Trying to identify a R4 with no sticker

[dgsousa]

I bought a 3DS and it came with a R4 that the former owner allegedly used to play DS games. But it’s not working for me (stuck in the “Loading…” black screen). I’m trying to find the kernel on the web and install it again, but it's hard to identify because the R4 has no sticker or package and the former owner has no idea which model is this R4

So I wonder if I could find out the model of the R4 provided the information below:

• The pitcures I took from the R4 are below: it has a green chip with nothing written in it. On the back, it has a small golden sticker written "2012 08-12", whatever it means
• Both my DS Lite and 3DS recognize the R4 as a SpongeBob game when I turn them on
• It came with a 16B micro SD card. Stored in the card was a _DS_MENU.dat file with 380 KB and date 14/08/2018. Strangely, there was no _system_ or __rpg folder in the card. I don’t know if is there a kernel that works with the .dat only… or if was the folder accidentally deleted

 

[Deleted member 585564]

Have you tried putting wood r4 proper on it? _DS_MENU.dat would generally imply something of the sort, as far as I know.

You might be able to pry it apart, if it's a model where the two halves of the shell are held in place via pins and friction. Don't force it though, in case it's glued. But if you can get it open, a full pcb picture might be able to help.

I don't recognize that green pcb, but there are a lot of compatible clones...

https://gbatemp.net/threads/can-you-help-me-identify-this-r4-card-no-sticker-or-package.605620/

 

[dgsousa]

Have you tried putting wood r4 proper on it? _DS_MENU.dat would generally imply something of the sort, as far as I know.

You might be able to pry it apart, if it's a model where the two halves of the shell are held in place via pins and friction. Don't force it though, in case it's glued. But if you can get it open, a full pcb picture might be able to help.

I don't recognize that green pcb, but there are a lot of compatible clones...

I tried using Wood R4 v1.62 but it didn't work

As requested, I took pictures of the pcb inside the cart. For some reason, my camera couldn't focus, but the larger chip says something like "MIPSGreen"

 

[plasma]

I tried using Wood R4 v1.62 but it didn't work

As requested, I took pictures of the pcb inside the cart. For some reason, my camera couldn't focus, but the larger chip says something like "MIPSGreen"

View attachment 300147
View attachment 300148

It seems to be a 1:1 to this one here, but the difference being it is in red. Even the lines on the reverse side match up.

The red one above is a clone of the R4 SDHC series from 2013/14/15.
I have a feeling that yours may be a clone of an earlier model?
EDIT: I think yours is a clone of this red one, reading your post properly shows that it is indeed an SDHC card.

 

[Deleted member 585564]

Check if you can load YSMenu from https://gbatemp.net/download/retrogamefan-multi-cart-update.35737/?

The R4SDHC folder should be what you want, if this turns out to indeed by a R4SDHC (clone)

If it is, you're in luck, because YSMenu essentially has perfect compatibility nowadays, so this is not a bad card to have.

I wouldn't bother looking for the official original kernel because it will more likely than not have worse compatibility than YSMenu anyway.

 

[bbking67]

I think some of the "R4 Clones" are basically acecard clones (Ace3DS+) and not really "R4" cards. The R4i Gold was one of the ones that emulated a Spongebob game, so maybe try treating it like a R4i Gold...

I would personally start with the Retrogamefan instructions to install YsMenu under the r4i-SDHC heading where R4i Gold is listed. Just stick with a primary kernel install.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/retrogamefan-updates-releases.267243/

But if that won't work or you for whatever reason prefer Wood there is this:

https://flashcard-archive.ds-homebrew.com/Ace3DS+_R4iLS/

Ys Menu does seem to be the most compatible kernel though... so if you can get that working there isn't much need for anything else.

Good luck! Let everyone know what works.

 

[dgsousa]

Ok, guys. I tried different kernels with different results.

