Hacking Can I upload/manage the saves from my original carts?

[k4ever]

Hi, I was doing a research via google to see if I could find a device that would let me upload my game saves from my original ds carts to my computer.
I found this site that talks about this USB rom adapter that lets you do what I'm talking about : http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/nintendo-ds/gam...aves-294459.php
That's exactly what I'm looking for, but I can't find any site that sells it. Maybe it doesn't exist, or maybe there's something else that I don't know about.
Does somebody knows where can I find a device like that?
Thx in advance! =)

 

[Trigger_Happy]

I remember a homebrew application that allowed swapping of DS cartridges to put in saves, but I don't know about taking out.

Edit: But that's only from the Homebrew front. I dunno about any device that does this or whatever.

 

[k4ever]

I have done more research about this issue and have found that there are many homebrew applications out there that let you backup your saves from your nds cartridges. One way is done via wifi for example.
The thing is that all this methods work, but with the use of the M3, CycloDS flash carts. I have an Acekard 2.1, so I don't know if there is a homebrew application to backup my saves using that kind of cart, or better ... a program/device that will work on anything.

 

[Evilmaster1985]

Oh yes there is:
http://www.scdev.org/forum/index.php/topic,9915.0.html

After doing so convert it:
http://www.shunyweb.info/convert.php?

(If after converting the save doesnt work pad it to exactly 512kb file size.)(For me it was 512kb because thats the size of sav files my flashcart uses.)
(Oh forgot to note this method does require wifi)

(Ive succesfully used this method dumping my original zelda savegame and making it work on my DSTT)

Greetz, Vistabuser.

 

[k4ever]

Sounds good Vistabuser, thx for your feedback!
But there is a problem ... I can't configure the router settings because I connect to the web wirelessly, and lets say I do not have access to the computer with the router. =(
I will try to do more research about this savsender program and see if I find something helpful.
Still the best solution would be using the "gametech usb adapter save data manager" or whatever its called ( if it made it on the market ).

 

[k4ever]

Sorry for the double post, but I wanted to know if someone know any additional information about the info I saw in these pages.
http://www.renchi.com/renchi/NINTENDO_DS_D...er_Gametech.htm
It seems they used to sell the gametech device, but they are out of stock as of the moment ( I don't know if they will have more later, but I highly doubt it ).
http://www.thegametrain.com/nds-adapter-ba...ames-p-754.html
This european site have a device similar to the one I'm talking about. It's on sale, but the thing is that it's a pre-order, meaning it still hasn't been out on the market ( or so do I think ).
Anyone know anything about this?
Any help will be really appreciated, thx !

 

[iritegood]

You could've edited your old post. I don't know what that save-data adatpers you linked to are, but they sound interesting.
You shouldn't need to change any wireless settings on the router to use the wireless save transfer homebrew, if your DS is connected to the same router.. But if you need to:
1) Press run in start menu
2) Type 'cmd'
3) type 'ipconfig /all'
4) the 'default gateway' is the ip address for your wireless router.

 

[k4ever]

I will edit my posts the next time I would like to add a remark. I will keep that in mind, don't worry.
The devices I mentioned are used to backup/upload your save data from your original carts to a computer. This will really be helpful if you plan in selling your original carts, but would like to keep your save files backed up for further use on a flash cart.
I do not want to start playing all over again a certain game in order to get all the features and secrets that I already had on a game cartridge. I know that maybe I will need a file converter later too.

As for my pc setup, this is how it looks like: The computer with the router ( I don't have access to this ) > range extender > my computer. I get online with my DS via wifi using this setup, so the default gateway should be the router's ip address.
If I can do the save exchange via wifi using this setup, then that will help me a lot.

EDIT: If I could indeed use the savsender application with my setup, I think I would need some help in to how to properly use it with my acekard 2.1.
In the link that Vistabuser posted ( also in PHwiki ), there is a list about what you need, and the required steps to be done. I'm a complete noob when it comes using homebrew programs/applications and I have many questions about how to use the savsender program successfully.
1- "A homebrew device capable of DLDI (read-only is fine)": Does this mean a flash cart like an acekard?
2- "Patch savsender.nds with the correct DLDI patch for your device and place it on your media card": How do I do this?

 

[DanTheManMS]

The Acekard has DLDI and autopatches, so you can safely ignore that step.

[/authorofthattutorial]

 

[k4ever]

The Acekard has DLDI and autopatches, so you can safely ignore that step.

