#45626 - Rocafellazthug - Mon Jun 13, 2005 1:22 am
i want to do this but i have some doubts can someone please explain all the features to me. from what i understand there is no menu to choose gba game or ds game no pictochat and no ds download play. to start up a gba game you hold abxy and if you dont want to play a gba you just let it load the game without holding the buttons downand it will boot up your ds game. correct??? if you have a homebrew app on the gba cart and hold down abxy it will boot the hb app right?? if this i the case im prob. gunna get a passme
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#45638 - The 9th Sage - Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:25 am
| Rocafellazthug wrote: |
| i want to do this but i have some doubts can someone please explain all the features to me. from what i understand there is no menu to choose gba game or ds game no pictochat and no ds download play. to start up a gba game you hold abxy and if you dont want to play a gba you just let it load the game without holding the buttons downand it will boot up your ds game. correct??? if you have a homebrew app on the gba cart and hold down abxy it will boot the hb app right?? if this i the case im prob. gunna get a passme |
Er, ok...
FlashMe works like this.
Basically, it's more or less transparent unless you have a GBA cart flashed with homebrew DS content inserted into the GBA card slot (if this is the case FlashMe automatically detects it and boots it). You will still get the same menu you are used to (minus the health warning screen).
Yes, there is a download play option, but it has the added feature of being able to download homebrew content as well as anything you could use it for before.
The ABXY thing...hold those buttons while the DS is turning on to force the DS to run DS content from the GBA cart. This is useful if it's not detecting it automatically. On the other hand, if it is automatically detecting DS homebrew and you don't want it to run the program, hold select and it'll bypass it, going onto the normal menu.
Anyway, FlashMe is great. If I'm not clear on any of this feel free to post anymore questions.
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#45644 - Rocafellazthug - Mon Jun 13, 2005 8:14 am
thank you so much but i have 3 more questions. if i dont like it i cant reflash with the reg firmware right??? it says upgrading with older versions is not recomended does that mean that it is not recomended to re flash ds with the nintendo firmware??? or are ther older versions of flash me. and this lets me play unsigned .nds apps right??? and the last question is how would i run the .nds apps i cant just change the name to xxx.ds.gba can i??? thank you so much
EDIT:
ive read that only some of this firmware is protected??? can this kill my ds if i download a bad app???
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#45648 - rmco2003 - Mon Jun 13, 2005 10:44 am
1. Why wouldn't you like it? Once the flashing's complete it's just like the original firmware only with a few more features. However if you want to reflash it back to the original firmware you can, but it's not reccomended.
2. It means it's risky restoring your DS to its original firmware. Yes there are earlier versions of FlashMe but there's not much point flashing to an earlier version after flashing a new version, and yes FlashMe lets you play unsigned applications over wireless.
3. To run the .nds applications on your hardware you'll need to first convert it using the method shown here
http://forum.gbadev.org/viewtopic.php?t=6014 then flash the .nds.gba to your flashcart, it should boot immediately.
4. I'm unsure of what you're asking, but if it's about firmware then it's best to download firmware updates here http://ds.gcdev.com/dsfirmware/ to have the most reliable update. If you meant actual demo's they shouldn't kill your DS, if they're corrupt they simply will lock up or won't run at all.
#45652 - FourScience - Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:03 pm
| rmco2003 wrote: |
1. Why wouldn't you like it? Once the flashing's complete it's just like the original firmware only with a few more features. However if you want to reflash it back to the original firmware you can, but it's not reccomended.
2. It means it's risky restoring your DS to its original firmware. Yes there are earlier versions of FlashMe but there's not much point flashing to an earlier version after flashing a new version, and yes FlashMe lets you play unsigned applications over wireless. |
Reflashing your patched firmware back to the original firmware carries the same risk as when you patch it in the first place. That risk is very, very low if you follow instructions (just don't power off until you are 100% complete!). People don't recommend restoring the original firmware only because it's really unnecessary. If you gave a patched firmware DS to a normal gamer he would never notice the difference (if it still had the healthscreen). If you want the 2nd to last version of the firmware, which still has the healthscreen, ask me. Otherwise, I recommend downloading the current firmware and firmware patch removal ROMs.
