TWL_FIRM MUST be sig patched before this will boot![sig PATCHED TWL_FIRM]
The new patches to TWL were recently added to rxTools and should make
it's way into a nightly build soon. The sig patches added also patch out
DS Cart White List and save chip detection. So if your DS Flashcart
already works thanks to that patch, then you don't need this. rxTools
isn't specifically needed. If you happen to have a prepatched TWL_FIRM
installed, that will work too. Note that rxTools does not yet support
patching TWL_FIRM on n3DS. The prepatched TWL_FIRM cia is your only
option (for now) on the n3DS.
However older flash carts get
blocked by CTR mode (most likely by Process9 of NATIVE_FIRM). You can
tell if you see it error almost instantly when trying to boot your
flashcart. This app gets around that!
This should work on n3DS too once sig patched TWL_FIRM is available for it.
To use this, simply insert your previously blocked DS flashcart into the game card slot, then boot this app.
That is all you have to do!
Older
flashcarts that don't have valid icon/banner data still will not work.
Notable examples are the original R4 and older hardware revisions of the
original Action Replay for DS.
Anything that behaves like a normal cartridge should be bootable with this method.
How
this DSi app works is simple. It's a stripped down DSi Extended header
with dummy data for the arm7/arm9 sections (they aren't needed as it
launches slot-1 before ever getting to load them). Inserted a custom
banner and set the file type at offset 0x234 to 00. This tells TWL_FIRM
that it's a cartridge. (even though it's not. ).
This
tricks it into booting older flashcarts because the 3DS boots into
TWL_FIRM expecting to load this this DSiWare SRL. But because the file
type in the TID field is set to cartridge, it immediately boots what
ever is in slot-1. Neat little oversight thanks to Nintendo.
[sig PATCHED TWL_FIRM]
Download link: TWLSlot1Launcher_v2.rar
Update: Download link updated. Minor changes to header and brought SRL closer to proper SRL spec.
Confirmed list of carts working with this:
Acekard 2.1
AceKard RPG
R4i-SDHC
iTouchDS2
R4i SDHC Dual Core
Supercard DS One v3 SDHC
If
you get an error on boot, double check that you have TWL_FIRM patched
either via preinstalled CIA or via rxTools (or a future CFW that add the
new patches) before reporting that your flashcard doesn't work with
this. Thanks!
Credit goes to TuxSH and Steveice10 for finding the
sig patches for TWL_FIRM! Also credit to TheStoneBanana for accidently
discovering this odd little quirk of TWL FIRM.