Hacking R4i Ultra BootStrap...

[SixtySixHundred]

After being inspired by a topic I read yesterday, I felt I needed to create something for users of the R4i Ultra flashcart so they could get some better support for new games. After trying a lot of different stuff and nearly killing my own R4i Ultra in the process, I manages to create a file that will load any .nds file as soon as you boot the cart...

Basically, those of you who use the R4i Ultra (from www.r4ultra.com) can now say goodbye to that horrible UI we were stuck with and Moonshell that won't work correctly! Download the archive from the link below and follow the instructions in the 'READ.txt' file and you'll be good to go. So far I've had the wonderful 'HBMenu' start as soon as I turn my DS on as well as AKAIO v1.5.1 (naughty, I know. But I did it to test stuff). In time, I will use this bootstrap to load a firmware all of my own so users of the R4i Ultra can enjoy decent compatibility again...

Gotta love DevKitPro!

Download link here. That is the HBMenu setup. Follow the included instructions and you'll have HBMenu as your default menu. For those who don't know about HBMenu, it's basically a menu that'll only load homebrew and NO commercial ROMs. It's officially supported by DevKitPro themselves who want to see a special flashcart designed exclusively for homebrew to help take the piracy/legal trouble out of the flashcart scene! Good stuff if you ask me!

Anyway, this is the result of a day or so of reading, research and coding so I hope you R4i Ultra users enjoy it! I've got some youtube vids of it working too. The first is my R4i Ultra booting straight into HBMenu and the second is the same cart booting into AKAIO 1.5.1. AKAIO files aren't included in the download archive!


Enjoy, and any problems are either caused by your cart being a clone of a clone or your incompetance. Neither is my fault.

EDIT: OMG I can't believe I neglected to mention a dude I got some inspiration from, a developer called 'Fincs' who did a similar project for another cloned cart. He basically gave me the idea for this and for that, I think him!

EDIT2: It seems this is yet to be working on the R4 Ultra, (not R4i Ultra). The cart will boot past the loading screen, but hangs at the red top-screen afterwards... It seems to be a problem with the ARM7 Binary but I'm still working on it...

 

[kiafazool]

hey where am i
you forgot to mention me
i was the one who started the other thread you were inspired by yestarday
.........................................
im just jking
i didn't really help much
but seriously good job

wow im replying even before read the thread

 

[SixtySixHundred]

...i didn't really help much...

You didn't help at all!

And have you tried it yet? Whaddya think?

 

[kiafazool]

yes i helped u get inspired and get the idea from my thread

i haven't tried it
im going to try it now
ill post my results

EDIT:

are the loaders (akloader.nds , ak2loader.nds) they main thing that run games/roms
if they are we have to find out how to edit them

 

[SixtySixHundred]

yes i helped u get inspired and get the idea from my thread

i haven't tried it
im going to try it now
ill post my results

EDIT:

are the loaders (akloader.nds , ak2loader.nds) they main thing that run games/roms
if they are we have to find out how to edit them

Grrr! LEAVE AKAIO ALONE...

AKAIO is for AceKards and we were lucky Norm carried on with AKAIO after 1.5 was cracked! So do me a favour and drop this AKAIO thing completely! My intention was a starting block to building my own kernel for an unsupported cart, not go robbing everyone elses work! If you carry on talking about AKAIO, I'll just stop altogether and all you'll have is a pointless bootstrap that loads the default R4i Ultra kernel or out-of-date AKAIO files...

 

[fonfrost]

Thank you for your work, but I R4 Ultra, and hanging red screen. bad .... I hope you get and R4 Ultra. Otherwise Shin_Megami_Tensei_Strange_Journey_USA and Blue_Dragon_Awakened_Shadow_CRACKED (the game goes, but saves are not loaded) will not play. In Russia in St. Petersburg can only get this rotten r4 ultra of Chinese craftsmen, and they march, spat on his card and do not release new firmware.
P.S. I did not understand the game can be run directly from inside your software or you can run from inside your firmware AKAIO 1.7, and have him run out of games as they used out of official firmware from www.r4ultra.com could run AKAIO v1.5.1 .
P.S.P.S. By the way, do not even think that R4i Ultra may be suitable for conventional DS, thought it only for DSi.

 

[riverchen]

Uhh, since this is bumped, then i might as well ask for something. Is this still alive?

 

[SixtySixHundred]

I'm still working on this occasionally, but it's only for a specific flashcart for now and I don't have much time as it is.

