Homebrew SCFW: Custom Firmware & Kernel for Supercard

[Deleted member 698398]

Good to know how the performance

I haven't done any kind of testing really but SM64DS seems to work fine.

 

[SuperCardDeepFan]

I haven't done any kind of testing really but SM64DS seems to work fine.

Nice good to know thanks for the info

 

[Janni9009]

I think he was asking how you actually launch games from DS mode.

Nah, wouldn't have said NDS files don't show at all then. They're hidden in GBA mode specifically (both .nds and .dsq)

 

[Deleted member 698398]

Nah, wouldn't have said NDS files don't show at all then. They're hidden in GBA mode specifically (both .nds and .dsq)

Ah, I know even the DS mode needs ".nds.gba" files. IDK if just ".nds" files show up in the file browser.

 

[RetroKingPin]

Hi @metroid maniac,

Looking to give your firmware a trial run on my own. I haven't purchased the Supercard SD as of yet. Can anyone share a URL from a seller on either Aliexpress or Ebay that they know works with this firmware?

 

[Janni9009]

Ah, I know even the DS mode needs ".nds.gba" files. IDK if just ".nds" files show up in the file browser.

No, this will actually break loading DS software because the cart will try to load it as GBA, switch to GBA mode, and... get stuck because obviously that's not gonna work. They do more often than not need the ndsloader prepended, but then must be renamed back to .nds (hence .sc.nds was a kinda common format for a while).
Ideally, you should just patch TWLMenu, and be done with it. Some stuff outright won't load from the stock kernel properly, like GodMode9i.

 

[Deleted member 698398]

No, this will actually break loading DS software because the cart will try to load it as GBA, switch to GBA mode, and... get stuck because obviously that's not gonna work. They do more often than not need the ndsloader prepended, but then must be renamed back to .nds (hence .sc.nds was a kinda common format for a while).
Ideally, you should just patch TWLMenu, and be done with it. Some stuff outright won't load from the stock kernel properly, like GodMode9i.

I know it's not just unpatched ".nds" files. We're talking about loading games from the DS passme mode. A bunch of DS mode homebrew (from the passme era) is distributed as ".nds.gba" files. So I know that is a valid file extension for these cards. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by patch Twiight Menu. I'm pretty certain that doesn't and will never work on this card.

 

[Peeteris]

I'm not sure why, but every time I turn off the GBA and turn it on instantly, there's always
SDRAM write failed at
and the list goes on with 0x.... codes.

Is there a way to avoid this error without waiting 30 seconds before turning console on again?
Thank you!

Update:
It also happens if I've turned on GBA, didn't load a game, and turned off the console.
On next cold boot it will show
SDRAM write failed at 0x... and the list goes on.
After this error shows up, I turn off the console, wait for 30 seconds, and then it makes a correct save of last played game.
Supercard battery is in good condition.

 

[Xyvir]

I know it's not just unpatched ".nds" files. We're talking about loading games from the DS passme mode. A bunch of DS mode homebrew (from the passme era) is distributed as ".nds.gba" files. So I know that is a valid file extension for these cards. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by patch Twiight Menu. I'm pretty certain that doesn't and will never work on this card.

I have Twilight Menu++ running off of the supercard SD; using flashme CFW. then I can boot DS roms that are on the SupercardSD from there. I don't own a Slot-1 flashcart at all atm.

I did have to DLDI patch TWilight Menu first so it could get to the supercardSD filesystem, which maybe is what OP was talking about.

I couldn't get DS roms to work directly on the SupercardSD firmware using the Supercard patching software for some reason so I gave up on that.

 

[Deleted member 698398]

I have Twilight Menu++ running off of the supercard SD; using flashme CFW. then I can boot DS roms that are on the SupercardSD from there. I don't own a Slot-1 flashcart at all atm.

I did have to DLDI patch TWilight Menu first so it could get to the supercardSD filesystem, which maybe is what OP was talking about.

I couldn't get DS roms to work directly on the SupercardSD firmware using the Supercard patching software for some reason so I gave up on that.

Oh, really? I didn't even realize this card had DLDI. Someone must've made one for it. Because this card predates the concept entirely. Early passme homebrew worked more like GBA homebrew where the entire filesystem had to be packed inside the rom itself. It couldn't load arbitrary files off the SD card.

