Hacking [Release] NTRBoot for R4igoldcc,ARDS(EZ),ARDSI

[RupeeClock]

I made more of an effort to try and get my old ARDS connected to my PC, to no avail.
A Win XP VM I set up didn't detect it, and installing the code manager/drivers to a Win 7 machine also didn't work.
It's possible that it's a hardware failure, but I don't have any genuine XP/Vista hardware to work with.

Better off not doing it this way at all, and to borrow my brother's Acekard 2i or something.

 

[Deleted User]

Alright.

While I'm a complete noob, I know a bit of programming, at least.

Do you know any good way to debug an EXE file without its source code?

I used x64dbg. You're not going to have a good time if you don't know assembly.

 

[Olmectron]

I used x64dbg. You're not going to have a good time if you don't know assembly.

Thanks.

 

[Wantija]

Tried installing this on my phat ARDS, and I just get a black screen on my old 2DS and old 3DS. Doesn't fit in my n3DS so I can't check if it works or not, it has a9lh installed on it if that would've made a difference. Also have an original ARDS and it gets recognized in ARCM and the patched version but then disconnects it, probably a hardware problem on the ARDS.

 

[RattletraPM]

Alright.

While I'm a complete noob, I know a bit of programming, at least.

Do you know any good way to debug an EXE file without its source code?

OllyDBG is the first one that comes to mind, but some like more W32Dasm - it's old, but in the end, gets its job done. It can be a bit tricky to run well under Windows 10 but there are some modded versions online that run fine (can't link it here tho, it's abandonware but it's still copyrighted stuff).

Another one is x64dbg, YukiSnowmew said he used it in this thread too. It's definitely a good one, I used it while trying to reverse CodeManager, it's open source and newer than the two I said earlier.

 

[Joelgp83]

Hey, those of you thinking you need older windows to run code manager -- you don't. Or at least I didn't. This may point you in the right direction, though:

I have the original CD that came with teh ARDS Phat, and running the installer off that on 64bit win10 worked just fine. The drivers took a little bit of digging, but they're actually on the CD as well -- 64bit vista/7/8/10 compatible, to boot!

The trick is to connect the device via usb, then head to device manager and click "update driver" on the unknown device. Select the "Browse my computer for driver software", followed by the "let me pick from a list" option. Then, click "have disk"

Now, put the ARDS disk in the drive; and browse to either x:\ActionReplayDS.inf (for 32bit installs) or x:\ActionReplayDS_x64.inf (for 64bit installs), but replace "x" with your CD/DVD rom drive letter, of course.

Should show up as a proper USB device after the driver install (assuming its firmware is stock and you haven't ntr'd it elsewhere), no ancient windows VM shenanigans needed!

Those of you with an ARDSi that have the code manager on an install disc might be able to pull the same trick.

-edit-

I assumed the model I had was the complete original ARDS, turns out is what some of you are calling the ARDS Phat.

 

[GibWaffles]

Ok so I'm in the process of trying this on the ards I have patched the code manager and patched the firmware. The issue I'm getting is that when I try to drop the firmware into the code manager it just doesn't show. I can drop in in the in patched version (I know it doesn't work but as least I can drag drop it) but in the patched version I can drag and drop but nothing happens. Any advise to get this resolved?

Have you managed to fix it?
I'm having the exact same problem. All the files I'm using are from the included archive. Would anyone be willing to send a patched version that can accept drag and drop?

 

[Deleted User]

Welp, this doesn't let me boot into it at all (just a black screen)

Using ARDSi, I have booted into the menu using a different ds and a 3ds (with bootme.nds on the root of the microSD card of the ARDSi)
But, I wasn't able to do anything because the ntrboot flasher wasn't built to support ARDSi yet...

 

[jwraight]

Have you managed to fix it?
I'm having the exact same problem. All the files I'm using are from the included archive. Would anyone be willing to send a patched version that can accept drag and drop?

No such luck. If I run the software in safe mode I can drag and drop but
As it's safe mode it won't connect to the ards

 

[GibWaffles]

No such luck. If I run the software in safe mode I can drag and drop but
As it's safe mode it won't connect to the ards

I actually managed to fix it. Not sure what exactly made it work, but here is what I changed. I uninstalled code manager from C: and installed it on another partition. I also did all patching and other work on another partition. When patching with lunar I made sure I always launched it by right clicking and running as administrator. I also did all patching inside folders that had no space in the name.
I didn't rename the patched executable and renamed the original instead. Finally I ran the patched code manager as admin and it somehow worked.
I'm really not sure which part of that made it work, but it did. You might have some luck by replicating those steps.

