Hacking Unbricking Acekard 2i w/ 3DS and A9LH/CFW

[Bullseye]

So I had an old Acekard 2i that worked perfectly on my 3DS till it bricked. Don't remember how, but I think it was because I updated the 3DS FW before the card.
I bought a new one after that and that one has been working great and keeps on working now. I'm using A9LH + AuReinand on EmuNAND 10.7 on both O3DS and N3DS XL and it is working stock, without any TWL_firm patch or TWL_slot1 uploader from Apache Thunder.

So with the use of CFW and TWL_firm patches we can use these cards again on FW 10.x, 9.x, etc.

And so I thought about unbricking my acekard 2i with this. However in the gbatemp wiki it says you need, and I don't know if there is any special reason for that:

This un-bricking process should only be performed using a DS Phat or DS Lite

http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Updating_the_AK2i_Bootloader

I tried using one of the bootloaders (something like ak2ifw_update_3ds43_dsi144_onDSL.nds) to unbrick the old one using my working acekard 2i and my O3DS. (I don't have a DS phat or DS lite) but I have not managed to make it work. I click on B to continue updating the card but it gets stuck there.

I have made some progress, because before I introduced my bricked acekard 2i and I did not see any symbol nor any signs of the console recognizing the card. Now, I do see a symbol of "acekard 2i" and the logo. And when I try to start the card the "An error has occured" message pops up immediately.

Do I still need a DS Phat/lite to unbrick my acekard or is there another way for me to recover this card?

EDIT: I also forgot to mention something regarding Bootloaders. Before I tried to do this I had Deep Labyrinth - Digital Bros on my working Acekard however I updated it by mistake to Pippa Funnell and to my surprise it booted up very slow compared to before. I tried to revert back to it but did not find the files. I eneded up downgrading it to Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian and it now boots up fast again. Don't know what that was about.

EDIT2: Check this for solution.

 

[Ryccardo]

I don't know if there is any special reason for that:

This un-bricking process should only be performed using a DS Phat or DS Lite

A DSi/3DS knows when a card is removed, and blocks future access to it until Home resets it!

 

[Bullseye]

Hmm, but with CFW isn't there a way to remove that block and access that feature?

A DSi/3DS knows when a card is removed, and blocks future access to it until Home resets it!

 

[Ryccardo]

It may be possible to make a twlfirm that ignores eject events... but there's none as of today!

 

[Bullseye]

I see. Oh and how come my O3DS can see that card showing the logo and so and the N3DS doesn't. It was bricked using my O3DS but the New one shouldn't have that issue.

It may be possible to make a twlfirm that ignores eject events... but there's none as of today!

 

[Apache Thunder]

You may be able to unbrick it by running the updater from NAND. As in, converting it to a DSiWare app instead of running it from a flashcart. (because running it from a flashcart would require cart swapping which you can't do on 3DS/DSi).

I can convert them to a CIA so you can see if they work. Since it's already bricked, you have nothing to lose from trying.

EDIT:

I see. Oh and how come my O3DS can see that card showing the logo and so and the N3DS doesn't. It was bricked using my O3DS but the New one shouldn't have that issue.

Ok done. Try this:

Acekard2i_Updaters.rar

This will install as a DSiWare app on your 3DS. Patched TWL_FIRM needed to run them. I tested them and they are able to read the chip id of my DSTT. So it looks like they should work if a Acekard 2i is inserted. I provided two versions. One runs in NTR mode. Try this one first. The other runs in DSi mode (filename has "_twl" appended on it. That's the one that runs in DSi mode).

Only try the DSi mode one if the NTR one doesn't work.

 

[Bullseye]

Ok, thanks a lot, I will try it tomorrow and will report back.

You may be able to unbrick it by running the updater from NAND. As in, converting it to a DSiWare app instead of running it from a flashcart. (because running it from a flashcart would require cart swapping which you can't do on 3DS/DSi).

I can convert them to a CIA so you can see if they work. Since it's already bricked, you have nothing to lose from trying.

EDIT:



Ok done. Try this:

Acekard2i_Updaters.rar

This will install as a DSiWare app on your 3DS. Patched TWL_FIRM needed to run them. I tested them and they are able to read the chip id of my DSTT. So it looks like they should work if a Acekard 2i is inserted. I provided two versions. One runs in NTR mode. Try this one first. The other runs in DSi mode (filename has "_twl" appended on it. That's the one that runs in DSi mode).

Only try the DSi mode one if the NTR one doesn't work.

 

[ianuk2005]

It shows the acekard logo it seems with the old kernel (pre 1.4.4 dsi), if it's showing that you need the patched TWL_FIRM and the slot 1 loader otherwise you get the error you are getting.

Hopefully you can install them and boot with the loader then update the kernel.

See this thread I just updated from pre 1.4.4 to deep labyrinth: https://gbatemp.net/threads/acekard-2i-on-3ds-a9lh.421768/

 

[Bullseye]

@Apache Thunder Thanks a lot!! It worked!!!

