Homebrew BL2CKOS A Wood Clone for Acecard clones

[raxadian]

https://github.com/R-YaTian/BL2CKOS

If you have a crappy old Acecard clone this is way safer that bricking it forever trying to make it run official Acecard firmware by flashing the card (Not the same as a kernel update, that's just copying stuff to the micro sd card).

Only thread I could find about this was in Reddit and this works in my r4ideluxe so have fun.

Other options are:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/ds-i-3ds-akmenu-next-wood-frontend-for-nds-bootstrap.665743/ For a lot of clone cards. Has the drawback that ndsbootstrap does not play nice with some homebrew.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/working-ysmenu-for-acecard-clones.576864/ for the R4i Ultra and similar clone cards. This may cause problems of data corruption on some flashcards due to the way TTmenu/YSmenu writes data to sd cards so if you use this now obsolete method backup first and backup regulary. Not all homebrew might work.

 

[SylverReZ]

If you have a crappy old Acecard clone this is way safer that bricking it forever trying to make it run official Acecard firmware.

Just to clarify, running the official AKAIO or AKMenu kernel on a clone does not brick the cart itself, either shows you a warning or doesn't load. But running YSMenu on Acekard clones can brick due to the way it handles SD card commands.

https://gbatemp.net/blogs/misconception-surrounding-the-akaio-clone-detection.19844/

 

[raxadian]

Just to clarify, running the official AKAIO or AKMenu kernel on a clone does not brick the cart itself, either shows you a warning or doesn't load. But running YSMenu on Acekard clones can brick due to the way it handles SD card commands.

https://gbatemp.net/blogs/misconception-surrounding-the-akaio-clone-detection.19844/

I was talking about actual firmware, not the kernels as in that firmware update you can do to the cards.

The version of YSmenu I linked was specifically made for Acecard clones, I have been using it for years in two different flashcards and never had any problems. While it was made for the R4i Ultra no problems have showed so far besides the usual (Need to backup and format the sd card) that happens with constant use be in a flashcard, 3ds or Vita. In my experience that's more due to the micro sd card quality that anything else.

However I will add a warning anyway jusr in case.

 

[Jayro]

Respectfully, is there any point to Bl2CKOS other than running YSMenu?
(For context, I hate YSMenu and prefer WOODR4.)

Does this allow all NDS and 3DS system versions to detect and run the card? I have my doubts, since the latest version came out in 2016, 6 whole years ago.

 

[raxadian]

Respectfully, is there any point to Bl2CKOS other than running YSMenu?

It has better compatibility that nds bootstrap in some games, and some Acecard clones cannot run nds bootstrap at all because they do not allow saving while running homebrew (like the r4ideluxe). If you can boot your flashcard using Twilight menu (and save) you do not need this. If your Acecard clone CRASHES with Twilight menu this is the best option.

This is literally the second not official kernel that has worked with the r4ideluxe, the other being a very old version of AKAIO as in older that the ra4ideluxe latest official firmware.

Also I have been pestering people for over a decade trying to find a way for my crappy flashcard to run newer games so I made this thread to help people who still has a similar crap Acecard clone card.

Plus there wasn't a thread about BL2CKOS here anyway.

 

[SuffahBish]

Respectfully, is there any point to Bl2CKOS other than running YSMenu?
(For context, I hate YSMenu and prefer WOODR4.)

Does this allow all NDS and 3DS system versions to detect and run the card? I have my doubts, since the latest version came out in 2016, 6 whole years ago.

BL2CK uses the Wood UI and has great compatibility. YSMenu is completely unrelated. To the second question, no. That has to do with the firmware on the actual card not the kernel you're booting.

 

[Jayro]

It has better compatibility that nds bootstrap in some games, and some Acecard clones cannot run nds bootstrap at all because they do not allow saving while running homebrew (like the r4ideluxe). If you can boot your flashcard using Twilight menu (and save) you do not need this. If your Acecard clone CRASHES with Twilight menu this is the best option.

This is literally the second not official kernel that has worked with the r4ideluxe, the other being a very old version of AKAIO as in older that the ra4ideluxe latest official firmware.

Also I have been pestering people for over a decade trying to find a way for my crappy flashcard to run newer games so I made this thread to help people who still has a similar crap Acecard clone card.

Plus there wasn't a thread about BL2CKOS here anyway.

Oh ok, thank you. I indeed do not own a R4i Deluxe card, just an R4i 3DS Gold (RTS) Rev D (the version right before they came out with the Plus, which has the NTRBOOT switch).

BL2CK uses the Wood UI and has great compatibility. YSMenu is completely unrelated. To the second question, no. That has to do with the firmware on the actual card not the kernel you're booting.

Okay, thank you for the clarification.

 

[raxadian]

Does this allow all NDS and 3DS system versions to detect and run the card?

No, just for DS and DSlite, however there is 3DS and DSi apps that lets you boot old flashcards so just use that instead (even if not all flashcards work). Still better that being stuck with a very old flashcard kernel that cannot run newer games.

 

[Jayro]

No, just for DS and DSlite, however there is 3DS and DSi apps that lets you boot old flashcards so just use that instead (even if not all flashcards work). Still better that being stuck with a very old kernel that cannot run newer games.

I keep my DSi XL systems at v1.4.5 for best results.

