Hacking slight difference in R4 card?

milotime

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I hate to make this my first post, but I've been researching this since 6 pm yesterday, and eventually gave up at around 3 in the morning. I've googled just about everything. I'm losing sleep. it would be such a problem if it didn't feel like a deadline (I'm going on a VERY long trip tomorrow. I'll be stuck in a car for an entire day)

here are the details. I have an R4 SDHC card which I'm fully aware since yesterday, that it's a "clone" yet still able to support SOME kind of firmware... the problem is, WHAT firmware.

here's a picture of my card that I personally took a picture of, because I tried to google the card I had, and couldn't find any identical ones. they get VERY close, but notice, my card has a website on the bottom, opposed to the closest ones I've seen, which are near identical, except for that one feature. I don't want to sound paranoid, but I can't help but point it out.

my problem is the ever so typical "loading..." screen error. funny thing is, I've tried just about every firmware I could find. (yes, I format using SD formatter after every attempt) I've tried wood, and even ysauto (I can't seem to find a legitimate ysmenu download, or one that says it supports "clones"... it just ended up confusing me further) and went to that japanese site to "generate" firmware or whatever it is that ysauto does. none of them work. the card I bought didn't come with the box, so I went to the website that was on my card and downloaded the firmware from there, and still "loading..."

now, I can't say for sure that I've tried every firmware there is since I can't seem to find a site with a complete list of them. but I've tried quite a few... enough to think that it might not be just the firmware. but what do I know. what confused me even further was reading an article a few hours ago about how there are "official" firmwares, and "clone firmwares", meaning I could have the right firmware version, but if it's "official" it won't work. so I have no idea where to go from here
 

Rydian

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All the clones have different websites because clones everywhere, man.
http://www.linfoxdomain.com/nintendo/ds/
There's at least 50 known sites listed there.

If the site on your cart doesn't have working software, and linfox doesn't list it, you're kinda' screwed unless you can get YS or whatever working.

http://gbatemp.net/t267899-list-cards-which-can-use-ysmenu-dstt
http://gbatemp.net/t267243-retrogamefan-updates-releases
 

milotime

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All the clones have different websites because clones everywhere, man.
http://www.linfoxdom...om/nintendo/ds/
There's at least 50 known sites listed there.

If the site on your cart doesn't have working software, and linfox doesn't list it, you're kinda' screwed unless you can get YS or whatever working.

http://gbatemp.net/t...use-ysmenu-dstt
http://gbatemp.net/t...pdates-releases

the first site you listed is where I tried all the english firmwares. or at least, the one's that specifically said "R4 and not "R4i"

from what I've read, it has to be SPECIFICALLY R4 SDHC firmware right? it sucks that the majority of downloads I see end up saying "R4i". well I'll check out the other two links

on a sidenote, you're a furry? never thought I'd find one outside of FA lol.
 

Rydian

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The clones generally use variations of software from other carts, but it may also have checks to make sure it only runs on the matching cart, and it's not unheard of for some older clones to have no support if the people behind it dropped it and started selling a new design that uses new software.

And it's not like FA's the only site furries are on. :P The internet's global and all that jazz.
 

Sora de Eclaune

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The card has a link to R4 Ultra, so I've taken the liberty of looking it up. Here's what I found:
  • The website's downloads page has links to AKAIO, as well as the card's own proprietary kernel.
  • The website also makes mention of the R4 Ultra and the R4i using the same kernel.
Because of the website your card links to, I can safely say that your card may very well be an R4 Ultra that supports SDHC cards. I would try using either the version of AKAIO linked on the site or the kernel linked there. If all else fails, you could possibly try the kernel for an R4i, as well.

I believe the SDHC symbol is only there to note that your card is compatible with those kinds of Micro SD cards. Your card is not an R4 SDHC, so it will not support that kernel.

from what I've read, it has to be SPECIFICALLY R4 SDHC firmware right?
No it does not. As long as your card is fully compatible with a kernel, you can use it. The second GBAtemp link, to RetroGameFan's YSmenu, is the most commonly used firmware for clone cards that don't have a wide range of kernel choices that support all of the newest games. It's a wonderful little kernel, actually. If my suggestions above don't work, then try using RetroGameFan's YSmenu.
 

milotime

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The clones generally use variations of software from other carts, but it may also have checks to make sure it only runs on the matching cart, and it's not unheard of for some older clones to have no support if the people behind it dropped it and started selling a new design that uses new software.

And it's not like FA's the only site furries are on. :P The internet's global and all that jazz.

ok well I'm going to try everything again to check if I missed anything. I noticed I missed a few firmware versions... then again, I was doing this at 2 am :x

the reason I probably seem so impatient is because in the next few hours, I have to spend the night at someone's house, and we're going out of state the next day. I guess I probably won't figure this out in the next few hours will I...

if you don't mind me asking, do you happen to have an FA?


 

benno300

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I don't know if this helps but I had this card and the 'official' firmware is from http://www.r4sdhc.com/down.asp
Edit: ow I didn't see the website on the card, you could still try it though
 

Rydian

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The different versions of the software (like, 1.4b versus 1.5) won't really matter since they'll have the same compatibility and such anyways.

AKAIO is the software for Acekards. While a one-off build was made for an R4 model, it might not work as it was for a differently-named cart.

And I'm not active on FA.

EDIT: The link inserted into my post is for the acekard, not the R4, I don't know where the R4 build is.
 

milotime

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I guess for now, I'll manually try each and every firmware from the R4 ultra section. then I'll try everything else from there.

to be honest, ysmenu, wood, akaio... it all confuses me a bit. what is it that stands out about these files? are they different files from actual firmware/kernals? or are they standalone files that you add on? how do these work?
 

Sora de Eclaune

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to be honest, ysmenu, wood, akaio... it all confuses me a bit. what is it that stands out about these files? are they different files from actual firmware/kernals? or are they standalone files that you add on? how do these work?
They're different kernels altogether. They work standalone, with only one or two types of cards. They're not add-ons or anything. Just drag and drop them in.
 

milotime

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@Sora de Eclaune

THANK YOU
it WAS R4 ultra... the very first firmware I tried, and it worked :D

thank you very much everybody for the help. it's reasons like this, I hate those tiniest little details that end up consuming your time... not noticing that you just barely overlooked something. aha
 

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