Homebrew Moonshell 2.03 & YSMenu on Acekard 2i with SDHC support

CannonFoddr · Jul 16, 2009

QUOTE said:
WARNING: It's been brought to my attention that in SOME cases using YSMenu on an Ak2i can 'brick' the AK2i & prevent it from running on an Dsi.I cannot be held responsible for any damage that may occur (YSmenu was originally developed for the DSTT flashcard & not for Acekards)
If you are not happy on running the risk of damaging your Acekard then I suggest you stick with either the offical Ak2 or AKAIO firmware
UPDATE: 25-07-09 I can confirm this also works with Moonshell 2.05 stable

QUOTE said:

If you want to use AKAIO firmware instead. Use the Moonshell 2.03 & YSMenu on Acekard 2i using AKAIO guide instead
First you need to download ALL these files
=> YSMenu (needed for ROM loading): http://home.usay.jp/pc/etc/nds/ - Scroll down until you see 'DS(T_T)DS' & click on the top link in the scroll box
=> Moonshell 2.03 stable: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?download=6450
=> linoul's YSloader for MoonShell 2 (needed to allow Moonshell to load ROMS): http://gbatemp.net/index.php?download=5030
=> DLDI windows GUI patcher: hhttp://chishm.drunkencoders.com/DLDI/downloads/dlditool-win32-gui.zip
=> Acekard Firmware v4.17 (needed for SDHC support): http://gbatemp.net/index.php?download=5917
=> Acekard Firmware v4.15 (needed for booting AK2i since latest firmware doesn't work with latest Moonshell): http://gbatemp.net/index.php?download=4917
=> DSTT firmware (to remove 'missing fonts' errors on YSMenu) : http://gbatemp.net/index.php?download=4476
=> Cheats Database USRCHEAT.DAT (to remove 'Cheats missing' error on YSMenu): http://cheats.gbatemp.net/

To set up Moonshell 2
1) Extract from Acekard firmware v4.15 download 'akmenu4.nds' and '__AK' folder onto the root directory of your AK2i
2) Create a folder on your PC desktop - call it anything perhaps something like 'DLDIpatching'
3) Extract the 'DLDItool-win32-gui.zip' files into this new folder
4) Copy 'ak2_sd.dldi' file from the '__AK' folder on flashcard to this same folder
5) Extract all files from the Moonshell 2.03/2.04 download somewhere onto your PC
6) Copy the "moonshl2" directory and "MoonShel2_Directboot.nds" from this folder onto the root of the AK2i.
-> These are the only real required files to get MoonShell 2 to work. Of course, you can extract the others for more features.
7) DLDI-patch "MoonShel2_Directboot.nds" with the Win32GUI program using the 'Acekard 2' DLDI file.
-> Instructions to use Win32GUI can be found Here

Click to expand...

QUOTE said:

8) You will need to run the 'LanguageSelect.exe" program in the Moonshell2 folder file to select your chosen language
9) Extract the "nds.YSloaderForMS2.nds" and "config.ini" files from linoul's package to the '/moonshl2/extlink ' folder on your AK2i.
10) Delete the file 'logbuf.txt' from '/moonshl2/' folder - Don't ask me why. if you don't Moonshell locks up for some reason

Now to set up YSMenu
1) Create a folder called 'ysmenu' on your desktop.
2) Extract the files from the YSMenu archive into the 'ysmenu' folder you just made.
3) Copy 'akmenu4.nds' from the Acekard v4.17 firmware download into the 'ysmenu' folder. This is to allow SDHC capability
4) Run "akextract.exe". This will produce "akloader.nds".
5) Create a 'ysmenu' directory at the root of the AK2i.
6) Move the recently created 'akloader.nds' into the 'ysmenu' directory on your card.
7) Copy 'YSMenu.ini' and 'YSMenu.nds' to the same 'ysmenu' folder on the flashcard
8) DLDI patch 'YSMenu.nds' on the AK2i using the same Win32GUI tool that you used on Moonshell above
9) You will also need to change the language used in YSmenu. To do so edit the 'YSmenu.ini' file on the AK2i so that

Code:

LITERALS=LITERAL_JPN ;LITERALS=LITERAL_ENG

is changed toCODE

Click to expand...

