Hacking R4i gold

[Buleste]

Well mine didn't come from a box, it came in a plastic clamshell pack with a yellow/gold card insert and a TF reader.
Nevertheless, I'm prepping my MicroSD to do this, but since I know you only have your 3DS system and one flash cart, I'm going to see if it's possible to run this on the 3DS (since it does actually launch) despite what the readme says. That way there's an indicator that flashing it yourself might work, instead of borrwing a DS Lite

If that doesn't work I'll just do it the way the instructions say.. will update in a minute

edit:
Running it on 3DS, card check fails. It says to reinsert, which won't work on DSi/3DS systems with homebrew, so this specific update is intended specifically to be run on DS Lite
Ran it on DS Lite, initial card check fails, after reinsertion it detected as OK
Upon completion it still shows the "DORASU" icon!

For good measure, I tested the Nov21 bootloader after running that patch and it still doesn't work. (Partly to test Buleste's theory this was a unifying patch)
This flashcart still works with 3DS just fine, loading Bejeweled 3.

I also tested swapping my r4idsn.com MicroSD (With Wood 1.42) in, and it still will not get past White "Loading" screen.


I'm really disappointed that Buleste wasn't right :/ As much as I don't want the Spongebob icon.. it's annoying that the r4ids.cn and r4idsn.com kits I received required slightly different Wood packages when they didn't for most other people

Mine came in the "old" new packaging as well (the new new packaging being the Xmas update) however mine has always worked with the r4idsn Wood that appears on filetrip first that says it will work on r4ids.cn as well so all this is completely befuddling me as it just seems ludicrous to me for the same team to have 2 different versions of the same R4i Gold 3DS at the same time especially when one of them doesn't seem to want to run any updates (whether it needs them or not). However all this is an education so that now when someone says they are having difficulty running Wood on their R4i Gold 3DSI should now not only ask what is the web address on the front of their cart but also what game icon shows. Bloody R4's (not the originals but every fake, copy, clone etc.).

Thanks for your help Exangel and I apologise to tranfeer for saying he was wrong when in reality we were both wrong and right at the same time.

@Bman321 I have sent you a PM so check your messages.

 

[traxxz711]

hello guys, i just got my r4igold 3ds card in the mail... i shoved it into my 3ds and it dosnt work. im a total noob when it comes to these things, what am i doing wrong? ( i updated my 3ds last week with the world wide eshop/system update)
i downloaded the kenrel update v1.51b, i deleted my sd card and from scrach i unziped the kenrel and copied it directly to the sd card and then put that into the r4i cart. when i load up my 3ds it says dorasu ( a pair of wings and halo) but when i load it up it still sticks at a black screen saying loading, please please someone help me with this problem.

 

[Buleste]

hello guys, i just got my r4igold 3ds card in the mail... i shoved it into my 3ds and it dosnt work. im a total noob when it comes to these things, what am i doing wrong? ( i updated my 3ds last week with the world wide eshop/system update)
i downloaded the kenrel update v1.51b, i deleted my sd card and from scrach i unziped the kenrel and copied it directly to the sd card and then put that into the r4i cart. when i load up my 3ds it says dorasu ( a pair of wings and halo) but when i load it up it still sticks at a black screen saying loading, please please someone help me with this problem.

Unfortunately it looks like yours is one of the faulty batch. There is a fix for it on www.r4ids.cn but you will need access to a DS/DSL and another flashcart to run it.

These are the instrunctions included with the fix.

You should get a NDS Lite console(borrow one from others if you don't have one) and one any other flashcard(called "A" -like R4, TT, AK2, M3 or SupperDS two..)), which works properly on NDSL.

