[Rydian]

How to dump your own 3DS/DS games/saves.

There's three different ways to dump your own 3DS/DS games/saves.
(The tools used to dump 3DS/DSi games are not currently public.)

• WiFi
  • PROS
    • Only needs a Slot-1 card.
  • CONS
    • Needs WiFi set up to let the DS connect, which isn't always possible.
    • Needs you to run a server program on your computer, which might mean you need to dig around in your firewall settings.
    • Slow transfer speeds (hours for the larger games).
    • Will not work on a DSi/XL.
    • Does not work with any DSi games.
    -
• Slot-2
  • PROS
    • Can be done without wireless.
  • CONS
    • Requires a Slot-2 flash card in addition to a slot-1.
    • Won't work if the internal battery is dead.
    • Will not work on a 3DS/DSi/XL.
    • Does not work with any DSi games.
    -
• Hardware
  • PROS
    • Backs up any save.
    • Fast backup speeds.
    • Doesn't require a specific DS model.
    • Works on all known DS games AND current-known 3DS games.
  • CONS
    • Doesn't dump the ROM.
    • Requires you to buy some hardware.
    • Uses unsigned drivers, so you may need to fiddle with some windows settings to use it.
    • Does not work with DSi games.

-

WiFi 

The tool used to dump games is Wood Dumper.

1. Transfer that file to your Slot-1 flash card.
2. Run it.
3. When it tells you to "Set a target card", take your Slot-1 flash cart out and put the actual game cart in.
4. Press A, and then look for an IP address on the top screen.
5. Go to your computer, and open Firefox3+, IE8+ or Chrome 5+.
6. In the address bar, type "ftp://", then the IP address listed on the DS, followed by a colon, then the number 21. For example something like ftp://192.168.2.4:21.
7. If in firefox you get a message that the port is blocked, you need to unblock port 21. If not, skip this step.
   • In the address bar, type "about:config" with no quotes and press enter.
   • Agree to the warning.
   • Right-click in the window and choose New -> String.
   • For the name, type "network.security.ports.banned.override" with no quotes.
   • For the value, use "21" with no quotes.
   • Restart firefox and try again.
8. Just press enter if it asks you for a username and password.
9. The screen that shows up should list the game as a file. Click it to start downloading it from the DS.

-

The tool used to dump game saves depends...
For 3DS saves, you will need DSaveManager.

For normal DS saves, the tool is NDS Backup Tool WiFi.
(For Heartgold/Soulsilver/Black/White, you need this tool.)
You will also need SmallFTPd 1.0.3.

1. Transfer both the program and it's .INI file to your flash cart.
2. Find your computer's internal/local IP address. In your start/globe menu, go to the "run" command. If you're on vista/7, you'd use the little white box near the bottom. Type in "CMD" and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER. In the black box that comes up, type "ipconfig" and press enter. It'll list a series of four numbers as your IP(v4) address, like 192.168.2.3. Write those down.
3. Edit the .INI file that comes with the backup program. You can edit it with a text editor like notepad. Change the IP address to the one you found in the previous step, and change the port number from 21 to 8080. Change both the user name and password to "test" with no quotes. Save the changes.
4. You may need to go into your firewall or other security program and allow access on port 8080.
5. Open SmallFTPd.
6. Go to Settings - General, and set the port to 8080.
7. Go to Settings - Advanced, and check "use local IP".
8. Go to Settings - Users. Choose to add one, and make sure it's username and password are both "test" with no quotes. For "directories", use "c:\temp" (no quotes) as the physical path. Give the user permissions LRW.
9. Save the settings.
10. Click the play button, and the server should start.
11. Run the backup tool on your DS/Lite.
12. It should connect to your computer. If it does not, double-check your settings and security software.
13. Take your flash cart out of your DS.
14. Put the real game in your DS and then press A.
15. Press B to dump the save.

Slot-2 

The tool used depends on which Slot-2 cart you have.

