Homebrew Is there a way to port this to DSi Homebrew?

[Deleted-394630]

Is there a way to make this work through 4swordshax or sudokuhax? Or a flashcart updater homebrew? (Similar to the NTRBoothax installer?)

Spoiler: Here's the post

​

TWL_FIRM MUST be sig patched before this will boot! The new patches to TWL were recently added to rxTools and should make it's way into a nightly build soon. The sig patches added also patch out DS Cart White List and save chip detection. So if your DS Flashcart already works thanks to that patch, then you don't need this. rxTools isn't specifically needed. If you happen to have a prepatched TWL_FIRM installed, that will work too. Note that rxTools does not yet support patching TWL_FIRM on n3DS. The prepatched TWL_FIRM cia is your only option (for now) on the n3DS.

Many older DS flash carts get blocked by CTR mode (most likely by Process9 of NATIVE_FIRM). You can tell if you see it error almost instantly when trying to boot your flashcart. This app gets around that! Any flashcart that hasn't worked since 1.0 launch firmware can be used with this launcher. Note that some flashcarts may work without this launcher with just the TWL_FIRM patches alone. Test that first before using this launcher. If your card works with just the patches, do not report that as that no longer pertains to my launcher. This launcher is intended for DS flashcarts that get blocked by CTR mode.

You can tell if yours is blocked by CTR mode by attempting to boot it from home menu. If you see the "Error has occured" screen pop up almost immediately without the screens flickering on and off, then it is a card blocked by CTR mode. That's what this launcher is for!

This should work on n3DS too once sig patched TWL_FIRM is available for it.

To use this, simply insert your previously blocked DS flashcart into the game card slot, then boot this app.

That is all you have to do!

Older flashcarts that don't have valid icon/banner data still will not work. Notable examples are the original R4 and older hardware revisions of the original Action Replay for DS.

Anything that behaves like a normal cartridge should be bootable with this method.


How this DSi app works is simple. It's a stripped down DSi Extended header with dummy data for the arm7/arm9 sections (they aren't needed as it launches slot-1 before ever getting to load them). Inserted a custom banner and set the file type at offset 0x234 to 00. This tells TWL_FIRM that it's a cartridge. (even though it's not. ).

This tricks it into booting older flashcarts because the 3DS boots into TWL_FIRM expecting to load this this DSiWare SRL. But because the file type in the TID field is set to cartridge, it immediately boots what ever is in slot-1. Neat little oversight thanks to Nintendo.

Download link: TWLSlot1Launcher_v3.rar
Update: Download link updated. Minor changes to header and brought SRL closer to proper SRL spec.

Confirmed list of carts working with this:

AceKard 2i
AceKard 2.1
AceKard RPG
R4i-SDHC
iTouchDS2
R4i SDHC Dual Core
Supercard DS One v3 SDHC


If you get an error on boot, double check that you have TWL_FIRM patched either via preinstalled CIA or via rxTools (or a future CFW that add the new patches) before reporting that your flashcard doesn't work with this. Thanks!

Credit goes to TuxSH and Steveice10 for finding the sig patches for TWL_FIRM! Also credit to TheStoneBanana for accidently discovering this odd little quirk of TWL FIRM.

 

[Alex4U]

I think probably someone can do a TWL Launcher on DSi... or just update that R4, and avoid all the problem

 

[ThisIsDaAccount]

Is there a way to make this work through 4swordshax or sudokuhax? Or a flashcart updater homebrew? (Similar to the NTRBoothax installer?)

Not until HiyaCFW is released. We don't hsve access to the cartridge slot under current homebrew.

 

[Apache Thunder]

Is there a way to make this work through 4swordshax or sudokuhax? Or a flashcart updater homebrew? (Similar to the NTRBoothax installer?)

No. Not if you plan to use it from normal Sudokuhax/4swordshax. No DSiWare game has access to slot-1 so any homebrew run from them can't run anything that needs slot-1 access. Also cart switching can't happen on DSi with slot-1 based homebrew on DSi without hardware mod of the slot or a passme device to prevent power shutdown of slot when a cart is ejected. So it's not viable via that route either.

RocketLauncher is needed to do any of what you want on a DSi as unlocked arm7 SCFG registers are required to keep access to both nand and slot-1 and for re-enabling power on slot-1 when a card is ejected. (the register for slot -ower is controlled via arm7 and is no longer accessible with normal DSiWare and not even slot-1 based DSiWare can touch it.

 

[Deleted-394630]

No. Not if you plan to use it from normal Sudokuhax/4swordshax. No DSiWare game has access to slot-1 so any homebrew run from them can't run anything that needs slot-1 access. Also cart switching can't happen on DSi with slot-1 based homebrew on DSi without hardware mod of the slot or a passme device to prevent power shutdown of slot when a cart is ejected. So it's not viable via that route either.

RocketLauncher is needed to do any of what you want on a DSi.

Well, sucks to be me.

On that note, I know you get asked this a lot of times (sorry) but it would be a shame not to ask again:
Do you have any estimate of the HiyaCFW and RocketLauncher release, and what's the current list of things needed, which tools are probable candidates if they go through further testing?

 

[ThisIsDaAccount]

Well, sucks to be me.

On that note, I know you get asked this a lot of times (sorry) but it would be a shame not to ask again:
Do you have any estimate of the HiyaCFW and RocketLauncher release, and what's the current list of things needed, which tools are probable candidates if they go through further testing?

