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]

Robz8, Hello. Wanted to ask you, why do we have only 28mb of RAM at the moment? Can we have at least 64mb in the future, so 128mb roms could run almost without lags and long loadings, or there are some 3DS hardware limitations?
Tried to search this information by myself but could find only information about RAM increase from 4,8 to 28mb.

There's limitations, unknown if it's by hardware or the TWL_FIRM.
We can have up to 32MB, because panda/dev DSi units have 32MB of RAM.
Also, the first 4MB are used by the game, so we can only store ROMs up to 28MB or below, into RAM.

 

[BlastXDX]

So I recall there being a post on here quite a while ago (some time last year, iirc) saying that Bowser's Inside Story was working and that it'd be in a later commit. Anyone know what happened, and when/if it'll be working?

 

[RocketRobz]

So I recall there being a post on here quite a while ago (some time last year, iirc) saying that Bowser's Inside Story was working and that it'd be in a later commit. Anyone know what happened, and when/if it'll be working?

BiS now works, but not past the save screen, due to AP measures, and an AP patch doesn't fix it.

 

[BlastXDX]

BiS now works, but not past the save screen, due to AP measures, and an AP patch doesn't fix it.

Ah, gotcha. I thought by working it meant playable, sorry for the confusion!

 

[soniccomcisbr]

If it not works, At least this game will be released for 3ds next year

 

[soniccomcisbr]

Ok, I just tried Game Center CX 2 - in japanese it's works good if you turn off the voices. With translation its goes black scren after join the game room. I bet it's because of the "trim". It's possible to aply the patch without trim the rom?

 

[RocketRobz]

Ok, I just tried Game Center CX 2 - in japanese it's works good if you turn off the voices. With translation its goes black scren after join the game room. I bet it's because of the "trim". It's possible to aply the patch without trim the rom?

Using HxD, insert 0x100000 bytes to the end of the ROM file.

 

[soniccomcisbr]

Using HxD, insert 0x100000 bytes to the end of the ROM file.

UPDATE: I tested and worked

Never did this before, but its like this?

 

[RocketRobz]

UPDATE: I tested and worked

Never did this before, but its like this?

Yes.

 

[hoogachakka]

Where can I find these "thumb patches"?

 

[Roboman]

Where can I find these "thumb patches"?

They haven't been made yet. So you are out of luck for now. It seems most games don't need them.

 

[RocketRobz]

nds-bootstrap v0.8.0: Fixed Haxxstation support

What's new?

• Async prefetching has been implemented!
  (This does not apply to the SDK5 DSi build.)
• The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, now saves to SD card, so you no longer need a donor cart for saving.
• L+R+START+SELECT now activates a new method of soft-resetting a game.
  For 3DS, TWLNAND side of TWLoader is rebooted. For DSi, "SRLoader: Last-ran ROM" is booted.

Improvements

• 16MB/32MB RAM mode is now always used, so to access the cache, RAM mode switching no longer occurs.
  As a result, performance has been slightly increased.
• MegaMan Zero Collection (USA) now loads at near cart speeds!
• Some games that used DSi WRAM as cache, no longer uses it, and instead uses main RAM as cache, like most other games do.

Bug fixes

• Since RAM mode switching no longer occurs, game compatibility has been improved a bit, such as Metroid Prime Hunters (non-Korean) now working for the first time since a year or less.
• DS Download Play support is now fixed for SDK1-4 games! That means DS Download Station/Haxxstation is working again!
  NOTE: Please turn off donor ROM, for your ROM containing DLP, before using the DLP feature.
• Some games that needed donor ROM force-used, no longer needs it force-used.
• DLP demos using thumb, now work.
• DSiWarehax fixes have been implemented to the 3DS build.
  SRLoader v4.1.0 will use the 3DS build for 3DS users using DSiWarehax.

Regression

• As 16MB/32MB RAM mode is always used, and the cardEngine arm9 code has been moved from DSi WRAM, to the 4MB DS debug RAM area (main RAM) for DLP to work, that area is now used, so now only 24MB or lower (8MB or lower, for DSi) ROMs can be loaded into RAM.

 

[zeroultima6]

I can confirm most if not all games that freezes in sleep mode (donor rom usage) has been fixed.

 

[soniccomcisbr]

The sound effects on mario vs dk 2 are working without lag now

 

[soniccomcisbr]

Update: Retro Game Challange and Sola to Robo are not working on the official release, but are working normally if you choose unnoficial

 

[RocketRobz]

Update: Retro Game Challange and Sola to Robo are not working on the official release, but are working normally if you choose unnoficial

Try updating again official bootstrap again. Should work on official now.

 

[Dracari]

Try updating again official bootstrap again. Should work on official now.

does Solatorobo still need a donor card to save or does it have working .sav support yet?

 

[lordkaos]

Try updating again official bootstrap again. Should work on official now.

could it be possible to add another option to the select menu to choose a different bootstrap for running games like contra 4?

 

[RocketRobz]

does Solatorobo still need a donor card to save or does it have working .sav support yet?

SDK5 games, including Solatorobo, still needs donor cart.

could it be possible to add another option to the select menu to choose a different bootstrap for running games like contra 4?

Contra 4 still works, just with some load times.

 

[lordkaos]

SDK5 games, including Solatorobo, still needs donor cart.

Contra 4 still works, just with some load times.

yeah, I Know but it worked perfectly before, it was just a suggestion for all the 24-28 MB games.