Hacking Sky3DS DiskWriter Woes

[thaddius]

I have a Sky3DS coming in the mail and I thought I'd get a head start and write some games to a 16GB MicroSD. The card works fine on other devices, but it's not working with this utility for some reason.

I'm using Windows 7 and .NET 4.5.1 is installed. DiskWriter is running in Admin. Even tried it with the Win XP SP3 compatibility setting as well.

At the bottom of the DiskWriter window it tells me that the SD card's total free memory is -24 Mb. Any attempt to add files to the card results in a 'not enough space' warning, even though the card is empty.

I've re/formatted multiple times using Window's disk manager, SDFormatter, and the Diskwriter's Format option and still nothing.

Any tips?

 

[mrolive]

I have a Sky3DS coming in the mail and I thought I'd get a head start and write some games to a 16GB MicroSD. The card works fine on other devices, but it's not working with this utility for some reason.

I'm using Windows 7 and .NET 4.5.1 is installed.

At the bottom of the DiskWriter window it tells me that the SD card's total free memory is -24 Mb. Any attempt to add files to the card results in a 'not enough space' warning, even though the card is empty.

I've re/formatted multiple times using Window's disk manager, SDFormatter, and the Diskwriter's Format option and still nothing.

Any tips?

First time I've heard of a problem like this. Have you tried using a different micro sd card? Also, what brand is your micro sd.

 

[thaddius]

First time I've heard of a problem like this.

Yeah, I couldn't find any reference to it.

I don't have any other free cards at the moment. I guess I'll have to buy one. It's just a pain because I've been testing it on other devices; it works.

Also, it's Kingston.

Where did you get your msd?

Walmart. This is one I've been using in my phone for a while. Before that it was in my Acekard 2i.

EDIT: Here's some more info.

Screencap of DiskWriter with -24 Mb showing in lower left corner:

Spoiler

Before formatting:

Spoiler

After formatting:

Spoiler

Anyway, I guess I'll try out another card if and when I find one. Any other tips might be useful though.

 

[mrolive]

Also, it's Kingston.

There's your issue. Kingston cards don't work well with the Sky3DS (and if they do only a specific type does)

I tried an 8 GB Kingston and it would load the first game fine but not load any other games. It works perfectly fine on everything else. Try a Sandisk Micro SD.

 

[thaddius]

There's your issue. Kingston cards don't work well with the Sky3DS

Awesome. Thanks. Hopefully that's the issue.

[user]mrolive[/user], would you happen to know any other brands (in addition to Sandisk) that do work?

EDIT: nm. I found this thread that discusses it. I'll try and get a Sandisk, even if there are cheaper ones out there.

 

[mrolive]

Awesome. Thanks. Hopefully that's the issue.

[user]mrolive[/user], would you happen to know any other brands (in addition to Sandisk) that do work?

According to others users, Sandisk works perfectly. A 4 GB Lexar card is the one I switched to from the Kingston and that works fine as well.

 

[VuuI]

Ehh I have a 16gb class 10 kingston and it works just fine.

 

[Foxi4]

thaddius Please try SDFormatter again, but this time use Full Erase (OverWrite) and Format Size Adjustment enabled. If that doesn't help, your SD card or your SD card reader is acting up.

 

[mrolive]

Ehh I have a 16gb class 10 kingston and it works just fine.

Yeah it works for some Kingston cards. I had a class 4 so maybe that's why. Although my class 4 Lexar works just fine.

 

[thaddius]

I had already done that method, foxi, but I tried again and it is still showing at -24 Mb.

 

[SSonic]

Did anyone one have a fix for this? I am having the same problem but with 32gb SanDisk ultra.

 

[dandymanz]

I saw this page when i was having the "not enough space" warning when using Diskwriter. But i managed to solve the problem by taking it out of my MicroSD-to-SD card converter, and plugging the card into a USB MicroSD card reader instead.I didn't do any format via SDFormatter. The Diskwriter has it's own format utility.
Hope this method would work for you guys.

 

[galaxykidgamma]

I had the same issue. My computer has a built in SD reader, so I tried plugging the MicroSD into the SD adapter, which then went into the laptop's integrated card reader. Exact same problem as op.

Went out and bought a Vivitar SD to USB adapter and it solved the problem.

 

[xile6]

First check that the sd card is legit. There is a tester out there. I dont remeber the name.
Then make sure you run doskwriters as admin and in xp mode.
Next once the sky3ds is in the 3ds and not reading.
Remove it and then push and hold the button while putting it in the system. It should flash a whole lot then stop. Take it out and put it back in and hit the button once. It should work.

 

[Foxi4]

I'm going to put my money on either the SD adapter or the SD card, both easy to replace.

 

[Osmosis]

EaseUS Partition Master (from filehippo free)

Open up EPM, find the drive letter of your Kingston mSD (use a usb or SD adapter).

Delete the partition.

Delete the MBR.

Leave it unformatted.

Open up Diskwriter.

Select the correct drive with your mSD in it. (it would suck if you didn't)

Format.

Diskwriter's format changes the FAT system file to 10?15 (if I remember correctly) and it will not be readable as a drive anymore through windows. The zip file it creates is not to be deleted. It is part of the template setup.

You can only install 31 games. No matter how big your mSD. 32GB can easily fit 31 games if you use ROM-TOOL to trim ROMs, although you probably won't need it. Heck, you could prolly fit 31 onto a 16GB if you trim like a tailor.

This pretty much means you erase it and blank it out and leave it unformatted, so pull whatever files you want from it before doing so. (duh)

YOU MUST DESTROY THE MBR (kingston+ hides files in their MBRs) I know, sounds crazy, but some manufacturers do this. Mostly icons for windows system and some autoplay .ini files.

Class 10 is nice. Speeds up scrolling, as does trimming. (you prolly already know this)

Share results when done, pls.

 

[Christian Rosado]

I'm using a sandisk 32GB and I'm getting this error of not enough space when trying to write a 2GB game... Happens with all 2GB. I have only 19 games on it with 3.5GB left. How can this be possible? I was able to write them when sd card was empty, why Not now if I have the neccesary available space?

 

[Cyborg_Unity]

^i have the same problem with you. According to what i read on "Sky3DS DiskWrite Document", the only way to restore the space that occupied by another game before is using backup and restore feature. The first one burned into your MicroSD should be backed-up, after that Format it to insert a new batch of another game. Then if you wanna play it the first batch game again you just choose Restore Game and choose .bkg file from the first back-up. Using Optimiser feature is probably the same way. But im not try it yet because in my laptop almost 14 hour needed to backup all the game. T^T.

Anybody can check it out? The conclusion probably after the first burn that occupied all the space in MicroSD, simply Delete Game will not free the space of MicroSD. So the onlt way to add a newgame is another burn.

 

[porchemasi]

Found the issue, it was the damn cheap ass chinese micro SD-USB card reader that came with the flashcard. I used a real SD-CARD reader and all my 32GB kingston and ADATA CARDS WORKED AFTER THAT.

 

[cocoPika]

Once I pulled out my sd card while its writing games with DiskWrite, my card occurred the same problem with you, from 16gb turns to 426kb, then i opened it with the diskwrite again, format and reformat the card in diskwrite, after I closed the diskwrite I find the sd card back to 14.9GB, then I format it before use it.
You can have a try about this