Hacking bricked AceKard 2i after bootloader update

b00100100

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Hi,

I followed this guide and watched videos on youtube prior to doing it.

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=154624

Basically I downloaded the ak2ifw_update_14_DSi.nds and copied it to my micro SDSH card, and then ran the file to do the firmware update. Everything looked normal (blue screen, asking if I am sure I want to continue and to hit start to begin) and I did that but when it got to 75% it just hug there. I waited a good 30 minutes just to be safe and it just didnt continue. I then though perhaps it had completed but just didnt bother going to 100% and so I power cycled and the Acekard 2i no longer boots. help? please...
 

b00100100

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Modular511 said:
well, if you have a ds lite or ds you can see if it works in there

I have a DS fat, DS lite, and a DSi v1.3U. I have not had one connection problem issue since I received the card a month and a half ago. The cartridge after this failed updating no longer works in all three units. Before it flawlessly worked in all three and other peoples DS.

I believe what happened is that nds file ak2ifw_update_14_DSi.nds is a "firmware updater". And so basically that file writes new data to the actual built in AceKard flash memory. Unfortunately for me, the firmware updater hung in the process so my card was only half programed so it wont load at all.

What I am hoping for, is that someone knows how to re-flash the AceKard when you have a failed programming.
 

BoxShot

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Do you have another flashcart? If yes you can run the ak2ifw_update_14_dsl.nds on it swap out carts before the flashing process and reflash the bricked card.
Note: Requres dsl or ds phat which you have.
 

b00100100

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BoxShot said:
Do you have another flashcart? If yes you can run the ak2ifw_update_14_dsl.nds on it swap out carts before the flashing process and reflash the bricked card.
Note: Requres dsl or ds phat which you have.

My son has another aceKard so Ill try it with that.... I just need to find out where he hid his DS. Thanks for the help
smile.gif
 

b00100100

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Okay, so I am starting to think the files I provided in the link are dummy files. I used my son's acekard to start up the AKAIO and I clicked on ak2ifw_update_14_DSL.nds that I downloaded from http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LFK8DOZB . I then clicked "A" to start the nds file. It responds witha "LOADING" and then "Before update, please eject the card and insert it again press B to continue". So I ejected my son's card that I used to get here, and then reinserted my bricked card and pressed B. Then a screen comes up that says

AK2i FIRMWARE UPDATE(14)
CHIP ID:8041fd2 HW:8181

THis program may damage your Acekard 2i cartridge (it has a ver small chance) you should know what you are doing before continue. Are you sure you want to continue? ok. ill do it. (press any other keys) cancel.

I pressed start and it just hangs at 0%.

Any tips? Can someone please verify that I have actual good firmware updater? Is there any way I can obtain the last firmware I had and try flashing the system with that?

Thank you!
 

codezer0

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understood it, the update file named DSi was meant to be run on pre-1.4 DSi's, while the DSL update was meant to be run on DS's and DS lite's.

I ran the DSL one on my DS lite and had no problem. Tried it in someone else's (1.3) DSi and it took effect fine - seemed to load faster as well, even.
 

b00100100

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codezer0 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understood it, the update file named DSi was meant to be run on pre-1.4 DSi's, while the DSL update was meant to be run on DS's and DS lite's.

I ran the DSL one on my DS lite and had no problem. Tried it in someone else's (1.3) DSi and it took effect fine - seemed to load faster as well, even.


Yes you are correct. I have tried flashing the bootloader two ways.

1. Initially on my 1.3U DSi running AKAIO 1.4 loader with the file ak2ifw_update_14_DSi.nds (75% complete then stopped)
2. Secondly on my DS lite, running AKAIO 1.4 loader with the file ak2ifw_update_14_DSL.nds. (hangs on 0%) however I had start the ak2ifw_update_14_DSL.nds using my son's unbricked Acekard and then changed to my bricked Acekard prior to pushing "B" to update the flash memory.

