Hacking Frequently asked questions

[paul1991]

*Bumped because it is still very useful*

Im glad my guide has been helpful. Somebody downloads it about once a day!

EDIT:
I would like this added to the main page: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=70090

I would like somebody to read through my help file and tell me if I should update it. I would also like to know what you think needs added.

 

[paul1991]

No new info, just another bump.

 

[DespizingU]

Thank you for this. I just picked up my DS Linker for the first time in a couple months, and all the game were giving me this File Write Error message. So this was definitely a big help.

You know, I still think the N-Card and clones are some of the best flashcarts out there. They're just lacking in features, which is sad. The SCDS1 has spoiled me with real time guide. These clones are so fast though. The loader starts almost instantly, and so do the games. And they play every game at full speed. If these carts finally got a new firmware with features that other carts have, I'm sure they would become much more popular.

"File Write Error"
When you are getting the "File Write Error" some Rom dump makes an error with the save-file.
Try every rom you have on your card. There must be one rom wich is starting.
This is the "bad rom" . For the solution the example game is named "-Lolz-" .

Solution 1:

Spoiler

Delete the save Files (Jeah... there should be many of that 'buggy' dump... ) and delete the "LASTSAVE.SDB" in the DSystem folder.
(here an older way to solve it... It takes some more time ~)
Solution 2:
- Connect to your PC throught the usb.
- Make a new folder on the card.
- Search the Savefile of the game
- COPY this savefile to the new folder.
- Now you will see, this are hundrets of savefiles and it will copy a long time.
- Then you will have files like
"-Lolz-.sav"
"-Lolz-(1).sav"
"-Lolz-(2).sav"
"-Lolz-(3).sav"
...
The original sav file is the "-Lolz-.sav" this file you must copy to the root of the NCard. (Replace the old one)


Now the error should be gone.

 

[Apache Thunder]

I'd have to agree with you on that! I've had my N-Card for 6 months now. It has played EVERY game I put on it so far, and never had speed issues. I don't have a need for the type of features offered by other carts, so this one works great for me. I use a separate device for homebrew, so DLDI issues are irrelevant to me.

 

[jocelyn77]

wow, this answered a lot of my questions! il definately be referring to this later on

and this is really sticky worthy!

 

[paul1991]

Apache,
You say there are DLDI issues. What issues have you encountered? Everything saves and reads great and I use A TON of homebrew.
There was an issue with the card auto patching a ROM and corrupting it, but 2.54 fixed that.

I really want to know what problems you have, so that I can look for fixes.

 

[kondorman]

I'm having problems with file write error on so many roms. I'm using 2.54 xmenu, but I did have trouble updating......story...

The cart came with 1.45+253, so I tried updating with the1.45/2.54, I ran the autorun1.nds file and the update appeared to go fine, it asked me to restart and i did and held 'start+select' on boot up to enter the format menu as per instructions. i chose the fast format which completed but instead of firing up USB mode like it was supposed to it just blank screened, leaving unable to copy the xmenu.dat file across.

Anyway after loads of fast formats and a full format, I still couldn't get into usb mode to copy any files to it. So I used the 1.45 .bat file update method from the 2.53 package and booted using 'up+L+R+AB' which booted to update mode and ran the updater via the pc, rebooted into fromat menu and fast formatted and 'bingo' the usb mode opened to let me copy the 2.54 dat file across, phew.


..end.... so I'm at 1.45/2.54 but i'm still getting file write error on many roms, these roms are all verified scene releases that work fine on my scds-1 and sc-lite, any ideas ? or do i have a dodgy cart.


edit.. sorry my first post and it's a bit long winded

 

[DespizingU]

Did you look on the faq in the first page? It tells you how to deal with the file write errors. I just got this error a couple weeks ago. First problem I've had in the year that I've owned the cart.

It was easily fixed though. It was one game that was causing that error. I deleted and redownloaded it, and now everything is working fine.

