Hacking How to bypass the date softbrick on r4isdhc.com cards and keep DSi-enhanced game compatibility

[BARNWEY]

Method 1: This method is for people who already get the "firmware expired" error (2014 and under, soon-to-be 2015 cards), people just absolutely hate the default user interface, or people who want better compatibility overall...
1. Download your default kernel and install it to your SD (make sure it's the primary boot)
2. Download YSMenu:
http://gbatemp.net/threads/retrogamefan-updates-releases.267243/
and install it (make it the secondary boot)
3. Load up your card (it should boot to the default kernel), and load up all of your DSi-enhanced games (to make sure that your card is formatted correctly, it'll come up with an error code if it isn't)
4. Go back to your computer, and copy the R4.dat to your desktop
5. Rename the R4.dat that's on your desktop to R4.nds, then drag it back on the card (DON'T DO ANYTHING TO THE R4.DAT YET)
6. Go back to your DS, and load up YSMenu
7. Load the R4.nds and go to games
8. Load a DSi-enhanced game
9. Turn off your DS (or go back to home for 3DS), and head back to your computer
10. Download the zip (attached) and drag the .dat to the root of your SD, make sure to overwrite the current R4.dat
11. Go back to your DS, and load the card
12. Make sure all of your DSi-enhanced games have .sav files. If they don't, create them in YSMenu
13. *optional* If you want to be able to soft reset from a DSi-enhanced game and go directly back to YSMenu, make sure that Soft Reset and DMA are checked under R4.nds. If not, go to step 14
14. Load up R4.nds and chose a DSi-enhanced game
15. If it works, let me know. If it doesn't, let me know and post a picture of the error code

That's it! Now you can boot all of your normal games in YSMenu, and you only have to set the date back if you boot the R4.nds.

Method 2: This method is for cards with the year 2016 and above, and is for people who like the default user interface, and just want better compatibility
1. Install the default firmware
2. Download YSMenu:
http://gbatemp.net/threads/retrogamefan-updates-releases.267243/
3. Go into the R4iMenu folder
4. Edit the multimedia_path.ini
5.Copy and paste this (without quotations) "/YSMenu.nds"
6. Insert your SD card into the flashcart, and boot it up
7. Change your settings to your liking
8. Click on the MultiMedia button, YSMenu should load
9. *optional* go back to your computer, copy R4.dat to the desktop, rename it to R4.nds, copy it back to the root of the SD (don't delete the .dat file), and insert it back into your flashcart (to return to the default firmware if you desire).
10. Wait until 2020 (2016 and above cards expire on that date)
11. Set the date back to whenever, as long as it's before 2020, since the 3DS won't be supported anymore, you have nothing to lose...

Method 3: This is for people with the year 2016 and above, who hate YSMenu's look, and don't want more compatibility
1. Wait until 2020
2. Set the date back LOL

Method 4: This is for people who have cards with the year 2014 and under, who hate YSMenu, who don't want better compatibility, and don't use a 3DS (Warning: Savage but true, by MetalliDeth)
1. Just set the date back dude, what are you doing?

This should also work with r4i-sdhc.com cards

Sources: Tinkering, and information off of the RetroGameFan YSMenu thread
Credits: @retrogamefan, Yasu, myself (@BARNWEY), the r4isdhc.com team (I had to put them -_-), and everyone on the YSMenu thread who posted the problems their card was having!

Edit: THIS ISN'T A TUTORIAL ON HOW TO RUN GAMES IN TWL MODE, use TWLoader if you want to run games with TWL mode options...

 

[HamBone41801]

sweet man!

 

[migles]

wait, what do you mean by keep dsi enhanced games?
we can use any flashcart with dsi enhanced games in dsi mode?

 

[BARNWEY]

wait, what do you mean by keep dsi enhanced games?
we can use any flashcart with dsi enhanced games in dsi mode?