Did you use the files located here

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LFK8DOZB
http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=154624

Tonight after work I am going to try flashing my bricked card from my DS Phat instead of the DS lite.

Can anyone verify that the files I downloaded to flash teh rom are in fact the correct files?
Can anyone point me in the direction of getting the previous flash version that is not 1.4 DSi compatible?
Can anyone else give me any tips on how to resolve this issue?

Thank you for the help!
 

Leonidas

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Go here and read Chapter III for Acekard 2i. Use the links provided there and see the video also, it explains everything you need to know about updating.

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=176...t=0&start=0

QUOTE said:
Can anyone point me in the direction of getting the previous flash version that is not 1.4 DSi compatible?
Sorry but, there is no such thing.
 

b00100100

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Leonidas said:
Go here and read Chapter III for Acekard 2i. Use the links provided there and see the video also, it explains everything you need to know about updating.

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=176...t=0&start=0


Okay, Ill try the files located there tonight.... thanks for the tip.

I am now suspecting that perhaps Dealextreme sent me a counterfeit AceKard 2i. I have seen several places now that show the update process and in all those places their HW ID looks something like :

CHIP ID:0fc2 HW:8181

Where the CHIP ID is 4 ascii digits. My CHIP ID has 7 ascii digits and looks like:

CHIP ID:8041fd2 HW:8181

Perhaps they sold me a counterfeit Acekard 2i that isnt compatible with v1.5 nor the bootloader. I tried checking to see if mine is counterfeit, however without opening the card up I dont think I will be successful.
 

Leonidas

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b00100100 said:
CHIP ID:0fc2 HW:8181

Where the CHIP ID is 4 ascii digits. My CHIP ID has 7 ascii digits and looks like:

CHIP ID:8041fd2 HW:8181
Well I don't know what CHIP ID is, but HW ID of 81 should be a legit cart. Also dealextreme seems to be pretty reliable, I've not read a post saying they sell fake Acekards in quite a while. Still I hope you'll be able to fix it with the DS Lite method.
 

b00100100

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DookieMonk said:
I ordered 10 from them and 3 of them are bad with the same problem. STUCK on Loading screen. I end up open 1 of them up and found out that the card was a CLONE card.
frown.gif
I don't think I'll ever order anything from them again

http://www.dealextreme.com/forums/Default....threadid.417274

Perhaps DookieMonk is incorrect in saying his AceKard was a clone, however its one such place I saw where someone was claiming DX sold them a cloned card. That message, plus DX selling Acekard for 1/3 the price of everyone else, plus DX not being listed on Acekard.com as a reseller... makes me mighty suspicious of what they are selling.
 

Leonidas

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I don't think it's a clone, but maybe the flash memory on your cart is bad, and that's why the bootloader can't be updated properly.
 

Falkentyne

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codezer0 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understood it, the update file named DSi was meant to be run on pre-1.4 DSi's, while the DSL update was meant to be run on DS's and DS lite's.

I ran the DSL one on my DS lite and had no problem. Tried it in someone else's (1.3) DSi and it took effect fine - seemed to load faster as well, even.

The dsi update can be run on BOTH pre 1.4 Dsi's AND ds lites; I ran it on my DS lite with no problems at all, and can of course be used on both DSs and DSi's after flashing. The DSL update, as far as I can tell, is mainly for either mass flashing cards or for brick recovery from a bad flash.
 

phoenixclaws

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That's what I understood about it too in Falkentyne's above post. DSL update is for the mass updating of a lot of AK2i cards since it doesn't shut off the DS/i after the update or for an attempt to fix a bricked AK2i while the DSi update just updates the card and then you restart the system.
 

b00100100

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Leonidas said:
Go here and read Chapter III for Acekard 2i. Use the links provided there and see the video also, it explains everything you need to know about updating.

