Hacking Supercard DSTWO: General Discussion & Questions

[unz]

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone has compiled an DS2 AIO multiboot pack yet?
Failing that, a dedicated setup guide would be fantastic.

If no guide exists, I'd have no trouble documenting the process if there's any interest. But I'll probably need some advice from the old hands here to get me started...

What is an AIO multiboot pack?

Seriously?

It's quite a straight forward concept really. An All In One menu pack for DS2 (DS2 AIO). A bundle of iMenu, BAGplug, Moonshell2 and the DS2 plugin menu, all combined into one simple download. Everything setup with preconfigured .ini files and the best of the DS2 apps and emulators, ready to go with minimal setup required by the user.

Extract the pack to a freshly formatted microSD, Add some game ROMs or whatever, boot it up and behold the awesomeness.

I've done a bit of reading since making my previous post though, and see Spinal doesn't want his stuff repackaged. I guess BassAceGold probably wouldn't either, so forget it. Would be amazing if they got together to collaborate on something like this though.

Anyway, that still leaves the possibility of making a guide on how to roll it all together.

 

[Terminator02]

-snip-

Seriously?

It's quite a straight forward concept really. An All In One menu pack for DS2 (DS2 AIO). A bundle of iMenu, BAGplug, Moonshell2 and the DS2 plugin menu, all combined into one simple download. Everything setup with preconfigured .ini files and the best of the DS2 apps and emulators, ready to go with minimal setup required by the user.

Extract the pack to a freshly formatted microSD, Add some game ROMs or whatever, boot it up and behold the awesomeness.

I've done a bit of reading since making my previous post though, and see Spinal doesn't want his stuff repackaged. I guess BassAceGold probably wouldn't either, so forget it. Would be amazing if they got together to collaborate on something like this though.

Anyway, that still leaves the possibility of making a guide on how to roll it all together.

Spinal made a loader kind of like what you're asking for, let me see if I can find a download for it.

Edit: Alright, so it comes with the iMenu download, you just have to hold L and R while booting, press A to launch into whichever menu you want or press start to change the default menu. You can change the options for what it boots into from _dstwo/boot.ini , it's fairly straightforward.

Edit 2: You have to make sure that you use the dstwo.nds provided with the iMenu download, you can just rename the one that comes with BAGPlug and point to it in the boot.ini file.

 

[unz]

Spinal made a loader kind of like what you're asking for, let me see if I can find a download for it.

Edit: Alright, so it comes with the iMenu download, you just have to hold L and R while booting, press A to launch into whichever menu you want or press start to change the default menu. You can change the options for what it boots into from _dstwo/boot.ini , it's fairly straightforward.

Edit 2: You have to make sure that you use the dstwo.nds provided with the iMenu download, you can just rename the one that comes with BAGPlug and point to it in the boot.ini file.

Thankyou so much!

I guess I should explain; I've had multiboot working perfectly on my DS2 for the past few months, thanks to your setup guide. Last night, I accidentally updated to the standard EOS using DS2 Tools, during a moment of sleep deprived madness.

Of course, doing that killed everything that made multiboot work. To make matters worse, I've just been trying to fix what was in place instead of starting from scratch.

I thought I had all the right files copied back, but the boot manager was giving me major grief. The L+R combo didn't work at all. The system was just booting straight into whatever menu I set as default in the boot.ini instead.

I was getting frustrated and just wanted an easy fix, which is why I asked here for an AIO pack.

Shortly after making the request. I found this post by CannonFoddr, buried deep in your setup guide thread. It has a link to the iMenu Boot Manager, which sorted out the incorrect dstwo.nds that had been installed by the update.
Your tip above about renaming BAGplug's dstwo.nds and editing the boot.ini just fixed the last, niggling problem I was having, and FINALLY everything's working perfectly again.

This is NOT how I planned on spending my Sunday afternoon! Oh well, it's all good now,

Again, thanks very much for your help, and for making the epic setup guide too.