 

[SuffahBish]

I keep my DSi XL systems at v1.4.5 for best results.

Actually being on an older system firmware would have the best results. The newer the firmware the more flashcarts are blocked. There are no games that require the DSi to be updated to play anyway.

 

[SylverReZ]

Actually being on an older system firmware would have the best results. The newer the firmware the more flashcarts are blocked. There are no games that require the DSi to be updated to play anyway.

You might as well install Unlaunch on your DSi or go through TWiLight Menu++ to boot into blocked flashcarts.

Back then, older firmware meant that you had an advantage to use flashcarts before they stopped updating at a certain System version. This doesn't matter too much anymore.

I indeed do not own a R4i Deluxe card, just an R4i 3DS Gold (RTS) Rev D

The R4i 3DS Gold (RTS) will still work on the latest system version.

Mine's already updated to the 6.2.0 update, still working on my 3DS v11.17 & DSi v1.4.5 on stock.
https://archive.flashcarts.net/r4ids.cn/r4ids.cn_FWUpdate_6.2.0

 

[SuffahBish]

You might as well install Unlaunch on your DSi or go through TWiLight Menu++ to boot into blocked flashcarts.

Back then, older firmware meant that you had an advantage to use flashcarts before they stopped updating at a certain System version. This doesn't matter too much anymore.

I mean true. But if you're on an older version there's zero reason to update. It just blocks more flashcarts without unlaunch.

 

[raxadian]

Status report: After several days of use BL2CKOS works fine in the R4ideluxe. Homebrew still cannot save but that's because R4ideluxe firmware (BL2CKOS is a KERNEL not firmware) doesn't alllow Homebrew to save not due to BL2CKOS itself. And to be fair not all DS homebrew can tun in ndsbootstrap anyway.

Game compatibility of BL2CKOS is good, even better that YSmenu 2017.

Only problem I had was the typical "sd card gets stuck in read only mode" that happens with every sd card if you do not unmount it from a computer correctly. And that's it.

Only way I could improve things is if I found a flashcard firmware update for the card somewhere but that risks permanently bricking the card. So this is as best as it will get. Again BL2CKOS is KERNEL not firmware.

This flashcard crashes in Twilight menu but a lot of Acecard clones do that. Newer Acecard clones that fake being a legal game do better and to be fair this my only DS flashcard that cannot boot in Twilight menu at all, not even just outright booting from the flashcard kernel itself.

While there are several ways to change old DS games so they run in old Kernels, that doesn't apply to every game, so is good to have a more up to date kernel for your flashcard.

On sad news my DS Lite charger is dead and due to the thing using a specific charger port, no not even the charger of an old 3DS works on it.

 

[Coderkei]

Status report: After several days of use BL2CKOS works fine in the R4ideluxe. Homebrew still cannot save but that's because R4ideluxe firmware (BL2CKOS is a KERNEL not firmware) doesn't alllow Homebrew to save not due to BL2CKOS itself. And to be fair not all DS homebrew can tun in ndsbootstrap anyway.

Game compatibility of BL2CKOS is good, even better that YSmenu 2017.

Only problem I had was the typical "sd card gets stuck in read only mode" that happens with every sd card if you do not unmount it from a computer correctly. And that's it.

Only way I could improve things is if I found a flashcard firmware update for the card somewhere but that risks permanently bricking the card. So this is as best as it will get. Again BL2CKOS is KERNEL not firmware.

This flashcard crashes in Twilight menu but a lot of Acecard clones do that. Newer Acecard clones that fake being a legal game do better and to be fair this my only DS flashcard that cannot boot in Twilight menu at all, not even just outright booting from the flashcard kernel itself.

While there are several ways to change old DS games so they run in old Kernels, that doesn't apply to every game, so is good to have a more up to date kernel for your flashcard.

On sad news my DS Lite charger is dead and due to the thing using a specific charger port, no not even the charger of an old 3DS works on it.

The homebrew issues you are getting with BL2CKOS on your R4iDeluxe sounds like CMD25 writes are broken with your cart.

This is also an issue that the R4DSPro suffers with which was fixed by using single block DLDI. Try this copy of BL2CK to see if it fixes the issue: https://archive.flashcarts.net/BL2CK/BL2CK_1.31.0_r4dspro.com.zip

If you get stuck at a loading screen, switch back to standard BL2CK, but take the ak2sd.dldi file from the __rpg folder of the R4DSPro version and put it into the __rpg folder of the working version of BL2CK

You can also try the r4dspro.com Autoboot boot file for Twilightmenu++

 

[raxadian]

You can also try the r4dspro.com Autoboot boot file for Twilightmenu++

I am mostly interested in running DS homebrew and ndsbootstrap does not play nice with some homebrew. I will give this a try and edit this post later to point out if it works or not.

Edit:

If you get stuck at a loading screen, switch back to standard BL2CK, but take the ak2sd.dldi file from the __rpg folder of the R4DSPro version and put it into the __rpg folder of the working version of BL2CK

This worked, saving still works for DS games.

Edit2: LemmingsDS homebrew doesn't work as usual.

Edit3: Colors! CAN SAVE! So at least some hombrew works thank you.

Edit4: While the flashcard still crashes trying to boot it from Twilight menu it at least gives less errors. Also flashcard can now boot in hacked 2DS/3DS with no problems.