Hacking Sky3ds Initiation Bug

[Slowgrow]

I ordered a Sky3ds and it arrived a few days ago. I have spent since then digging around on these forums, and troubleshooting why I cannot get this thing to work. Thanks to the big posters who are out there helping people out. Hopefully we can come together and figure out if I got a DOA card or if i'm just missing something.

Setup:
Sky3ds Bluebutton, received from Modchipsdirect.com
'New-3DS' - 9.6.0-24U
Diskwriter - 1.06b5 (I also tried twice with Diskwriter 1.05)
Template0409.txt (have not tried other template files, maybe i got a bad one)
8gb MicroSD card (have tried same steps on 2 different MicroSD cards, no difference)
Windows 8.1
Microsoft .net 4.0 and higher.
AVG, Avast, and even Regcleaner disabled

Checklist:
Completely formatted MicroSD card using EaseUS partition manager. (one of the MicroSD cards was also brand new out of box, also formatted with EaseUS)
Put Template0409.txt in Diskwriter Folder
Run Diskwriter as Administrator
Upload Template0409.txt to Diskwriter tool
Format MicroSD using Diskwriter tool
Write 2-5 games onto card. Games Include games downloaded from online of which I own the original copies. Games are .3ds format, say they are USA region, and are encoded by VENOM and ABSTRAKT


Problems:
After I write the games onto my MicroSD, close diskwriter, and safely eject the MicroSD/USB adapter. Insert the MicroSD into my Sky3DS.
Here's where it gets interesting. I've seen a few different steps for "initializing' the Sky3ds. I've tried them all to my knowledge. Here's what happens.
If I Turn the 3ds on with the sky3ds cartridge not inserted, and then insert the sky3ds cartridge into the 3ds while holding the blue button, release the blue button and remove the sky3ds, and then reinsert the sky3ds, i get the fast blue led blinking (which i've come to learn is correct behavior). So I wait for the fast blinking light to stop, take out the Sky3ds, reinsert it, and the blue led with turn on for ~3 seconds, and the game will not appear. The 3ds remains with the message "There is nothing inserted into the game card slot"

The other way I tried initializing (insert sky3ds into powered down 3ds, turn on 3ds, hold blue button for 3s, turn off 3ds, turn on 3ds) has not resulted in a game appearing on my home screen either.

So far I am two days into troubleshooting this and I while my Sky3ds has blinked many blue lights at me in many different patterns, it has yet to be able to make my 3ds think there is a game in the game slot.

I'm running to the store, and will update this with more details once I get back. I'm hoping one of you will read what i've done, realize the stupid mistake i've made, and let me know what i'm doing wrong.

 

[Chelsea_Fantasy]

possible reasons:
bad microsd?
internet connection activated? (if my 3ds marks internet it never pops up the game cart, even in GW Mode)
turn off your wi-fi and try it out

 

[Foxi4]

...just put the Sky3DS into the system and power on, then leave it be - don't press the button before a game shows up, there's no reason to use any of those "techniques". If a game doesn't load then it might be the wrong region or a bad SD card. Slow SD's can take s considerable amount of time before they're detected.

 

[Deleted User]

I'm sorry, I don't know if there's any difference with N3DS or Old 3DS. I power my 3DS and when It's on I insert Sky3DS without pressing anything. If I have problems (i.e. the game card doesn't show), I just eject Sky3DS, reinsert it and the game shows. I never press the blue button, only for changing to the next rom.

By the way, the micro sd could be the problem, it doesn't matter if it's new or not. Some brands of Micro SD cards do not working properly. You should try different brands, you said you tried 2, but didn't specified if there were of the same brand.

 

[[^Blark^]]

possible reasons:
bad microsd?
internet connection activated? (if my 3ds marks internet it never pops up the game cart, even in GW Mode)
turn off your wi-fi and try it out

I always boot mine with wifi on. leaving wifi enabled shouldnt be a problem.

I would also guess bad microsd / SDcard issue.

 

[Foxi4]

Re-inserting the cart is a last resort and points at a contact issue. Ejecting the cart as it blinks might lead to data corruption.

 

[Slowgrow]

Thanks for the great advice so far!