 

[andre0407]

Just a quick question. Anyone tried to play Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia on the DS2 and find that at the level where you are supposed to fight Death.. the game freezes? If so, I would like to ask if there is a workaround.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DLC]

FIrst of all, sorry if this has already been addressed elsewhere but I've done a good deal of searching and haven't found a solution. I'm using a new class 10 16gb Transcend microSD card with a DSi XL. The problem I'm having is that about 20% of my DS roms are unplayable. They display a default icon and when I try to play them the DS freezes before they load. I have tried downloading the ROMs from different sources and reformatting my card but it always occurs to the same games. Dragon Quest IX, Kirby Canvas Curse, Lunar Knights, and Sonic Colors are a few of the games that have this problem. Thanks for your time, sorry if this is a common but it's driving me nuts and I can't find a solution anywhere.

 

[Terminator02]

Have you downloaded the latest EOS and have you formatted your SD card using the Panasonic SD formatter?

 

[DLC]

I just did so and now even more ROMs are unplayable.
Also, I downloaded the newest patch and replaced the files on my card with those it contained but is there anything I need to do to activate the patch?

 

[Terminator02]

I just did so and now even more ROMs are unplayable.
Also, I downloaded the newest patch and replaced the files on my card with those it contained but is there anything I need to do to activate the patch?

No, the patch is just copying files over, just like the EOS. I've never heard of ROMs slowly becoming unplayable unless your MicroSD card is corrupt or something. When you formatted, did you make sure that the format type was FULL (Erase) and size adjustment was ON?

 

[DLC]

I'm using the Mac version of the formatter, which doesn't have those options as far as I can tell. Going to try using the PC version later today so that I can reformat with those settings.

 

[Terminator02]

I'm using the Mac version of the formatter, which doesn't have those options as far as I can tell. Going to try using the PC version later today so that I can reformat with those settings.

Another thing you could try is using another MicroSD card if you've got one.

 

[guledk]

Hey, I just want to ask if the SCDS2 GBA Emulator in-game save state is a file that can be transferred over to a VBA so that I can play with the same save on there. Is there a way this can be done?

 

[Terminator02]

Hey, I just want to ask if the SCDS2 GBA Emulator in-game save state is a file that can be transferred over to a VBA so that I can play with the same save on there. Is there a way this can be done?

If you mean the regular saves that are done within the game, then yes, but not the save states for the emulator. You should find the save with the same filename as your GBA ROM in /NDSGBA/gamerts/.

 

[LordVanitas]

Hello Ive been trying to fix my Supercard since earlier. I thought If I could research and look around I could find a answer but I couldnt. So heres the problem I just got my Supercard today, I followed Terminator2 setup guide to the very last detail, but it still didnt work. Im trying to make it work on my 3DS but Im getting the all black "AN ERROR AS OCCURED TURN POWER OFF" notice that I guess means that I need to update the Firmware on the Supercard? My 3DS is on 4.0.0.7. Now Im using an old DS Lite to try and update it. But the problem here is that when I try to extract the new file (Firmware 1.15 dstwoupdate.dat ) and drop it at the root of the SD card, and put it in the DS Lite to update. I turn it on I get a "NO FIND SYSTEM Files" error. But When I dont have the (Firmware 1.15 dstwoupdate.dat) file in the SD card it works fine on the DS Lite.

 

[CannonFoddr]

Hello Ive been trying to fix my Supercard since earlier. .....Now Im using an old DS Lite to try and update it. But the problem here is that when I try to extract the new file (Firmware 1.15 dstwoupdate.dat ) and drop it at the root of the SD card, and put it in the DS Lite to update. I turn it on I get a "NO FIND SYSTEM Files" error.

Might sound a bit silly but you have still got the system files on the card as well (usually it's the /dstwo/ and /dstwoplug/ folders IIRC)

> If so - have you tried reformatting the SDcard & placing ONLY the OS & DAT ...
> Is the sdcard inserted correct - looks like it seeing the DSTwo but not the SDCard.. the DSTwo can be a little finicky sometime with the SDCard
> DSLite 'seem' to have contact problems with flashcards (although I would assume the card wouldn't show up on the DSLite if that was the case)
> I had a problem once where the SDcard was nearly full & I had game save problems... is the card you are using 'full' ??

