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[bitblt]

This weekend I discovered a simple hack that will allow Supercard and DSLink to be used at the same time. I'm still experimenting with this discovery but I’ll let everyone know what’s working so far . . .

1) This hack will allow DSLink and Supercard to be used at the same time without removing them from the DS.

2) During power up, button combinations can be used to boot the DSLink, the Supercard, or the DS menu.

3) This has been tested and verified to work with Supercard versions CF/SD/miniSD.

4) This hack will allow Opera_patched to be booted from DSLink menu without having to hot swap Supercard, and will work with or without Supercard flash media inserted.

5) Some homebrew programs that use fatlib like DSDoom, DSLiveWeather, etc. (still experimenting) can now boot directly from the DSLink menu.  Also, some homebrew programs (ie. DSDoom) can boot from the DSLink menu and link to content (ie. Doom.wad) on the Supercard flash media. This link feature only works with SCCF for some reason.

Future possibilities . . .

1) This hack could allow homebrew like DSLinux to be modified to boot from DSLink and have access to all of the Supercard RAM as well as the Supercard flash media.

2) This hack could possibly lead to DSLink+Supercard linkage to run GBA games from the DSLink menu (only theoretical).


How it works . . .

A short video demonstration that I didn’t feel like narrating.
http://www.veoh.com/videoDetails.html?v=e1612078zay3t44

I actually stumbled upon this hack while trying to recover a Supercard that a SCdev.org member sent to me for service.  I almost always have DSLink in slot1 of my DS. I had just finished recovering the Supercard firmware with FlashMP and WiFiMe/WMB.  When I powered up my DS Lite it unexpectedly booted to the DSLink menu rather than the Supercard menu.

I thought about this for a moment and realized FlashMP restores an older version of the Supercard firmware that requires A+B+X+Y to be pressed during power up.  When I tried the A+B+X+Y button combinations the DS booted to the Supercard menu instead. When I held SELECT during power up the DS would boot to the DS menu.  I was very surprised.  Many people (including myself) assumed that the DSLink and Supercard could not be used at the same time because of the way FlashMe works.  That assumption was incorrect.

How to do it the easy way . . .

OBSOLETE:
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(This hack requires a flashed DS, a Supercard, and a DSLink. This has only been verified with DSLink firmware version v1.20, but should work with newer firmware versions.  I’ve only tested this with Supercard CF/SD and miniSD.  The trick to making this all work is to downgrade the Supercard firmware to version 1.54 , the last version that used the A+B+X+Y combinations. The Supercard will still run 90% of DS ROMs using Supercard patcher version v2.44 (including IGR). Newer ROMs that don’t work with v1.54 can be run from the DSLink menu instead. Both cards can now be filled with ROMs and homebrew.

Final thoughts . . .

I’m going to contact cory1492 about this (haven’t seen him in a while) because he is familiar with a unrelated hack that allows the A+B+X+Y button combinations to be used with newer Supercard firmware versions.  It should be possible to patch the latest Supercard 1.70 firmware version to work with DSLink.)
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EDIT:
Supercard CF/SD/miniSD
For people who want to use DSLink and Supercard CF/SD/miniSD at the same time, using the Supercard firmware "unpatcher" is the best solution. This will work with the latest Supercard 1.70 firmware. With this method you can choose to boot the DSLink menu or the Supercard menu by using button combinations during power up.

When booting:
Pressing nothing will take you to the DS-Link menu
Holding A+B+X+Y will take you to the Supercard menu
Holding Select will take you to the Nintendo menu

Also, from the DSLink menu you can run LoveLite.nds, cartreset.nds, or sm-mk4ds.nds to switch to the Supercard menu without needing to reset your DS. Currently only sm-mk4ds.nds can be used to switch from the Supercard menu back to the DSLink menu.

Supercard Lite

The firmware "unpatcher" has not been tested with Supercard Lite. So until someone has the balls to test this, there is another solution. With both DSLink and Supercard lite inserted the DS will normally boot to the Supercard menu. To switch to the DSLink menu simply run the sm-mk4ds.nds program and press the A button twice.

[Mota]

The 'Supercard Unpatcher'  [unpatch.sc.nds] found in this thread: http://www.scdev.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=17303#17303

can be used on the latest Supercard firmware with no problems (in my experience, anyway... I just tried it!). Do what it says in the readme. Then, insert DS-Link and Supercard.

