Hacking Something about R4

tangyi

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It's little bit awful that I saw those threads about various kinds of R4s on GBAtemp.
The impression brings me that game fans in the region out of China knows a little about the real status of flashcard.
Please allow me to declare it, mainly on R4 (anyone wanna know other cards post to let know).
You can deny but don't miss it.

This thread is Something about the 2nd generation of R4 -- R4 SDHC, in official

It was post on my blog.Any question and suggestion welcome.

Section I -- What is SDHC?
The table shows the development of SD memory card criterion. SD Card Association established new SD Memory Card Specifications 2.0 on May, 2006 since the urgent demand of video technology and real time R/W speed, which SDHC belongs to.
The revolution upgrades the R/W speed as well as supports the larger capacity. It's a big contribution of R4 SDHC to support huge-sized DS game and multi-function software in the future.

Criterion Version Class R/W Speed Max Capacity Support
SD 1.1 Class 1 1M/s 4G
SD 2.0 Class 2 2M/s 8G
SD 2.0 Class 4 4M/s 16G
SD 2.0 Class 6 6M/s 32G

Section II -- New Function
There're two new functions mentioned in the official guide: DLDI auto-patching and Full download play support.

Section III -- Package & appearance
There is no more different but a big 'new' brand on the right corner and white 'SDHC' printed after R4 logo. We can also see SDHC support description at the back cover. The inner side still sets the same style as R4 does, one card box and a USB2.0 card reader. Add SDHC logo at the front of the card.
The card is re-designed without spring slot so players don't afraid that their card may get stuck. One more to mention, R4 SDHC has no shell to protect its gold fingers. And it can be inserted and pushed out of the DS with ease since it is thinner than other flashcards.
It’s a little pity there is no change for the R4 SDHC interface except auto-changing skin by month. Also all cheat codes on R4 are compatible.

Section IV -- The Kernel
R4 SDHC kernel is incompatible with R4's (It's important since it distinguishes the real R4 and other forms of R4 flashcard), the latest version is 1.21, you can download it from the official site (http://www.r4sdhc.com/) and copy it to your card to replace the original one.

Section V -- Games & software
Report from some Chinese DS BBS shows that R4 SDHC can run most DS games and majority of software without accident. It also shows perfect representation to Emulators on DS.

Software
ImgView 1.1 -- Pass
Comic Book DS 3.0 -- Pass
M3Sakura -- Pass
nesDS -- Pass
snesDS -- Pass
neoDS 0.2 -- Lag on Metal Slug

Games
Super Mario 64 DS -- Pass
Summon Night 2 -- Pass
Final Fantasy 12 -- Pass
Castlevania ROP -- Pass
Sigma Harmony -- Pass
Band Brothers DX -- Pass

Summary
Since the multimedia player function is widely used with emphasis. R4 SDHC updates its CPU to supports 32G TF at max. More, it can be know from those fake R4 by the new design of PCB and kernel. Although it is no more than a new version of R4, still we can look ahead a bright future on this classic flashcard.
 

tangyi

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to Another World
hey guy thx for your post.
I surprise you reply so fast at first.
I said I just let the friends form North America and Euro know the R4's situation in China. Not complain or anything else.
Real or fake it depends on the feedback of users.
 

aero125

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tangyi, v1.21 is not compatible to R4 unless and until the fw is being R4crypted. I have tried, v1.21 runs on my R4, exactly like my R4 in v1.18, but nothing more ( except the SDHC, which i can't comment ). Games that worked in v1.18 have continued to work in v1.21, games that failed have also continued to fail.

Have u tried v1.21 on Hulk, carnival games, Rikku (Jap) ... without arm7 patching ? If they don't, v1.21 is nothing more than the v1.18.

