How to dump your own 3DS/DS games/saves.

There's three different ways to dump your own 3DS/DS games/saves.
(The tools used to dump 3DS/DSi games are not currently public.)

• WiFi
  • PROS
    • Only needs a Slot-1 card.
  • CONS
    • Needs WiFi set up to let the DS connect, which isn't always possible.
    • Needs you to run a server program on your computer, which might mean you need to dig around in your firewall settings.
    • Slow transfer speeds (hours for the larger games).
    • Will not work on a DSi/XL.
    • Does not work with any DSi games.
    -
• Slot-2
  • PROS
    • Can be done without wireless.
  • CONS
    • Requires a Slot-2 flash card in addition to a slot-1.
    • Won't work if the internal battery is dead.
    • Will not work on a 3DS/DSi/XL.
    • Does not work with any DSi games.
    -
• Hardware
  • PROS
    • Backs up any save.
    • Fast backup speeds.
    • Doesn't require a specific DS model.
    • Works on all known DS games AND current-known 3DS games.
  • CONS
    • Doesn't dump the ROM.
    • Requires you to buy some hardware.
    • Uses unsigned drivers, so you may need to fiddle with some windows settings to use it.
    • Does not work with DSi games.

-

Spoiler: WiFi

The tool used to dump games is Wood Dumper.

1. Transfer that file to your Slot-1 flash card.
2. Run it.
3. When it tells you to "Set a target card", take your Slot-1 flash cart out and put the actual game cart in.
4. Press A, and then look for an IP address on the top screen.
5. Go to your computer, and open Firefox3+, IE8+ or Chrome 5+.
6. In the address bar, type "ftp://", then the IP address listed on the DS, followed by a colon, then the number 21. For example something like ftp://192.168.2.4:21.
7. If in firefox you get a message that the port is blocked, you need to unblock port 21. If not, skip this step.
   • In the address bar, type "about:config" with no quotes and press enter.
   • Agree to the warning.
   • Right-click in the window and choose New -] String.
   • For the name, type "network.security.ports.banned.override" with no quotes.
   • For the value, use "21" with no quotes.
   • Restart firefox and try again.
8. Just press enter if it asks you for a username and password.
9. The screen that shows up should list the game as a file. Click it to start downloading it from the DS.

-

The tool used to dump game saves depends...
For 3DS saves, you will need DSaveManager.

For normal DS saves, the tool is NDS Backup Tool WiFi.
(For Heartgold/Soulsilver/Black/White, you need this tool.)
You will also need SmallFTPd 1.0.3.

1. Transfer both the program and it's .INI file to your flash cart.
2. Find your computer's internal/local IP address. In your start/globe menu, go to the "run" command. If you're on vista/7, you'd use the little white box near the bottom. Type in "CMD" and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER. In the black box that comes up, type "ipconfig" and press enter. It'll list a series of four numbers as your IP(v4) address, like 192.168.2.3. Write those down.
3. Edit the .INI file that comes with the backup program. You can edit it with a text editor like notepad. Change the IP address to the one you found in the previous step, and change the port number from 21 to 8080. Change both the user name and password to "test" with no quotes. Save the changes.
4. You may need to go into your firewall or other security program and allow access on port 8080.
5. Open SmallFTPd.
6. Go to Settings - General, and set the port to 8080.
7. Go to Settings - Advanced, and check "use local IP".
8. Go to Settings - Users. Choose to add one, and make sure it's username and password are both "test" with no quotes. For "directories", use "c:\temp" (no quotes) as the physical path. Give the user permissions LRW.
9. Save the settings.
10. Click the play button, and the server should start.
11. Run the backup tool on your DS/Lite.
12. It should connect to your computer. If it does not, double-check your settings and security software.
13. Take your flash cart out of your DS.
14. Put the real game in your DS and then press A.
15. Press B to dump the save.

Spoiler: Slot-2

The tool used depends on which Slot-2 cart you have.

