Hacking Help, unbricking an Acekard.

[eternalangyl]

Hi,

Just bought an Acekard 2i, it worked on my NDSL and then i popped it in my NDSi (dumb now that I think about it before reading everything) and it gave me an error "An error has occurred. Press and hold the Power Button to turn the system off. Please see the Nintendo DSi Operations Manual for help troubleshooting."

So now the Acekard does not show up on my NDSL. I assume I bricked it?

Anyway I was following this guide; http://gbatemp.net/t218103-updated-n00b-gu...up-your-acekard, particularly Step 11. Updating the Acekard 2i's firmware.
I have an NDSL, I clicked on the ak2ifw_update_14_DSL_new.nds and when it comes to the screen where you have to switch to the Acekard (that needs to be unbricked) it is stuck on "Press b to continue"

I've tried it many times and it still has not gone past that.

What should I do?

 

[tk_saturn]

I tried made it clear to make it clear.

Does you Acekard 2i still work in your DS Lite? if so it's not bricked, it just needs updating for the DSi.

You only need to use the DSL update if your cart bricked, otherwise use the DSi file.

Putting it into the DSi won't have bricked it, the error message you got is simply because your DSi is updated to FW 1.4. It won't have bricked the Acekard. The only thing that will brick the Acekard is interuptting the flashing process.

 

[eternalangyl]

I tried made it clear to make it clear.

Does you Acekard 2i still work in your DS Lite? if so it's not bricked, it just needs updating for the DSi.

You only need to use te DSL update if your cart bricked, otherwise use the DSi file.

No it does not work on my NDSL, it says there is no NDS cart in the slot when I start up my NDSL.

 

[tk_saturn]

But if you insert it into the DSi you get the error message right?

What flashcart are you using to launch the ak2ifw_update_14_DSL_new.nds?

 

[eternalangyl]

But if you insert it into the DSi you get the error message right?

Nope, it does not show a game slot when I try to load it up on my DSi

Edit: it WAS working before on my NDSL, it loaded up AKAIO and everything, I had another problem with "Processing .. do not power off" and I fixed it by not replacing the loader in the guide stickied in this forum. However, my NDSL and NDSi have STOPPED detecting the Acekard immediately after putting it in the NDSi and getting the error I mentioned above.

 

[tk_saturn]

If the DSL update is getting stuck, it be having a problem running on your 2nd cart or for some reason your DSL won't allow you to swap carts.

Give me a minute or two and i'll upload the other 2 firmware updates you can try.

Have you tried my paper trick where you slide a piece of paper or plastic underneath the PCB?

Yes, the guide at the top is causing people problems.

 

[eternalangyl]

If the DSL update is getting stuck, it be having a problem running on your 2nd cart or for some reason your DSL won't allow you to swap carts.

Give me a minute or two and i'll upload the other 2 firmware updates you can try.

Have you tried my paper trick where you slide a piece of paper or plastic underneath the PCB?

Yes, the guide at the top is causing people problems.

No problem, thank you for your quick replies.

That's the thing, I don't think it has any contact issues because it worked before:

(my edited post above)
Edit: it WAS working before on my NDSL, it loaded up AKAIO and everything, I had another problem with "Processing .. do not power off" and I fixed it by not replacing the loader in the guide stickied in this forum. However afterwards, my NDSL and NDSi have STOPPED detecting the Acekard immediately after putting it in the NDSi and getting the error I mentioned above.

 

[tk_saturn]

It's possible the PCB has moved, perhaps the contacts in your DSi are tight. As long as you only use a single sheet of A4 paper, the paper underneath the PCB shouldn't do any harm.

http://rapidshare.com/files/399142912/Acek...es_DSL.rar.html

That's the update, try all 3 files in there. ak2ifw_update_14_DSL.nds, ak2ifw_update_14_DSL_new.nds and r4ifw_update_14_DSL.nds. The last one is for the R4i Ultra, but is known to work on Acekard's.

Have verified your Acekard is genuine? does it have a square shape underneath the Acekard sticker?

edit:

When I wrote the Acekard guide, all I had at the time were Acekard's. Other people tried launching the DSL on their other carts to unbrick their Acekard and said it worked.

I've just tried it on my R4, and I get the same issue as you. It get's stuck on the press (B) to continue. It doesn't seem to be aware the cart has been ejected. I'll have to look into it.

 

[tk_saturn]

Right, now i've been tinkering with my R4.

If I run the DSL update from inside Wood R4 or the Official, it won't see that i've ejected the cart.

If I load on the official software 1.18, then from that Run R4 Wood (decrypted), it will then allow me to eject the cart and start the flashing process.

Unfortunately I had all the updates on the MicroSD card and used ak2ifw_update_14_DSL.nds instead of ak2ifw_update_14_DSL_new.nds. Resulted in it getting stuck at 0% and bricking the cart lol.

