Hacking EZFlash VI

[Blythe31]

A couple of noob questions from someone just starting to look into flashcarts for the dsi.

How does the ezflash vi update it's firmware? Is it via wifi or something like the AK2i or is it drag and drop, then run the card and it updates, somewhat like the cyclo evo?
also, has the ezflash team said anything about working on firmware to per say work around Nintendo's possible attempt to block/brick dsi flashcarts with a future firmware update, or will that be left up to individuals?

 

[FAST6191]

Two main parts of the loader:
the loader proper (occasionally called the firmware although take note of the later point)
resetsp.bin
These files need to be on every microSD/SDHC you are using with the EZ5.

The loader is what carries the name you see (1.90 open beta 11 or 1.86c and the like, the EZ5i can only use 1.90 open beta 6 or a higher version number) and is the moonshell based program people use to launch games and the like.

Resetsp.bin is used for simpler fixes as well as enabling cheats, savestates/real time save, in game text viewer and soft reset* although the last few troublesome games have needed a proper update. These are usually given a date afterwards (Chinese/ISO 8601 style: 2009-04-20 for 20th of April 2009)
Often they are bundled with new updates but either the US forum staff or the EZTeam will release it by itself, if not it is just a single file to grab.
*a couple of betas ago a so called mode2 soft reset was added to allow games not covered by the resetsp.bin to use soft reset should you select it. It is not as good as a resetsp.bin provided reset mind.

There are no built in provisions for wifi updates (whether it is coming or not we do not know) of either but others have hacked together scripts for DSlinux or use a homebrew FTP app/similar if they want to do such things. Mainly though it is drag and drop.

Alongside this the EZ5i (and it is only the EZ5i out of all the EZ5 range) has the ability to update the internals of the cart (when the cart first boots this core loader will power the microSD/SDHC and try to find the loader proper), a feature the EZTeam are claiming as unique among present flash carts. This is known as the core update or occasionally firmware. It is a homebrew NDS file that you run to allow the update to happen, you run it once and then can delete the update program.
Thread on the subject
http://ezflash.sosuke.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13991
Thus far there has been one update to aid in detection of the EZ5i and sort some problems with some brands of SDHC cards.
This feature is what should make the EZ5i able to dodge update problems (they should only ever block carts, bricking them would lead to all kinds of legal headaches). The main problem I envision is the update blocks the cart meaning you need to find a DSi without an update or a DS/DSlite to play with.

 

[DSGamer64]

I had an EZ Flash Vi and it bricked on me, my DSi was fine but the card just stopped working after about 6 days of use, even with all the most up to date firmware and stuff it was still really bad in terms of performance. Some games ran choppy, especially GTA (which I wound up buying because of performance problems). The firmware and kernel software has to be updated manually and you also have to be careful with Nintendo's own firmware updates, which there was one upon release of the DSi in NA, so you had to load up the Nintendo firmware then put the EZ Flash Vi in with the latest firmware and kernel in order for it to work. The responsiveness with the card was also pretty slow, like creating a save file took upwards of a minute on games that are 128MB's or larger, the cheats didn't always work properly either.

 

[Blythe31]

I had an EZ Flash Vi and it bricked on me, my DSi was fine but the card just stopped working after about 6 days of use, even with all the most up to date firmware and stuff it was still really bad in terms of performance. Some games ran choppy, especially GTA (which I wound up buying because of performance problems). The firmware and kernel software has to be updated manually and you also have to be careful with Nintendo's own firmware updates, which there was one upon release of the DSi in NA, so you had to load up the Nintendo firmware then put the EZ Flash Vi in with the latest firmware and kernel in order for it to work. The responsiveness with the card was also pretty slow, like creating a save file took upwards of a minute on games that are 128MB's or larger, the cheats didn't always work properly either.

wow. that doesn't sound like fun whatsoever. I guess i'll be purchasing the ak2i and waiting until TC releases a flashcart.

 

[Mbmax]

DSGamer64 has a faulty flashcart or/and a crappy microSD. What he describe is exactly symptom of a defective or slow flash memory.

I have seen slowdown because of a crappy microSD like Sandisk 4GB class 2.
The microSD is a very important part on EZ-Flash produt like on TC product. So be sure to have a genuine microSD with a good access time (A-Data, kingston, Samsung, Toshiba).

