Hacking Getting Started with the M3?

xDRONEx · Sep 21, 2006

I went and ordered an M3 Lite... so I want to be prepared when it arrives.

Is there a guide or something somewhere explaining how exactly I should be writing the NDS games [what effect 1x or 4x has on it], what format for the micro sd card is the best [fat 32 or fat 16? and 64 k cluster? i've heard fat 16 64k is the best for ds games? But I've heard it doesn't work with GBA games.. or it doesn't run them fast]....and how i install the new versions of the game manager and firmware/loader?

basically, some kind of guide or help doing this stuff and generall getting started

shaunj66 · Sep 21, 2006

There's a button labelled "GUIDES" in the banner at the top of the page, if you had clicked it you would have seen this...

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=29255

iza · Sep 21, 2006

well, first thing you should know if that all this is in the forum, sometimes it hard to find, other times it's not. but onwards.....
When you get your new gadget, all you need to do is; download the lastest update, available; EVERYWHERE. and install the game manager (current is 27), plug your microSD(should already be formated to FAT16) into its adapter and card reader, place the update file (updateSD.e28 i believe) on your card in it's root dir. remove it, plug it into your m3 and put it in your Ds with the passcard as well. fire her up and it will say "update detected...." hit start to update. let it get completed through. and turn it back off; take your micro sd out and put it back in the card reader. you can take of the update file or else it will ask you to update everytime you start up. start the game manager and select SD and then select where your games are...one the program actually opens find your SD card in the list to the left, probably drive f:, and hit the button to the right named "write NDS" for nds games, locate the .nda file and OK. then it will prepare it and ask you for options...i just enable soft reset. i dont mess with the other options unless it doesnt work or perform right. the other options are 1x and 4x read speed, i used 4x on castlevania when the video was really slow. and now it works perfectly. another option it will give you is safe mode, i had to use this on mario hoops. it also has some other stuff on there, but i've only have my m3 for 5 days, so i'm no expert. you follow the same procedure for movies/music/pics, but you have to install the media converters (on the CD) and use those. once you have everything you want on your card, stick it in the m3 and get gaming!!

xDRONEx · Sep 21, 2006

Thanks for the replies.

So when I get it it, the SD card will already be formatted?

Should I format it myself still though just in case? And whats the best format? Im getting a Sandisk 1 gb micro. I want to play NDS *and* GBA games.

Thanks.

tama_mog · Sep 21, 2006

it'll be already formatted yes. But to get maximum performance you will want to format it fat16 with 64k cluster size. You can do this simply by going under administrative tools in the control panel and use disk manager to perform the custom format.

iza · Sep 21, 2006

is the only performance boost in GBA games? or does it help elsewhere as well?

xDRONEx · Sep 21, 2006

thanks tama, you're always helpful.

could you clarify regarding:

i've heard fat 16 64k is the best for ds games? But I've heard it doesn't work with GBA games.. or it doesn't run them fast].

do you know at all?

thanks.

i'll get my m3 in 1 day or 3 days - depending on how fast ups is.

iza · Sep 21, 2006

UPS is good, USPS is well...ask necrosynthesis, lol.

tama_mog · Sep 21, 2006

I haven't personally tried playing gba games as of yet so I don't have a "I tried it so etc etc" answer. But from what I've heard, fat16 in 64k cluster size will run your gba games fine, only difference is that you may have to use start instead of A to launch the games. But it will work just fine, lakersfan earlier confirmed this and many others are confirming it on m3-forums as well. It's just that you may have a longer loading (a couple more seconds) when starting the gba game with start instead of A. This does not affect the actual gameplay @ all, just startup. And to IZA, the increase in speed is for DS games, on gba games it makes no difference.

waiwai · Sep 21, 2006

QUOTE(xDRONEx @ Sep 21 2006 said:
I went and ordered an M3 Lite... so I want to be prepared when it arrives.

