nds-bootstrap:

Thanks to the work of ahezard, Gericom, Apache, Robz8, _catcatcat, and shutterbug2000 and other contributors, we can now load NDS games from the SD card, without any flashcard/SLOT-1 card.

Don't expect high compatibility, but do expect many, many updates.

Compatibility listing:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LRTkXOUXraTMjg1eedz_f7b5jiuyMv2x6e_jY_nyHSc/edit#gid=0

The official Discord server for nds-bootstrap:
https://discordapp.com/invite/7bxTQfZ

The thread for the recommended loader (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/twloader-ctr-mode-nds-app.448375/

SRLoader for softmodded DSis (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/srloader-nds-app-for-dsi.472200/

If you're more of a forwarder person:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/nds-forwarder-cias-for-your-home-menu.426174/

Link to the releases page:
https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases

Anti-Piracy patch list by Robz8
https://gbatemp.net/threads/ap-patch-preservation.477536/

Also, thank you to our testers:
Historian
JoshuaDoes
thejsa
Alerdy
PokeAcer

Spoiler: Videos

Also, a video thanks to Robz8:


And another thanks to Alerdy:

 

[RocketRobz]

I had them set to 1 and 3145728 for megaman zx and advent, if i set both to 0 will megaman still work?

No.

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

In previous builds the entire map would be black.


In the terminal:

newfs_msdos -F 32 -V somevolumename /dev/yourdiskdevice

I guess you were talking about Advance Wars DS. And yes, that is right, it used to be pitch black, but seemingly that was now fixed!

 

[Joom]

I guess you were talking about Advance Wars DS. And yes, that is right, it used to be pitch black, but seemingly that was now fixed!

Oh, derp. I thought we were talking about the same game. I forgot that there was another one for the DS.

 

[vander263]

FF 4, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia doesn't work too yet

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

No.

There will be a way to set a specific set of MPU region and number patch thing for specific files? (Or for now force the needed values for ZX with TWLoader?)

 

[vander263]

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin boots now, but after it saves, the bottom screen begins to fade from white to black, and it freezes there. but there's some progress

 

[Giodude]

Online works perfect, no stutter no disconnects. The only issue i've gotten is the game crashed one time after a race.

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

Online works perfect, no stutter no disconnects. The only issue i've gotten is the game crashed one time after a race.

That was with only other bootstrap users? Or you raced with just anyone in AltWFC?

 

[Giodude]

That was with only other bootstrap users? Or you raced with just anyone in AltWFC?

one random who im not sure, but i did 1v1 a bootstrap person, and play with both side by side. Assuming the third was a bootstrap user but not sure. I have a flashcart i can always test it.

 

[astrohoff]

Sadly Metroid Prime Hunters still white screen.

Actually, it's completely playable! It takes 11 minutes to boot, 7 minutes to get through the menus and start a game, and another 5 minutes to load the 1st level. But once you get in game there's surprisingly little freezing, mostly just when loading new effects, and larger rooms can take 30+ seconds to load.

 

[Stack3r]

@ahezard Will the next release fix the mpu settings? I want to be able to run megaman and other games instead of having to change the settings everytime

 

[Giodude]

Also for anybody here who doesnt want to make a hotspot or change their wifi, you probably can just make a mobile hotspot with your computer if you use windows.

 

[RocketRobz]

@ahezard Will the next release fix the mpu settings? I want to be able to run megaman and other games instead of having to change the settings everytime

The next TWLoader version will have specific MPU settings for MegaMan ZX, MegaMan ZX Advent, and MegaMan Zero Collection.

 

[Garblant]

Yeah...

...since I use a MicroSDXC card for my 3ds I'm having a lot of trouble formatting it with both fat32 and with 32kb clusters.

(Anyone know of any formatting tools that allows you to force format to fat32 with 32kb clusters? If not, then I'll just watch from the sidelines as this keeps getting better...)

 

[zeldaism]

Yeah...

...since I use a MicroSDXC card for my 3ds I'm having a lot of trouble formatting it with both fat32 and with 32kb clusters.

(Anyone know of any formatting tools that allows you to force format to fat32 with 32kb clusters? If not, then I'll just watch from the sidelines as this keeps getting better...)

Try guiformat.

 

[Garblant]

Try guiformat.

Thanks! I'll see if this works!

(If it does work this will just be edited)

Welp, guiformat doesn't format under 512kb...

 

[Joom]

Thanks! I'll see if this works!

(If it does work this will just be edited)

. . .

When you format something to FAT on Windows it is formatted to FAT32.

 

[SlimPortable]

Didn't notice any improvements to the go-to games I always test. I decided to test Digimon World Dawn this time, however, and it works great except for the load times that are very frequent. Takes about 15-20 seconds on average. Pretty much makes the game unplayable since it needs to load very frequently.

 

[Garblant]

When you format something to FAT on Windows it is formatted to FAT32.

Are you referring to when you format a drive with cmd?

(Also, normally (with MicroSDXC cards) my computer only gives me the option to format with either exFAT or NTFS. However, I've never tried to use cmd to format the drive.)

 

[zeldaism]

Thanks! I'll see if this works!

(If it does work this will just be edited)

Welp, guiformat doesn't format under 512kb...

Choose the 32879 option. This is 32k.