Hardware Unresponisve R4

[Giangian]

Hi, I have a white r4 SDHC dual-core card and it has an explosion symbol on the top right-hand corner with the word NEW in it. Its also a pretty old card, maybe 2013. I have spent countless months putting different firmware and kernels and woods and everything that corresponds to it and it no go. When I boot it up it just shows a white screen. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Even though the files say long time ago, its only been like 3 days since i formatted it the last time.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

what is a flashcard time bomb and how do i stop it?
RetroGameFan Updates/Releases

 

[Giangian]

Oh, so does it have a timebomb? And if so, can i fix it?
thanks for the fast reply

 

[Giangian]

I found a guide and installed YS menu and a new dat file but its still the same. I dont think its a timebomb because it doesnt give me an error message, it just gives me a white screen after i open the app

 

[TurdPooCharger]

I found a guide and installed YS menu and a new dat file but its still the same. I dont think its a timebomb because it doesnt give me an error message, it just gives me a white screen after i open the app

Older model DS flashcarts are often blocked by the DS cart whitelist. You'll need NTR Launcher to bypass this.

Check the DS(i) mode is broken by playing another DSiWare HOME Menu title or real DS cart games.

• [3ds.hacks.guide] DSi / DS functionality is broken after completing the guide

 

[Giangian]

i did the things about uninstalling the ds stuff, the first section. I also ran ntr before i opened the r4 and its still giving me a white screen after i open its app

 

[Clydefrosch]

can you make a photo of the front and back of the cart?

if its just timebomb, go to the DS mode settings and turn back the date to 2010 or something.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

i did the things about uninstalling the ds stuff, the first section. I also ran ntr before i opened the r4 and its still giving me a white screen after i open its app

Running TWLFix-CFW by itself won't fix the DS(i) mode. You'll need to System Update the 3DS firmware in order to reinstall the missing TWL system titles.

You can check if the DS(i) mode works by installing and launching an example DSi homebrew CIA title such as GodMode9i, 3DSBank, GameYoB (dsiware version), NTR Launcher, etc.

 

[Giangian]

i did update it and still nothing

 

[TurdPooCharger]

i did update it and still nothing

Can you verify if any one of those DSi homebrew titles launch or work?

 

[Giangian]

can you make a photo of the front and back of the cart?

if its just timebomb, go to the DS mode settings and turn back the date to 2010 or something.

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Can you verify if any one of those DSi homebrew titles launch or work?

ill search for one

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https://github.com/ahezard/nds-hb-menu/releases/tag/V0.5.0-cia-ntr-beta.6
ill download this to see if it works

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I installed the cias and nothing showed up on my homescreen. What now?

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Nevermind, the hb menu appeared

 

[TurdPooCharger]

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ill search for one

I linked to the homebrew titles mentioned in my previous posts. They should point to their GitHub download pages that has the CIAs.

The reason to check for broken DS(i) mode with another NDS game cart or DSiWare is to check for another, more rare DS(i) mode brick caused by something called the NVRAM.

Edit - You can fix software-based NVRAM brick using these:

• CTRTransfer (Type D9) - Reset NVRAM image (to dump a factory resetted nvram.bin)
• 3DS_NVRAMtool (to reflash that nvram.bin)

 

[Giangian]

I downloaded godmodei and the gameyob, they work fine

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what do i do with the 3dsnvram tool?

 

[TurdPooCharger]

I downloaded godmodei and the gameyob, they work fine

Good. That eliminates guesswork on whether or not your 3DS has a softbricked DS(i) mode, or if it's an early production o3DS, the motherboard is failing.

***

See if your flashcart's microSD card has a hardware fault or needs to be formatted correctly.

1. Copy everything off the SD card to a computer.
2. Quadruple reformat.
3. Full Write + Verify the empty card in H2testw. Do not skip.
4. If the result comes back clean, delete the *.h2w test files and copy everything back to the card.
   • A reported error means the card a hardware fault. It would need to be retired. Go back to step 1 with the replacement card.

what do i do with the 3dsnvram tool?

You launch either the 3DSX version via Homebrew Launcher or install the CIA version onto HOME Menu with FBI. That app is used in tandem to flash a fresh or clean nvram.bin image made by that gm9 script.

However, because you don't have a problem with GodMode9i or GameYoB, your NVRAM isn't bricked so any of that can be skipped.

 

[Giangian]

Hi, can you explain a bit more the final step?

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Hi, can you explain a bit more the final step?

After you copy everything off the SD card, reformat that card in [FAT32 format | 32 KB cluster size | MBR disk | Primary partition] settings, you test its hardware condition with H2testw with the card starting empty. That program will fill up the card with 1 GB files with randomized values and then read back its value to see if they've stayed the same. If the files have changed or are different than what the program expects, that indicates yours SD card is no longer functional or reliable.

Basically, if H2testw lights up red stating that "The media is likely to be defective.", your SD card is bad like a balloon with poked holes.

 

[Giangian]

It said test finished without errors

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The firmware and kernel has to be the same picture as the card irl right? it cant be a newer one?

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And i dont think its my card cause i downloaded an r4 app to my 3ds and it reads it and it opens but it just gives me a white screen

 

[TurdPooCharger]

It said test finished without errors

Delete the *.h2w test files, and copy everything back onto the microSD card.

Since your flashcart model is super old and it was made specifically by www.r4isdhc.com, revisit RetroGame Fan Updates/Releases and try all the kernels listed under:

• DSTT/i
• R4-Clone (up to 2GB µSD only)
• R4i-SDHC

These are the three (3) subsets that lists www.r4isdhc.com.

Instead of launching the flashcart from the HOME Menu game cart icon, see if installing and launching by NTR Launcher can chainload to the flashcart, bypassing a potential block from the DS cart whitelist.

If all else fails including @Clydefrosch's suggestion about rolling back the System Settings date & time while using the flashcart's stock kernel, it could be the flashcart's SD card slot reader is contaminated with dust or is worn out. Try cleaning the slot with a toothpick or a plastic drinking straw as a DIY vacuum (do not blow air as spit can corrode the pins!).

At that point, consider switching over to TWiLight Menu++ or getting a replacement DS flashcart like the R4i Gold 3DS Plus (recommended, has no timebomb, dual mode ntrboot + DS toggle switch, uses WOOD kernel) or R4iSDHC series (shitty, has timebomb but is cost effective).

The firmware and kernel has to be the same picture as the card irl right? it cant be a newer one?

Correct. For www.r4isdhc.com, the kernel has to match the flashcart model. Since they no longer offer the kernel for the 2012-2013 model, that means that company wants you to give up your current one and buy another one of their newer ones. Fuck planned obsolescence.

Edit - Stock kernel for that specific flashcart should still be available at:

• http://old.r4wood.com/products/R4-SDHC-Dual-Core-for-3DS-XL-LL-3DS-2DS-DSi.html

 

[Giangian]

God it, thank you so much for your time and for everything you did! Have a nice life!