Hacking R4i 3DS Gold Deluxe - Games freeze and crash (music stops then freezes system)

Wacko`

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I am having problems with my R4i 3DS Gold Deluxe's white card, as mentioned in this thread. I've opened this topic in hopes of finding more people with the same problem, and possibly a solution. So far there's been reports of people saying it's a microSD problem (formatting or faulty card), others suggest the R4i white card itself is defective. If there is anyone who experienced this problem on their R4i Gold Deluxe or Gateway I'd like to hear about it.

The problem
- Gray DS cart works fine, exploit installs with no problem. 3DS games on the white cart get detected in the system menu without fail.

- 3DS games boot up without crashing 9 out of 10 times.

- Within 0 to 10 minutes (usually after ~3 - 5 minutes, longest I've seen up to 15 minutes) of gameplay the game freezes. Usually the music stops first, and the game will crash shortly after that.

What seems to be happening is that the 3DS is no longer able to load data from the cart at a certain point. Once the music stops, nothing is being loaded from the cartridge and when new data is needed for the game to continue the system freezes. Only a hard reset is possible at this point, you can't quit with the home button.

Street Fighter IV 3D Edition shows this problem very clearly on the character select screen. When all is fine the background music will play, and when you move the cursor to a character the portrait will load. If I wait until the music stops and I move the cursor to a character I haven't previously viewed, the portrait will not show (can't load data). Characters already viewed when the music still played will still show (this data is already loaded).When you select a character the game crashes.

- This happens on all firmwares, even on V3.1.

- Happens with different microSDs

Has anyone else experienced this? I am inclined to think I have a faulty unit. I am looking for advice and insight on the scale of this problem (how many units are effected by this).

Also: how can I open the cart without breaking it? Just pull it apart at the seam? I wouldn't want to void my warranty by breaking something, but I'd like to take a look to see if anything is out of the ordinary on the inside. Edit: For anyone in doubt, you can pry it loose at the seam easily.
 

PZ-powa

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It happened to me, eachmall sent me three R4 instead of two. The third one was defective and having the exact same problem as yours, my conclusion was that the SD card reader/SDCard was moving during gameplay, making the game unstable and freeze.
 

PolyChrome

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Sometimes my R4i works flawlessly (playing 3-5 hours without any issues), sometimes it crashes randomly. I noticed that the crashes are getting more frequent.
 

Wacko`

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It happened to me, eachmall sent me three R4 instead of two. The third one was defective and having the exact same problem as yours, my conclusion was that the SD card reader/SDCard was moving during gameplay, making the game unstable and freeze.
Thank you for your reply. I've been thinking the problem lies in this direction as well. Once I put the microSD in only for 80% or so, and pulled it out during gameplay. At that point the music stopped. I'll have to do some more testing with this, but this would definitely point in that direction. I even tried sticking some paper next to the microSD to make it sit extra secure in the slot, but this hasn't helped. Setting the 3DS XL on a stable surface and just letting the game run doesn't prevent the crash either, which speaks against the movement issue a bit. Maybe the SD slot isn't connected to the circuit correctly?
 

Bap65

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Hi,

As I said before, 99% sure that the problem come from your R4i. I encountered exactly the sames problems and wasn't able to find a workaround.
I opened the card and verified every parts and solder (and to make sure that the R4i wasn't a fake one).
I thought that the µSD wasn't staying in place, so I tried a session with my finger staying and pushing on the card.. Crashed again.
Tried with 3 computers / 4 µSD card reader / 3 µSD Card (class 4/6/10; size 2Gb/4Gb/32Gb) and lot of method of formatting the card.

The only fix I could find was to change the white card for an other one. No one crash since.

So maybe a lost of connection somewhere ? (But personally, I don't know where the µSD card could loose a connexion into the µSD card Slot, even if it moved 0,5mm, and where the R4i cartridge could lose a connexion with 3DS card slot -> if you have any suggestion I will be pleased to read it).

Wish you a nice day :)
 

Wacko`

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Hi,

As I said before, 99% sure that the problem come from your R4i. I encountered exactly the sames problems and wasn't able to find a workaround.
I opened the card and verified every parts and solder (and to make sure that the R4i wasn't a fake one).
I thought that the µSD wasn't staying in place, so I tried a session with my finger staying and pushing on the card.. Crashed again.
Tried with 3 computers / 4 µSD card reader / 3 µSD Card (class 4/6/10; size 2Gb/4Gb/32Gb) and lot of method of formatting the card.

The only fix I could find was to change the white card for an other one. No one crash since.

