nds-bootstrap:

Thanks to the work of ahezard, Gericom, Apache, Robz8, _catcatcat, and shutterbug2000 and other contributors, we can now load NDS games from the SD card, without any flashcard/SLOT-1 card.

Don't expect high compatibility, but do expect many, many updates.

Compatibility listing:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LRTkXOUXraTMjg1eedz_f7b5jiuyMv2x6e_jY_nyHSc/edit#gid=0

The official Discord server for nds-bootstrap:
https://discordapp.com/invite/7bxTQfZ

The thread for the recommended loader (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/twloader-ctr-mode-nds-app.448375/

SRLoader for softmodded DSis (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/srloader-nds-app-for-dsi.472200/

If you're more of a forwarder person:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/nds-forwarder-cias-for-your-home-menu.426174/

Link to the releases page:
https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases

Anti-Piracy patch list by Robz8
https://gbatemp.net/threads/ap-patch-preservation.477536/

Also, thank you to our testers:
Historian
JoshuaDoes
thejsa
Alerdy
PokeAcer

Spoiler: Videos

Also, a video thanks to Robz8:


And another thanks to Alerdy:

 

[RocketRobz]

Here's another nds-bootstrap video, with Super Mario 64 DS, but this time...


Credits:
@Apache Thunder, for his modified hbmenu, and me, for making it run nds-bootstrap.

 

[nooby89]

Is it dead ?

 

[RocketRobz]

Is it dead ?

Nope.

It's not dead people

 

[Darkboya]

that's wonderfull news!

 

[Vahkiti]

Okay so I'm having a couple of different issues here. I tried asking Robz8 about it more than once, and he doesn't seem to know what's up, so after trying the forwarder method to rule out some fuckery with TWLoader, I decided to come here given that the bootstrap is the source of the issue and not any specific loader.

Anyways, on my New 3DS, games will always white screen me. I have tried updating everything, doing clean installs, reinstalling all TWL firm CIAs, got fresh roms, messing with settings for both TWLoader and the bootstrap, reformatted my SD card with 32kb cluster size, and nothing has solved the problem. I even updated Luma and messed around with some of its settings with no effect. Everything I load, including games that worked just fine back before I updated to A9LH from Menuhax+EmuNAND no longer function.

Additionally, I CAN get games to load, on one specific 4gb SD card with my old 3DS, however the load times are absurd, even for TWLoader. We're talking not just minute long boot times for the rom, but even longer just going from menu to menu, if it continues on at all. I know for a fact it never did this back when it worked on my New 3DS, so I am at a complete loss as to what the deal is. Same goes for this system in all the troubleshooting methods listed above.

 

[RocketRobz]

Okay so I'm having a couple of different issues here. I tried asking Robz8 about it more than once, and he doesn't seem to know what's up, so after trying the forwarder method to rule out some fuckery with TWLoader, I decided to come here given that the bootstrap is the source of the issue and not any specific loader.

Anyways, on my New 3DS, games will always white screen me. I have tried updating everything, doing clean installs, reinstalling all TWL firm CIAs, got fresh roms, messing with settings for both TWLoader and the bootstrap, reformatted my SD card with 32kb cluster size, and nothing has solved the problem. I even updated Luma and messed around with some of its settings with no effect. Everything I load, including games that worked just fine back before I updated to A9LH from Menuhax+EmuNAND no longer function.

Additionally, I CAN get games to load, on one specific 4gb SD card with my old 3DS, however the load times are absurd, even for TWLoader. We're talking not just minute long boot times for the rom, but even longer just going from menu to menu, if it continues on at all. I know for a fact it never did this back when it worked on my New 3DS, so I am at a complete loss as to what the deal is. Same goes for this system in all the troubleshooting methods listed above.

Hmm... now that you mention bootstrap, is the .ini file of bootstrap set to read-only or something?

 

[Vahkiti]

Hmm... now that you mention bootstrap, is the .ini file of bootstrap set to read-only or something?

I don't imagine it would be. I've replaced it multiple times with the various reinstalls, and I've seen it update the rom info each time I've looked at it after a dysfunctional attempted load. Short of doing a complete reformat of the system itself, I think I've ruled out everything I can unless I'm having just a massive brain fart. :|

EDIT: I've also confirmed that TWLFirm isn't broken, as loading DS/DSiWare games already on the system works just fine.

 

[Blakinu]

Hey, is there a way to improve load times from SD? the game freezes until its finished downloading and its just anoying

 

[Deleted User]

Hey, is there a way to improve load times from SD? the game freezes until its finished downloading and its just anoying

We'll have to wait for improvements to the bootstrap itself, as it's mostly that. What you can try is formatting your SD card with a 32KB cluster size. It's not going to make everything fast, but it'll make things faster.

 

[Roboman]

Here's another nds-bootstrap video, with Super Mario 64 DS, but this time...


Credits:
@Apache Thunder, for his modified hbmenu, and me, for making it run nds-bootstrap.

Amazing!
May I ask how you dealt with the memory layout issues? IIRC most ds games don't work correctly in dsi memory mode.

 

[RocketRobz]

Amazing!
May I ask how you dealt with the memory layout issues? IIRC most ds games don't work correctly in dsi memory mode.

The ARM9 was able to switch to 4MB RAM mode needed for DS games to run, as the ARM9 SCFG isn't locked in DSi mode.

 

[Lucar3]

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth freezees on black screen after selecting chapter despite there's written that it runs well with only some graphical errors

 

[FrExY_432]

Is the bootstrap still being worked on because the last update was in February?

 

[Dracari]

Is the bootstrap still being worked on because the last update was in February?

the Dev had RL Happen but has annouced they will resume "SOON"

 

[TimX24968B]

the Dev had RL Happen but has annouced they will resume "SOON"

you forgot the "TM"

 

[RocketRobz]

you forgot the "TM"

If you add "TM", then it'll be Gateway soon, but we already know it won't be that long.

 

[Valery0p]

Does twloader+ndsbootsrap still work on luma 7.1, right?

 

[RocketRobz]

Does twloader+ndsbootsrap still work on luma 7.1, right?

Yes.

 

[someguy12345]

Hi everyone,

Could you guys do compatibility checks on some of the following games? I didn't see these in the list:

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Tales of Hearts
Nanashi no Game
Ni no Kuni
The Saga games
Sakura Note
Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
Suikoden Tierkreis
Okamiden
Trace Memory
Card Hero DS

I would test these out myself, but I currently have a 11.4 OG 3DS and can't homebrew my 3DS (no extra system, and I'm not comfortable hard modding). I plan to do it in the future though.

Really bummed out that Soma Bringer, Solotarobo, 7th Dragon, and Tales of Innocence don't work

 

[noctis90210]

With the release of sighax, the devs have more control on 3ds, devs can explore on other things that were not accesible during the period of a9lh.

So will there be posibility of having increase compatibility now that sighax/b9s is out?