If you have an EZFlash 3in1 the tool to dump games (a.k.a. Rom Backup) and backup saves is NDS Backup Tool 3in1. By default this tool will back up to /NDS_Backup though this location can be changed in the included INI file. It works by copying the original DS game or save data to the 3in1, then after a reboot it copies the backup from the 3in1 to a Slot-1 flash cart. DLDI patching may be required if your flash cart does not support automatic DLDI patching.

1. Download the tool from the link above and extract the NDS and INI files to the root of your flash cart.
2. (Optional) If you want to change the destination folder of the backup you can edit the INI file with your favorite text editor.
3. Make sure an EZFlash 3in1 card is in Slot-2 before you run the tool or it will give a warning and shutdown.
4. Follow the on screen instructions to swap the flash cart for an original game.
5. From here follow the on screen instructions. Backups are temporarily written to the EZFlash 3in1.
6. The DS should shutdown after a backup operation has completed.
7. Swap the original game for the flash cart and run the tool again to retrieve the backup from the EZFlash 3in1.

-

If you have a Slot-2 flash cart with DLDI support like the Supercard Supercard, M3, or older model EZ4 (the newer models and kernels with SDHC support do not have DS mode and thus no dumping tools) you want Wood Dumper Slot-2

1. Download the tool and DLDI patch it for your Slot-2 cart.
2. Transfer it to your Slot-2 cart and run it.
3. Put the game you want to dump into your DS, and press A.
4. When it's completed you will find a DS rom with a datestamp in the root of your card.

-

For the save data of Heartgold/Soulsilver you need this tool for a 3-in-1.
There's another tool that works with other Slot-2 carts, but it's experimental for now, use it at your own risk.

Spoiler: Hardware

One piece of hardware is the NDS backup Adapter+ (plus, not normal). Unlike the original adapter (and other models) this supports newer games with various hardware changes, including Pokemon Heartgold and Pokemon Soulsilver, as well as 3DS games.
This device works by actually sticking a DS game cart into it, and then putting it into a USB port on your computer to back up or restore the game/save on it. It comes with the required software and a manual for using it, but this review includes more detailed instructions as well as information on getting the 64-bit drivers working if needed.

A second device is the NEO SMS4.

One final note: piracy is bad, don't do it. These programs and instructions were created for the legal owners of DS games to backup the games and save data.


Many thanks to Xastabus and FAST6191 for filling in the missing information.

 

[dominguezlaraaaron]

[QUOTE = "Rydian, publicación: 3388794, miembro: 244492"] De acuerdo, he hecho todo lo posible.

Solo tengo una DSi, así que no puedo terminar las instrucciones de la ranura 2 (ya que todo lo que encontré parece suponer que las instrucciones de la herramienta son suficientes para pasar, pero no puedo ejecutar la herramienta).

Halp plz. [/ QUOTE]
oye tengo una duda

 

[Alex4nder001]

[QUOTE = "Rydian, publicación: 3388794, miembro: 244492"] De acuerdo, he hecho todo lo posible.

Solo tengo una DSi, así que no puedo terminar las instrucciones de la ranura 2 (ya que todo lo que encontré parece suponer que las instrucciones de la herramienta son suficientes para pasar, pero no puedo ejecutar la herramienta).

Halp plz. [/ QUOTE]
oye tengo una duda

English please
Por favor habla en ingles

 

[7ank0v1c]

Hey guys, I am trying to dump my own rom using the slot 2 method but am having a real hard time trying to make it work.

I am using a DS Lite, an R4 card (Original, as a nopass) and an EZ Flash IV card (Older version), I have got as far as booting into the slot 2, but every time it wants to update the flash cart and doesn't boot into the menu. Any tips? or am I going about this completely wrong?

 

[FAST6191]

What kernel is your EZ4 on? The DS mode of it was dropped some time back (way before the SDHC updates if you have done those).
Also are you holding R to launch the nopass functionality of the R4 (I can't remember the various buttons for the R4, not to mention the wide array of choices of loader program you have with those these days). If you continued to hold it then it might have thought you wanted to update it.

