nds-bootstrap loader: Run commercial NDS backups from an SD Card

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

:arrow: 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


Also, a video thanks to Robz8:


And another thanks to Alerdy:
 
Last edited by shutterbug2000,

jt_1258

Ella
Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Messages
3,055
Trophies
2
Age
24
XP
4,901
Country
United States
Just simply download the latest version from nds-bootstrap's repo, and follow instructions there.
Also, please switch from TWLoader to DSiMenu++, as it supports the latest nds-bootstrap.
oh, did support for twloader die? that might explain why it didn't work last time I tried to update.
 

RocketRobz

Stylish TWiLight Hero
Developer
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
16,649
Trophies
3
Age
24
XP
21,121
Country
United States
v0.12.1 (Rev 02)

Credits: ahezard, Gericom, Apache Thunder, Robz8, _catcatcat, shutterbug2000, and damianoamatruda.

Instructions:
  1. Download the .7z file, then extract the .nds file, to "sd:/_nds".
  2. Extract the .ver file to "sd:/_nds/dsimenuplusplus".
Bug fix
  • Fixed overlooked bug that caused games to not boot, if loading screen is set to None.
 

jt_1258

Ella
Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Messages
3,055
Trophies
2
Age
24
XP
4,901
Country
United States
Just simply download the latest version from nds-bootstrap's repo, and follow instructions there.
Also, please switch from TWLoader to DSiMenu++, as it supports the latest nds-bootstrap.
sorry for the double post but, just put the 7zip contents at the root of the sd card, install, and it'll work?
 

jt_1258

Ella
Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Messages
3,055
Trophies
2
Age
24
XP
4,901
Country
United States
There's instructions in the release page of nds-bootstrap.
it just says how to compile it

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

it just says how to compile it
wait, wrong section, it says stuff for uodating, not 1st time installs
 

jt_1258

Ella
Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Messages
3,055
Trophies
2
Age
24
XP
4,901
Country
United States
You didn't install the DSiMenu++ Launcher.
Also, make sure your ROM is AP-patched.
I had just installed both dsi++ cia's that came in he cia folder so I'm not sure where this 3rd cia may be and the ap patching I have no clue about. give me a sec and I may be able to find that cia, tingles rosey rupee land seems to work great
 

Redirr

X11 Extreme.
Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2014
Messages
539
Trophies
0
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
XP
587
Country
Brazil
I had just installed both dsi++ cia's that came in he cia folder so I'm not sure where this 3rd cia may be and the ap patching I have no clue about. give me a sec and I may be able to find that cia, tingles rosey rupee land seems to work great
Don't ask me why launcher it's separately and everyone presume everybody can find out about this without help.

https://github.com/Robz8/TWiLightMenu-Launcher/releases/tag/v2.0.2

You need install 3 .cia files. This one its the home menu icon or launcher.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jt_1258

jt_1258

Ella
Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Messages
3,055
Trophies
2
Age
24
XP
4,901
Country
United States

SCOTT0852

shiny rubber creature
Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2018
Messages
1,140
Trophies
0
Location
The Moon
XP
1,133
Country
United States
that just leaves figuring out what ap patching is.
Anti-anti-piracy patches are generally needed for old flashcarts to properly boot some games. Newer flashcarts have some of these built in & apply them on the fly, but TWiLight Menu++ doesn't so you have to patch them manually.
that is bizarre though how 1 application is stretched between two repositories
DSi users aren't going to need the Launcher. Besides, the launcher doesn't change as much as the actual Menu does, so no point in redownloading & reinstalling it every time.
 

noctis90210

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2013
Messages
969
Trophies
0
Age
37
XP
1,635
Country
just want to ask if someone tested Pokemon Typing Adventure? it seems its not on the compatibility list?

and about the AP patching by some games... will the save file from AP patched games work on games that are not patched once i played them in PC emulator or vice versa? thanks
 

Takeshineale128

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2011
Messages
173
Trophies
1
Location
Wirral, England, UK
XP
2,433
Country
United Kingdom
just want to ask if someone tested Pokemon Typing Adventure? it seems its not on the compatibility list?