@Apache Thunder, correct me if I'm wrong but:
All that's needed I believe is a whitelist patcher, he's not in charge of a project that's working one so he doesn't hsve an estimate. Twlnf can patch the whitelist without the need for a PC but I don't know if it's being considered or not.

 

[Apache Thunder]

Well it's not really up to me when the payload for RocketLauncher is released. StuckPixel is responsible for that as it was he who wrote the payload. I've found the exploit and helped test it and work out how to create the white list and install the payload to an Acekard as well as the retail cart method setup (with some input from NoCash as well).

I haven't looked at Twlnf yet and I don't have a nand mod so I won't be testing it. Perhaps you can have the dev behind that project talk to StuckPixel. If it handles nand crypto properly then maybe it can be used to handle what we need for DSi downgrading and installing of whitelist.

 

[Deleted-394630]

Well it's not really up to me when the payload for RocketLauncher is released. StuckPixel is responsible for that as it was he who wrote the payload. I've found the exploit and helped test it and work out how to create the white list and install the payload to an Acekard as well as the retail cart method setup (with some input from NoCash as well).

I haven't looked at Twlnf yet and I don't have a nand mod so I won't be testing it. Perhaps you can have the dev behind that project talk to StuckPixel. If it handles nand crypto properly then maybe it can be used to handle what we need for DSi downgrading and installing of whitelist.

@Apache Thunder, correct me if I'm wrong but:

All that's needed I believe is a whitelist patcher, he's not in charge of a project that's working one so he doesn't hsve an estimate. Twlnf can patch the whitelist without the need for a PC but I don't know if it's being considered or not.

TWLnf is reliable for non-direct Nand editing, it's never failed me with all of my modifications

 

[Apache Thunder]

TWLnf is reliable for non-direct Nand editing, it's never failed me with all of my modifications

That's the issue. We need a "direct" nand editing tool that is similar to how GodMode9 works. That's what StuckPixel is waiting for.

 

[Deleted-394630]

That's the issue. We need a "direct" nand editing tool that is similar to how GodMode9 works. That's what StuckPixel is waiting for.

Wait, why though? (I don't mean to sound rude but I don't know how else to say it) Can't people just remove the footer and flash to the Nand? I mean it's a little effort, but it gives you a chance to test it. Am I missing something here? Or could in-direct mounting work just fine, albeit slightly less efficient (But in a way it's safer (Easy Testing in No$GBA) and not safer (I'm always scared I'll only delete part of the No$gba footer and end up bricking because of like 3 characters, but that would be fairly rare and mostly just a thing to double-check for))

 

[Apache Thunder]

Wait, why though? (I don't mean to sound rude but I don't know how else to say it) Can't people just remove the footer and flash to the Nand? I mean it's a little effort, but it gives you a chance to test it. Am I missing something here? Or could in-direct mounting work just fine, albeit slightly less efficient (But in a way it's safer (Easy Testing in No$GBA) and not safer (I'm always scared I'll only delete part of the No$gba footer and end up bricking because of like 3 characters, but that would be fairly rare and mostly just a thing to double-check for))

Full nand flashes are bad idea in the long run. (it's also a lazy way of doing things programming wise) It leaves more chances for something to go wrong and is also needlessly time consuming.

 

[Deleted-394630]

Full nand flashes are bad idea in the long run. It leaves more chances for something to go wrong and is also needlessly time consuming.

But still a possible way to release the exploit,
WITH MANY WARNINGS to deter people not willing to sacrifice their DSi
If the theoretical tool never does surface. (It sure feels like it won't (I'm sorry I mean no hate on devs you all are awesome and amazing for doing this for free and you can take your time as long as you are not an asshole about questions))

 

[slaphappygamer]

That's the issue. We need a "direct" nand editing tool that is similar to how GodMode9 works. That's what StuckPixel is waiting for.

Twlnf can directly mount the Nand and write to it. That’s how I installed some dsiware.

 

[Deleted-394630]

Twlnf can directly mount the Nand and write to it. That’s how I installed some dsiware.

Yeah, but as Apache Thunder and I don't have hardmods, we are not going to risk something like that. (Yet)

 

[Apache Thunder]

Twlnf can directly mount the Nand and write to it. That’s how I installed some dsiware.

As I said, if that's how it works, have StuckPixel Look at it. He can decide of that would be usable for this. I'm not the decider here as I'm not experienced enough with programming to know if Twlnf does things correctly.

 

[Deleted-394630]

As I said, if that's how it works. Have StuckPixel Look at it. He can decide of that would be usable for this. I'm not the decider here as I'm not experienced enough with programming to know if Twlnf does things correctly.

It's still being tested as of now, so I'd expect it to be a while. Out of curiosity, not that I'd be designated, have there been any testers of the RocketLauncher+HiyaCFW yet? Or is it only being tested by the the devs working on it?

 

[Apache Thunder]

It's still being tested as of now, so I'd expect it to be a while. Out of curiosity, not that I'd be designated, have there been any testers of the RocketLauncher+HiyaCFW yet? Or is it only being tested by the the devs working on it?

I and maybe one other have been the sole testers of RocketLauncher. It's pretty much done. It's just the install process we need for it. We don't need any further testing of RocketLauncher itself.

EDIT:

As for HiyaCFW I would like that to not rely on a prebuilt/prepatched stage2 binary (currently a hacked together SRL loaded with a modified version of WinterMute's bootloader. Not the way I ultimately want it to work. HiyaCFW also relies on prepatched Launcher as well.)

 

[slaphappygamer]

Yeah, but as Apache Thunder and I don't have hardmods, we are not going to risk something like that. (Yet)

That makes scense.