Ps : Panasonic formatter is a great tool to low level format a microSD (option > Full Erase ON | adjust size ON) in case it's the factory format that is wrongly done.

@DSGamer64 : what are you talking about concerning DSi firmware ? I have received mine in v1.2 and have done the update in v1.3 with my ez5i inside without any problem. I don't understand here.
And ask for a exchange for your EZ5i, you have received a defective flashcart.

 

[Hatsikidee]

I don't have the problems that DSgamer64 has, but the current beta is crappy. Lot of games have errors (Nanostray 2 is one of them, game freezes in level 2 or 3) and softreset isn't working great (I did a softreset once and I managed to get a different top/bottom screen brightness, weird stuff).

Anyway, this card has potential, it only needs a good firmware or good updates. I really hope the EZ-Flash team is going to make these updates.

Like ccosmos says, panasonic formatter is higly recommended. I first formatted the microsd (8gb kingston class 4) with windows and my card was really slow, then I formatted with the panasonic formatter and it's just a bit slow know

. You might wanna change this setting in moonshl.ini too:

CrashMeProtection=1 ->CrashMeProtection=0

It turns some kind of Trojan protection off, but I heard that you don't need this protection if you download your roms from reliable places. This will save you 1 or 2 seconds loading time.

 

[DSGamer64]

DSGamer64 has a faulty flashcart or/and a crappy microSD. What he describe is exactly symptom of a defective or slow flash memory.

I have seen slowdown because of a crappy microSD like Sandisk 4GB class 2.
The microSD is a very important part on EZ-Flash produt like on TC product. So be sure to have a genuine microSD with a good access time (A-Data, kingston, Samsung, Toshiba).

Ps : Panasonic formatter is a great tool to low level format a microSD (option > Full Erase ON | adjust size ON) in case it's the factory format that is wrongly done.

@DSGamer64 : what are you talking about concerning DSi firmware ? I have received mine in v1.2 and have done the update in v1.3 with my ez5i inside without any problem. I don't understand here.
And ask for a exchange for your EZ5i, you have received a defective flashcart.

I ordered one of the ideal Kingston microSDHC cards when I ordered my EZ Flash Vi, it's a Class 4 card even. When I got my DSi I was told to update the unit's firmware before booting up the EZ Flash Vi, otherwise there could possibly be a chance of messing up the DSi, but that is the way it should be done anyway in my opinion, don't update the console until there is a new kernel and firmware release for your flash card because it might not work. The memory card I bought was a Kingston model number SDC4/4GB. Things like the DMA enabling for GTA and Pokemon did not prevent them from crashing every so often, the timing was random. The slowdowns in GTA exist in the release version though, especially when you get multiple cops chasing you or are blazing down the road in a fast car, it is worse on the EZ Flash Vi.

 

[Mbmax]

I ordered one of the ideal Kingston microSDHC cards when I ordered my EZ Flash Vi, it's a Class 4 card even. When I got my DSi I was told to update the unit's firmware before booting up the EZ Flash Vi, otherwise there could possibly be a chance of messing up the DSi, but that is the way it should be done anyway in my opinion, don't update the console until there is a new kernel and firmware release for your flash card because it might not work.
That makes sense. Didn't think in that way.

QUOTE(DSGamer64 @ Apr 21 2009, 03:06 PM) The memory card I bought was a Kingston model number SDC4/4GB. Things like the DMA enabling for GTA and Pokemon did not prevent them from crashing every so often, the timing was random. The slowdowns in GTA exist in the release version though, especially when you get multiple cops chasing you or are blazing down the road in a fast car, it is worse on the EZ Flash Vi.

Only thing i know is if you have freezing problem during a game and than ez5i (already in firmware v5) not or definitively not reconized in DSi menu at reboot, then you have most of the time a defective ez5i.

 

[Blythe31]

So I realize that some of the responses might be a tad bit biased, since I am in the EZFlash forum, but I was wondering what most of your honests opinions were.

Who do you believe to be the industry leader on DSi flashcarts? AK2i or EZVI? Which is more compatible with future updates to possibly bypass Ninty's attempts to block/brick DSi flashcarts?