;LITERALS=LITERAL_JPN
LITERALS=LITERAL_ENG

10) From the DSTT firmware download: Copy 'system.fon', 'system.l2u', 'system.u2l' and 'system.ank' into the '/ysmenu/' folder on the Ak2i
11) From the Cheat Database download: Copy the 'USRCHEAT.DAT' also into the '/ysmenu/' folder on the AK2i

Nearly there
1) 'Safely remove' your memory card from your PC, Insert into the Ak2i & put into your DS(i)
2) Switch on & boot into the firmware
3) Press [Start], select 'patches' and change 'autorun' to 'Enabled'
4) Press [A] Twice to save settings[/color]
3) Press [Start], select 'System Options' Then press Right paddle button until you get to 'Default Patch options'
4) Change 'Autorun' to 'Enabled' & Press [A] Twice to save settings
5) Browse to 'Moonshell_directboot.nds' & run it
6) Hopefully it should start. Alter your options as you like them.
7) Now browse to a commercial ROM & Press [A] to start

Because you changed firmware 'autorun' to 'enabled' - next time you switch on it will load the firmware and then automatically load Moonshell

Proof that it works

Note: IF you already have an Ak2i SAV file (usually it ends in '.nds.sav' this WILL NOT BE USED for the game and Moonshell/YSMenu will create a new SAV file.
To use your existing AK2i sav's, backup your AK2i 'gamename.nds.sav' to your PC (for safety) & rename it to 'gamename.sav'

If you DO happen to have a problem - when you post, can you please give as much detail of your setup combination
[e.g. DSi + Moonshell 2.03 + YSmenu (latest) + Acekard 2i (with 4.15 firmware) + 4Gb Kingston SDHC card]
so that I may see if I can try & replicated the fault myself - thanks

Chris_Skylock · Jul 16, 2009

I'll try this one in a bit. this is the simpliest guide i ver seen unlike the previous moonshell 2 guides which are horribly disguisting to look at.

I wonder why AKAIO is not usable here?

I have 4GB Kingston SDHC so I may have problems with the SDHC option guide using 4.17

Bookwormz13971 · Jul 16, 2009

I tried using the other method and no matter which I kept getting 2 white screens when loading moonshell. I followed the instructions correctly (about 5 times and even tried codingtom's fix) and still nothing. I will try this later tonight and hopefully it will work.

By the way my setup is

DSi

Acekard2i

Firmware 4.17 + AKAIO AK2 Loader 5/30/09 (After I couldn't get your fix working I just formatted everything with SD formatter 2.0 and used this)

4gb Sandisk SDHC

I can't wait to try this tonight, hopefully it works.

Chris_Skylock · Jul 16, 2009

so you used the other method and not this so you got two white screens? be more specific on which you used. im afarid to try this now

I got the files already and ready to put it on my acekard 2i. can i use the language select NDS instead of the EXE one?

CannonFoddr · Jul 16, 2009

Chris_Skylock said:
This is the simpliest guide i've ever seen unlike the previous moonshell 2 guides which are horribly disgusting to look at.Glad you like it - I normally try to include EVERY step in detail in a guide so that there's no risk of mistakes - some guides assume that you already know where to put files, how to DLDI etc. This one seems to of come out rather neatly this time around

Chris_SkylockI got the files already and ready to put it on my acekard 2i. can i use the language select NDS instead of the EXE one?

You could however I've read that SOMETIMES the 'nds' version doesn't save the setting right & it reverts back to japanese

Chris_Skylock · Jul 16, 2009

it's working fine and I got the selectlanguage.EXE to work. I just need to plug the card reader and edit it from there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qieniBFg5Nw

thanks for the simple guide unlike the other guide which are disgusting to look at.

CannonFoddr · Jul 16, 2009

Chris_Skylock said:
it's working fine and I got the selectlanguage.EXE to work. I just need to plug the card reader and edit it from there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qieniBFg5Nw

thanks for the simple guide unlike the other guide which are disgusting to look at.

Dam it - you've beat me to it

. I was going to do a video of this tomorrow

I notice your's a little jumpy & out of focus (guess that because you were using a mobile by the looks of it

) so I might just do it anyway

Chris_Skylock · Jul 16, 2009

if you are a fan of my video channel, you know what I am using for my videos in youtube.

I'll be happy to see your video so I can see what game works and what games DO NOT work.

--

How can I use the AKAIO loaders? is it possible?