I've attached a screen-cap of my MicroSD cards. apparently they are both sanDisk but have slightly different markings. The transfer rate with using the USB>MicroSD adapter and writing files with Diskwriter is ~5mb/s, which is kinda slow compared to the other video's i've seen. I'm sure this effects loadtimes, so I will try just inserting the sky3ds and waiting a while to see if the game pops up. Is there a way to check whether these are 'good' microSD cards?

I deleted my saved internet connections in Settings>Internet Settings>Connection Settings, turned off wifi antenna and all other outside connections. Hopefully that will help.

Also, when I attempt to check the "Verify" button before writing a .3ds file using the diskwriter tool, the status dialogue will appear, get to 100%, and then disappear, reappear, and proceed from 0% to 100% again, it does this about 15 times before an error message appears that says "Failed to write data,Unable to complete action." (picture attached). Has anyone else heard of this happening? And can anyone tell me what usually happens when the "Verify" box is checked?

Thanks for your continued support!

 

[Loaffy]

I don't own a Sky3DS, though I almost want to buy one just so that I'd be able to help in all the Sky3DS threads...maybe if I get the new job I just interviewed for

but something to try, and I know it sounds silly, but I've read of putting some tape on the card which can fix contact issues. I've heard of this fixing problems for several people. I will check if I can find a specific post about it....

fake edit: here is a post I found about this method;

Also, you should try putting a piece of tape or two on the low front side of the cart. Many flash carts have slightly thinner shells than normal carts and cause contact issues.

 

[Slowgrow]

...just put the Sky3DS into the system and power on, then leave it be - don't press the button before a game shows up, there's no reason to use any of those "techniques". If a game doesn't load then it might be the wrong region or a bad SD card. Slow SD's can take s considerable amount of time before they're detected.

Hmm, still not working for me. Here's what i did.

Insert Sandisk 8gb MicroSD into computer via OS Happy Box MicroSD>USB adapter.
Run Diskwriter 1.06b5
Upload Template0403.txt (trying an earlier version cause why not)
Format
Write (with Verify unchecked, because of error above) 1 US based 131mb .3ds file encoded by BigBlueBox "American Mensa Academy" (I own this game)
Close, Safely remove MicroSD, insert into SKY3ds, insert sky3ds into N3DS, Power on N3ds (with all wifi stuff off).
As soon as I powered on the N3DS the blue light on the SKY3ds blinked quickly for ~2 seconds and then turned off.
I waited for 10 minutes. Nothing happened
I pressed the button on the sky3ds, and the light turned on for ~2 seconds, and then back off.
Waited 10 minutes, nothing happened.
Power cycled N3DS. When turned back on, Sky3ds did not blinked at all.
Waited 2 minutes, nothing happening.
Pressed button, light turns on for 2s, turns off, nothing happens.

and so on. I downloaded my backup games from a torrent on kickass. Is there a better place to get games that doesn't require submitting my OS to ad injection malware (been fighting some of that off after the first game I downloaded from an unreputable source).

 

[Slowgrow]

I don't own a Sky3DS, though I almost want to buy one just so that I'd be able to help in all the Sky3DS threads...maybe if I get the new job I just interviewed for

but something to try, and I know it sounds silly, but I've read of putting some tape on the card which can fix contact issues. I've heard of this fixing problems for several people. I will check if I can find a specific post about it....

fake edit: here is a post I found about this method;

Hmm, I'll look through that thread. It is weird that sometimes when I insert the Sky3ds the LED blinks fast, sometimes it just holds the led on for a few seconds, sometimes no blink, and sometimes just one quick blink. Sometimes it even just keeps blinking slowly forever. Maybe contact issues or a bad cart...

Oh yeah and I was gonna say, it doesn't seem likely though because my cart is pretty darn snug in my N3ds slot.

 

[[^Blark^]]

Failed to write data,Unable to complete action." (picture attached). Has anyone else heard of this happening?

Your sd cards are class 4 that could be the problem try getting a hold of a class 10 MSD you can tell by either it saying class 10 on the sd card or look for a U with a 1 inside of it.

But just a possibility not a 100% fix. Class 4 just reads slower than class 10 so it should work with either but just a thought?

 

[yessuz]

Thanks for the great advice so far!

