Homebrew what is a flashcard time bomb and how do i stop it?

[Memedew]

title pretty much explains it all

I have always used R4i-SDHC and there were never timebombs. Did you check the Truth inquiry? If you dont know what that is, It's a way to know if your cartridge is actually from them.

http://r4i-sdhc.com/Truthe.asp

http://r4i-sdhc.com/searchen.asp

 

[Takokeshi]

I have always used R4i-SDHC and there were never timebombs. Did you check the Truth inquiry? If you dont know what that is, It's a way to know if your cartridge is actually from them.

http://r4i-sdhc.com/Truthe.asp

http://r4i-sdhc.com/searchen.asp

This is what I was telling you about earlier. "R4i-SDHC" is not a brand, it's a generic that many counterfeiters name their products after. Some offer good service with a reliable card, while others use planned obsolescence to make people keep buying more. Some are just looking to make a quick buck by putting out a card and never providing software updates past day-1.

There are tons of different "R4i SDHC", and none of them actually have a claim over the name.

 

[Memedew]

This is what I was telling you about earlier. "R4i-SDHC" is not a brand, it's a generic that many counterfeiters name their products after. Some offer good service with a reliable card, while others use planned obsolescence to make people keep buying more. Some are just looking to make a quick buck by putting out a card and never providing software updates past day-1.

There are tons of different "R4i SDHC", and none of them actually have a claim over the name.

It is a brand i think. The R4i-sdhc isnt a way to talk about all r4i who supports sdhc, its to talk about the cartridges who are made by r4i-sdhc.com. they copyrighted it too.

 

[Pk11]

It is a brand i think. The R4i-sdhc isnt a way to talk about all r4i who supports sdhc, its to talk about the cartridges who are made by r4i-sdhc.com. they copyrighted it too.

r4i-sdhc.com... and r4isdhc.com and r4isdhc.com.cn and r4isdhc.hk and r4i-dshc.com and r4i.cn and r4ll-net.com and the list goes on and on, those were just a few easy examples from what's currently common and the YSMenu supported list. I doubt r4i-sdhc.com was even the first website to use the name "R4i-SDHC" and even if they were they were knocking off the R4 anyways so not like they could legitimately claim that name. There's got to be hundreds of cards that have used the "R4" name a good portion of which include "i" and/or "SDHC" in the name as well.

r4i-sdhc.com isn't even the most prominent name when it comes to R4i-SDHC cards anymore, that would go to r4isdhc.com with .com.cn and .hk being very common too at the moment. And funnily enough I think r4i-sdhc.com might've been the first website to use timebombs, at least a major one alongside r4isdhc.com. If you're not using YSMenu then your card probably has a timebomb, if you are using YSMenu then, well, that's why your card doesn't have a timebomb

 

[Localhorst86]

It is a brand i think. The R4i-sdhc isnt a way to talk about all r4i who supports sdhc, its to talk about the cartridges who are made by r4i-sdhc.com. they copyrighted it too.

r4i-sdhc.com cards definately have a timebomb i their kernel, or at least had timebombs for the longest time - but they usually released a new kernel pretty quickly after their timebombs deadline.

Last time I checked (quite a few years back), their kernels had a timebomb set to late 2023, so setting your DS time to early 2024 should trigger it, if it is still active. Personally, I have switched to ysmenu, so I never have to worry about the timebomb.
A few notes:

• Timebombs are not built into the hardware, but into the kernel. Most alternative kernels (like YSmenu) do not have a timebomb and will therefore run on "timebombed" cards without ever telling you the kernel is outdated.
• Timebombs are not permanent. They do not break or alter the hardware in any way - they are just a date check and when your system time is past the date specified in the kernels timebomb, the kernel will refuse to launch. It is easily circumvented and reverted by setting your system clock to an earlier date, before the timebomb.

 

[Takokeshi]

Wikipedia to the rescue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R4_cartridge#Notable_clones

 

[Memedew]

r4i-sdhc.com cards definately have a timebomb i their kernel, or at least had timebombs for the longest time - but they usually released a new kernel pretty quickly after their timebombs deadline.

Last time I checked (quite a few years back), their kernels had a timebomb set to late 2023, so setting your DS time to early 2024 should trigger it, if it is still active. Personally, I have switched to ysmenu, so I never have to worry about the timebomb.
A few notes:

• Timebombs are not built into the hardware, but into the kernel. Most alternative kernels (like YSmenu) do not have a timebomb and will therefore run on "timebombed" cards without ever telling you the kernel is outdated.
• Timebombs are not permanent. They do not break or alter the hardware in any way - they are just a date check and when your system time is past the date specified in the kernels timebomb, the kernel will refuse to launch. It is easily circumvented and reverted by setting your system clock to an earlier date, before the timebomb.

I made my systems date over 2024 and everything works fine. Perhaps the "timebombs" that they used were only on the R4i-SDHC (Which claimed to only work with DSi).