 

[7ank0v1c]

What kernel is your EZ4 on? The DS mode of it was dropped some time back (way before the SDHC updates if you have done those).
Also are you holding R to launch the nopass functionality of the R4 (I can't remember the various buttons for the R4, not to mention the wide array of choices of loader program you have with those these days). If you continued to hold it then it might have thought you wanted to update it.

So I figured out that it was because of a later firmware. I wasn't holding R at all. Out of interest do you happen to know at what kernel they dropped DS support? Id like to get the latest possible.

Thanks for the response, by the way, it was exactly the info I needed, just I found it somewhere else literally a few minutes before haha.

I am now at a new issue, and I think its because of patching (or lack of), when I press A to load an NDS file it just freezes. Is this normal for an unpatched file?

I will look further into patching tomorrow now, most likely. Getting late in my part of the world haha =D

Thanks for the help. I been at this for ages and only now starting to make progress haha

 

[FAST6191]

As long as you have not got one of the newer batches and it is really an older version then any from around that era should do. I tended to point people at the modulo reset kernel.
Attached is an old copy of an EZ4 client pack I put together.
It will have the DLDI patch and program to do it somewhere in there, also a copy of the modulo reset loader (the ezfla_up.bin file in there).

Launching the DS file. I guess you did not DLDI patch the NDS file -- GBA slot devices never got automatic DLDI patching* that DS slot devices have
https://www.chishm.com/DLDI/

*DLDI patching very quickly. If you ever wondered how all sorts of homebrew accesses SD cards on flash carts made sometimes years apart, all by developers in competition with each other then they didn't. Flash cart makers instead got to provide a patch file to allow it to work with their cart and this eventually got called Dynamically Linked Device Interface.

Don't run DS homebrew through EZ4client or anything. That is only for commercial GBA and DS games, and maybe some GBA homebrew if it needs save functionality.

 

[7ank0v1c]

As long as you have not got one of the newer batches and it is really an older version then any from around that era should do. I tended to point people at the modulo reset kernel.
Attached is an old copy of an EZ4 client pack I put together.
It will have the DLDI patch and program to do it somewhere in there, also a copy of the modulo reset loader (the ezfla_up.bin file in there).

Launching the DS file. I guess you did not DLDI patch the NDS file -- GBA slot devices never got automatic DLDI patching* that DS slot devices have
https://www.chishm.com/DLDI/

*DLDI patching very quickly. If you ever wondered how all sorts of homebrew accesses SD cards on flash carts made sometimes years apart, all by developers in competition with each other then they didn't. Flash cart makers instead got to provide a patch file to allow it to work with their cart and this eventually got called Dynamically Linked Device Interface.

Don't run DS homebrew through EZ4client or anything. That is only for commercial GBA and DS games, and maybe some GBA homebrew if it needs save functionality.

Thanks man, so I am still having the same issue. I am trying to load 'wooddumper_slot2.nds', but it keeps freezing. I simply press A on the file and..... nothing. it just freezes and doesn't give me any sign that its working or anything. I patched the file, but it didn't seem to work. I tried to run flashme.nds and the same thing.

The cart I have says EZ402 2006.03 on the back, and is a mini SD cart. Any clue?

thanks again

 

[FAST6191]

If it is a miniSD one it should be good for use with such kernels.

Also I forgot that DS homebrew on the EZ4 wants to be in .ds.gba format. My bad. You want to add a GBA header to the thing, I used to have one and would just do copy /b at the command line. Alternatively in the same directory in the previously attached file is a program called dsbuild that will do it for you.

 

[7ank0v1c]

If it is a miniSD one it should be good for use with such kernels.

Also I forgot that DS homebrew on the EZ4 wants to be in .ds.gba format. My bad. You want to add a GBA header to the thing, I used to have one and would just do copy /b at the command line. Alternatively in the same directory in the previously attached file is a program called dsbuild that will do it for you.

