Need help with kernel for really old R4 card and NDS Lite (and making it work)

[al777]

Hi,

I got a second hand Nintendo DS Lite with a R4 card, I can't make it work.

My R4 doesn't have identification, but it looks like it's R4i3D since it's pink.


The R4 card autopsy:





My Pinky DS specs, (version V5):



Weirdly this game/anime appears as an option (たいけんばんなぞなぞ＆クイズいっとうにゅうこんQメイト):



But I get a blank screen forever :



What do I do? Can someone help please?

 

[KGBEER]

As you have a ds lite it doesnt matter which language it is as there is no region lock. But I would recommend
changing to english to see if it has any impact at least as the game showhing in the flash cart.
If you dont know how to change i can guide you.

May I ask you which size is your sd card? also try to format in fat 32 cluster size 32kb
put the only fc's strictly necessary files back, and maybe 1 or 2 games just for testing.

One thing that came up to my attention is most flash carts boot up automatically to their system. Yours boot up into Ds system.
It may be ok, but i havent seen it before.

Try these advices first, and if they dont work out, i'll be back with some more advices.

 

[al777]

As you have a ds lite it doesnt matter which language it is as there is no region lock. But I would recommend
changing to english to see if it has any impact at least as the game showhing in the flash cart.
If you dont know how to change i can guide you.

May I ask you which size is your sd card? also try to format in fat 32 cluster size 32kb
put the only fc's strictly necessary files back, and maybe 1 or 2 games just for testing.

One thing that came up to my attention is most flash carts boot up automatically to their system. Yours boot up into Ds system.
It may be ok, but i havent seen it before.

Try these advives first, and if not work i'll be back with some more advices.

Thank you for your reply.

It is already in english, the choice appears in japanese for some reason.

I used 1GB, 2GB and 8GB.

I tried setting it to boot automatically, it just goes straight to the blank screen

I couldn't put fat32 with 32kb.

HMMMMMMM, I think the R4 is f***ed up, I tried it without the sdcard and I got that same game in japanese.
WTF?

 

[KGBEER]

it seems your fc is the R4i 3ds Gold Plus / R4i 3ds Gold+
according to this thread.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/r4i-gold-3ds-setup-help-requested.527748/post-8493476

try to format using guiformat tool

 

[KGBEER]

In this video description there are 2 sites with many r4 firmwares you culd try

 

[al777]

In this video description there are 2 sites with many r4 firmwares you culd try

I tried so many of them... I'm tired, considering getting a new one, this one has 10 years at least....
but thanks for your help

 

[lifehackerhansol]

This appears to be a later revision of the R4i3D. (Probably between 2013-2015, I've heard of a 2016 one but that isn't confirmed.)

This should be its kernel: https://github.com/DS-Homebrew/flashcard-archive/raw/main/BL2CK/BL2CK_1.30.3.7z

Fair warning. DO NOT PUT YSMENU ON THIS FLASHCART. It will brick it with no chance of recovery.

 

[KGBEER]

HMMMMMMM, I think the R4 is f***ed up, I tried it without the sdcard and I got that same game in japanese.
WTF?

well it's up to you think this is worthy your time or not or if you can just buy a newer one or not. But I wouldnt give up just yet.

for above point.

If your r4's icon appears on the DS menu (which you should see even without microSD inserted), it may still be working.


Unfortunately there are more r4clones than multiverses out there, but I believe a bunch share same kernels/firmares.

So you could download a bunch of kernels and firmwares and use a program to find duplicate files(using hashes),
to get off the identical ones (which I believe must be a few )
to avoid copying and testing same files over and over to sd card.

Doing this will improve statistically the chances in finding one that works with you flash cart.

 

[JaapDaniels]

can you read the original sd-card... there's a .dat file...
this .dat file hash is a good starting point. there is a good chance someone here has one with the same hash wich would suggest to be the same model, or it is compitable with the same kernel/fw/os whatever it's called.
there's olso a chance that the sd-card starts working if you set the date of your DS a few years back.

 

[lifehackerhansol]

I wrote the above response because I actually have the cartridge in question (multiple of them, in fact). As long as no one's thrown YSMenu into this like a lot of people do then the cart is still functional.

Generally speaking, as long as the icon shows up in the DS, DSi or HOME menu, it's not bricked and it still works.

 

[KGBEER]

I wrote the above response because I actually have the cartridge in question (multiple of them, in fact). As long as no one's thrown YSMenu into this like a lot of people do then the cart is still functional.

Generally speaking, as long as the icon shows up in the DS, DSi or HOME menu, it's not bricked and it still works.

If you have the exactly same card could you please put the links or files for the correct
kernels and firmwares?
I may help other with similar problems with this cart.

 

[lifehackerhansol]

If you have the exactly same card could you please put the links or files for the correct
kernels and firmwares?
I may help other with similar problems with this cart.

... but I did...

 

[KGBEER]

... but I did...

Ah sorry it's 6 posts above and because it wasn't identified as belonging to exactly cart
I missed.
Now we must wait if it worked for op or not.