[/authorofthattutorial]

Ok, I tried dumping a save file using the savsender, but at the end I got an error message on my DS instead of the "done" one.
I would like to ask some questions about the proper use of this program.

"3. On the root of your media card, create a "DATA" folder if not already present. In this folder, create a "SETTINGS" folder.
4. In this "SETTINGS" folder, create a new text document called "savsender.conf" and open it with Notepad."

I did this: I copied the savsender.nds to the media card. Don't know what does it mean to create a folder "in the root" of the media card. I just created a folder in the media card and named it "DATA". Then inside I created a folder and named it "settings" ( don't think the name in caps should affect anything right? I mean its not case sensitive ). Now inside this folder is where I got confused. The tutorial tells you to open a new text document, name it savsender.conf and open it with notepad. I right-clicked inside the folder, pressed "new", and then pressed "text document". A .txt file is created, because it's impossible to open it with notepad after I rename it savsender.conf since the extension changes from the original .txt. So what I did was open the .txt file with notepad and then awaited for further instructions. In the notepad window I typed the IP address I got by using cmd, and then ... its where I got confused big time.

"5. press Start - Run - type "CMD" and hit Enter - type "IPCONFIG /all" and ht Enter
6. In the savsender.conf file, enter the IP address that ipconfig tells you, press Enter, and type the port number you wish to use. A sample config file may look like this:
192.168.1.123
5000
7. Open your router's settings page and find the section for Port Forwarding. Create a new setting that forwards all traffic on the designated port (in my example, 5000) to your computer's IP address (in my example, 192.168.1.123)"

For port number I too used 5000. After I entered this information I saved it in the .txt document, and after that I renamed it savsender.conf and hit enter. The computer told me that the file may become unusable and I hit ok. Now the file has as extension ".conf" and not .txt. Is this the right way to create this folder/file? Or should I just type savsender.conf.txt?
Anyways, now it came the part to change the settings of the router. As I previously mentioned, I do not have access to that router and to the computer that has it, so I couldn't anything here. Someone previously posted that I could skip this router settings part, so that's what I did.

"8. Open a command prompt and navigate to the location where nc.exe is. If you don't know how to do this, do the following:
--8.1. Put nc.exe on your desktop
--8.2. press Start - Run - type "cmd" and hit Enter
--8.3. type "cd desktop" and hit Enter"

I did all this and then procceded to the dump process. When using the nc.exe via cmd, I typed "5000" where 1234 was and hit enter. I ran the savsender.nds program using my acekard 2.1 and everything worked as it should. I exchanged my flash cart with a game ( in this case it was Piccross DS ) and pressed A. After a while I got an "ERROR" message. Then I checked in my desktop an empty .sav file ( probably where the save data should have gone.

What did I do wrong?

If I have gone offtopic by posting this, I understand if this thread is moved to another subforum. Thx!

EDIT: I have windows xp, if that helps by the way =).

 

[Evilmaster1985]

Well you say you have no acces to the router?
Perhaps it uses WPA2 encryption?
This would mean you can in no way connect unless you change the routers encryption to WEP.

Greetz, Vistabuser.

 

[DanTheManMS]

I did this: I copied the savsender.nds to the media card. Don't know what does it mean to create a folder "in the root" of the media card. I just created a folder in the media card and named it "DATA". Then inside I created a folder and named it "settings" ( don't think the name in caps should affect anything right? I mean its not case sensitive ). Now inside this folder is where I got confused. The tutorial tells you to open a new text document, name it savsender.conf and open it with notepad. I right-clicked inside the folder, pressed "new", and then pressed "text document". A .txt file is created, because it's impossible to open it with notepad after I rename it savsender.conf since the extension changes from the original .txt. So what I did was open the .txt file with notepad and then awaited for further instructions. In the notepad window I typed the IP address I got by using cmd, and then ... its where I got confused big time.

For port number I too used 5000. After I entered this information I saved it in the .txt document, and after that I renamed it savsender.conf and hit enter. The computer told me that the file may become unusable and I hit ok. Now the file has as extension ".conf" and not .txt. Is this the right way to create this folder/file? Or should I just type savsender.conf.txt?

You did it right, and the folder names are not case-sensitive. The root is the highest level on the card, aka "X:\" or whatever letter your computer assigned to the card. For the *.conf file, just create it, then double-click it. When Windows asks what to do with the file, tell it you want to choose the program yourself. From the list of programs, select Notepad, check the box that says "always open with this program" and hit Okay. Now every time you double-click a *.conf file it will open in Notepad. It needs to be named "savsender.conf" and not "savsender.conf.txt"

Anyways, now it came the part to change the settings of the router. As I previously mentioned, I do not have access to that router and to the computer that has it, so I couldn't anything here. Someone previously posted that I could skip this router settings part, so that's what I did.

