So my Acekard2i (which is hardware version 81) must have come with a bootloader that was compatible with my 3DS when I bought it (version 1.0.0-0, I think?), otherwise surely it wouldn't have worked with just AKAIO 1.8.9 on it?
Exactly. Stores will sometimes update the carts before they send them to customers, but if not the factories usually install at least a semi-recent update before sending it to the stores, so getting an Ak2i without any updates applied at all is rare nowadays, the concern is mainly if the one it came with is higher enough to run on your DSi/3DS (since the stores may be selling you an acekard they got from the factory a few months ago, not last week).
I understand completely that AKAIO is nothing to do with making the Acekard actually work on a DSi/3DS and that it's purely the software or whatever that you use once you've successfully ran the card.
Yeah, you download an update file and put it on the MicroSD, but that's just so you can run it, once you run it and tell it to apply the update, it writes the update to the AK2i itself. This is how almost every flash cart works, since it's cheap enough to do (and they don't have to keep producing new hardware for each DSi/3DS update).
However... my question is still valid. Going on the fact that AKAIO 1.8.9 worked on my 3DS (that I assume was version 1.0.0-0 because it had never before been updated) there must be a point at which AKAIO 1.9.0 stops working on it's own and needs a bootloader update, it could be anything after version 1.0.0-0, it could be version 3.0.0-5, version 4.0.0-7 - who knows? Literally!?
AKAIO has never had anything to do with 3DS/DSi compatibility.
If a flash cart is not working because of a DSi/3DS update, then the DSi/3DS itself will give you an error message telling you to restart the system and check the manual.
However, if it does get past that point but the cart won't load properly (infinite "LOADING" text or whatever else if it's a different flash cart) then THAT is an issue with AKAIO or whatever software the flash cart uses, that type of error has nothing to do with DSi/3DS updates.
(Could be a
contact issue.)
So I think you're mixing up two types of errors.
I'm not really asking about bootloader updates at all, all I want to know is at what point the version of your DSi/3DS console is too high for AKAIO 1.9.0 to work on it's own? (I'm not saying AKAIO is the reason it's running, just that it's capable of running on it's own because the Acekard2i already has a compatible bootloader on it - or whatever the reason is)
My info focuses on the bootloader because that's what it does.
AKAIO does not, and has never had anything to do with DS, DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL, 3DS or 3DS XL compatibility.
If an Ak2i suddenly stops working on a system, there's usually other things at fault (since I don't know your symptoms I'll just list possible things.)
A - MicroSD died. Not that uncommon with cheap unbranded ones from china. If the MicroSD is dead then even if the DSi/3DS tells the AK2i to go ahead and start up, it can't read anything off the MicroSD to actually start doing anything.
B - MicroSD corrupt, needs a reformat and replacement of AKAIO. Same symptoms (sort of), but a quicker/cheaper fix. Usually using
the panasonic SD formatter is enough to reset the MicroSD to functional operation (as it takes care of problems the standard windows/linux/osx formatting tools don't).
C - Somebody went and updated the DSi/3DS when you weren't looking. Happens all the time with kids, since the DSi and 3DS will want to update if one is available before accessing the shop and such.
D - Something went terribly wrong and caused the Ak2i to accidentally write garbage data to it's own bootloader instead of the MicroSD, fucking up the bootloader. Extremely rare, but it has happened before (a few versions back).
And probably more I can't remember right now.
I think it would be a good thing to know because if your Acekard ever corrupts and you need to format it and start again, you'll know that if your console is past a certain version point (whatever that may be) you will need a DSphat or DSLite to get it working again.
If the bootloader is corrupt the Ak2i will not boot on ANY system (since presenting a proper header is required for the DS/Lite as well,
they just don't have updates so flash carts don't need to bother with updates for the DS/Lite).
You may have heard about the cart-swap trick and how it can unbrick an AK2i and only works on the DS/Lite... but that's a technique that requires TWO flash carts to do, so I don't think it's what you're talking about.