1.Download the latest WOOD R4 firmware from www.r4ids.cn and unzip it to the root directory of your tf card;

2.Copy Patch_R4iGold3DS_xmas_NDSL.nds to your tf card;

3.Just power your NDSL on and boot up Patch_R4iGold3DS_xmas_NDSL.nds with "A" card;
4.Take "A" card out of the NDSL;
5.Reinsert your broken R4i Gold 3DS card into the NDSL;

6.Press KEY_A and the updating process will begin;
7.You should keep your NDSL powered on during the updating process;
8.IF the result shows SUCCESS, it means you have updated your R4i Gold 3DS successfully and this card can work on DSi V1.4.3 and 3DS V2.2.0-4 and V3.0.0-5;

 

[exangel]

He should try using the 1.42 Wood kernel instead, also. The one specifically hosted on www.r4ids.cn (if that's definitely the card he got).
If the black screen says loading in White text, that's the same as the problem I get with using the wrong Wood.

 

[Aielanor]

it is difficult for newbies to figure out the correct wood kernel

 

[exangel]

it is difficult for newbies to figure out the correct wood kernel

yeeeah...
but this topic went to 5 pages because r4ids.cn has made mistakes in a few batches of the cart the OP owns. not because the OP was a newbie.

 

[pdaboy]

I have the same problem with my new R4i Gold 3DS Card (r4ids.cn). It comes with the dorasu icon on the main 3ds screen. I have updated my 3ds to the latest update and the card works but I cannot update my flash card. I get card check failed when I try to update it. I have tried to update it on my 3ds and my ds phat and it fails on both. Like I said earlier the card works but I'm just worried that it might stop working at the next system update and not let me update the firmware to get it going again..

 

[exangel]

Like I said earlier the card works but I'm just worried that it might stop working at the next system update and not let me update the firmware to get it going again..

Two options here:
1. Wait and see what happens (that's what I'm doing, but...)
2. As a backup plan, order an alternate cart before the next system update-- such as the similar, but, historically less faulty r4idsn.com cartridge (...which I already have so I'm not too worried). Or look into getting the Acekard 2i (unless you're willing to splurge for a DStwo).

 

[tranfeer]

I have the same problem with my new R4i Gold 3DS Card (r4ids.cn). It comes with the dorasu icon on the main 3ds screen. I have updated my 3ds to the latest update and the card works but I cannot update my flash card. I get card check failed when I try to update it. I have tried to update it on my 3ds and my ds phat and it fails on both. Like I said earlier the card works but I'm just worried that it might stop working at the next system update and not let me update the firmware to get it going again..

I just want to know the purpose you update your card. Since your card(r4ids.cn) can support 3ds 3.0.0-5 , there is no need for you to update it. Please download the latest kernel(wood r4i v1.42 or mutilmedia kernel v1.51c) from www.r4ids.cn and enjoy yourself.

 

[pdaboy]

I have the same problem with my new R4i Gold 3DS Card (r4ids.cn). It comes with the dorasu icon on the main 3ds screen. I have updated my 3ds to the latest update and the card works but I cannot update my flash card. I get card check failed when I try to update it. I have tried to update it on my 3ds and my ds phat and it fails on both. Like I said earlier the card works but I'm just worried that it might stop working at the next system update and not let me update the firmware to get it going again..

I just want to know the purpose you update your card. Since your card(r4ids.cn) can support 3ds 3.0.0-5 , there is no need for you to update it. Please download the latest kernel(wood r4i v1.42 or mutilmedia kernel v1.51c) from www.r4ids.cn and enjoy yourself.

I thought the firmware with the spongebob icon was the latest? Its just for futureproofing knowing that if I needed to then I can update the firmware. At the moment it looks as though this card is stuck with the firmware it came with.

 

[Buleste]

I have the same problem with my new R4i Gold 3DS Card (r4ids.cn). It comes with the dorasu icon on the main 3ds screen. I have updated my 3ds to the latest update and the card works but I cannot update my flash card. I get card check failed when I try to update it. I have tried to update it on my 3ds and my ds phat and it fails on both. Like I said earlier the card works but I'm just worried that it might stop working at the next system update and not let me update the firmware to get it going again..

I just want to know the purpose you update your card. Since your card(r4ids.cn) can support 3ds 3.0.0-5 , there is no need for you to update it. Please download the latest kernel(wood r4i v1.42 or mutilmedia kernel v1.51c) from www.r4ids.cn and enjoy yourself.