Should be fine.

QUOTE

I did all this and then procceded to the dump process. When using the nc.exe via cmd, I typed "5000" where 1234 was and hit enter. I ran the savsender.nds program using my acekard 2.1 and everything worked as it should. I exchanged my flash cart with a game ( in this case it was Piccross DS ) and pressed A. After a while I got an "ERROR" message. Then I checked in my desktop an empty .sav file ( probably where the save data should have gone.

What did I do wrong?

If I have gone offtopic by posting this, I understand if this thread is moved to another subforum. Thx!

EDIT: I have windows xp, if that helps by the way =).

The exact command you should be typing is
nc.exe -l -p 5000 > savefile.sav

Honestly it looks like you're doing everything right. The main source of error that I can see is that perhaps the router setup does matter after all. Just out of curiosity, when you type IPCONFIG /ALL, what are the values for "default gateway" and your current IP address?

There are two alternatives you can try:
1. SavReceiver is a frontend that tends to be easier to work with when using SavSender. Last time I checked, it could only dump save files and not restore them, but it's an option.
2. Try Eepinator. This doesn't work on some flash carts for various reasons (R4 doesn't re-initialize the filesystem when you eject and re-insert it, DS-X reboots the whole DS when re-inserted), but it may work on your Acekard 2.1. This program will not require wifi; instead, you swap cartridges once to dump the save file, and again to write the data to your microSD card. I'd give this a try before you continue trying to get SavSender to work.

 

[k4ever]

Well you say you have no acces to the router?
Perhaps it uses WPA2 encryption?
This would mean you can in no way connect unless you change the routers encryption to WEP.

Greetz, Vistabuser.

The router doesn't not have any kind of locks. Its open. That's how I get online with my pc and with my DS.

QUOTE(DanTheManMS @ Jan 8 2009, 07:40 AM) Honestly it looks like you're doing everything right. The main source of error that I can see is that perhaps the router setup does matter after all. Just out of curiosity, when you type IPCONFIG /ALL, what are the values for "default gateway" and your current IP address?

There are two alternatives you can try:
1. SavReceiver is a frontend that tends to be easier to work with when using SavSender. Last time I checked, it could only dump save files and not restore them, but it's an option.
2. Try Eepinator. This doesn't work on some flash carts for various reasons (R4 doesn't re-initialize the filesystem when you eject and re-insert it, DS-X reboots the whole DS when re-inserted), but it may work on your Acekard 2.1. This program will not require wifi; instead, you swap cartridges once to dump the save file, and again to write the data to your microSD card. I'd give this a try before you continue trying to get SavSender to work.

I will try to do it again and see what happens.
As for my "default gateway" and IP address values here is what came out: 192.168.1.102 and 192.168.1.1 respectively.
Thx for the feedback! =)

EDIT: I had access to the router and did the port forwarding, and then .................. VOILA! It worked! Thank you Vistabuser and DantheMan, you guys are the best of the best! =D

 

[Playgame38]

Is there any other way to do this without Wifi or a GBA cart?
I have a Netgear router and the only way it will work is a WPA-PSK [TKIP] encryption.

Update: I found this, don't know if I'm going to get it yet though.

 

[Rascal]

You can get an EZ Flash 3-in-1 Slot 2 for about the same price and gain Expansion RAM (for Opera Browser and some homebrew), GBA Game Play, Rumble.

 

[k4ever]

Is there any other way to do this without Wifi or a GBA cart?
I have a Netgear router and the only way it will work is a WPA-PSK [TKIP] encryption.

Update: I found this, don't know if I'm going to get it yet though.

Wow! That is exactly what I "was" looking for. It seems it is in stock, but I don't know about the site reputation. So far it looks legit, so I definitely would have bought one of this backup devices. Since now I already figured how to use savsender, then I won't need a device like that for the moment. It looks like with that backup adapter not only can one get save data, but also some other contents from the cartridge ( audio, video files ? ). Great catch Playgame38! =)

 

[DanTheManMS]

I highly doubt that device would let you rip videos or audio files from the DS rom. At most it might let you dump the rom itself, which you'd then have to decompress with DSLazy and figure out how to manipulate just like any other rom, but more than likely all it does is backup save files.

Glad you got SavSender working though.