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=176...t=0&start=0

So update.... I downloaded the files in the quoted link and copied them to my son's nonbricked acekard. I started up AKAIO and ran the DSL version of the updater. Everything worked as instructed except when I have the bricked acekard in the slot and it asks me to press start, when I press start it just hangs at 0% until I eject the card and then push it back in. When I do that then it gets to 100%........... however it is still bricked.

Both the DS lite and DS phat give me the same symptoms.... and I tried running the ak2ifw_update_14_DSL.nds from both AKAIO version 1.4 and AKAIO version 1.5. All give me the same symptoms.

I really think there has to be something with my chip ID number. Anyone know a developer that can give me some insight?

I am not just some idiot here.... I actually design this stuff for a living (well not games, but electronics in general and more specifically FPGA's). There really is no reason the flash shouldnt have taken unless there is some sort of bug with my system. help?
 

b00100100

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Here is what I mean..... Say for this updater that the FPGA firmware designer allocated 16 bits for the CHIP ID number. this wouldnt be unreasonable because from what I can tell most peoples CHIP ID numbers were in fact 16 bits. But some unlucky people (like me!) bought an Acekard 2i with a 32 bit (or 28 bits cause that is what my number is) CHIP ID. So the firmware takes a look at that CHIP ID for some reasons and it chops off 12/16 of my MSB bits. So instead of my chip ID being 8041fd2, my chip ID gets programmed to be 0001fd2 but that isnt the chip ID so the bootloader wont be able to talk with that integrated circuit that is missing bits. See what I mean? ANyways, this is the only thing I see as different between what I am doing and what others did. the difference:

CHIP ID:8041fd2 HW:8181

So, what can I do? THere are other people that are going to have this issue if it is in fact a firmware bug.
frown.gif


EDIT - I checked my son's non bricked Acekard and his "CHIP ID" is 16 bits! his CHIP ID is "0FC2" so WTF is up with my unusually long CHIP ID? I think I smell a warentee issue and a 3 week down time. damn
frown.gif
 

Falkentyne

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If it means anything, the acekard I Got from dealextreme was bricked on arrival (DOA) and had a 32 bit ID. Meaning it wasn't detected by the DS lite at all. I WAS Able to flash it by doing the swap by booting with a good card, WITHOUT it hanging at all, but even though it flashed to 100%, it still can't be detected.

ODDLY ENOUGH, after the flash, when I rebooted and did another "hotflash", the chip ID was changed from 32 bits to 16 bits. Yet the DSL still can't detect the card on a power on. Go figure.
 

b00100100

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Falkentyne said:
If it means anything, the acekard I Got from dealextreme was bricked on arrival (DOA) and had a 32 bit ID. Meaning it wasn't detected by the DS lite at all. I WAS Able to flash it by doing the swap by booting with a good card, WITHOUT it hanging at all, but even though it flashed to 100%, it still can't be detected.

ODDLY ENOUGH, after the flash, when I rebooted and did another "hotflash", the chip ID was changed from 32 bits to 16 bits. Yet the DSL still can't detect the card on a power on. Go figure.


well that seems to shoot down my theory. So what did you end up doing with your bricked acekard? Perhaps I will try hotflashing the device over and over again until I can get the 16 bit Chip ID.... I have had zero problems with the Acekard until I decided I wanted the firmware updated so it could be compatible with the 1.4 DSi firmware.

Thanks for the response... it was very helpful.
 

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I bought an Acekard2i from DealExtreme and it works fine in my DS Lite but won't load in my DSi 1.4 as expected.

But when trying to update the firmware from my DS Lite, mine also sits at 0% without moving, until I pop the card out and back in again, and then the progress starts counting up straight away. At 100%, I reboot, still works in DS Lite, but still won't work in DSi. I've tried this quite a few times now to no avail.

The firmware flashing screen says I have 0fc2 8181, which I believe is correct.

How did you get yours working in the end? Do I need to send it back to DealExtreme?
 

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