 

[Hatsikidee]

Only thing i know is if you have freezing problem during a game and than ez5i (already in firmware v5) not or definitively not reconized in DSi menu at reboot, then you have most of the time a defective ez5i.Easy to say. My ez5i is fine and most games work like they should, but some games don't work or freeze. Fact.
The ez5i is sometimes not recognized by the DSi menu. Fact. Good for you if you don't have this problem, but others have this problem and it's annoying.


QUOTE(Blythe31 @ Apr 21 2009, 09:35 PM) So I realize that some of the responses might be a tad bit biased, since I am in the EZFlash forum, but I was wondering what most of your honests opinions were.

Who do you believe to be the industry leader on DSi flashcarts? AK2i or EZVI? Which is more compatible with future updates to possibly bypass Ninty's attempts to block/brick DSi flashcarts?

None of them. They're just ports of their DS(Lite) versions and both are probably easy to beat by other flashkart makers. AK2i is working better at the moment while the EZVi can update its kernel, which might make it possible to bypass any added protection (might, nobody knows if this will work).

 

[Mbmax]

Easy to say. My ez5i is fine and most games work like they should, but some games don't work or freeze. Fact.
The ez5i is sometimes not recognized by the DSi menu. Fact. Good for you if you don't have this problem, but others have this problem and it's annoying.

Your EZ5i is defective. Fact ? If so, why don't you ask for a replacement ?
I have already told all those problems to windirt and he simply tell me their EZ5i are probably defective, they have to ask for a replacement.
Now if you don't trust me, wait for fimware v6, perhaps we are wrong and a miracle will happen.
Hope so.

 

[Hatsikidee]

Easy to say. My ez5i is fine and most games work like they should, but some games don't work or freeze. Fact.
The ez5i is sometimes not recognized by the DSi menu. Fact. Good for you if you don't have this problem, but others have this problem and it's annoying.

Your EZ5i is defective. Fact ? If so, why don't you ask for a replacement ?
I have already told all those problems to windirt and he simply tell me their EZ5i are probably defective, they have to ask for a replacement.
Now if you don't trust me, wait for fimware v6, perhaps we are wrong and a miracle will happen.
Hope so.

Seriously, do you work for ez-flash or do they pay you? Do you really think that EZ-Flash Vi has no problems at all at the moment? No single bad word from your side and the only thing you can say if someone has a problem is: 'hmm, must be defective'.

. Wake up ffs, the firmware is buggy and beta.

Anyway, fixed the problem with Nanostray 2, had to turn softreset off. A good cart doesn't need tweaking with settings to get games working or not-freezing imo (cyclods doesn't need it, acekard2 doesn't need it). Updates needed.

 

[DjoeN]

Got no problem with my EZFlash Vi

But it is a fact, you have to tweak more, then on other cards, but overall, the EZFlash Vi performs well here.
Compared, to the DSTTi, the EZFlash Vi performs better

But yes, it is one of the cards i would not buy, just because i don't like the interface, but that is my own opinion and has nothing todo with the quality of the card.

I preffer my AK2i and my R4i-Ultra (yeah, cause it uses similar hardware as the AK (clone)) and AKAIO runs on it
Playing alot with the EZFlash Vi now cause i need to for the review of it

 

[Mbmax]

Seriously, do you work for ez-flash or do they pay you?
You are the second guy who said that. NO !

I just help ez flash 5 users since a long time now and i know how the team work. When i have reported all problem concerning freezing during a game and ez5i not reconnized at next boot to windirt (ez flash representative on USA forum), he just told me "they have to ask for a replacement". It's hard to understand ?

Do you really think that EZ-Flash Vi has no problems at all at the moment?
What i try to do here is to separate bugs and defective products. You don't think to understand that.

No single bad word from your side and the only thing you can say if someone has a problem is: 'hmm, must be defective'.

. Wake up ffs, the firmware is buggy and beta.

Hehe. Why do you think i have asked the team to make a bugtracker, hum ?
You don't know me, so don't judge me. Thanks.

QUOTE(Hatsikidee @ Apr 23 2009, 10:48 AM)

Anyway, fixed the problem with Nanostray 2, had to turn softreset off. A good cart doesn't need tweaking with settings to get games working or not-freezing imo (cyclods doesn't need it, acekard2 doesn't need it). Updates needed.

On DSi, softreset feature is useless, but yeah, i know the softreset has bugs and i also know the team has made a "mode 2" code to help in this problem.
I'm not here to judge good or bad card, i'm here to help people.
Hope you understand now ...