Hacking Unbrick R4 by using TWLoader or JTAG

[di4b0lik]

Hello guys, yesterday my old r4i gold (non-3ds version from r4igold.cn) got bricked after a failed bootloader update, now every time i put it on my ds the console gets stucked. Since i dont own a dslite nor another r4 card, i was wondering if it would be possible to reflash the correct bootloader by using TWLauncher on my new 3ds xl with CFW.

I've also noticed that on the back side of the pcb there is a jtag connector, do you know where i could find a .bin version of the bootloader to flash it on my r4? because i've only found .nds versions of r4i gold bootloaders...

Thanks in advice

 

[Ryccardo]

It's usually possible to run a flashcard programmer homebrew in twloader+nds-bootstrap (or even just adding DSi headers to it and converting it to cia), but there are 2 difficulties:

Some of the flashing programs don't have valid headers (I managed to make a 3 GB DSiware... ) but this can be fixed, Apache Thunder has experience here
The flashcard may need, depending on design, to cooperate to actually accept a new firmware!

For the raw flash image... from a flashcard of the same model, of course (I doubt the team would care to help, assuming they are still around and they actually know how their product actually works)

 

[The Catboy]

The only way to really unbrick that cart is with another cart and a DS Lite/Phat. You need another cart to launch the updater and you a DS Lite/Phat because DSi/3DS added a security measure to prevent hot swapping. The R4i Gold Team has only released the .nds updaters.

 

[di4b0lik]

I've already tried to start .nds from twlaunch, it does load fine but when i launch the upgrade i always get the "card check fail" error

 

[dpad_5678]

I've already tried to start .nds from twlaunch, it does load fine but when i launch the upgrade i always get the "card check fail" error

SRL's launched with TWLoader probably don't have access to the REAL system's slot-1. If that's the case, it's a problem with nds-bootstrap that may or may not be fixable.

 

[di4b0lik]

SRL's launched with TWLoader probably don't have access to the REAL system's slot-1. If that's the case, it's a problem with nds-bootstrap that may or may not be fixable.

So how to determine if that issue is fixable?

 

[dpad_5678]

So how to determine if that issue is fixable?

Well, I'm not a TWL/NTR expert, but you could always ask @Apache Thunder , TWLoader's author @Robz8 , or nds-bootstrap's author @ahezard .

 

[di4b0lik]

Thanks a lot, hope that one of those guys gonna see your quote and came here with the solution

This is my R4 Card:

It's based on actel chip.
This is the confirmed-working bootloader i would like to install: https://filetrip.net/nds-downloads/...-patch-for-r4i-gold-non3ds-1-4-4b-f28000.html

 

[edrojo77]

Hi, did you fix your r4 broken? I have the same problem with the same card.

 

[Savvasf]

Have you find a way to resolve this? I'm having this issue right now and I don't have a ds lite. I wish the creator of twl would give us slot 1 access.