Like 9th Sage said, you still have your normal DS menus and functionality. It's only when you have a GBA cart with a .ds.gba on it that you must hold Select to still get your normal DS menu, otherwise it will automatically boot the homebrew ROM. DS Download Play will also support the wireless multiboot program, and can download both E3 demos (you can do that with the original firmware) as well as homebrew .nds files.
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#45655 - cory1492 - Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:35 pm
I personally love the firmware patch, went off for me without a hitch and does not interfere at all with normal usage/carts.
If only it was so simple to remove that crunch when the ds shuts off as it was to update the firmware (from my point of view, I dont know what confusion it took to actually alter the firmware) to get rid of the healthscreen....
If you get the file that is linked to the word Installation from http://ds.gcdev.com/dsfirmware/ then you get a ds.gba file and you dont need to add a loader (at the moment anyways)
#45662 - revo - Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:49 pm
In near future I'm going to buy DS and EFA cart, but I'm afraid of flashing firmware. Anyone had any problems with it?
I'm wondering about WiFi-Me instead, but Flash-Me looks pretty simplier in use. What do you think?
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#45666 - FourScience - Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:16 pm
| revo wrote: |
In near future I'm going to buy DS and EFA cart, but I'm afraid of flashing firmware. Anyone had any problems with it?
I'm wondering about WiFi-Me instead, but Flash-Me looks pretty simplier in use. What do you think? |
People DID have problems with it. I would guess that about 3-4% of people "brickified" their DS. They did so because they didn't follow instructions though! To my knowledge, no one had trouble if they didn't shutdown their DS prior to 100% flashing completion. The other potential issue is that you try it with a low battery, because then your DS might power off on its own.
So, if you charge your battery (you might even keep it plugged in during flashing), and power off your DS only when it says 100% complete, you will be fine. The risk is inherent, but it's like driving a car. Of course you can crash it, but if you know what you're doing, flashing a DS is much safer, as you don't have other idiots trying to crash into you as well.
You've probably read the instructions, but the other key is to just wiggle whatever screwdriver or paperclip you're using to bridge the SL1 contacts. Typically I put it in there (flashed 3 DS systems), and I move around until I find the right spot and angle. Then it keeps going, maybe pauses once or twice, I adjust, and in less than a minute I'm done. The flashing pauses when the bridge is broken, and resumes when it is rebridged. Also, make sure you have the tool handy before you run the flashing program. A regular screwdriver is too big. Find something metalic that conducts electricity and will fit down that little hole.
All reports I've seen of using the FlashMe removal program are good. You can always restore your original firmware.
FlashMe is the superior pass-through method. I use it so I can test my homebrew apps very quickly over wireless multiboot/DS Download Play.
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#45717 - Rocafellazthug - Tue Jun 14, 2005 1:06 am
sry to keep draging along this topic but when i try to convert the file polarium and winsds it turns into a file called game.nds.gba and it is only 1k and when i try to put it on my cart it little writer ( flashing program) it crashes ne advice???
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#45724 - FourScience - Tue Jun 14, 2005 3:44 am
| Rocafellazthug wrote: |
| sry to keep draging along this topic but when i try to convert the file polarium and winsds it turns into a file called game.nds.gba and it is only 1k and when i try to put it on my cart it little writer ( flashing program) it crashes ne advice??? |
Yeah, don't try to load any commercial demos like that. There is a way to package them into a .ds.gba ROM with Darkain's DarkStar, but I don't know if that new version has even been released yet. I doubt winsds can pack it but I really don't know enough about it to confirm.
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#45728 - The 9th Sage - Tue Jun 14, 2005 6:17 am
| FourScience wrote: |
| Rocafellazthug wrote: | | sry to keep draging along this topic but when i try to convert the file polarium and winsds it turns into a file called game.nds.gba and it is only 1k and when i try to put it on my cart it little writer ( flashing program) it crashes ne advice??? |
Yeah, don't try to load any commercial demos like that. There is a way to package them into a .ds.gba ROM with Darkain's DarkStar, but I don't know if that new version has even been released yet. I doubt winsds can pack it but I really don't know enough about it to confirm. |
His newer version of the loader for the GBAx compo does indeed work with all official demos. Plus it's really spiffy looking, and more polished. Has japanese support also so it will show the actual characters instead of nothing. :)
I can't remember which thread it is though, I think the Multi-NDS Loader Released! thread, same as the original loader tied into DarkStar.
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