Is there a guide or something somewhere explaining how exactly I should be writing the NDS games [what effect 1x or 4x has on it], what format for the micro sd card is the best [fat 32 or fat 16? and 64 k cluster? i've heard fat 16 64k is the best for ds games? But I've heard it doesn't work with GBA games.. or it doesn't run them fast]....and how i install the new versions of the game manager and firmware/loader?

basically, some kind of guide or help doing this stuff and generall getting started

This is what i did:

1) Install M3 Manager V27a (or v28 now) on your PC
2) Copy the updagcsd.e27 via Windows Explorer to your MicroSD
3) Insert M3 in Lite
4) Press START
5) Wait ...
6) Press the key on screen to see it the GUI
7) Remove M3 from Lite
8) Remove updagcsd.e27 from MicroSD
9) Use the M3 Manager to transfer GBA/NDS files to your MicroSD
A) Insert M3 in Lite
B) Enjoy ...

tama_mog · Sep 21, 2006

QUOTE(waiwai @ Sep 21 2006 said:
QUOTE(xDRONEx @ Sep 21 2006 said:

I went and ordered an M3 Lite... so I want to be prepared when it arrives.

Is there a guide or something somewhere explaining how exactly I should be writing the NDS games [what effect 1x or 4x has on it], what format for the micro sd card is the best [fat 32 or fat 16? and 64 k cluster? i've heard fat 16 64k is the best for ds games? But I've heard it doesn't work with GBA games.. or it doesn't run them fast]....and how i install the new versions of the game manager and firmware/loader?

basically, some kind of guide or help doing this stuff and generall getting started

This is what i did:

1) Install M3 Manager V27a (or v28 now) on your PC
2) Copy the updagcsd.e27 via Windows Explorer to your MicroSD
3) Insert M3 in Lite
4) Press START
5) Wait ...
6) Press the key on screen to see it the GUI
7) Remove M3 from Lite
8) Remove updagcsd.e27 from MicroSD
9) Use the M3 Manager to transfer GBA/NDS files to your MicroSD
A) Insert M3 in Lite
B) Enjoy ...

Click to expand...

In a nutshell, that is about all you have to do unless you run into difficulties.

You might want to give the wiki a browse, good information for people new:

www.m3wiki.com

Narcosynthesis · Sep 21, 2006

If you use UPS make sure you do next day air and not first class. I finally got my second M3lite in the mail today.

tama_mog · Sep 21, 2006

I sincerely hope you mean usps, ups next day air is probably one of the most expensive shipping options available and for most applications, it is overkill. They don't offer first class either, just ground, 2nd day, 3rd day saver, next day air, and next day air AM.

xDRONEx · Sep 22, 2006

Actually, I checked and mine is USPS... First-Class

o.O

Hopefully I get it soon.

It says it was processed yesterday... so I guess its en route? Hopefully.

o.O

tama_mog · Sep 22, 2006

don't worry, realhotstuff is fast as hell and they make sure they get stuff done right. I'm just waiting for my pink m3 lite casing from them now since they misshipped me the regular units.

iza · Sep 22, 2006

i asked hm about that, he hasnt replied to me, my gf is constantly bitchin how the white doesnt match the pink.....well, no shit. it's white, not pink.

xDRONEx · Sep 22, 2006

Well it didn't come today =/

It'll probably come Monday

Narcosynthesis · Sep 23, 2006

yeah, usps. I didn't mean ups.

xDRONEx · Sep 24, 2006

Yay. It came today!

Im going to go fiddle around with it and look at some guides on here, etc.

If I have any questions, I'll be sure to ask! Mwhaha

Vidikron · Sep 28, 2006

I just got a M3 Lite and have a couple of quick questions that I can't seem to find answers to. First, where do I install DS and GBA games? Do they just get transferred to the root of the SD card or do I need to make folders? Also, do I need to manually create the NDSSAVE folder? Any other directories I need to create?

Thanks!

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