 

[Janni9009]

I know it's not just unpatched ".nds" files. We're talking about loading games from the DS passme mode. A bunch of DS mode homebrew (from the passme era) is distributed as ".nds.gba" files. So I know that is a valid file extension for these cards.

.nds.gba is for other legacy flashcarts (FlashAdvance, EFA, EZ1-3 and early M3/EZ4 firmware before those just loaded .nds homebrew as-is).
.sc.nds was also a common format coined specifically for these carts since they need ndsloader prepended like .nds.gba, but only check extension instead of header for what type of software to load (so they falsely boot into GBA mode and can't continue)
.dsq is what these carts expect for retail NDS software output by the patcher.

Oh, really? I didn't even realize this card had DLDI. Someone must've made one for it. Because this card predates the concept entirely. Early passme homebrew worked more like GBA homebrew where the entire filesystem had to be packed inside the rom itself. It couldn't load arbitrary files off the SD card.

This cart by far wasn't pre-DLDI era, that standard was started way back in the CF times. There are various DLDI from back in the day (Chishm's, Moonlight's which tends to work better) and now (ArcheyChen's which is also SDHC compatible) for this cart specifically, as well as the other carts in it's family (SCLite - brissou, SCRumble - Barni, SCCF - Chishm)

 

[Xyvir]

@metroid maniac

I was thinking that the NDS mode of your firmware could just be a stub that boots into TWM++? If it could do that, while supporting SDHC cards that's all I'd really want to see out of it tbh.

Let me know your thoughts, thanks.

-Xyvir

 

[Egoistamamono]

Got stuck here and my SuperCard went blank (white screen) does anyone know how to re-flash the SuperCard?

 

[Xyvir]

Based on some previous posts on this thread I think you can re-flash the original firmware using a slot-1 flashcart, but I don't know that anyone has clearly outlined that process yet.

 

[Gamemaster2022]

Got stuck here and my SuperCard went blank (white screen) does anyone know how to re-flash the SuperCard?

You need a DS flashcart. Then you can run a flashing tool from it that overwrites the supercard with working firmware. It's older than the one that's being sold nowadays but you can update it with ofw.frm through scfw kernel.

I bricked my supercard too so I had to buy DS and a DS flashcart but it worked

 

[Egoistamamono]

You need a DS flashcart. Then you can run a flashing tool from it that overwrites the supercard with working firmware. It's older than the one that's being sold nowadays but you can update it with ofw.frm through scfw kernel.

I bricked my supercard too so I had to buy DS and a DS flashcart but it worked

Yes, I have experienced it once before. But I forgot whether I used flashmp or scflash. But both are not works, maybe because I'm using EDGE and the other R4 I'm using is installed twilight menu (direct boot). SCflash give me an error when writing. I used CF, Lite, & SD version from linfoxdomain. But no one works, the Lite version even not writing and directly showing error message.

 

[SparkyX1]

Yes, I have experienced it once before. But I forgot whether I used flashmp or scflash. But both are not works, maybe because I'm using EDGE and the other R4 I'm using is installed twilight menu (direct boot). SCflash give me an error when writing. I used CF, Lite, & SD version from linfoxdomain. But no one works, the Lite version even not writing and directly showing error message.

Have you attempted with the version 1.85 fw linked earlier (page 8)? Not sure it will make a difference, but it is worth a shot and flashed to mine fine.

 

[Egoistamamono]

Have you attempted with the version 1.85 fw linked earlier (page 8)? Not sure it will make a difference, but it is worth a shot and flashed to mine fine.

I really couldn't access the menu from the supercard, it would white screen after bios boot. Any way to fix this? i forgot what to do to fix this

 

[OmDRetro]

Assuming the SuperCard SD isn't bricked, you can enter diagnostics mode by holding both the L and R trigger buttons while the GBA is off then flip the power switch. It should show some self-test prompts provided that you haven't flashed SCFW firmware.

 

[Egoistamamono]

Assuming the SuperCard SD isn't bricked, you can enter diagnostics mode by holding both the L and R trigger buttons while the GBA is off then flip the power switch. It should show some self-test prompts provided that you haven't flashed SCFW firmware.

Not work, keep stuck in white screen.