 

[SixtySixHundred]

Thank you for your work, but I R4 Ultra, and hanging red screen. bad .... I hope you get and R4 Ultra. Otherwise Shin_Megami_Tensei_Strange_Journey_USA and Blue_Dragon_Awakened_Shadow_CRACKED (the game goes, but saves are not loaded) will not play. In Russia in St. Petersburg can only get this rotten r4 ultra of Chinese craftsmen, and they march, spat on his card and do not release new firmware.
P.S. I did not understand the game can be run directly from inside your software or you can run from inside your firmware AKAIO 1.7, and have him run out of games as they used out of official firmware from www.r4ultra.com could run AKAIO v1.5.1 .
P.S.P.S. By the way, do not even think that R4i Ultra may be suitable for conventional DS, thought it only for DSi.

Dude, I'm sorry but I didn't get much of that. I do know that red screen doesn't = bad. The fact it gets past the 'Loading' screen tells me it works, just not quite as expected. I also know that it's the ARM7 code I need to work on. I'll sort it for other clones if I can...

Btw, AKAIO 1.7 won't run on the R4i Ultra. The best you're gonna get it 1.5.1.

 

[eggsample]

Spoiler:

Spoiler

QUOTE(fonfrost @ Jun 15 2010, 10:43 AM) Thank you for your work, but I R4 Ultra, and hanging red screen. bad .... I hope you get and R4 Ultra. Otherwise Shin_Megami_Tensei_Strange_Journey_USA and Blue_Dragon_Awakened_Shadow_CRACKED (the game goes, but saves are not loaded) will not play. In Russia in St. Petersburg can only get this rotten r4 ultra of Chinese craftsmen, and they march, spat on his card and do not release new firmware.
P.S. I did not understand the game can be run directly from inside your software or you can run from inside your firmware AKAIO 1.7, and have him run out of games as they used out of official firmware from www.r4ultra.com could run AKAIO v1.5.1 .
P.S.P.S. By the way, do not even think that R4i Ultra may be suitable for conventional DS, thought it only for DSi.

Spoiler

Dude, I'm sorry but I didn't get much of that. I do know that red screen doesn't = bad. The fact it gets past the 'Loading' screen tells me it works, just not quite as expected. I also know that it's the ARM7 code I need to work on. I'll sort it for other clones if I can...

Btw, AKAIO 1.7 won't run on the R4i Ultra. The best you're gonna get it 1.5.1.

AKAIO 1.8.1 goto www.r4ultra.com

 

[kiafazool]

Spoiler:

Spoiler

QUOTE(fonfrost @ Jun 15 2010, 10:43 AM) Thank you for your work, but I R4 Ultra, and hanging red screen. bad .... I hope you get and R4 Ultra. Otherwise Shin_Megami_Tensei_Strange_Journey_USA and Blue_Dragon_Awakened_Shadow_CRACKED (the game goes, but saves are not loaded) will not play. In Russia in St. Petersburg can only get this rotten r4 ultra of Chinese craftsmen, and they march, spat on his card and do not release new firmware.
P.S. I did not understand the game can be run directly from inside your software or you can run from inside your firmware AKAIO 1.7, and have him run out of games as they used out of official firmware from www.r4ultra.com could run AKAIO v1.5.1 .
P.S.P.S. By the way, do not even think that R4i Ultra may be suitable for conventional DS, thought it only for DSi.

Spoiler

Dude, I'm sorry but I didn't get much of that. I do know that red screen doesn't = bad. The fact it gets past the 'Loading' screen tells me it works, just not quite as expected. I also know that it's the ARM7 code I need to work on. I'll sort it for other clones if I can...

Btw, AKAIO 1.7 won't run on the R4i Ultra. The best you're gonna get it 1.5.1.

AKAIO 1.8.1 goto [takeoutlink] [/takeoutlink]

why the heck would you bump this thread
and dont post that link here
it might cause akaio to stop

 

[Another World]

the akaio 1.8.1 build for the r4i ultra is a real thing. it was ported over by normmatt at the request of team acekard. the r4i ultra was developed, manufactured, and supported by team acekard. they then sold the design and the new team stopped supporting the card (from what i understand). future builds of akaio should also run on the r4i ultra.

-another world

 

[SixtySixHundred]

the akaio 1.8.1 build for the r4i ultra is a real thing. it was ported over by normmatt at the request of team acekard. the r4i ultra was developed, manufactured, and supported by team acekard. they then sold the design and the new team stopped supporting the card (from what i understand). future builds of akaio should also run on the r4i ultra.

-another world

AW, seeing as It's official, this thread can be locked or deleted I think. The bootstrap was only really any good for AKAIO 1.5.1 anyway.