If you have an EZFlash 3in1 the tool to dump games (a.k.a. Rom Backup) and backup saves is NDS Backup Tool 3in1. By default this tool will back up to /NDS_Backup though this location can be changed in the included INI file. It works by copying the original DS game or save data to the 3in1, then after a reboot it copies the backup from the 3in1 to a Slot-1 flash cart. DLDI patching may be required if your flash cart does not support automatic DLDI patching.

1. Download the tool from the link above and extract the NDS and INI files to the root of your flash cart.
2. (Optional) If you want to change the destination folder of the backup you can edit the INI file with your favorite text editor.
3. Make sure an EZFlash 3in1 card is in Slot-2 before you run the tool or it will give a warning and shutdown.
4. Follow the on screen instructions to swap the flash cart for an original game.
5. From here follow the on screen instructions. Backups are temporarily written to the EZFlash 3in1.
6. The DS should shutdown after a backup operation has completed.
7. Swap the original game for the flash cart and run the tool again to retrieve the backup from the EZFlash 3in1.

-

If you have a Slot-2 flash cart with DLDI support like the Supercard Supercard, M3, or EZ4 you want Wood Dumper Slot-2

1. Download the tool and DLDI patch it for your Slot-2 cart.
2. Transfer it to your Slot-2 cart and run it.
3. Put the game you want to dump into your DS, and press A.
4. When it's completed you will find a DS rom with a datestamp in the root of your card.

-

For the save data of Heartgold/Soulsilver you need this tool for a 3-in-1.
There's another tool that works with other Slot-2 carts, but it's experimental for now, use it at your own risk.

Hardware 

One piece of hardware is the NDS backup Adapter+ (plus, not normal). Unlike the original adapter (and other models) this supports newer games with various hardware changes, including Pokemon Heartgold and Pokemon Soulsilver, as well as 3DS games.
This device works by actually sticking a DS game cart into it, and then putting it into a USB port on your computer to back up or restore the game/save on it. It comes with the required software and a manual for using it, but this review includes more detailed instructions as well as information on getting the 64-bit drivers working if needed.

A second device is the NEO SMS4.

One final note: piracy is bad, don't do it. These programs and instructions were created for the legal owners of DS games to backup the games and save data.


Many thanks to Xastabus and FAST6191 for filling in the missing information.

Edited by Rydian, 09 April 2011 - 07:42 AM.

[Rydian]

Okay, got as much done as I can.

I only have a DSi, so I'm unable to finish the slot-2 instructions (as all I found seem to assume the instructions in the tool are enough to go by, but I can't run the tool).

Halp plz.

[Xastabus]

Rudolph actually created two NDS Backup Tools that use a Slot-2 device; NDS Backup Tool 3in1 and NDS Backup Tool Slot2.
Each one has different hardware requirements.
Just a note, the "NDS Backup Tool 3in1" link Rydian posted above is incorrect. Someone erroneously uploaded the 3in1 ExpPack Tool 1.9d (which is for writing GBA games to a 3in1) and the NDS Backup Tool WiFi 0.31f as updates of the NDS Backup Tool 3in1. These three programs have vastly different functions and cannot be used as replacements for each other.
The latest available version of the proper NDS Backup Tool 3in1 is 0.31. I have found and verified the correct version and linked it below.

Please be aware that I don't actually have any of the hardware mentioned below. The information provided here is based on the documentation Rudolph provided with these tools, my experience with the NDS Backup Tool WiFi, and my experience attempting to use these tools without the proper hardware. As such, these instructions may contain errors. By following these instructions and using these tools you take full responsibility for anything that may go wrong. I shouldn't be too far off base, but don't come crying to me if you open a portal to another dimension and Cthulu comes and eats your family...

That said, open the spoiler cuts below for more information.