No, that's not what I meant. Basically, when you install YSMenu as the default boot on a r4isdhc.com or r4i-sdhc.com card, you lose compatibility with DSi-enhanced games. To add insult to injury, when you convert the default firmware to a .nds, it tends to not run those games. This is simply a workaround that I've been testing and refining for months so that people can bypass the date softbrick and keep compatibility with those games. The only time they would have to set the date back is when they want to play DSi-enhanced games... Was the title misleading? Should I change it?

 

[migles]

No, that's not what I meant. Basically, when you install YSMenu as the default boot on a r4isdhc.com or r4i-sdhc.com card, you lose compatibility with DSi-enhanced games. To add insult to injury, when you convert the default firmware to a .nds, it tends to not run those games. This is simply a workaround that I've been testing and refining for months so that people can bypass the date softbrick and keep compatibility with those games. The only time they would have to set the date back is when they want to play DSi-enhanced games... Was the title misleading? Should I change it?

no no, i was the one who got it wrong..
thanks for the explanation and findings

 

[BARNWEY]

no no, i was the one who got it wrong..
thanks for the explanation and findings

No prob dude, it actually made me realize that I should clarify what I meant in the OP. Thank you!

 

[Clydefrosch]

so its still much easier to just turn the year back though, right?

 

[BARNWEY]

so its still much easier to just turn the year back though, right?

Depends on the person... Do you want to have to turn back the clock every time you want to play a DS game? Or do you want to only turn back the clock when you want to play a DSi-enhanced game? Besides, this tutorial may look long, but it should only take a few minutes if followed correctly. It also gets rid of that awful menu (for the most part)...

 

[dashsnow2292]

Hi @BARNWEY , I'll test this once I get home. Did you have any success playing this for hours without something wrong happening?

 

[BARNWEY]

Hi @BARNWEY , I'll test this once I get home. Did you have any success playing this for hours without something wrong happening?

I've been testing this extensively for a while now, and it works fine. If you're card had the date lock already activated, just make sure to change the date back before loading DSi-enhanced games, everything else will work fine without the date being changed back. Also, create your saves in YSMenu. The original firmware will start throwing error codes if you create your save files while using it...

 

[dashsnow2292]

I've been testing this extensively for a while now, and it works fine. If you're card had the date lock already activated, just make sure to change the date back before loading DSi-enhanced games, everything else will work fine without the date being changed back. Also, create your saves in YSMenu. The original firmware will start throwing error codes if you create your save files while using it...

Actually to be honest with you, I don't have any idea about the "date lock" you guys are talking about. It has been only a few weeks since I got my first R4 clone card (so you could say I still have a lot of exploring to do). Plus, what I have is just an old second hand NDS that I fixed so I dunno if that could be related to the compatibility issues. Will let you know once I've tested this. Thanks again mate! (I may have a few question in mind but I'll save it for later once I also tinkered with what you have tinkered

 

[BARNWEY]

Actually to be honest with you, I don't have any idea about the "date lock" you guys are talking about. It has been only a few weeks since I got my first R4 clone card (so you could say I still have a lot of exploring to do). Plus, what I have is just an old second hand NDS that I fixed so I dunno if that could be related to the compatibility issues. Will let you know once I've tested this. Thanks again mate! (I may have a few question in mind but I'll save it for later once I also tinkered with what you have tinkered

No prob, you probably don't need to worry about the date lock (since you just got your card), but there are up-sides to this tutorial. Such as better compatibility, a better menu, and a community to help you if YSMenu has any problems. Anyways, let me know how it goes, and please vote in the poll as well when you're done

 

[dashsnow2292]

So I've done again a little back reading on Retrogamefan's thread and I seem to have finally have some idea about the "date lock" you guys are talking about. Unfortunately, this is something I haven't experienced since my R4 clone card is the 2017 version .

I just want to clarify something @BARNWEY , your guide's goal is to bypass the "date lock" with the original R4 clone kernel and make all Dsi-enhanced games be compatible with Ysmenu right? I tested your guide on Pokemon Black Version 2 but it still doesn't work using YSmenu. I still have the same issues . I do have a few questions though:


1. Step 3 says that I load all my DSi-enhanced games in the original R4 kernel. So does this mean all the .sav files are created in the R4 kernel?
2. Step 12 mentions that if ever there are no .sav files for a DSi-enhanced game, I should create it with YSmenu right? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of Step 3? Hmmm...
3. Assuming I got Question #1 right, when I start a Dsi-enhanced game in YSmenu, the .sav file that will be used is the one created in the R4 kernel right?