 

[Memedew]

r4i-sdhc.com... and r4isdhc.com and r4isdhc.com.cn and r4isdhc.hk and r4i-dshc.com and r4i.cn and r4ll-net.com and the list goes on and on, those were just a few easy examples from what's currently common and the YSMenu supported list. I doubt r4i-sdhc.com was even the first website to use the name "R4i-SDHC" and even if they were they were knocking off the R4 anyways so not like they could legitimately claim that name. There's got to be hundreds of cards that have used the "R4" name a good portion of which include "i" and/or "SDHC" in the name as well.

r4i-sdhc.com isn't even the most prominent name when it comes to R4i-SDHC cards anymore, that would go to r4isdhc.com with .com.cn and .hk being very common too at the moment. And funnily enough I think r4i-sdhc.com might've been the first website to use timebombs, at least a major one alongside r4isdhc.com. If you're not using YSMenu then your card probably has a timebomb, if you are using YSMenu then, well, that's why your card doesn't have a timebomb

One of my cards (the R4i for 3DS) used their menu from 2018, I've put the date wayyyy over 2022 and nothing was triggered. I have Another one with YSMenu, and as you said, nothing happened

Lots of people that I know uses R4i-SDHC.Com's cartridges and never had any timebomb issues. There could be one, but I'd certainly doubt so.

 

[The Catboy]

It's always worth mentioning that the "timebomb" is only kernel deep and can be bypassed by using a homebrew kernel like YSmenu/Retro's files or with TWiLight Menu++ with nds-bootstrap or YSmenu.
I personally use TWiLight Menu++ with nds-bootstrap for most games and switch to using TWiLight Menu++ with YSmenu for ROM loading for the few games that don't work with nds-bootstrap

 

[Ondrashek06]

How do you check your flashcard for a timebomb? My 3DS was used and it already came with a flashcard. I don't know where did the original owner buy it.

 

[The Catboy]

How do you check your flashcard for a timebomb? My 3DS was used and it already came with a flashcard. I don't know where did the original owner buy it.

Pretty much any cart from r4isdhc.com or r4i-sdhc.com will have a timebomb. You can find out by setting the clock of your system ahead like 5 to 10 years and it will tell you that your kernel has expired. Setting it back does fix this, so don’t worry about any possible harm.
Any cart running Wood R4 (official or unofficial,) won’t have a timebomb. Literally no other cart, such as the DSTT, DSTWO, Ak2i, etc. will have one either. It’s just one brand and it’s the carts made be the r4isdhc.com/r4i-sdhc.com team and only their official kernel.

 

[Takokeshi]

Be extra suspicious of the ones with a Year on them.

 

[Ondrashek06]

Yep, the card unfortunately has a timebomb.
"Wrong date or firmware expired! Please check NDS machine date configuration".

Any way to patch the timebomb out? I want to keep using the card after 2024 without setting the date back (and thus probably fucking up swapdoodle or other online services).

 

[Localhorst86]

Yep, the card unfortunately has a timebomb.
"Wrong date or firmware expired! Please check NDS machine date configuration".

Any way to patch the timebomb out? I want to keep using the card after 2024 without setting the date back (and thus probably fucking up swapdoodle or other online services).

You can see if one of the custom kernels can be installed as a replacement on your card.

Either TwilightMenu++ or Ysmenu

 

[Ondrashek06]

The following clone carts can also use this:
ALL 2014-2019 carts from : www.r4isdhc.com

Sigh, my card says 2020 on it.

 

[Localhorst86]

The following clone carts can also use this:
ALL 2014-2019 carts from : www.r4isdhc.com

Sigh, my card says 2020 on it.

RGF last edited the post in 2019 - maybe the cards labeled "2020" were not around then. Looking at the website doesn't show a kernel specifically for the 2019 labeled variants, so there is an off-chance the 2020 cards are just relabeled 2019 units.

You could still give it a shot, see if it works - maybe try a separate sd card if you don't want to mess with your current SD card.

 

[The Catboy]

The following clone carts can also use this:
ALL 2014-2019 carts from : www.r4isdhc.com

Sigh, my card says 2020 on it.

Try it anyways. I haven’t played with the 2020+ ones yet, but I know 2019 to 2014 all literally used the same hardware.

 

[MrDaisyBates]

So, I'm hearing this probably isn't something I should buy...

(R4 3DS Dual Core) from a site like r43ds.org

Sorry. Idk if it accepted my first post. I apologize if this is a repost.

If this does have a time bomb and you were on the market in Europe, what would you buy and from where?

Interested primarily in DS stuff. On a New 3DS and a 3DS XL I have homebrew or whatever on, too (I'm illiterate here).

What's the "best options" here?

 

[Nikokaro]

If this does have a time bomb and you were on the market in Europe, what would you buy and from where?

As for me, I would recommend an Ace3DS+ clone: you will easily find it on Amazon, eBay and Aliexpress as a 208in1 (or 408in1) cartridge. Very cheap, it uses Wood kernel (so very compatible and working with demanding titles like Ni No Kuni eng patched) already included inside a micro SD along with various roms that you can eventually delete and replace. Also very good is the r4 gold pro, perhaps the most advertised in Europe, but you will have to use YSMenu instead of its own kernel.
Your choice.

 

[MrDaisyBates]

As for me, I would recommend an Ace3DS+ clone: you will easily find it on Amazon, eBay and Aliexpress as a 208in1 (or 408in1) cartridge. Very cheap, it uses Wood kernel (so very compatible and working with demanding titles like Ni No Kuni eng patched) already included inside a micro SD along with various roms that you can eventually delete and replace. Also very good is the r4 gold pro, perhaps the most advertised in Europe, but you will have to use YSMenu instead of its own kernel.
Your choice.

Thank you so much for your feedback and opinions. I'm very appreciative.