NDS Backup Tool 3in1 

If you have an EZFlash 3in1 the tool to dump games (a.k.a. Rom Backup) and backup saves is NDS Backup Tool 3in1. By default this tool will back up to /NDS_Backup though this location can be changed in the included INI file. It works by copying the original DS game or save data to the 3in1, then after a reboot it copies the backup from the 3in1 to a Slot-1 flash cart. DLDI patching may be required if your flash cart does not support automatic DLDI patching.

1. Download the tool from the link above and extract the NDS and INI files to the root of your flash cart.
2. (Optional) If you want to change the destination folder of the backup you can edit the INI file with your favorite text editor.
3. Make sure an EZFlash 3in1 card is in Slot-2 before you run the tool or it will give a warning and shutdown.
4. Follow the on screen instructions to swap the flash cart for an original game.
5. From here follow the on screen instructions. Backups are temporarily written to the EZFlash 3in1.
6. The DS should shutdown after a backup operation has completed.
7. Swap the original game for the flash cart and run the tool again to retrieve the backup from the EZFlash 3in1.

See the quote below for more details from the included readme.txt. Unfortunately, Rudolph used an automatic translator to make the English instructions so they are a little strange in places. Hopefully my interpretation above helps.

< Flow of main processing >
(Save Backup)
�@1. At <A><B>, appointing the file which with backup it draws up & renews
�@2. In ROM which it backs up the difference changing
3. Because the power source of DS is cut off automatically, difference changing into Card when starting, turning on the power of DS, starting the tool
�@4. With <A> processing continuation (actual file entry), discontinuing processing with <B>

�@(Save Restore)
�@1. At <A>, to appoint the file which it restores, with <B> initialization of the SAVE territory
�@2. In ROM which it restores the difference changing
�@3. The power source of DS is cut off automatically. Processing completion (has not used NOR of 3in1 at this point in time)

�@(Rom Backup)
�@1. At <A><B>, appointing the file which with backup it draws up & renews
�@2. In ROM which it backs up the difference changing
�@3. Because the power source of DS is cut off automatically, difference changing into Card when starting, turning on the power of DS, starting the tool
�@4. With <A> processing continuation (actual file entry), discontinuing processing with <B>
�@5. In case of ROM above 32MB, processing from 2 is repeated, (with 1 times in case of 32MB and 128MB 4 times)

NDS Backup Tool Slot2 

If you have a Slot-2 flash cart like the Supercard SD or Supercard Lite and a Slot-1 boot cart like Superkey then you can use the NDS Backup Tool Slot-2 which has apparently not found its way to FileTrip yet, so go pick it up at linFox Domain. You can find it under Essential Utilities. By default this tool will back up to /NDS_Backup though this location can be changed in the included INI file. It works by copying the original DS game or save data directly onto the Slot-2 flash cart. DLDI patching may be required if your flash cart does not support automatic DLDI patching. Version 0.4 is the last available version of this tool.

1. Download the tool from the link above and extract the NDS and INI files to the root of your flash cart.
2. (Optional) If you want to change the destination folder of the backup you can edit the INI file with your favorite text editor.
3. Follow the on screen instructions to swap the Slot-1 boot cart for an original game.
4. From here follow the on screen instructions. Backups are written directly to the Slot-2 flash cart.

Unfortunately Rudolph never translated the instructions for this tool to English, but the program uses the same interface as the 3in1 and WiFi tools of the same name. It will display in English if the DS is set to English and it's pretty straightforward.

Anti-Piracy Stuff 

One final note: piracy is bad, don't do it. These programs and instructions were created for the legal owners of DS games to backup the games and save data, a procedure allowed in the US under copyright law for archival purposes, meaning that you are doing this as a protective measure against the potential destruction of your original media. You must keep the original media, even if it is damaged, to prove that you own a right to backup the software. Should you choose to transfer the original media to another person you are required to transfer the backup copy with it or delete it from your storage device.
GBATemp, other members here, and myself do not condone piracy and will not be held responsible for the misuse of this information.