When booting:

Pressing nothing will take you to the DS-Link menu
Holding A+B+X+Y will take you to the Supercard menu
Holding Select will take you to the Nintendo menu

Note that you will have to use ABXY to use Supercard even if you don't have the DS-Link/other slot-1 card inserted.

I tested this on Supercard (mini)SD - read the readmes included with the patch to make sure it's compatible with your device.

Is that what you were going to ask cory about, bitblt? Hehehe...
I don't have time to make a video right now, but if anyone wants one then I'll make one in the morning.

[bitblt]

The 'Supercard Unpatcher'  [unpatch.sc.nds] found in this thread: http://www.scdev.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=17303#17303

can be used on the latest Supercard firmware with no problems (in my experience, anyway... I just tried it!).

Excellent!

[Gleasonator]

Thank you... so much... this just made my day.

[bitblt]

Well, at least three people (including myself) found this information interesting. :lol:

[Dudu.exe]

If you giveme a DS LINK i will sure think the same =]

[sneef]

I think it's awesome.. only problem is i can't find my supercard sd (after moving).. and supercard lite never had a firmware 1.54!  hehe.. i'm sure this will eventually be sorted out though..

it's an awesome discovery!  wish i hadn't given away my supercard CF to my brother!  i could be playing doom..

[bitblt]

Thanks sneef.

[ratx]

If you get hold of "neo_flash_mk4_mini_nds-supremacy.zip" - a dump of the mk4 passme type device you can just put the nds file on your slot 2 device and boot your dslink via that, just press A twice after launching.

You can of course also do the reverse and boot a slot 2 device from the dslink with the very same utility.

[moviecouple]

Can you tell someone who is not too familiar with patching what the "Supercard Unpatcher" does and how to use it?

[socket]

There's a readme.txt file that comes with the patcher/unpatcher at the link mentioned above.

What it will do is allow you to choose whether the supercard boots automatically or whether you want to hold abxy to boot to the supercard.  I did it a while ago with my Supercard CF with no trouble.

[bitblt]

There's a readme.txt file that comes with the patcher/unpatcher at the link mentioned above.

What it will do is allow you to choose whether the supercard boots automatically or whether you want to hold abxy to boot to the supercard.  I did it a while ago with my Supercard CF with no trouble.

I have tested and can confirm unpatcher will properly "unpatch" the latest 1.70 firmware for Supercard CF/SD/miniSD.

If you get hold of "neo_flash_mk4_mini_nds-supremacy.zip" - a dump of the mk4 passme type device you can just put the nds file on your slot 2 device and boot your dslink via that, just press A twice after launching.

You can of course also do the reverse and boot a slot 2 device from the dslink with the very same utility.

Very, very interesting ratx. I'm going to look for that MK4 dump.

I've been tinkering with a modified version of Licks libcartreset code trying to make a utility for switching between the DSLink menu and the Supercard menu without having to power cycle. So far my utility can be run from the DSLink menu and allow switching to the Supercard DS menu or the Supercard GBA menu. I haven't figured out how to switch back to the DSLink menu without a power cycle.

[bitblt]

If you get hold of "neo_flash_mk4_mini_nds-supremacy.zip" - a dump of the mk4 passme type device you can just put the nds file on your slot 2 device and boot your dslink via that, just press A twice after launching.

You can of course also do the reverse and boot a slot 2 device from the dslink with the very same utility.

When I put sm-mk4ds.nds through the Supercard 2.57 patcher I get a 0kb output file. When I try to run sm-mk4ds.nds without patching I get two white screens. Have you gotten this to work with a Supercard ratx?

[moviecouple]

Read the read me file... and I seem to be a little dense on this one. Can you explain exactly how to use it?

I see there is 2 different files. PatchSC.sc.nds and UnPatchSC.sc.nds. Do I use both? I am just looking for what to do so I can use the Browser to work with the DS-Link and SCLite. A detailed explanation of how to use it would be helpfull.

[moviecouple]

Think I figured it out. Just one other question. I see bitblt said that it works with the latest 1.70 firmware for Supercard CF/SD/miniSD.... what about the Supercard Lite MicroSD?