I thought the firmware with the spongebob icon was the latest? Its just for futureproofing knowing that if I needed to then I can update the firmware. At the moment it looks as though this card is stuck with the firmware it came with.

This is where it gets confusing.

For older models of the r4ids.cn 3DS the Spongbob with oriental writing id the latest bootloader however for some of the newer r4ids.cn 3DS carts the bootloader is Dorasu. However carts with the Dorasu bootloader have issues with Wood (stuck on Loading and also they cannot use the ordinary Wood for r4idsn that you find on filetrip which works fine on the older models) and whilst they work on the latest 3.0.0-5 you cannot use the firmware updater to change the bootloader to the Spongebob one.

 

[pdaboy]

I have the same problem with my new R4i Gold 3DS Card (r4ids.cn). It comes with the dorasu icon on the main 3ds screen. I have updated my 3ds to the latest update and the card works but I cannot update my flash card. I get card check failed when I try to update it. I have tried to update it on my 3ds and my ds phat and it fails on both. Like I said earlier the card works but I'm just worried that it might stop working at the next system update and not let me update the firmware to get it going again..

I just want to know the purpose you update your card. Since your card(r4ids.cn) can support 3ds 3.0.0-5 , there is no need for you to update it. Please download the latest kernel(wood r4i v1.42 or mutilmedia kernel v1.51c) from www.r4ids.cn and enjoy yourself.

I thought the firmware with the spongebob icon was the latest? Its just for futureproofing knowing that if I needed to then I can update the firmware. At the moment it looks as though this card is stuck with the firmware it came with.

This is where it gets confusing.

For older models of the r4ids.cn 3DS the Spongbob with oriental writing id the latest bootloader however for some of the newer r4ids.cn 3DS carts the bootloader is Dorasu. However carts with the Dorasu bootloader have issues with Wood (stuck on Loading and also they cannot use the ordinary Wood for r4idsn that you find on filetrip which works fine on the older models) and whilst they work on the latest 3.0.0-5 you cannot use the firmware updater to change the bootloader to the Spongebob one.

That seems to sum it up but my card works 100% for loading emulators and ds roms. Never had an issue other than not being able to update it. Is there a way to see what firmware version the card is running?

 

[Buleste]

That seems to sum it up but my card works 100% for loading emulators and ds roms. Never had an issue other than not being able to update it. Is there a way to see what firmware version the card is running?

By firmware I'm assuming you mean bootloader i.e. Dorasu or Spongebob or are you on about kernel which is Wood (some people call Wood firmware when it is actually a kernel)? If you're on about Wood then just press START and go to help. If you're on about bootloader then obviously by the icon and writing.

 

[pdaboy]

That seems to sum it up but my card works 100% for loading emulators and ds roms. Never had an issue other than not being able to update it. Is there a way to see what firmware version the card is running?

By firmware I'm assuming you mean bootloader i.e. Dorasu or Spongebob or are you on about kernel which is Wood (some people call Wood firmware when it is actually a kernel)? If you're on about Wood then just press START and go to help. If you're on about bootloader then obviously by the icon and writing.

I meant the bootloader which is showing dorasu. Funny how it works on system menu v3.0.0-5

 

[Buleste]

That seems to sum it up but my card works 100% for loading emulators and ds roms. Never had an issue other than not being able to update it. Is there a way to see what firmware version the card is running?

By firmware I'm assuming you mean bootloader i.e. Dorasu or Spongebob or are you on about kernel which is Wood (some people call Wood firmware when it is actually a kernel)? If you're on about Wood then just press START and go to help. If you're on about bootloader then obviously by the icon and writing.

I meant the bootloader which is showing dorasu. Funny how it works on system menu v3.0.0-5

The Dorasu on the new carts is working fine with the latest 3DS/DSi firmware as is the Spongebob with Asian writing for the older carts. The real fun will start when the next 3DS firmware comes out because we don't know if the update will work for all 3DS versions of the cart.