Hacking SaveState Question

[Kalisiin]

A question:
A friend of mine recently got an Acekard. He would like to know if there is ANY way to get savestate info off a legit cart he owns...and then out that onto the Acekard.

I know how to use Acekards, and do so...but I do not know of a way to get savestate ifo off a LEGIT cart. Anyone out there know something I don't?

 

[Rydian]

http://gbatemp.net/t274290-how-to-dump-you...-ds-games-saves

 

[dragonkid6]

I'm gonna assume you mean savegame info as savestate is something entirely different and something not available on retail carts. With that said the easiest way is to get an Action Replay DSi and put a micro sd in it's side then put the desired game into it, then load up ARDSi and go to the "SAVES" option and then "**Backup Game Save**". After that you go thru some naming stuff and then it saves the save in ".DUC" format and then you need an ARDS-SAV conversion tool if you wish to use the save on a flashcart or pc emulator.

http://gbatemp.net/t220433-action-replay-d...-and-vice-versa

An added note, simply renaming the the .duc save will not work.

 

[Kalisiin]

My thanks to those of you who answered my question.

I knew there HAD to be some way of doing it...but I knew not what. And I had no knowledge, previously...that this device even existed.

Needless to say, I ordered one for myself...and also told my friend about it...he ordered it as well.

I am trying to help him to move his games and his save-states from legit carts to a backup on an Acekard.
We both are not, and do not intend to engage in any form of piracy with our new tools and knowledge...we merely wish to back up what we already have legitimately purchased.

I have, as I mentioned, had much experience with Acekards...and I can tell you that nothing is on my Acekard that I do not also own a legitimate copy of...but I always played the actual games on the Acekard...never using the legit carts...buying them just because it was the right thing to do...and using the Acekard for the convenience of multiple games on just one cartidge.

But this friend of mine had already started a game of DQ9...and had over 500 hours in on the game...and wanted to be able to put his savestate data that was on the legit cart....onto the Acekard...along with the game.
And I did not know if this could be done (though I suspected it could) and I did not know HOW you would do it if it could be done.

Now, thanks to your kind help...I now know it is possible...and how to do it...so now I can help my friend. Together we will figure out all the intricacies of how to do this....and get it done.

My thanks!

 

[Kalisiin]

OK...HELP!!!

I finally got the device, and it comes with jack-squat for directions!

Here's the deal:
It came with a CD - I put that in, it wants me to download drivers...so I did.

The device doesn't get recognized by my computer...even in USB ports that work for other devices.

I tried using Device Manager to update drivers...when I go to the folder the drivers are supposedly in...it does not let me select it...the OK doesn't light up.

Looking in the folder you get, THERE ARE NO FREAKING .DLL FILES...which is what drivers SHOULD be!

HELP...I just spent 35 bucks on a piece of crap if I cant make this damn thing work!!

 

[Masked Ranger]

What "device" are you talking about? What "drivers" are you talking about?

Have you checked out the codejunkies.com website for help with your ar dsi?

 

[Rydian]

Did you download the latest software from the company's site?

 

[Kalisiin]

What "device" are you talking about? What "drivers" are you talking about?

Have you checked out the codejunkies.com website for help with your ar dsi?

The "device" is the NDS Adapter...the thing mentioned within this thread already...the thing that is supposed to be able to take savestate info off a legit cart and put it on the PC. the drivers are the .dll files that ought to be there to run the device...what the computer uses to communicate with the device.

QUOTE(Rydian @ Mar 26 2011, 12:07 PM) Did you download the latest software from the company's site?

As far as I know, I did. What web site? When I inserted the goddam disk that came with it...it took me to a download webpage.

I'm not a dummy when it comes to computer stuff...BUT THIS GODDAM THING DOES NOT WORK LIKE THE INSTRUCTIONS SAY IT OUGHT TO!!

 

[Masked Ranger]

The "device" is the NDS Adapter...the thing mentioned within this thread already...the thing that is supposed to be able to take savestate info off a legit cart and put it on the PC. the drivers are the .dll files that ought to be there to run the device...what the computer uses to communicate with the device.