R4 was my first flash cart and I had derived a lot of fun on those days from Pokemon Diamond to FFIII .... I just hope that the cart will live on with updates continuing beyond v1.18
 

Joe88

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I think narin looked at each firmware and said there is nothing different besides some little hex edits that do nothing, no updates are actually in the update
 

Raymond_M

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I have tried v1.21 on Hulk, carnival games ... without arm7 patching,they are all ok.

by the way, v1.21 is much larger then v1.18,how can you say "there is nothing different besides some

little hex edits that do nothing"
 

tangyi

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aero125 said:
tangyi, v1.21 is not compatible to R4 unless and until the fw is being R4crypted. I have tried, v1.21 runs on my R4, exactly like my R4 in v1.18, but nothing more ( except the SDHC, which i can't comment ). Games that worked in v1.18 have continued to work in v1.21, games that failed have also continued to fail.

Have u tried v1.21 on Hulk, carnival games, Rikku (Jap) ... without arm7 patching ? If they don't, v1.21 is nothing more than the v1.18.

R4 was my first flash cart and I had derived a lot of fun on those days from Pokemon Diamond to FFIII .... I just hope that the cart will live on with updates continuing beyond v1.18

to aero125
the game 2341 - Hulk (E). 2352 - Hulk (U). has been solved in ver 1.19
I don't have 2443 - Carnival Games (U) so I'm sorry I can't give you the correct answer right now.
Could you pls show me the full name or catalog No. of Rikku (Jap) ? I can't recognise this game. thx.

The save problemes on game 2420 - Nanashi no Game (JP) and 2385 - Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (JP) has been solved in ver 1.20

One more I doubt that how can you use the SDHC kernel on original R4. And that's may the point why those games can't run on your R4.

-------------added after seeing your post-------------

SDHC kernel can be worked on original R4 according to your post,but it's still a question whether the original R4 supports the new function of SDHC?
Besides it's a good way to try, good DIY
smile.gif
 

Joe88

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SDHC is hardware dependent
new software just cant make it work

as far as the kernels are concerned
first thing is 1.21 contains a themes folder which is almost 6MB
the 1.18 doesnt contain any such folder
now the cheat file
its almost 1.5MB larger in the 1.21 compared to 1.18

theres a lot of the extra bulk
the rest is in the _DS_MENU.dat
im not gonna go into the hex and such, but as narin said its most likely garbage hex to take up space and some hex to allow the cart and firmware to use SDHC
 

psycoblaster

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tangyi said:
Section I -- What is SDHC?
The table shows the development of SD memory card criterion. SD Card Association established new SD Memory Card Specifications 2.0 on May, 2006 since the urgent demand of video technology and real time R/W speed, which SDHC belongs to.
The revolution upgrades the R/W speed as well as supports the larger capacity. It's a big contribution of R4 SDHC to support huge-sized DS game and multi-function software in the future.

Criterion Version Class R/W Speed Max Capacity Support
SD 1.1 Class 1 1M/s 4G
SD 2.0 Class 2 2M/s 8G
SD 2.0 Class 4 4M/s 16G
SD 2.0 Class 6 6M/s 32G

SDHC can be added by changing the reader.

Section II -- New Function
There're two new functions mentioned in the official guide: DLDI auto-patching and Full download play support.

but those functions are already there on the original R4.

Section III -- Package & appearance
There is no more different but a big 'new' brand on the right corner and white 'SDHC' printed after R4 logo. We can also see SDHC support description at the back cover. The inner side still sets the same style as R4 does, one card box and a USB2.0 card reader. Add SDHC logo at the front of the card.
The card is re-designed without spring slot so players don't afraid that their card may get stuck. One more to mention, R4 SDHC has no shell to protect its gold fingers. And it can be inserted and pushed out of the DS with ease since it is thinner than other flashcards.
It’s a little pity there is no change for the R4 SDHC interface except auto-changing skin by month. Also all cheat codes on R4 are compatible.

new original R4s are not spring loaded.
You are telling me that I can increase the internal memory size of a cellphone, and add "extra memory" on the box, and I can sell it as a whole new 2nd generation of the cellphone.

Section IV -- The Kernel
R4 SDHC kernel is incompatible with R4's (It's important since it distinguishes the real R4 and other forms of R4 flashcard), the latest version is 1.21, you can download it from the official site (http://www.r4sdhc.com/) and copy it to your card to replace the original one.

then post the differences between 1.21 and the original 1.18 firmware.

