Ripping your own DS games?

[wombat]

I'd like to know if there is any easy method to dump\rip your org DS games.

[Barc0de]

yes there is.

The first dumping solutions were in the form of a Pass-me + GBA cart. the data would be dumped onto the GBA cart.

Nowadays, with the single-cart "made for piracy" backup units, i m not sure how this is achieved.

I happen to own both styles of hardware due to promotional reasons.

[handofg0d]

There are several methods out there nowadays but you basically need a GBA flash cart (512MB is a good size) and one of the DS dumping tools. The example I will give you uses the "Magic Key"

Download "MagicKey Tools v1.0.nds.gba" and flash it to your GBA cart
Insert the DS cart you want to back up into the Magic Key. Now insert that into your DS. (The magic key is sort of like a piggy-back, or a dongle)
Insert your GBA flash cart into slot-2 on the DS and turn it on.
The MAGICKEY app will load and save the DS game onto your GBA cart.
Follow some on screen instructions and when finished pull your dump off of your GBA cart.

Then trim the excess data from the dump (you'll have a 512MB dump of a DS game that might only be 64MB - just remove the excess). Change the file extension to .nds and call it a day.

I haven't kept up with the "scene" as it were - these methods are roughly 2 years old - maybe something better is out now. :shrug:

Good luck

[paul.strickler1]

It really depends on what hardware you have.
I keep up with the DS scene.
There is a WiFi FTP dumper out now. All you need is a Slot-1 cart and wifi.
You can also use the slot 2 method as was mentioned before, but then you get into DLDI comatibilty and stuff like that.

If you could describe more what you want to do, I/we could help you more.

Do you want to play ROMs? Are you trying to create your own ROMs?
No matter what, you need a flash cart, maybe 2.

[wombat]

I'm trying to create my own roms; instead of downloading games from the web. Also I got a nice nintendo dev flashcard with a game on it, that I would like to dump.

do mind I only want to do this for personal backup; and for easy play on a flashcard instead of cart-swapping.

Thanks allot for your help already, the WiFi FTP dumper sounds interesting!

[paul.strickler1]

http://blog.so-net.ne.jp/Rudolph/2007-08-16

Heres the article. Just click the download link if you cant read japanese.

If you know how to use a ftp server, it should be straight forward.
If not, post back here and ill try to help.

[wombat]

But a side from the slot1 dev cart I also need some kind off passme device? Becouse when I insert the slot1 cart.. I can't insert the DS cart I like rip right?

[Carnivol]

There is no problem switching your PassMe (Slot-1) with a DS cartridge after booting to Slot-2.

[paul.strickler1]

For the FTP Dumper:
Run the program on your slot-1 card(not slot 2!).
The program connects to Wifi and then loads itsself into the DS`s RAM.
You remove your slot 1 card and insert the one you want to dump.
Press A.
The game dumps itsself to your HDD without need of anything Slot-2.

[wombat]

Thanks allot! I was really confused on how to use this! I will post here when I succesfully made a DS game rip!

[alicowan]

hi all. I tried to use this app to backup some of my own carts, but i've hit a few problems. I'm running the wifi backup tool off my r4, and the program runs fine, but doesn't seem to reflect the changes i make in the ini file. I'm trying to connect to my computer through a wireless router and so wanted to change the ip address it looks for. Can i not do this? Also, is Flash FXP the kind of ftp program i need? Any help would be appreciated.

[paul.strickler1]

Sorry, BulletProofFTP is the best. Ill post a DL link later today, because the version on their site sucks.

[wombat]

http://blog.so-net.ne.jp/Rudolph/2007-08-16

Heres the article. Just click the download link if you cant read japanese.

If you know how to use a ftp server, it should be straight forward.
If not, post back here and ill try to help.

I finally got a slot-1 cart and put the application to the test. But I was under the impression that the DS would act like a FTP server. But now I see I need to make a ftp server myself....

Are there any easy 1-2-3 ftp server programs out there?

[babu]

filezilla is pretty simple to get up and running iirc.

[wombat]

I got it up and running! (I forgot about the easy way.... osx has a nice and easy to use FTP utility). At this moment I'm ripping a cart, hopefully it works!

[drx]

I've used GuildFTPd for minor stuff like this in the past, and it has worked for me, and it's easy enough to setup.

Edit: nevermind, beaten by seconds :P

[wombat]

Are there tools out there that can output the build date / version no? (from a .nds file)

[wombat]

update:

I succesfully made dumps of a demo-cart and a proto-cart. However when the progress is at 100% the application displays an error that transfer failed. But the dumps look complete (header ok) and are playable! Hooray!

[retro]

hi all. I tried to use this app to backup some of my own carts, but i've hit a few problems. I'm running the wifi backup tool off my r4, and the program runs fine, but doesn't seem to reflect the changes i make in the ini file. I'm trying to connect to my computer through a wireless router and so wanted to change the ip address it looks for. Can i not do this? Also, is Flash FXP the kind of ftp program i need? Any help would be appreciated.

No. You need an FTP server. Try the trial of BulletProof FTP Server (make sure you get the server!), or you could get FileZilla Server, which is totally free.

http://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=server

N.B. If you are using a router, you're going to need to set up port forwarding on the router for it to work.

www.portforward.com for instructions specific to your router.

[pspwill]

If you have a flashcart that wil let you take the cart out and replace it and it continue to work (eg not R4), you can use eepinator.

[MottZilla]

No one ever made a tool to work with Slot 2 devices like the M3 Adapter? I always thought myself that the slot 2 devices were nicer, perhaps because they worked with GBA as well.

[Carnivol]

I'm blind and forgetfull at times

There is a tool that works by first booting your Slot-2 solution, then swap your passkey in Slot-1 to the target game (if you don't have a hacked firmware) and then boot the ripping application and extract everything onto your Slot-2 solution (such as an M3). So much easier than an FTP setup with a bunch of wireless insanity going on.




And I agree, MottZilla, Slot-2 devices are nice 'cause of their multi purpose usage, but their compatibility is itchy with stuff meant for Slot-1 and read/write access for apps on Slot-2 can be a bitch with all the patching (though, I guess the same still applies for a lot of Slot-1 stuff too). Fairly certain most Slot-1 aps "can" work on Slot-2, though... But hey, real men only use these things for personal backup and developement, right?

[michal99]

There is a couple ways to dump a NDS games. The one of the first was WRG Dumper (last v.1.4). For that you need a GBA flash cart (original with integrate memory) and M3 CF adapter. That tool can dump NDS and GBA games as well. There was original Dumper tool for M3 and G6 cart which can dump NDS games (not always correct). If you have a EZ Flash solution (slot1 and 3in1 cart) you can also dump games (NDS/GBA) with their soft. For GBA part it works with other slot2 cart. The last one is Raplh's tools which works with any slot2 cart with DLDI driver.