24968B]

new bootstrap version? faster? wonder if my 6 hour slideshow of an intro will be any faster... going to find out. (not to mention, maybe I can get beyond the main menu with saves now.)

 

[RocketRobz]

new bootstrap version? faster? wonder if my 6 hour slideshow of an intro will be any faster... going to find out. (not to mention, maybe I can get beyond the main menu with saves now.)

There's no new version yet.
TWLoader still has 0.2.0 as both the official and unofficial versions.

 

[TimX24968B]

There's no new version yet.
TWLoader still has 0.2.0 as both the official and unofficial versions.

but it just made a save?

 

[RocketRobz]

but it just made a save?

TWLoader made the .sav, not bootstrap.

 

[CaptainSwag101]

I've compiled the absolute latest code myself, and Partners in Time is still a ridiculously slow slideshow, so you're not missing much.

 

[TimX24968B]

TWLoader made the .sav, not bootstrap.

Looking at the releases, it said it added save redirection (I don't remember it being there before). Also, would you or anyone happen to know what it means when it says "the nintendo DS Cartridge has been removed" (might be one word off), and if that has to do with no save?

 

[RocketRobz]

Looking at the releases, it said it added save redirection (I don't remember it being there before). Also, would you or anyone happen to know what it means when it says "the nintendo DS Cartridge has been removed" (might be one word off), and if that has to do with no save?

It's the latest commit of bootstrap you're using?

 

[TimX24968B]

It's the latest commit of bootstrap you're using?

nah, it just says that when you click "new game" on the main menu. trying to figure out if its save related or not. Just latest official.

 

[CaptainSwag101]

That sounds more like a ROM loading issue to me. If you wanna try using the latest build of TWLoader and/or nds-bootstrap, I can link you the files.

 

[TimX24968B]

That sounds more like a ROM loading issue to me. If you wanna try using the latest build of TWLoader and/or nds-bootstrap, I can link you the files.

I'm using latest officials for both of them, and just seeing how it goes. I can leave it on all night if need be.

 

[Natural]

does this mean I can load pokemon black 2/ pokemon mystery dungeon: E.O.S. from my sd card instead of forwarding my r4-sdhc to a forwarder cia??

I hope Black 2/White 2 works soon if possible. Those are the games I wish to play the most.

 

[Dracari]

I hope Black 2/White 2 works soon if possible. Those are the games I wish to play the most.

they likely wont be working anytime soon, if they do its a miracle we'll likely see earlier DS games working w/o issue befoer late/EoL DS Games (all teh Mystery Dungeons now load but awfully damn slow none of teh mainstream ones are working at this time, and dont bother w/ the unoffical (SVN) Builds for the time being it's going thru a big change and is broken at this time. (hence why the option to update "unoffical" bootstrap only downloads teh latest offical, its pratically disabled for the time being)

try to understand atm the priorties are "Functionality" over Popularity/Add-ons. it'd be nice if the mostly commonly used/played/Popular games would work. if you reaaly want to be playing B&W2 for the foreseeable immediate future, grab a cheap AK2i (Flashcards will be better than this for a long time, till this catches up to em, Flashcard->Bootstrap)

 

[metroid maniac]

they likely wont be working anytime soon, if they do its a miracle we'll likely see earlier DS games working w/o issue befoer late/EoL DS Games (all teh Mystery Dungeons now load but awfully damn slow none of teh mainstream ones are working at this time, and dont bother w/ the unoffical (SVN) Builds for the time being it's going thru a big change and is broken at this time. (hence why the option to update "unoffical" bootstrap only downloads teh latest offical, its pratically disabled for the time being)

try to understand atm the priorties are "Functionality" over Popularity/Add-ons. it'd be nice if the mostly commonly used/played/Popular games would work. if you reaaly want to be playing B&W2 for the foreseeable immediate future, grab a cheap AK2i (Flashcards will be better than this for a long time, till this catches up to em, Flashcard->Bootstrap)

The big change in nds-bootstrap right now seems to be transferring data through DSi WRAM. If all goes well and DSi WRAM makes a suitable buffer/cache, then you should see a major performance increase.

Pokemon games from HGSS onwards have some tricky antipiracy checks. One of them is card read speed check, that to this day hasn't been patched. Cheap, slow flashcards would be caught out and unless a patch is written so will nds-bootstrap.

 

[DarkRioru]

I hope Black 2/White 2 works soon if possible. Those are the games I wish to play the most.

I want a forwarder to forward of my r4 sdhc 2016 until it works fully off the sd card.. but, idk if theres a way to do that off my r4 sdhc 2016