 

[LordVanitas]

Hello Ive been trying to fix my Supercard since earlier. .....Now Im using an old DS Lite to try and update it. But the problem here is that when I try to extract the new file (Firmware 1.15 dstwoupdate.dat ) and drop it at the root of the SD card, and put it in the DS Lite to update. I turn it on I get a "NO FIND SYSTEM Files" error.

Might sound a bit silly but you have still got the system files on the card as well (usually it's the /dstwo/ and /dstwoplug/ folders IIRC)

> If so - have you tried reformatting the SDcard & placing ONLY the OS & DAT ...
> Is the sdcard inserted correct - looks like it seeing the DSTwo but not the SDCard.. the DSTwo can be a little finicky sometime with the SDCard
> DSLite 'seem' to have contact problems with flashcards (although I would assume the card wouldn't show up on the DSLite if that was the case)
> I had a problem once where the SDcard was nearly full & I had game save problems... is the card you are using 'full' ??

>I have reformatted nurmerous times, but I havent just placed those two files in the SD Card
>Yes it was inserted correctly that isnt the problem, the supercard works it just doesnt work when I put the firmware file in there
>No contact problems...
>And its not even close to being full. The files dont even add up to GB. I have a 8GB Card.
Can you actually show me how the order of files is suppose to go?

 

[EyeZ]

When you formatted did you use the Panasonic SDFormatter?

 

[LordVanitas]

When you formatted did you use the Panasonic SDFormatter?

Yes I used everything that was in Termanitor2 setup guide.

 

[LordVanitas]

Hello Ive been trying to fix my Supercard since earlier. .....Now Im using an old DS Lite to try and update it. But the problem here is that when I try to extract the new file (Firmware 1.15 dstwoupdate.dat ) and drop it at the root of the SD card, and put it in the DS Lite to update. I turn it on I get a "NO FIND SYSTEM Files" error.

Might sound a bit silly but you have still got the system files on the card as well (usually it's the /dstwo/ and /dstwoplug/ folders IIRC)

> If so - have you tried reformatting the SDcard & placing ONLY the OS & DAT ...
> Is the sdcard inserted correct - looks like it seeing the DSTwo but not the SDCard.. the DSTwo can be a little finicky sometime with the SDCard
> DSLite 'seem' to have contact problems with flashcards (although I would assume the card wouldn't show up on the DSLite if that was the case)
> I had a problem once where the SDcard was nearly full & I had game save problems... is the card you are using 'full' ??

Also I did reformat with the right reformatting program, and only put those two files in the SD card and I still get the NO FIND SYSTEM FILES error.

 

[Terminator02]

Are you still getting "AN ERROR AS OCCURED TURN POWER OFF" or are you now only getting "NO FIND SYSTEM Files"?

 

[CannonFoddr]

Also I did reformat with the right reformatting program, and only put those two files in the SD card and I still get the NO FIND SYSTEM FILES error.

OK - been a while since I checked the file layout but just downloaded & the bare MINIMUM you should have on the MSD to get DS2 to run are:-

_dstwo (Folder)
ds2boot.dat

I also recommend having at least 1 plugin installed (I vaguely remember having problems when I didn't have any - but that could've been an earlier version of OS) - you should then end up with a '/_dstwoplug/' folder added to the above list

The card should then boot up & run properly....
... IF you get the 'system files not found' message, I would guess the DSTwo flashcard isn't 'seeing' your MicroSD card for some reason

I can't see it being the MSD - since you are able to see it on your PC and able to format it (have you tried another MSD by any chance - you won't need a large size one just for testing)

So at a guess I would say a contact issue between the flashcard & MSD.... not sure what you can do about that. Usually when I've had it - I just remove & reinsert the MSD again by pushing down on a corner of the MSD instead of the centre of it until it clicks

...IF the DSTwo card works - then you just need to add 'dstwoupdate.dat' to the root to update it, it should then all look like this

_dstwo (Folder)
_dstwoplug (Folder)
ds2boot.dat
dstwoupdate.dat