I've attached a screen-cap of my MicroSD cards. apparently they are both sanDisk but have slightly different markings. The transfer rate with using the USB>MicroSD adapter and writing files with Diskwriter is ~5mb/s, which is kinda slow compared to the other video's i've seen. I'm sure this effects loadtimes, so I will try just inserting the sky3ds and waiting a while to see if the game pops up. Is there a way to check whether these are 'good' microSD cards?

I deleted my saved internet connections in Settings>Internet Settings>Connection Settings, turned off wifi antenna and all other outside connections. Hopefully that will help.

Also, when I attempt to check the "Verify" button before writing a .3ds file using the diskwriter tool, the status dialogue will appear, get to 100%, and then disappear, reappear, and proceed from 0% to 100% again, it does this about 15 times before an error message appears that says "Failed to write data,Unable to complete action." (picture attached). Has anyone else heard of this happening? And can anyone tell me what usually happens when the "Verify" box is checked?

Thanks for your continued support!

hi! I got exactly same issue, but with 2DS. My Sky3DS refuses to work. Sandisk Ultra (grey/red, genuine card) freezes with blue led all the way... but can write roms in whopping 15MB/s. another SanDisk (general, black one, received with sky3DS), writes roms at 5mb/s, but i manage to start after number of tries, with error "card has been removed" and this card cannot be used...

i use same template, some times get same disk write error...

sooo annoying.

 

[Foxi4]

Hmm, still not working for me. Here's what i did.

Insert Sandisk 8gb MicroSD into computer via OS Happy Box MicroSD>USB adapter.
Run Diskwriter 1.06b5
Upload Template0403.txt (trying an earlier version cause why not)
Format
Write (with Verify unchecked, because of error above) 1 US based 131mb .3ds file encoded by BigBlueBox "American Mensa Academy" (I own this game)
Close, Safely remove MicroSD, insert into SKY3ds, insert sky3ds into N3DS, Power on N3ds (with all wifi stuff off).
As soon as I powered on the N3DS the blue light on the SKY3ds blinked quickly for ~2 seconds and then turned off.
I waited for 10 minutes. Nothing happened
I pressed the button on the sky3ds, and the light turned on for ~2 seconds, and then back off.
Waited 10 minutes, nothing happened.
Power cycled N3DS. When turned back on, Sky3ds did not blinked at all.
Waited 2 minutes, nothing happening.
Pressed button, light turns on for 2s, turns off, nothing happens.

and so on. I downloaded my backup games from a torrent on kickass. Is there a better place to get games that doesn't require submitting my OS to ad injection malware (been fighting some of that off after the first game I downloaded from an unreputable source).

Any recommendations on a safe place to download working .3ds backup roms? Or a way to get my shit otherwise working?

The fact that it's a BigBlueBox release leads me to believe that this is an eShop dump and those *don't* work on the sky3DS - this might be throwing the Verify function off. On top of that you seem to be having SD issues or your reader isn't up to scratch. Start by flashing a cart-based game with Verify on and be sure to run the DiskWriter as admin.

 

[xile6]

Just woke up so didnt read much.
But after u do all this and it says no game.
Go to settings on the 3ds. Then wait 10 seconds. Back out and go over to game.

This normally gets mines to read after a new sd card or a formated one.

 

[polki]

Just woke up so didnt read much.
But after u do all this and it says no game.
Go to settings on the 3ds. Then wait 10 seconds. Back out and go over to game.

This normally gets mines to read after a new sd card or a formated one.

If it doesn't come up for me I go to the quick settings(top left not the channel) turn wifi on and off and exit and that usually fixes it. Tapping the empty channel a few times can work too.

 

[Foxi4]

BigBlueBox dumps will never show up - they're eShop content. I'm not sure how it even slipped past DiskWriter.

 

[Deleted-19228]

The fact that it's a BigBlueBox release leads me to believe that this is an eShop dump and those *don't* work on the sky3DS - this might be throwing the Verify function off. On top of that you seem to be having SD issues or your reader isn't up to scratch. Start by flashing a cart-based game with Verify on and be sure to run the DiskWriter as admin.

Not even sure where you are getting this from? BBB does cart releases as well. Most recently was Xenoblade USA