Hacking Total noob, just got my first ever nds with M3ds real

[RetrogamingAddict]

Hey guys, it's great to finally join this forum. I just received a nds lite and it came with a M3dsreal sd card adapter. The system has already games on it, but this setup seems very old and it's like the system has never been used for more than a decade, it has even few music folders from 2008~2009 era.

I inserted few photos to help you guess which firmware i am running.

Basically i want to update this, set it up as best as it could get, play nds games, ability to use cheats, possibly save states?? And i am also interested in emulators. Mainly Gameboy color.
I also would love to play dsi games like asphalt. Please mind my ignorance guys, i spent many hours checking google, this forum and reddit. But i really don't want to brick or mess it up. There's overwhelming amount of guides and information to read. Also most up to date information is about r4 cards.

 

[SylverReZ]

Install TWiLight Menu++ onto the cart instead.
https://wiki.ds-homebrew.com/twilightmenu/updating-flashcard

 

[RetrogamingAddict]

Install TWiLight Menu++ onto the cart instead.

i did, now i get boot error which says no system file found

 

[CoolMe]

Update the kernel, or switch to YSMenu if it supports it.

 

[SylverReZ]

i did, now i get boot error which says no system file found

Make sure you copy the files and folders INSIDE of "Autoboot\M3 DS Real, M3i Zero (non-GMP-Z003)" onto the root of your microSD card.

Update the kernel, or switch to YSMenu if it supports it.

YSMenu is very lackluster, I don't like the interface. And it can actually brick some carts.

 

[CoolMe]

YSMenu is very lackluster, I don't like the interface. And it can actually brick some carts.

Yeah sure, but it is an old cart, and if the kernel doesn't do it what choice does he/she has really?
My recommendation to him would be to get an Ace3ds+ clone cart, it's very cheap and gets the job done.

 

[SylverReZ]

Yeah sure, but it is an old cart, and if the kernel doesn't do it what choice does he/she has really?
My recommendation to him would be to get an Ace3ds+ clone cart, it's very cheap and gets the job done.

The Ace3DS+ does the job pretty well, even if you're not a fan of the Wood R4/AKAIO kernel, then you can switch to TWLMenu++ for better game compatibility.

 

[RetrogamingAddict]

alright guys, i made it work, but i lost the cheats menu from previous setup. and what's better in twilight menu, ndsbootstrap or kernel?

 

[CoolMe]

and what's better in twilight menu, ndsbootstrap or kernel?

If you install TWilightMenu on the cart you can play DS games & some of the DSiWare games (as not all are compatible), and you can use cheats too.
Check the official thread for more info.

 

[RetrogamingAddict]

If you install TWilightMenu on the cart you can play DS games & some of the DSiWare games (as not all are compatible), and you can use cheats too.

would you recommend twilightmenu or ysmenu? which one is better to use?

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

Sorry guys if i am spamming the thread. I think i like ysmenu, it's simple and straight. But i would also like some extensive alternative to dual boot, run emulators, dsi titles ect.. can these be done just using ysmenu and downloading emulators separately? Or so i have to use twilight menu?

Would i lose anything by dropping off the stock sakura and pockettouch kernels that are stock to the m3?

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

What do these two do?
DMA and RESET?

 

[CoolMe]

would you recommend twilightmenu or ysmenu? which one is better to use?

TWilightMenu is not a fw/kernel, i think you can use both of them if YSMENU allows TWilightmenu to work.

run emulators, dsi titles ect.. can these be done just using ysmenu and downloading emulators separately? Or so i have to use twilight menu?

Like i said if you want to play DSiWare games TWilightmenu is the only option you have. And it comes with some emulators, nes, snes etc. Just check the thread for more info about everything your asking that's i linked to it.

Would i lose anything by dropping off the stock sakura and pockettouch kernels that are stock to the m3?

You're already using Ysmenu right? Just save those files somewhere, so you can find them if you ever want to put it back.
As for your question, TWilightmenu alone is pretty solid and plays most of the ds games, so don't think you'll be missing anything..

 

[Sanrasxz]

Make sure you copy the files and folders INSIDE of "Autoboot\M3 DS Real, M3i Zero (non-GMP-Z003)" onto the root of your microSD card.


YSMenu is very lackluster, I don't like the interface. And it can actually brick some carts.

YSMenu only bricks carts if you don't know what you're doing and run it on an R4iTT clone.

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

would you recommend twilightmenu or ysmenu? which one is better to use?

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

Sorry guys if i am spamming the thread. I think i like ysmenu, it's simple and straight. But i would also like some extensive alternative to dual boot, run emulators, dsi titles ect.. can these be done just using ysmenu and downloading emulators separately? Or so i have to use twilight menu?

Would i lose anything by dropping off the stock sakura and pockettouch kernels that are stock to the m3?

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

What do these two do?
DMA and RESET?

Reset is the soft reset in YSMenu. When you boot a game with reset option enabled, you can do L+R+A+B+X+Y to soft-reset back to the YSMenu interface.

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

TWilightMenu is not a fw/kernel, i think you can use both of them if YSMENU allows TWilightmenu to work.

While it's not a kernel, it can serve as one due to nds-bootstrap being built in. If you autoboot twlmenu, it essentially becomes your kernel.

 

[RetrogamingAddict]

Hey bro you're from reddit right?
So i have made up my mind, i would like to dual boot ysmenu as primary and twlmenu as needed, would this combination be possible?

I have few questions left, are these options ever possible on ysmenu or using any other launcher?
-Save states ( there's save options but u am not what they mean or how they work)
-fast forward/slowdown ( i have seen slowdown in touchpod)

For now all is good. Thank you everyone for the help.

 

[Sanrasxz]

Hey bro you're from reddit right?

I am, yes.

So i have made up my mind, i would like to dual boot ysmenu as primary and twlmenu as needed, would this combination be possible?

Yes. Follow the instructions I sent you on Reddit for setting up YSMenu as your primary kernel. (Not dual-boot with Sakura)

Then go to the Installing TWiLight (Flashcard) page and follow installation steps 1-5: https://wiki.ds-homebrew.com/twilightmenu/installing-flashcard

Once you've done so, boot the cart normally, and you'll be in YSMenu. Then you can start BOOT.NDS to launch TWiLight Menu.

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

I have few questions left, are these options ever possible on ysmenu or using any other launcher?
-Save states ( there's save options but u am not what they mean or how they work)
-fast forward/slowdown ( i have seen slowdown in touchpod)

For now all is good. Thank you everyone for the help.

No, it's not. YSMenu is a very bare kernel that is as basic as it gets - it can load .nds ROMs, and that's about it.

Twilight's nds-bootstrap has an in-game menu that can be accessed via the L+Down+Select combo, but it can't do RTS or slowdown either.

On the M3, the only thing that can do RTS and slowdown is Sakura/Touchpod. However, it's highly unreliable and works in some games while not working in others.