 

[DinohScene]

I thought the Cyclo DSi was the only DSi flashcard that could play DSi games?

 

[dashsnow2292]

I thought the Cyclo DSi was the only DSi flashcard that could play DSi games?

My R4 SDHC 2017 (clone) card, with the orignal kernel running, runs the DSi-enhanced Pokemon games (the only ones I've tested so far) well. Though I still haven't tried playing them for hours, the basic "freezing on saves" and "freeze when entering name" kind of problems are gone.

 

[BARNWEY]

I thought the Cyclo DSi was the only DSi flashcard that could play DSi games?

Dsi-enhanced and DSi are different. DSi-enhanced games are DS games that are made to take advantage of the DSi hardware (if run on a DSi, of course).

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

So I've done again a little back reading on Retrogamefan's thread and I seem to have finally have some idea about the "date lock" you guys are talking about. Unfortunately, this is something I haven't experienced since my R4 clone card is the 2017 version .

I just want to clarify something @BARNWEY , your guide's goal is to bypass the "date lock" with the original R4 clone kernel and make all Dsi-enhanced games be compatible with Ysmenu right? I tested your guide on Pokemon Black Version 2 but it still doesn't work using YSmenu. I still have the same issues . I do have a few questions though:


1. Step 3 says that I load all my DSi-enhanced games in the original R4 kernel. So does this mean all the .sav files are created in the R4 kernel?
2. Step 12 mentions that if ever there are no .sav files for a DSi-enhanced game, I should create it with YSmenu right? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of Step 3? Hmmm...
3. Assuming I got Question #1 right, when I start a Dsi-enhanced game in YSmenu, the .sav file that will be used is the one created in the R4 kernel right?

Unfortunately, YSMenu can't load DSi-enhanced games on our cards. This is a tutorial on how to bypass the date lock (initially) using YSMenu, and how to use the original firmware as a .nds file. That way, you're not constantly setting the date back... The thing is, that the original firmware will bug out if you use it to create saves when it is a .nds file. However, YSMenu creates the .sav files fine, it just has some problems with AP. Once you create the .sav file, it will work in any firmware. Now for your questions on step 3, that's more on checking to see if everything is working correctly before the weird stuff goes down... Did I answer all of your questions?

 

[Clydefrosch]

Depends on the person... Do you want to have to turn back the clock every time you want to play a DS game? Or do you want to only turn back the clock when you want to play a DSi-enhanced game? Besides, this tutorial may look long, but it should only take a few minutes if followed correctly. It also gets rid of that awful menu (for the most part)...

i mean personally, i feel like turning it back just once every other year. its not like the correct year has any advantage

 

[BARNWEY]

i mean personally, i feel like turning it back just once every other year. its not like the correct year has any advantage

True, but this guide has other up-sides than just bypassing the date lock. Besides, some people like to have the correct date on their DS/3DS...

 

[ZachariasBarnham]

Personally, I think that the date lock is a scummy and dishonest business tactic. If I had an operational computer, I would give this a go. Luckily, I had the foresight to set my N3DS calender to 1/1/2000 in order to avoid this problem. Mine's a 2014 R4i clone.

 

[BARNWEY]

Personally, I think that the date lock is a scummy and dishonest business tactic. If I had an operational computer, I would give this a go. Luckily, I had the foresight to set my N3DS calender to 1/1/2000 in order to avoid this problem. Mine's a 2014 R4i clone.

I totally do too, that's why I made this tutorial XD
Though, this tutorial has other benefits than just bypassing the date lock. It allows for even better compatibility, a better menu, and a more up-to-date firmware... Now, you can have your clock be up-to-date and use your card! The only time you'll have to set it back is when you want to play DSi-enhanced games (such as Pokemon Black(2)/White(2))...