Enjoy.

Edited by Xastabus, 17 January 2011 - 11:00 PM.

[yab]

There is a newer/different version of NDS Backup Tool Wifi, it's here
http://www009.upp.so-net.ne.jp/rudolph/nds/Backup/

With this one you don't need to install a server yourself, it has its own server so using it is similar to wood dumper.

Edited by yab, 18 January 2011 - 09:21 AM.

[Rydian]

Thank you very much!

Yes, I noticed that people uploaded different tools as updates of the same file, that's why I made sure to link to specific versions and not the latest.

There is a newer/different version of NDS Backup Tool Wifi, it's here
http://www009.upp.so-net.ne.jp/rudolph/nds/Backup/

With this one you don't need to install a server yourself, it has its own server so using it is similar to wood dumper.

From what I've heard Rudolph's tools have an issue with not fully dumping the header, which Wood Dumper does, so I've read that Wood Dumper is the preferred tool for dumping the actual game... but for dumping the save I'm sure people would appreciate not having to set up a server.

I assume this is just one where you enter a specific address (local IP of the DS) into your computer's browser?

[FAST6191]

Not fully dumping the header means the part of the header which later got used but before then was 00 filled. By and large though I believe it is irrelevant for all current devices/implementations- certainly before a bunch of roms were redumped they worked great.


"Slot2/GBA slot..... # Will not back up your DS game saves."

Wood Dumper might not but rudolph's does, there are a handful of DLDI dumpers, a handful of even older ones built for certain carts/against a premade library and even some old ones that dump to the SRAM of a cart.

Pokemon (the ones with pokewalker ones at least) might trouble things (then it troubles many things) as it has the save memory hidden behind another chip (they use the lines for the pokewalker and have the binary ask for the save section. Apparently that is sorted though http://projectpokemon.org/forums/showthrea...kup-HG-SS-saves and you also have hardware level mods you can do http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=215641

[Rydian]

I'd choose Wood Dumper simply because it's simpler and needs less setup, and yes I have that HG/SS dump tool linked as an alternative.

Which tool to dump saves to a Slot-2 is Rudolph's? They all have such similar names, it's confusing.

As for the tool Yab linked, the readme says it's the same set-up-an-FTP-server-on-the-PC as the current save dump tool does.

Christ this stuff is confusing. Wish they wouldn't use such similar names.

EDIT: Okay I updated the first post with as far as I got before I became totally confused.

What is what later than what in the what now?

EDIT2: Okay, Rudolph's for the 3-in-1... is there none for other Slot-2 tools?

Edited by Rydian, 18 January 2011 - 12:30 PM.

[FAST6191]

Rudolph made several tools-
one for the 3 in 1
one for the DLDI capable Slot2/gba slot range
one or wifi/FTP

All got updates as various things happened (or simple refinements)

All are capable of messing with saves- in the case of the GBA slot stuff when you first load it up (after you have the cart to be dumped you get a save dumping screen, press R once to get to the save restoration screen and press R again to get to the rom dumping screen.

before you press R twice to go to the rom dumping "tab", press it again and you get to the save dumping "tab" or something along those lines.
If you want saves there are also things like savsender http://www.pocketheaven.com/ph/wiki/SavSender that work over wifi and are a bit more robust than the rom dumping side of things.

There are other tools but no need to link them up as they are older and long since out of play (Rudolph's tools filled a very big gap in DS homebrew capabilities when they were released as before that there was nothing that worked on the newer devices of the time).
If you really want to link a SRAM tool up then http://nds.cmamod.com/download.html

[Rydian]

So the tool that's linked now will do it, just the instructions need to be updated to reflect that?

[FAST6191]

By the rudolph's is up on filetrip http://filetrip.net/f826-DLDI-DS-romsave-dumper.html although I am not sure if it is the latest version.
Also http://filetrip.net/f13096-Wood-dumper-too...slot-2-r20.html has a GBA slot version.