Thankyou so much, it finally works

Already tested one rom and it works flawlessly. Thanks a bunch bud,

A couple of questions still though, if I may?, am I safe to use flashme.nds through dsbuild?, will it brick my console even with the safety precautions?

Also do I have to patch homebrew first, and then do the dsbuild? or can I just use dsbuild?

it doesn't let me patch flashme but it did wooddumper?

Thanks again

 

[FAST6191]

Nice. Dumping own ROMs and saves is always nice to be able to do.

DLDI is purely for things which need to access the SD card. Flashme has everything it needs in the base ROM. DSbuild should not trouble it. Order of patching should not matter.

 

[7ank0v1c]

Nice. Dumping own ROMs and saves is always nice to be able to do.

DLDI is purely for things which need to access the SD card. Flashme has everything it needs in the base ROM. DSbuild should not trouble it. Order of patching should not matter.

Sweet man, thanks again and I think one more thing, for now at least , how do I back up the save for the ds games? Could you point me to the tool please that works nice with EZFlash IV =D

 

[FAST6191]

I normally used Rudolph's dumping tools. Indeed I still used them for dumping DS ROMs -- the only difference between one dumped by wood and by Rudolph's is an utterly inconsequential part of the header*
Said tools
https://filetrip.net/nds-downloads/applications/download-dldi-ds-rom-save-dumper-0-1-f826.html

*as we are technically in a thread all about dumping then why not. When the DSi came around it noted every game released before then and put it on a big list of known games it would run. Obviously flash carts were not one of them, https://hackmii.com/2010/02/lawsuit-coming-in-3-2-1/ has more on what was done and how it eventually failed/was worked around. Newer games had a small section of the header that was once unused/just filled with 00s given over to a signature file. Said signature has no bearing on anything you will ever likely use (not running the game, not using them on a DSi with flash cart, not using them on a 3ds, not using them on an emulator, likely nothing that Nintendo will ever do in the future and almost certainly not future homebrew, emulator or otherwise), the very worst that would happen is if you used certain types of patch in ROM hacks then someone might have to tell it to ignore verification which is a simple option you add to it. To that end you can go see the nds proper list on something like http://www.advanscene.com/ and nobody cares.

 

[7ank0v1c]

I normally used Rudolph's dumping tools. Indeed I still used them for dumping DS ROMs -- the only difference between one dumped by wood and by Rudolph's is an utterly inconsequential part of the header*
Said tools
https://filetrip.net/nds-downloads/applications/download-dldi-ds-rom-save-dumper-0-1-f826.html

*as we are technically in a thread all about dumping then why not. When the DSi came around it noted every game released before then and put it on a big list of known games it would run. Obviously flash carts were not one of them, https://hackmii.com/2010/02/lawsuit-coming-in-3-2-1/ has more on what was done and how it eventually failed/was worked around. Newer games had a small section of the header that was once unused/just filled with 00s given over to a signature file. Said signature has no bearing on anything you will ever likely use (not running the game, not using them on a DSi with flash cart, not using them on a 3ds, not using them on an emulator, likely nothing that Nintendo will ever do in the future and almost certainly not future homebrew, emulator or otherwise), the very worst that would happen is if you used certain types of patch in ROM hacks then someone might have to tell it to ignore verification which is a simple option you add to it. To that end you can go see the nds proper list on something like http://www.advanscene.com/ and nobody cares.

Hey man, thank you again for all your help. i have managed to get it working brilliantly, backed up all my games and their saves now. Thanks again =D

 

[TeamAwesomeness21]

um,my 3ds is ver. 11.7.0-40U is it sstillpossible for me to make and decrypt a rom from my 3ds game?

 

[CandyIsOk]

I need some help here. I have an R4 flashcart and am trying to use wooddumper to dump a DS cart on a new 3ds. I just took the wooddumper .7z file an put it on the root of the the sd card because I did not know what else to do. I just need WoodDumper to run. How would I do that? Thanks in advance!