and about the AP patching by some games... will the save file from AP patched games work on games that are not patched once i played them in PC emulator or vice versa? thanks
Pokemon Typing Adventure is not going to work because the card as bluetooth inside of it
 
Last edited by Takeshineale128,
  • Like
Reactions: noctis90210

EmulateLife

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 30, 2016
Messages
3,979
Trophies
0
Age
42
XP
1,889
Country
United States
Robz: I am playing through Okamiden with an AP patch that's not listed here https://www.odrive.com/s/8443cc3a-862e-41d7-b064-09378f79f6b3-5965a89a

I used a save that was from my ds lite that has a rom cart that started about 3 hours into the game. At first it seemed after I patched it and tried to play with the save there was still anti piracy because the main character disappeared. Then I played it about another hour on my DS and tried again using bootstrap and now I'm up to 18 hours played (it's like a 25 hour game) with no further issues. So I don't really know if the save has anything to do with it or not. If it does I could provide said save using my DS. (i.e. like at the beginning of the game)

DS Rom Patcher

This could hopefully be a fix to get the game to be playable all the way through.
 
Last edited by Quantumcat, , Reason: Removed link to warez site
  • Like
Reactions: Tarmfot

ThoD

GBATemp Addict (apparently), but more like "bored"
Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
3,631
Trophies
1
Age
28
XP
3,061
Country
Greece
I tried Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour and it works without any issues on 11.2 (and I assume 12.1r2 too), no need for AP patches of any kind. It doesn't have an entry in the compatibility sheet, so someone should add it but don't know how to request permission for it or whatever to do it myself.

I'm thinking of trying 999 now, but I don't see it anywhere on the list. I remember it used to work but with a lot of issues, why was it taken off the sheet though?
 

jt_1258

Ella
Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Messages
3,055
Trophies
2
Age
24
XP
4,901
Country
United States
can I use my save from drastic and if yes then where do I put it and how should I modify the file name and or its file extension
 

Ciseka

Member
Newcomer
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
24
Trophies
0
Age
46
XP
155
Country
Germany
Can you fix the lags in AC:WW in the next version of nds-bootstrap? The lags are really showy, also the big lag when the camera moves down is really hard.
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Elite Beat Agents
  • mthrnite @ mthrnite:
    hell yeah
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    @mthrnite, Cheetah Girls, the sequel to Action 52's Cheetah Men.
    +2
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Pokemon Black I played that one a lot
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Honestly never messed with Pokémon on ds much
  • mthrnite @ mthrnite:
    I played pokemon once, was bored, never tried again
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Oh Dragon Quest IX
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Spent like 5 hours on switch one never touched it again
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Sentinel of the stary skies
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Ds is 20 years old this year
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    So MJ no longer wants to play with it?
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    He put it down when the 3ds came out
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    @K3Nv2, RIP Felix does great videos on the PS3 yellow-light-of-death.
  • Jayro @ Jayro:
    Eventhough the New 3DS XL is more powerful, I still feel like the DS Lite was a more polished system. It's a real shame that it never got an XL variant keeping the GBA slot. You'd have to go on AliExpress and buy an ML shell to give a DS phat the unofficial "DS Lite" treatment, and that's the best we'll ever get I'm afraid.
    +1
  • Jayro @ Jayro:
    The phat model had amazingly loud speakers tho.
    +1
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    @Jayro, I don't see whats so special about the DS ML, its just a DS lite in a phat shell. At least the phat model had louder speakers, whereas the lite has a much better screen.
    +1
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    They probably said "Hey, why not we combine the two together and make a 'new' DS to sell".
  • Veho @ Veho:
    It's a DS Lite in a slightly bigger DS Lite shell.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    It's not a Nintendo / iQue official product, it's a 3rd party custom.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Nothing special about it other than it's more comfortable than the Lite
    for people with beefy hands.
  • Jayro @ Jayro:
    I have yaoi anime hands, very lorge but slender.
  • Jayro @ Jayro:
    I'm Slenderman.
    Jayro @ Jayro: I'm Slenderman.