These got past the "loading" screen but then got stuck in a blank black (not white) screen:

- R4 SDHC 1.32
- R4 SDHC YSMenu

These didn't go past the "loading" screen:

- R4i-SDHC YSMenu
- Ace3DS+_R4iLS_Wood_R4_1.62

This one got past the "loading" screen but then got stuck in a WHITE screen:

- 2013r4isdhc-whiteEnglish1.52

I tested the kernels above with two different micro DS cards (both formatted with SD Formatter 3.1) with the same results. Another relevant fact is that 2013r4isdhc-whiteEnglish1.52 kernel has a _DS_MENU.dat with exactly the same size as the _DS_MENU.dat that came in the SD card from the former owner (although the date is different). So it MAY be the right kernel, but I had no luck getting past the white screen

It seems to be a 1:1 to this one here, but the difference being it is in red. Even the lines on the reverse side match up.
View attachment 300149

The red one above is a clone of the R4 SDHC series from 2013/14/15.
I have a feeling that yours may be a clone of an earlier model?
EDIT: I think yours is a clone of this red one, reading your post properly shows that it is indeed an SDHC card.

Do you know which kernel works with this red model?

 

[lifehackerhansol]

Ok, guys. I tried different kernels with different results.

These got past the "loading" screen but then got stuck in a blank black (not white) screen:

- R4 SDHC 1.32
- R4 SDHC YSMenu

These didn't go past the "loading" screen:

- R4i-SDHC YSMenu
- Ace3DS+_R4iLS_Wood_R4_1.62

This one got past the "loading" screen but then got stuck in a WHITE screen:

- 2013r4isdhc-whiteEnglish1.52

I tested the kernels above with two different micro DS cards (both formatted with SD Formatter 3.1) with the same results. Another relevant fact is that 2013r4isdhc-whiteEnglish1.52 kernel has a _DS_MENU.dat with exactly the same size as the _DS_MENU.dat that came in the SD card from the former owner (although the date is different). So it MAY be the right kernel, but I had no luck getting past the white screen



Do you know which kernel works with this red model?

This does: https://flashcard-archive.ds-homebrew.com/BL2CK/BL2CK_1.30.3.7z

And if what we found out here is true, then never run YSMenu on this. It will die a painful permanent death.

 

[JustATadConfused]

Honestly the hardest thing about verifying most blanks is that when you have to open them up you risk totally ruining whatever kind of cart it's being held in, And sadly a lot of the times i've seen one verified via opening, It wasn't even what they were looking for, But you have my luck

 

[dgsousa]

This does: https://flashcard-archive.ds-homebrew.com/BL2CK/BL2CK_1.30.3.7z

And if what we found out here is true, then never run YSMenu on this. It will die a painful permanent death.

Thanks a lot! This kernel worked (at least it went past the loading / white screen)
However, without YSMenu, I wonder if I could run the lastest DS games (like Pokémon Balck 2)

 

[lifehackerhansol]

Thanks a lot! This kernel worked (at least it went past the loading / white screen)
However, without YSMenu, I wonder if I could run the lastest DS games (like Pokémon Balck 2)

It runs on mine at least. Two of my carts use the same kernel as that one.

 

[bbking67]

Thanks a lot! This kernel worked (at least it went past the loading / white screen)
However, without YSMenu, I wonder if I could run the lastest DS games (like Pokémon Balck 2)

well worst case get a patched rom (or patch one). You'll have a better chance getting it working well with that.

 

[sombrerosonic]

prob a ace3ds+ clone as ive seen them pop up as a spongebob game

 

[dgsousa]

It runs on mine at least. Two of my carts use the same kernel as that one.

You're right. Just tried playing Pokémon Black 2 on it and it worked fine.

I just found it weird that it names the savefiles as ".nds.SAV" instead of just ".sav", lol.

 

[lifehackerhansol]

You're right. Just tried playing Pokémon Black 2 on it and it worked fine.

I just found it weird that it names the savefiles as ".nds.SAV" instead of just ".sav", lol.

This setting can be changed. (I thought I changed it for that link...)

 

[lifehackerhansol]

prob a ace3ds+ clone as ive seen them pop up as a spongebob game

This isn't an Ace3DS+ clone. We've established that already.