The only device mentioned by name in this thread is the AR DSi by dragonkid6 and me in passing since the only device mentioned by name is the AR DSi by dragonkid6 .

Here's a link (http://www.hkems.com/files/0907/0907_v3.01.zip) to the "updated" software.

 

[Rydian]

Link us to the page you're getting, and show us what the download looks like.

 

[Kalisiin]

OK...that file is exactly what I am downloading.

Now WTF do I do with it??

I unzip the file...and nothing useful is there.
Everything that is there in that download you just gave me is what I have.

When I plug the damned adapter into a working USB port, I get "USB Device" and a question mark...meaning an unrecognized device, it needs a driver.

SO...I go to the Device Manager and right click on Update Driver.

It asks me to go to the folder where the driver is.

THE GODDAM THING DOES NOT LET ME SELECT THE FOLDER THAT SAYS "DRIVER" RIGHT IN THE DOWNLOAD...THE GODDAM OK BUTTON DOES NOT LIGHT UP TO LET ME PICK THAT FOLDER!!

Meanwhile, If I click on the .exe file..it brings up the program...but acts as if the device is not connected (of course, since it does not have the proper driver installed!!)

The light is on on the device, so I know it's powered...and I am plugging it into a USB I know works, because it works with other stuff!

I am using XP, by the way...and it is 32-bit.

It searches for a driver and says there isn't one...and asks me to go to the folder the driver is located in....so, again, I try to pick that folder...and it does not light up the OK...which means I can't pick it.

So WTF do I do here??

Like I said, for me, it doesn't really matter much, but I am trying to learn to use this thing, and how to get it started working...so that I can help my friend work it.

And if anyone STILL wonders...the device is the NDS Adapter +

The "Device Manager" is a thing within your control panel on your computer.

Will someone please tell me how to make this thing work?? Can someone even maybe go so far as to make a You Tube Video or something?

I'm desperate here.

 

[Masked Ranger]

Make sure that you are unzipping/extracting the .zip file and that you are not just using Explorer to view and run the files inside the archive.

Try these steps:
[*] Download the software and unzip the folders. You should now have a X:\907_v3.01 folder containing a \driver folder and two programs (NDS_Adaptor_Plus_v3.0.exe and v3.1_update.exe). Inside the \driver folder there is EMSlink.inf, EMSLink_amd64.sys, EMSLink_i386.sys, and EMSLink_ia64.sys.[*] Plug in the Adaptor and go to the Device Manager and right click on Update Driver.[*] Don't have the Wizard connect to the internet and select the following options/buttons:

• Install from a specific location
• Choose the driver to install
• Have the disk
• Browse

[*] Go on over to X:\907_v3.01\drivers and select the EMSlink.inf file.

 

[Kalisiin]

Thank you, Masked Ranger, I will try that.

I appreciate your patience and the step-by-step. I never would have suspected that an .inf file was the driver, I was expecting a .dll file.

I will let you know if I am able to make this work.

UPDATE: I appear to have gotten it working.
NOTE: It does not recognize an Acekard...only legit carts, apparently...SO...you have to take your save off the legit cart to the PC...then use a card reader to get the savestate to the SD card in your Acekard.

YES!! That worked. Careful note that this saves .sav files to your PC. When you move them to your Acekard, you have to rename them so that they are .nds.sav

Got it done, though.

Now, here is hoping I can talk my friend thru it...he's way-serious helpless with this stuff...which is why I got this, so that I could try to help him.

I will make a note here about this...you HAVE to re-boot after you install the new driver and before you run the program. If you DON'T...it will look like your computer crashed, and it will re-boot.

Also, you have to run the program BEFORE putting the NDS Adapter into your USB port, or the program does not show up on the screen. If you DO start it while it is plugged in, you have to remove it, then plug it back in and you will be good to go. Note: this instruction ALSO applies to first-time use only. After that, it is no problem if it is plugged in when you start.

HUGE KUDOS AND THANKS TO THOSE WHO HELPED ME OUT WITH THIS!!

And everyone should note this adapter ONLY saves savestates, not the original program...you can't do that with this device. It is intended to back up your savestate info...so that you can move it to an Acekard, keep it safe, or upload it online somewhere.