 

[GibWaffles]

Huge thanks to the developers as I managed to unbrick my 3ds after 2.5 years thanks to this.
The flasher also works with this version of ards. It should be added to the OP.

 

[jwraight]

I actually managed to fix it. Not sure what exactly made it work, but here is what I changed. I uninstalled code manager from C: and installed it on another partition. I also did all patching and other work on another partition. When patching with lunar I made sure I always launched it by right clicking and running as administrator. I also did all patching inside folders that had no space in the name.
I didn't rename the patched executable and renamed the original instead. Finally I ran the patched code manager as admin and it somehow worked.
I'm really not sure which part of that made it work, but it did. You might have some luck by replicating those steps.

I did try this also by keeping the patched versions name unchanged as I found if you changed it to "patched" it would ask for admin rights. However I got another error whit the patched update "the checksum is incorrect"

 

[GibWaffles]

I did try this also by keeping the patched versions name unchanged as I found if you changed it to "patched" it would ask for admin rights. However I got another error whit the patched update "the checksum is incorrect"

The code manager patch is made to bypass that. Could you have accidentally used the unpathced version?

 

[jwraight]

The code manager patch is made to bypass that. Could you have accidentally used the unpathced version?

I think that I will go back to scratch and remove everything and start again. Hopefully I'll get the same result as you

 

[jwraight]

I think that I will go back to scratch and remove everything and start again. Hopefully I'll get the same result as you

all working cheers man

 

[Wolfvak]

It may be a bit late now but here's something derrek&profi200 have been working on: https://gist.github.com/profi200/038d112e1968b03fdda80754a9374731
It's a single source file and can be compiled with

gcc -lusb ardsiflash.c -o ardsiflash

requires libusb (modern 1.x, not 0.1.x)

 

[windhazard]

Huge thanks to the developers as I managed to unbrick my 3ds after 2.5 years thanks to this.
The flasher also works with this version of ards. It should be added to the OP.

Can you make a photo of the USB adapter for the card? I lost it and I don't know which type it is to buy.

 

[Deleted User]

Hey, those of you thinking you need older windows to run code manager -- you don't. Or at least I didn't. This may point you in the right direction, though:

I have the original CD that came with teh ARDS Phat, and running the installer off that on 64bit win10 worked just fine. The drivers took a little bit of digging, but they're actually on the CD as well -- 64bit vista/7/8/10 compatible, to boot!

The trick is to connect the device via usb, then head to device manager and click "update driver" on the unknown device. Select the "Browse my computer for driver software", followed by the "let me pick from a list" option. Then, click "have disk"

Now, put the ARDS disk in the drive; and browse to either x:\ActionReplayDS.inf (for 32bit installs) or x:\ActionReplayDS_x64.inf (for 64bit installs), but replace "x" with your CD/DVD rom drive letter, of course.

Should show up as a proper USB device after the driver install (assuming its firmware is stock and you haven't ntr'd it elsewhere), no ancient windows VM shenanigans needed!

Those of you with an ARDSi that have the code manager on an install disc might be able to pull the same trick.

-edit-

I assumed the model I had was the complete original ARDS, turns out is what some of you are calling the ARDS Phat.

TY ! It installed the driver but well the software still doesn't work :/ (The original one, and nothing appears on the AR on the DS :o ) but thank you !

 

[Rick Astley]

Hey,

if I'm here it's of course for an AR compability. I own this one : https://imgur.com/a/cjFIp (you have all the details about it with these picture) brand new (just opened it, got 2 a few years ago for 0,99€ each)

There are not matching the original ones but I saw many post talking about being compatibles (at least by the look)

Which tutorial I have to use ? It's not DSi compatible.

Thanks !

 

[Wantija]

Huge thanks to the developers as I managed to unbrick my 3ds after 2.5 years thanks to this.
The flasher also works with this version of ards. It should be added to the OP.

If you were able to get this card working I guess I must've done something wrong with my installation. Good to know it works.