-CandyIsOk

 

[Alex4nder001]

I need some help here. I have an R4 flashcart and am trying to use wooddumper to dump a DS cart on a new 3ds. I just took the wooddumper .7z file an put it on the root of the the sd card because I did not know what else to do. I just need WoodDumper to run. How would I do that? Thanks in advance!

-CandyIsOk

Really?

Thats not how you run it, you need to EXTRACT the 7z file and put the NDS file on the flashcart. NDS files are executables, 7z files are archives and need to be extracted to be of any use. If you don’t know such a simple thing how do you expect to use computers and hack consoles?

Edit: Also, R4 cards only work on the original DS/DS lite. Not on a DSi or 3DS. On a hacked 3DS you need to install an R4 launcher .cia (look up what are .cia files and how to install them) and then an icon will appear on your homescreen where you can launch the R4 card. OR just get an R4i/R4i Gold/Acekard or any other 3DS compatible flashcart.

 

[FAST6191]

I need some help here. I have an R4 flashcart and am trying to use wooddumper to dump a DS cart on a new 3ds. I just took the wooddumper .7z file an put it on the root of the the sd card because I did not know what else to do. I just need WoodDumper to run. How would I do that? Thanks in advance!

-CandyIsOk

What the guy above said about homebrew -- 7z, rar, zip and such tend to be ways to send a single file containing all the files you might need for a piece of homebrew but very few devices will be able to read them as is. You need to extract them and perform any additional setup.

Moreover there are tools for a hacked 3ds to dump DS games which represent the superior choice if you have a 3ds to play with. Worse than that the 3ds will reset if you eject the cart (the DS/DS lite did not) which makes the r4 method if you are going to swap a cart and use wifi to dump (something which takes hours and is prone to issues) not happen.
I am not so familiar with the tools to dump DS games on a 3ds however.

 

[migles]

I need some help here. I have an R4 flashcart and am trying to use wooddumper to dump a DS cart on a new 3ds. I just took the wooddumper .7z file an put it on the root of the the sd card because I did not know what else to do. I just need WoodDumper to run. How would I do that? Thanks in advance!

-CandyIsOk

you must use a 3ds homebrew.
you can't do that with a 3DS or a 3ds with a DS homebrew in a ds flashcart.
the nds dumpers only work in an original ds or ds lite, its a hardware limitation. you can't even use it in a DSI

there is a version of wooddumper ported for the 3ds, but you no longer need that since you can use the tools provided when you install the cfw in a 3ds (if you used the 3ds guide to hack it)

and as mentioned above, .7z files are compressed files, you must open them with a program like 7 zip and extract the files from inside but it will be no use in a 3ds, once you eject the r4 card the console will refuse to read any other card

 

[Madkiller48]

hi

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

This was useful thanks

 

[Flv97]

Hi guys, I’ve finally collected all 150 stars on Super Mario 64 DS game so I’d like to dump my entire cartridge (game + save files) for safety.

Reading the guide I tried the WiFi method using WoodDumper r89, because I’ve only a slot 1 flashcard (DSONEi Mini SDHC) and an old DS Lite, but after inserting the cartridge I got this error: “init card failed. EXTRACT card”. Looking for a solution online, I’ve found two possible problems:

1. to work with old DS the WiFi password must have WEP encryption and my home network have only WPA2

2. Super Mario 64 DS game, unlike Mario Kart, can’t connect to Nintendo WFC (also the official servers were discontinued by Nintendo years ago) so I tried to backup my Mario Kart cartridge and didn’t get the “init card failed” error, but the DS got stuck searching from an IP

How could I resolve? There are other tools for DS that can bypass them or I need to find other ways to connect my DS Lite to a WEP encrypted WIFi?

I’ve also a DSi XL (1.4.5E Firmware), which support WPA2, there are some tools compatible for it that could help me with backup, or they only work with a CFW installed?

Thank you in advance, sorry if my question was already answered