So I installed the patched TWL_firm in EmuNAND and I first tried to use the one that runs in NTR mode first. It didn't work. I tried the one running in DSi mode and it didn't work.

I installed your TWL Slot-1 launcher and it started the card. So I booted up on Sysnand and tried the one that runs in NTR mode and nothing. Then I tried the one on DSi mode and it worked. It went through the process of unbricking the card and when starting the card again it showed Pippa Funnel's horse.

Then I updated to Deep Labyrinth bootloader from @ianuk2005 thread and it works perfectly. I tried it on my N3DS which has unpatched TWl_firm files and it works.

I have one question though. If I wanted to revert to the unpatched TWL_firm files, can I use the ones from sysnand 9.2.0 FW or do I have to use 10.7.0 twl_firm files? I am a bit lost with this regarding emunand and sysnand on A9LH.

EDIT: So I'm trying my unbricked Acekard on my N3DS (with unpatched TWL_firm files) and the card will load in Emunand (10.7) but not in Sysnand (9.2)).
And just checked boot times between O3DS and N3DS and O3DS boots up card like 1 sec faster than N3DS, and loads faster as well. Just some info here.

 

[Ryccardo]

I have one question though. If I wanted to revert to the unpatched TWL_firm files, can I use the ones from sysnand 9.2.0 FW or do I have to use 10.7.0 twl_firm files? I am a bit lost with this regarding emunand and sysnand on A9LH.

The one matching your OS (or, in emunand, you can just carefully uninstall them then update from the settings!)

 

[ianuk2005]

@Apache Thunder Thanks a lot!! It worked!!!

So I installed the patched TWL_firm in EmuNAND and I first tried to use the one that runs in NTR mode first. It didn't work. I tried the one running in DSi mode and it didn't work.

I installed your TWL Slot-1 launcher and it started the card. So I booted up on Sysnand and tried the one that runs in NTR mode and nothing. Then I tried the one on DSi mode and it worked. It went through the process of unbricking the card and when starting the card again it showed Pippa Funnel's horse.

Then I updated to Deep Labyrinth bootloader from @ianuk2005 thread and it works perfectly. I tried it on my N3DS which has unpatched TWl_firm files and it works.

I have one question though. If I wanted to revert to the unpatched TWL_firm files, can I use the ones from sysnand 9.2.0 FW or do I have to use 10.7.0 twl_firm files? I am a bit lost with this regarding emunand and sysnand on A9LH.

EDIT: So I'm trying my unbricked Acekard on my N3DS (with unpatched TWL_firm files) and the card will load in Emunand (10.7) but not in Sysnand (9.2)).
And just checked boot times between O3DS and N3DS and O3DS boots up card like 1 sec faster than N3DS, and loads faster as well. Just some info here.

I'm getting confused now, I thought a patched TWL_FIRM was a requirement to disable checks if you was past v4.3 as that was the latest acekard kernel. The slot 1 loader is required though if your kernel is on an older version.

 

[Bullseye]

Oh, ok, my bad. I meant that I installed TWL Slot 1 launcher to see if the card was able to boot. After just testing that is when I decided to go into sysnand and try again with the updaters.

I'm getting confused now, I thought a patched TWL_FIRM was a requirement to disable checks if you was past v4.3 as that was the latest acekard kernel. The slot 1 loader is required though if your kernel is on an older version.

 

[AdmiralToucan]

Does updating the acekard2i bootloader have any benefit when it comes to running games?

 

[frosty5689]

Does updating the acekard2i bootloader have any benefit when it comes to running games?

If its not broken, don't fix it.

 

[Bullseye]

If you are using Pippa Funnel as bootloader then its better if you downgrade it to either Deep Labyrinth or Chronicles of Narnia. I have tried those on both O3DS and N3DS and they both start faster. With pippa funnel it seemed as if console would crash after starting card.

Does updating the acekard2i bootloader have any benefit when it comes to running games?

 

[Baoulettes]

Soooo
This process could be done for Super Card DSTwo?
I have one that is bricked but can't do the unbrick process cause of card switching...

 

[Bullseye]

If it uses a similar principle as Acekard 2i then I believe you can.

Soooo
This process could be done for Super Card DSTwo?
I have one that is bricked but can't do the unbrick process cause of card switching...

 

[Deleted User]

Sorry to semi-hijack this thread, but do Acekard2i's work on 3DS without a fix? I'm trying to recommend a cheap-ish cart to a friend.

 

[daxtsu]

Sorry to semi-hijack this thread, but do Acekard2i's work on 3DS without a fix? I'm trying to recommend a cheap-ish cart to a friend.

A "fix"? I assume you mean, "Does it work without a downgraded whitelist or patched TWL_FIRM?" by this, and the answer to that is no, because the Acekard 2i was blocked in firmware 4.4, I believe it was.

 

[Deleted User]

Ah, ty
Final question: Does it support DSi games (not just DSi-enhanced with no enhancement, things like Pokemon White with camera)?