Here's the info:

"File Write Error"
When you are getting the "File Write Error" some Rom dump makes an error with the save-file.
Try every rom you have on your card. There must be one rom wich is starting.
This is the "bad rom" . For the solution the example game is named "-Lolz-" .

Solution 1:

Spoiler

Delete the save Files (Jeah... there should be many of that 'buggy' dump... ) and delete the "LASTSAVE.SDB" in the DSystem folder.
(here an older way to solve it... It takes some more time ~)
Solution 2:
- Connect to your PC throught the usb.
- Make a new folder on the card.
- Search the Savefile of the game
- COPY this savefile to the new folder.
- Now you will see, this are hundrets of savefiles and it will copy a long time.
- Then you will have files like
"-Lolz-.sav"
"-Lolz-(1).sav"
"-Lolz-(2).sav"
"-Lolz-(3).sav"
...
The original sav file is the "-Lolz-.sav" this file you must copy to the root of the NCard. (Replace the old one)


Now the error should be gone.
!!! Never play the Rom-Dump wich caused the error. It will came again. !!!

 

[kondorman]

Yeh i know how to fix it, I just keep getting the error all too often. I guess if no-one else is getting the error as often as me then my cart must be buggy.

Here's a list of the file write error roms I have got out of about 30-35 roms i have tried from what I can remember, there might of been 2 or 3 more...

Worms2
PES2008
Zelda
PicPic
Juiced2

 

[paul1991]

I have another fix for the file write error:
Clean off your DS Ncard/DS system slot.
If the contacts are dirty(namely the ones on the right side, if you are looking at the back) it can not read/write to the SRAM correctly. You need to take a pencil eraser to it and remove the black crap the builds up on it.

I was having trouble with the DS even booting my card and it game me write errors, but I cleaned it and now it is fine.

 

[kondorman]

I have another fix for the file write error:
Clean off your DS Ncard/DS system slot.
If the contacts are dirty(namely the ones on the right side, if you are looking at the back) it can not read/write to the SRAM correctly. You need to take a pencil eraser to it and remove the black crap the builds up on it.

I was having trouble with the DS even booting my card and it game me write errors, but I cleaned it and now it is fine.

I'll give it a go. thx

 

[leinad]

Hm... I will add, that the contacts should be cleaned on Problems in generaly...

 

[quartercast]

Great FAQ leinad, I get sick of answering the same Q's over and over again. A couple of points for your Q&A:

- N-card does have an official site at http://dsgba.com/www.dsgba.com (chinese).
- N-card can be successfully formatted using the SD flash memory formatter at http://www.sdcard.org/about/downloads/.

 

[jocelyn77]

*bump*

and btw...A MOD SHOULD STICKY THIS!

 

[tenja]

Ahhhh!!! Crystal chronicle does not work in my card.......maybe a bad dump,i hope.

 

[tenja]

OOpps....after upgrading from 2.53 to 2.54......it works!!! heck yeah!!!

 

[SearchStar]

great FAQ, really helped me with how to upgrade my fire card a clone of the n card.
but you dont have a guide on how to import save files. i just downloaded a pokemon diamon save file from gamefaqs and its a .duc file i used shunyweb savegame converter to change it to an n-card savefile a .sav file but when i start the game the only option i get is to start a new game

please help.
p.s. both game and save file are usa and both are pokemon diamond.

 

[paul1991]

The Pokemon diamond ROM is Flash 4Mbit. The device that creates .DUC files is not able to back them up as it was released before games had a save chip larger than 2Mbits. It is the same as with zelda.

The device is a datel device used to get saves off of real DS carts. I have one laying around my room somewhere, but I forget what its called.

 

[leinad]

Post updated~ Dunno why, but since the update it's not possible to make a spoiler in a spoiler >.<
Also it was a mess because on edit mode of every post made before the Board-Update all "[S-poiler] [/S-poiler]" are replaced with "[c-olor="#000000background#000000"] [/c-olor]"

But now it should be ok~

 

[leinad]

UPDATED !

Added howto to boot Tower Defence by Noda !!!