I am not sure where you want to head with this guide though- there are "simple" methods but much like all of technology if you want to go in depth you can and it pays off fairly early on here.

Equally it would probably be good from to amend your examples to include something along the lines of "anything that has a DLDI patch"- no need to direct people to getting supercards (if you are buying such a thing you might as well get something that plays GBA games as well).

As a rough outline

GBA slot devices. There are two methods here (personally when detailing things I usually split this in two). One uses the 3 in 1 expansion pack and the other uses a DLDI capable GBA slot device.

3 in 1
These are easy to find and fairly cheap to boot- originally they were made to allow those who just wanted a handful of GBA games to have the option without paying out for a full on and more expensive GBA slot flash card.
As DS roms are considerably larger it will involve swapping things around. Also NOR memory on the 3 in 1 is quite slow compared to other memory types (like SD cards).
Your stuff on the 3 in 1 is fine though.

DLDI capable GBA slot devices
Before the rise of the DS slot flash card people used GBA slot devices that had ?SD/CF card slots to run DS code - these are less common these days and a bit more expensive but you can still find M3 cards, supercards and EZ4 cards if you look around for long enough.
Do read up on them though as some can not play GBA games that well- supercards in general have bad or non existent GBA functionality, EZ4 lite compact has limited, m3 professional has limited. To my knowledge no DLDI autopatching was ever done for GBA slot stuff (not sure about supercards though) so consider it a default (if you really want there is a way to DLDI patch stuff in DS code).

As these simply sit in the GBA slot and have lots of memory (or at least the potential for it) you can simply copy an entire DS rom at more or less SD card write speeds (certainly even the largest rom would struggle to go over 10 minutes).

Wood dumper slot 2 is the chosen program for dumping roms.
http://filetrip.net/f13096-Wood-dumper-too...slot-2-r20.html

Assuming Wood dumper is not capable of saves then a paragraph on rudolphs kit might be in order.
http://filetrip.net/f826-DLDI-DS-romsave-dumper.html
When you first load it up you get a save dumping screen, press R and you get a save restoration screen, press R again and you get a rom dumping screen (it should produce a working dump for non TWL stuff but it will not have "all" the data (it is one of the reasons Wood dumper was made).

In the end a DLDI capable GBA slot cart is the superior method for the common man to dump DS games and saves. Obviously proper dedicated hardware is the best (and if I am correct the only thing that can "properly" dump TWL games) but that is not so common.

If by some chance someone has say an old EZ2 or something of that vintage there are options to dump saves using the SRAM of said cards. Wifi with something like savsender is probably easier to set up in this case though.


Also "Requires a Slot-2 flash card in addition to a slot-1."- run flashme and you can dump games without ever so much as having a DS slot flash cart grace your DS. This being said that is not so much an issue these days (nobody who cares for the latest and greatest really rocking a GBA slot device as a front line flash card any more).

[Rydian]

Okay, updated.

Are the instructions for Wood Dumper the same as Rudolph's? I assumed so, so that's what I put.

Do you happen to have the instructions for the save tool used for Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver?

[FAST6191]

No the wood dumper is considerably simpler (I probably should have mentioned it first time around)- you run it (after DLDI patching), it instructs you to put in the game and you press A
After this you watch numbers (of bytes dumped) go up

On the root of the card will be a rom named for the date, time and four letter serial code part.

[yab]

The wifi version of rudolph's dumper is as easy to use as wood dumper.
switch game, press a, then ftp to the ip address that is displayed.
the main difference is that is makes a directory with the rom and save.

I don't know if it fixed that header problem since I just use wood dumper, it's still great for saves though.

[Rydian]

@FAST6191: Corrected the instructions, thank you again.

@yab: You're talking about the WiFi dumper I have listed to back up saves? It will work with the DS as a server like Wood does?

[yab]

Yeah, although not the one you linked to, the newer one that is here.