Hacking My DS (Phat) wont recognize EZ Flash IV

[Siku]

So, my EZFlash arrived today, and considering MiniSD being incredibly rare and some threads on these forums to just go for a micro+adapter, that's what i did.

Now, i got the ez_up bin in the file, as well as the roms i wanted. I used the EZClient to transfer the roms but not for the bin.
...But im stuck faster than i thought, when i get into the DS menu, it says there's no GBA pak inserted.

Since its my first day with it, i have a hard time believing it to be bricked already...

Also, i could get my hands on a Gameboy Advance, maybe i could use it to check if the game works there (to know if the DS is to blame), but i'm hesistant, the "Hold R to update the bin" thing, does it makes the GBA behaves differently? Like, if it get to 100% does it lose the ability to play actual carts? That GBA not being mine, i dont want to screw up my friend's GBA just to see if my cart works.

 

[jimmyemunoz]

READ

 

[Siku]

I did.

Stock DS
Either select your DS to automatically load up or select the start GBA option at the bottom of the screen.
DS with passme device
Remove your passme device and select run GBA game.

Nope. I cant select to run the GBA game because it says no GBA pak inserted.

First in or Not Enough Power

This refers to the EZ4's SRAM. It can mean one of several things; A) The internal battery is not charged. B) The internal battery is dead, or not soldered properly, or otherwise has no connection C) The SRAM hasn't been initialised.

You should only see this error once. After an initial charge of the internal battery, either by leaving your NDS on for a few hours or by plugging the EZ4 into an EZ1 - 3 linker for the same period this error should no longer occur.

By "You should only see this error once" means i should SEE it to begin with. The only thing my DS does is go in the boot menu and states there's no DS Pak and no GBA pak inserted.

And nowhere does it states if the EZ4 Kernel has any effects on a GBA. I guess that could mean if it wouldnt do anything, but i still want to be sure.

 

[FAST6191]

Carts not showing up should not be a side effect of a dodgy adapter. That is more likely the effect of dirty contacts (it might have sat in a warehouse for years and they often come from the factory as less than brilliant)- clean them with a cotton bud/qtip dipped in some rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover (the plain chemical stuff not the stuff with aloe vera or whatever) or a proper contact cleaner (preferably not automotive grade) and quite often it will start working fine.

By all means try on a GBA if you can no the hold R thing will at worst cause issues for the EZ4 itself (they are pretty resilient there as well).

 

[Siku]

Tried it on GBA. picked it up on the first attempt, DS. Still says there's no gamepak detected.
=(

 

[jimmyemunoz]

Does your DS Lite have FlashMe installed?

 

[FAST6191]

Even if it works on a GBA it could still be dirty contacts- do clean them (if you want you do not even have to remove the case).

 

[Siku]

Does your DS Lite have FlashMe installed?

Unless R4 / R4i Gold installs FlashMe, i dont.

Also, i did clean both the DS and the cart and especially the DS was kinda dirty. still doesn't work though. Tried two commercial games and they both worked too.

 

[jimmyemunoz]

No, the R4/R4i's don't install FlashMe.

 

[Siku]

Update! So my DS still wont take the EZFlash on 99% of occasions. But there are times that if i blow into the slot and put the cart in, The DS will detect it. I was able to do the whole updating process, but on the next boot, it wasnt detecting it anymore. Several minutes later, i was able to make it pick it up, and i was able to pick and play some gba games but it froze after 10 minutes or so and i was never able to save (mostly because i skipped the First in error message.)
The third time i was able to make it happen i didnt skip it and let it on for about 6 hours, but considering the DS was frozen...yeah.

So, it's DEFINETLY my DS, and im wondering if its possible to somehow open it up to see any defect adn fix them, or if its one of those parts that if broken, your best bet is to get a new DS.
If the latter, are there any places for really cheap DS and/or DS lite?

 

[jimmyemunoz]

I have one, in the for sale thread, in mint condition, for $75 plus actual shipping. Comes with the Nerf Armor case which is good for DSi also and its brand new. Interested?

 

[Siku]

DSi and 3DS, having no Slot-2, makes them very much undesirable in my case, considering the reason i want to replace my DS is because the Slot-2 isnt working properly.

 

[jimmyemunoz]

DSi and 3DS, having no Slot-2, makes them very much undesirable in my case, considering the reason i want to replace my DS is because the Slot-2 isnt working properly.

No, I'm selling a Nintendo DS Lite, and it comes with a Nerf Armor case. The Nerf Armor case can be used with a DS Lite or a DSi, should you have a DSi needing a case. The machine I have is perfect for you. The slot 2 has hardly ever seen use.