Like yours, it no longer appears in the DS menu.

edit: tried it again, using ak2ifw_update_14_DSL_new.nds and the R4, and it unbricked my Acekard 2i

This is the same cart I used to originally do my guide, and had the normal 0fc2 CHIPID. On bricking, it changed to b8cd16be. After unbricking, it's back to 0fc2.

edit:Checked it again, and what I posted above was wrong. I was able to run the DSL update straight from Wood, eject the R4 and insert the Acekard, pressing (B) then started the update. I don't know why it wasn't working before, could be from where my Acekard is falling apart (I opened it up and haven't glued it back together yet). You can see from the photo of my bricked cart above, it definately works.

 

[eternalangyl]

Right, now i've been tinkering with my R4.

If I run the DSL update from inside Wood R4 or the Official, it won't see that i've ejected the cart.

If I load on the official software 1.18, then from that Run R4 Wood (decrypted), it will then allow me to eject the cart and start the flashing process.

Unfortunately I had all the updates on the MicroSD card and used ak2ifw_update_14_DSL.nds instead of ak2ifw_update_14_DSL_new.nds. Resulted in it getting stuck at 0% and bricking the cart lol.

Like yours, it no longer appears in the DS menu.

edit: tried it again, using ak2ifw_update_14_DSL_new.nds and the R4, and it unbricked my Acekard 2i

This is the same cart I used to originally do my guide, and had the normal 0fc2 CHIPID. On bricking, it changed to b8cd16be. After unbricking, it's back to 0fc2.

edit:Checked it again, and what I posted above was wrong. I was able to run the DSL update straight from Wood, eject the R4 and insert the Acekard, pressing (B) then started the update. I don't know why it wasn't working before, could be from where my Acekard is falling apart (I opened it up and haven't glued it back together yet). You can see from the photo of my bricked cart above, it definately works.

When I switch to the Acekard, am I supposed to bring over the micro SD card from the R4?

Edit:

Okay, I tried all 3 files with my R4 on my NDSL and the problem is still there (does not recognize the ejected acekard)
I've also tried numerous times but I'm not sure what's going on.
I tried it without bringing over the micro sd card and with and no luck.

 

[tk_saturn]

It doesn't make a difference. It won't be reading or writing to the SD card once the firmware update has been launched, because it's in the DSL's memory which is why you can swap cart's.

If I boot the R4, run the DSL update, eject the R4, insert the Acekard and press (B) the update starts. If I boot the R4, run the DSL update, eject the cart, insert the R4 again, it will sit there on the press (B) screen. So If you haven't done so, try the paper trick on the Acekard and then try updating it. Other than trying to use another cart to launch the update on, i'm not sure what else you can do.

 

[eternalangyl]

It doesn't make a difference. It won't be reading or writing to the SD card once the firmware update has been launched, because it's in the DSL's memory which is why you can swap cart's.

If I boot the R4, run the DSL update, eject the cart, insert the Acekard and press (B) the update starts. If I boot the R4, run the DSL update, eject the cart, insert the R4 again, it will sit there on the press (B) screen. So If you haven't done so, try the paper trick on the Acekard and then try updating it. Other than trying to use another cart to launch the update on, i'm not sure what else you can do.

Okay uh that was weird but I just made it unbrick but I found something new;

When I insert the acekard into the NDS, to make it detect I have to press down on it (as if I was ejecting it) I held it down the entire unbricking process. And it still does not detect it UNLESS i am pressing down on it.

 

[tk_saturn]

It's a contact issue. You can try my paper trick of sliding it under the PCB, but if that doesn't work use the other one:

Cut a piece of plastic from something such as an OHP slide or from the plastic insert the Acekard comes in. Cut it to the width of the Acekard, and just slightly taller. Bend the piece that's taller over the Acekard at 90 degress so it's like a flap. Insert the plastic with the Acekard, and it will wedge in there and keep it in position. You can then use the flap to pull the plastic out. Don't use paper, as when you try to remove the paper it may tear, and then you'll have great difficulty removing the cart.

Otherwise you'll have to open up the Acekard and reseat the PCB. When you open up the Acekard, there are 4 pegs which are glued into holes on the opposite side of the shell. You can see from my guide I broke 3 of them when opening up the cart, but it should re-glue back together fine although i've left mine as it is.

 

[eternalangyl]

=\ I am very unsure of doing the paper method, shaky hands I guess.
I contacted the website I ordered from and hopefully I will be able to return it. I just ordered it a week ago.

 

[gary2010]

every acekard needs the paper trick 1 time or another i would think mine lasted about a month with out the trick. then i put a piece of card under the motherboard and its been working for about 3 month now, i used tk saturns guide its a clever little trick

 

[al5911]

To make sure you'll never face any problem with your AK2i,I think you MUST do the paper trick.You can just open (split) your AK2i cart with your fingernail (slip your nail in between the 'line').It is ok to break all of the 'pegs' as mine,you can glue it back.I had done on my AK2i this morning and I worked wonderful...

 

[caster62003]

every acekard needs the paper trick 1 time or another i would think mine lasted about a month with out the trick. then i put a piece of card under the motherboard and its been working for about 3 month now, i used tk saturns guide its a clever little trick

Well then, I guess mine is not an AK2i, got mine right around launch, and I havent had any issues with it at all...**Knocks on Wood, or wood like material**... And no this is not a knock off, all guides to determine legitaty shows a legit AK2i...Man, I feel specail