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DS Flash Equipment > NDS Flashme howto -backing up your firmware howto - please

#57032 - KidBomba - Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:13 am

I posted this before, but no response (wrong section I guess :P). I want to make sure I do this right. Dont really want a DSBrick :( Sorry if the questions are obvious or stupid, I'm new to the flash, gba dev world kind of thing. I do program, but I'm just starting. I appreciate your support for us who are just learning all about it :)

1) does http://ds.gcdev.com/dsfirmware/
provide the best firmware replacement solution up to date?
Are the instructions in that site good enough too? what about this site?
http://mymateo.com/tools.htm#flashme

2) There is also a "noflashme" file in that site (first link...second link too actually).
Does it matter what version I restore it to? Like, is it safe for me to restore the DS to what that site has?

3) Can someone go step by step on how to back up my current flirmware then? (like how to use Firmware dumper?) and how to restore it later to whatever I dumped? I am quite unexperienced with this. Reason why I want to change my firmware is beacuse of the recent firware issues with DSBrick.

4) Note: I have a G6 gen 3 flash cart. Is it relatively easy to do the flashme with this device? do I need to do nds loader? does it matter if I do nds laoder even if I dont have to? can I do flashme update while nds is plugged to the power supply? I'm confused with using .nds or .ds.gba... what should I use for g6 3?

I appreciate all the info.

I want to go big with the homebrew scene (I am an audio programmer and want to program an sequencer on the NDS) but I just got into it and right now I want my NDS to be safe.

#57035 - josath - Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:38 am

1) yes. yes. probably.
2) i'm pretty sure it restores your firmware to the same version it was originally. it's only unsafe in the fact that without flashme, it is possible to corrupt the firmware without an easy way to recover (it is ALWAYS possible to recover DS firmware no matter what happens, however)
3) there's no need...flashme checks your firmware version, and will only install if it is one of the recognized versions. if it is recognized, then it can be restored to exactly the same state by noflashme
4) it should work. flashme.nds has a built in loader, however the cart software may overwrite the loader, in which case you will need a specific nds loader to get a flashme.ds.gba. it's recommended you do flashme with the charger plugged IN, so you don't have to worry about battery dying, or getting knocked out

This explains .nds VS .ds.gba in great detail: http://www.ndshb.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=27

#57069 - KidBomba - Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:00 pm

Thank you Josath :)

tepples told me to do this to use the ndsloader

copy /b ndsmall.bin+flashme.nds flashme.ds.gba

does ndsmall.bin = ndsloader.bin? I dont know where he got ndsmall.bin

Has anyone tried flashme on a G6 3? Do I really have to do this copy / procedure?will it hurt if I do it even if I dont have to?

finally, once I get the rom loaded and it displaying the message, I guess everything is ok right?

#57182 - KidBomba - Fri Oct 14, 2005 3:31 am

?

can someone explain me how to do ndsloader.bin?
Has anyone tried flashme on a G6 3? Do I really have to do this copy / procedure?will it hurt if I do it even if I dont have to?

?

once I get the program running, I guess I'm fine to start the flashing procedure right?

please help, this is my last stupid question. I promise.

#57306 - josath - Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:37 pm

there are plenty of checks in flashme, if it loads without any errors, then everything should be fine. it wont flash the firmware if it thinks it wouldn't be safe to.

#57582 - KidBomba - Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:42 am

awesome, thanks for the follow up :)

#57830 - KidBomba - Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:16 pm

Just to post as a note, I succesfully applied the flashme.

When you have a GB6 3rd gen cart, you just need the .nds file, no need to append or copy the bin file.