Hacking Is it possible to launch an Acekard 2i without CFW?

[Metotaku]

I haven't installed CFW on my 3ds yet, mostly because I don't know the details of what all it does, good or bad. I'd like to use my Acekard 2i on my 3ds, even though its been blocked for a long time. I thought it would be pretty easy developing a simple homebrew tool for that, seeing as it's easy to remove region locking, but I could be dead wrong. Please reply with any information that could help.

 

[daxtsu]

Not really, since the Acekard 2i was blocked back somewhere in the 4.3.0 or 4.4.0 era. The way it works now is by patching the "DS mode" on the 3DS to allow any flashcarts to boot with a CFW. There are other "dirty" solutions you can use, but they're riskier than just installing a CFW, so there's little point.

 

[Cuphat]

Getting CFW is real easy right now so long as you can read and follow directions: https://3ds.guide/

CFW is the only way to launch an Acekard 2i on current (or any recent) firmware. It was blocked years ago, along with a lot of older flashcards.

 

[Apache Thunder]

I haven't installed CFW on my 3ds yet, mostly because I don't know the details of what all it does, good or bad. I'd like to use my Acekard 2i on my 3ds, even though its been blocked for a long time. I thought it would be pretty easy developing a simple homebrew tool for that, seeing as it's easy to remove region locking, but I could be dead wrong. Please reply with any information that could help.

Well it's sorta do able. You'd have to downgrade TWL_FIRM and DS Cart White list. I don't think you can do that directly in vanilla 11.2 with just arm11 kernel. Might be part of the blacklist arm9 has now where it doesn't certain titles install if they are older then what arm9 has in the list.

You can run Luma from soundhax + fasthax and then use safehax to gain arm9 (no need to buy a price scalped game like Cubic Ninja/Freaky Forms Deluxe as Soundhax uses a system app and is on every 3DS. ). As of 11.2, you can still do that. So I suggest you do before the next system update rolls around which could happen as early as next week.

Once you do that you can either continue to use Luma and be able to launch Acekard 2i or install CFW via a more perma option like Kernal9LoaderHax (since luma patches TWL_FIRM to allow it). Refer to my TWL Slot-1 Launcher if it's the DS Cart White list that blocked it. If it was, then Home Menu won't launch it. But you can get around that with TWL Slot-1 Launcher. A bare bones custom DSiWare SRL which tricks Home Menu into thinking it's launching DSiWare, but once TWL_FIRM starts, it ends up launching slot-1 due to the TID's category bit.

Of coarse long term you'd be better off installing perma CFW like Kernel9LoaderHax but I guess you don't want to do that. Closest you can get is using Luma CFW to downgrade TWL_FIRM and DS Cart Whitelist. Then you wouldn't need to boot into CFW everytime you want to use your Acekard. That's the best you can get without "installing" a CFW.

 

[Zidapi]

Can confirm, Acekard 2i will load using @Apache Thunder's slot 1 launcher.

 

[nechigawara]

Can confirm, Acekard 2i will load using @Apache Thunder's slot 1 launcher.

Slot 1 launcher need CFW, which OP want to avoid.

 

[Apache Thunder]

Slot 1 launcher need CFW, which OP want to avoid.

Problem is...He can't. He'll have to use CFW to downgrade TWL_FIRM/DS Cart White list. This is the minimum requirement to get it to work. Otherwise he's up a creek with no paddle.

 

[Metotaku]

I installed CFW, if anyone's still here, any recommended methods?

 

[nechigawara]

I installed CFW, if anyone's still here, any recommended methods?

The best metjod is what @Zidapi said.

Can confirm, Acekard 2i will load using @Apache Thunder's slot 1 launcher.

Here : NTR Launcher - Bring back that classic DS boot screen for your DS games!

 

[daxtsu]

If you're using Luma or a modern CFW the 2i should launch directly from the HOME menu, no need for an additional launcher (unless you want its extra features), assuming you have at least the Deep Labyrinth bootstrap.