So maybe a lost of connection somewhere ? (But personally, I don't know where the µSD card could loose a connexion into the µSD card Slot, even if it moved 0,5mm, and where the R4i cartridge could lose a connexion with 3DS card slot -> if you have any suggestion I will be pleased to read it).

Wish you a nice day :)
Thank you for your thorough reply! Good to know I am not the only one who has had this problem, however it is unfortunate that you were not able to come up with a solution. I will have to contact my seller for an exchange.

In the meantime I hope others who have experienced this problem will report here, maybe a solution will be found at some point.
 

jse

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Yeah the issue is with the R4i card, I opened mine as well no obvious issue, soldering looks fine. Bought a Gateway and all my Micro SD cards that failed on the R4I work fine on the gateway, I think the firmware on the R4i might be a bad flash, it's all I can think really, it's a weird issue as it works perfectly until it doesn't :P you should contact the store you bought it from and ask for a replacement or a refund, I would get a refund and buy a Gateway
 

kiddi88

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I have the same problem, and it seems to work if i push the card a littlebit more down than where you hear the click and hold it there. Then it play without freezing, Do you guys think it would damage the console to do it that way? I am waiting for answer from the seller.
 

kublai

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Mine is also locking up playing batman and it locks up in random places. I thought my microsd was bad or the game has a bad crack.
 

Boy3D

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Same problem with 3DSLink... I tried with several games and microSD
I have the same problem, and it seems to work if i push the card a littlebit more down than where you hear the click and hold it there. Then it play without freezing, Do you guys think it would damage the console to do it that way? I am waiting for answer from the seller.
Have you been playing 20-30 minutes pushing the card?
Sometime takes longer to freeze.
 

kiddi88

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Same problem with 3DSLink... I tried with several games and microSD

Have you been playing 20-30 minutes pushing the card?
Sometime takes longer to freeze.
I did play at least 15 minutes for each time and it seemed to work perfectly. Usually it crash after only 2 - 3 minutes if i have it inserted normally. And i have tried 3 different micro sd cards both class 6 and class 10 and it doesn't change anything.
 

Huntereb

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I did play at least 15 minutes for each time and it seemed to work perfectly. Usually it crash after only 2 - 3 minutes if i have it inserted normally. And i have tried 3 different micro sd cards both class 6 and class 10 and it doesn't change anything.


Well then it sounds like a card issue, but it might also be their firmware. What version of the launcher are you on?
 

Boy3D

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I did play at least 15 minutes for each time and it seemed to work perfectly. Usually it crash after only 2 - 3 minutes if i have it inserted normally. And i have tried 3 different micro sd cards both class 6 and class 10 and it doesn't change anything.

I tried to do that (with tape), but it didn't work... Some games don't crash, but music stops (I think e.g. Luigi Mansion)
 

pin

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I tried to do that (with tape), but it didn't work... Some games don't crash, but music stops (I think e.g. Luigi Mansion)


Ive played Luigis mansion a lot on r4 and not had a single crash. Looks like you have a bad card , maybe.
 

hiron

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Yea also no problems with all my games. Either its a bad card or your 3DS has problems. Does retail card work?
 

kiddi88

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I tried to do that (with tape), but it didn't work... Some games don't crash, but music stops (I think e.g. Luigi Mansion)
All games i played did crash. But i did just try zelda a link between world by holding down the cart, which did always crash after 2 - 3 minutes (And still does if i have it normally inserted). I was thinking the same about taping it and just use it that way but i was afraid of if it would either damage the card or the 3ds. Maybe i give it a try with more games.
Yea also no problems with all my games. Either its a bad card or your 3DS has problems. Does retail card work?
Yes retail games does work. In my case at least
 

Boy3D

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Ive played Luigis mansion a lot on r4 and not had a single crash. Looks like you have a bad card , maybe.

I know that I have a bad card, definitely. That's my problem. I know others people that changing the card solve these problems.
All games i played did crash. But i did just try zelda a link between world by holding down the cart, which did always crash after 2 - 3 minutes (And still does if i have it normally inserted). I was thinking the same about taping it and just use it that way but i was afraid of if it would either damage the card or the 3ds. Maybe i give it a try with more games.
I think it was coincidence. But try again, you can get lucky.
 

kiddi88

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I know that I have a bad card, definitely. That's my problem. I know others people that changing the card solve these problems.

I think it was coincidence. But try again, you can get lucky.

Yes it might have been a coincidence but i did try it a couple a times, I'll try it again tomorrow with more games and post the result here. Did you try both methods and it was the same?
 

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