Section V -- Games & software
Report from some Chinese DS BBS shows that R4 SDHC can run most DS games and majority of software without accident. It also shows perfect representation to Emulators on DS.

Software
ImgView 1.1 -- Pass
Comic Book DS 3.0 -- Pass
M3Sakura -- Pass
nesDS -- Pass
snesDS -- Pass
neoDS 0.2 -- Lag on Metal Slug

they work for the originals, too. And metal slug 1 runs in nearly full speed without lag on the original R4.

Games
Super Mario 64 DS -- Pass
Summon Night 2 -- Pass
Final Fantasy 12 -- Pass
Castlevania ROP -- Pass
Sigma Harmony -- Pass
Band Brothers DX -- Pass

Well it's not sigma harmony btw
and those also work on the original r4.

Summary
Since the multimedia player function is widely used with emphasis. R4 SDHC updates its CPU to supports 32G TF at max. More, it can be know from those fake R4 by the new design of PCB and kernel. Although it is no more than a new version of R4, still we can look ahead a bright future on this classic flashcard.
It's not a new version. It's a clone.
it's not the cpu that is updated. It's the loader.
 

ozzymud

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I just confirmed that my R4-III with the 9-11-2008 v3.03 firmware plays both:
2443 Carnival Games (US).nds
2341 Incredible Hulk, The (US).nds
I too dunno what game "Rikku (Jap)" is? is there a # for it in the romlists?

Think im gonna see if the R4 SDHC firmware will work on my III... what im wondering now is which is the "new" clone, heh... the SDHC or the III... either way, sounds like neither of us had had issues with our clone/fake/whatever R4s
tongue.gif
 

tangyi

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Thanks psycoblaster you bring me some news I've ever seen in domestic BBS.
SDHC version emphasizes those two Functions on R4's package, which the original one does not.
I got your hint that the change of package does not equal to the change of product itself, however the new one supports some games the original does not.
Thanks you mention the part of firmware, I really ignore it but it's important.
Let me check it out, thing goes interesting indeed
smile.gif
 

ozzymud

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Ok, just downloaded the massivly sized 1.21 firmware for the SDHC version, It does not work on my R4-III, gets to a loading screen and that's it (even tried r4crypt to decrypt and still only the loading screen).

Also I noticed the v1.21 for the R4 SDHC is dated 8-7-2008, the v3.03 for the R4-III is dated 9-11-2008 (still dunno what's changed, no changelog was posted for it)

Is there a list of other games that have issues on the R4? So far all mentioned that i could find have worked on my "fake"
 

tangyi

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There is no full list about problematic games.
I just list some I know: 1321,1393,2443,2493 and those can be solved with arm7 patch.
I commend 3 ways when you meet issue on R4.
1. Check your ROM.
2. Re-install the kernel.
3. Format your flashcard.
 

ozzymud

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Just loaded a game from the list at http://wiki.scorpei.com/index.php/R4_compatibility_list

Dunno if that list is outdated or not, but the game:
2278 Yume Neko DS (J)(iND) 1.18 White screen, game doesn't start
loaded fine on my R4-III (youtube video here)

Is that list current? If not, what other games could be tested?
Edit: anyone know some games that dont have a simple "fix" for em, like the arm7 patch, hopefully 2278 is one of those, would be nice to know my R4 will continue to be updated.


psycoblaster said:
remember- some games can be supported by the smallest tweak possible
biggrin.gif

Whatcha mean? talking about how the clone peoples could just be hacking the rom and not have the source to properly edit? or?
 

r6306

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Tangyi are you trying to say that the R4 SDHC is a new 'real' R4 card running the updated 1.21 kernel and that this kernel can distinguish between the real R4 SDHC and original Real R4? I can confirm that the 1.21 kernal does not work on the R4 clones. Posted this in another thread but here is the result if you try to install it on an R4 Advance...
16092008-1.jpg
 

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