CannonFoddr · Jul 17, 2009

Chris_Skylock said:
if you are a fan of my video channel, you know what I am using for my videos in youtube.I assumed you were using a mobile 'cos I saw a reflection of what looked like one in the video

QUOTE said:

I'll be happy to see your video so I can see what game works and what games DO NOT work.Not sure what you will see, there's only 2 games shown in the video because it's not my 'main card' - I only use it for things like this guide, & basically it's just an 'updated' video of the one in the other thread of mine
My 'main card' is in fact a DSTTi - but what I can tell you is that using YSMenu somehow offers better compatibility with newer games than the offical DSTTi firmware, whether it's does the same on an Ak2i - I don't know
QUOTE

Click to expand...

How can I use the AKAIO loaders? is it possible?

I can't see why not - I think both firmwares use the same names (AKAIO is really just a modified AK firmware)

UPDATE:
F.Y.I - AKAIO firmware WILL NOT WORK on AK2i (with SDHC) if you follow my original guide (one problem is that 'akextract.exe' will not work on AKAIO 'akmenu4.nds' file).
There IS a work around though. You need to DLDI patch with the 'ak2_sd.dldi' from firmware 4.15/4.17 instead of the one that comes with AKAIO

Saywhatjj4 · Jul 20, 2009

Thanks CannonFodr

Working fine on the Acekard 2i With A 4GB Kingston Micro SDHC!
Also Works with 8GB AND UP!

KingdomBlade · Jul 20, 2009

Chris_Skylock said:
I'll try this one in a bit. this is the simpliest guide i ver seen unlike the previous moonshell 2 guides which are horribly disguisting to look at.

I wonder why AKAIO is not usable here?

I have 4GB Kingston SDHC so I may have problems with the SDHC option guide using 4.17

Does that mean Blackiris' guides and mine are horribly disguisting?

CannonFoddr · Jul 20, 2009

KingdomBlade said:
Chris_Skylock said:

I'll try this one in a bit. this is the simpliest guide i ver seen unlike the previous moonshell 2 guides which are horribly disguisting to look at.

Click to expand...

Does that mean Blackiris' guides and mine are horribly disguisting?

Nah - I guessing what he actually means is where your's & Blackiris are 'multicards' or 'general purpose' guides & may be a little overwheming with info for a newbie - mine is only about one card & has rather specific steps

benjaminlibl · Jul 20, 2009

KingdomBlade said:
Chris_Skylock said:

I'll try this one in a bit. this is the simpliest guide i ver seen unlike the previous moonshell 2 guides which are horribly disguisting to look at.

I wonder why AKAIO is not usable here?

I have 4GB Kingston SDHC so I may have problems with the SDHC option guide using 4.17

Click to expand...

Does that mean Blackiris' guides and mine are horribly disguisting?

Don't take it personally, KingdomBlade. Chris_Skylock seems to have a habit of throwing insults around and complaining about everything. Your guide was essential to my getting it to work.

By the way, I was just wondering. The Acekard 2 guides don't work for Acekard 2i?

CannonFoddr · Jul 20, 2009

benjaminlibl said:
By the way, I was just wondering. The Acekard 2 guides don't work for Acekard 2i?

Nope - when I tried it I kept getting 'System File Missing' on booting up the Ak2i - this only happened once you renamed Moonshell file to 'akmenu4.nds'.
I'm guessing that the ak2i looks for a specific piece of code on booting in 'akmenu4.nds' (perhaps to allow it to work on Dsi) - but since moonshell doesn't have it - up comes the message

benjaminlibl · Jul 20, 2009

CannonFoddr said:
benjaminlibl said:

By the way, I was just wondering. The Acekard 2 guides don't work for Acekard 2i?

Click to expand...

Nope - when I tried it I kept getting 'System File Missing' on booting up the Ak2i - this only happened once you renamed Moonshell file to 'akmenu4.nds'.
I'm guessing that the ak2i looks for a specific piece of code on booting in 'akmenu4.nds' (perhaps to allow it to work on Dsi) - but since moonshell doesn't have it - up comes the message

OK, that makes sense. This guide is gonna help since I'm about to help a friend set up Moonshell on her Acekard 2i. Thanks a lot!

CannonFoddr · Jul 20, 2009

benjaminlibl said:
CannonFoddr said:

benjaminlibl said:

By the way, I was just wondering. The Acekard 2 guides don't work for Acekard 2i?

Click to expand...

Nope - when I tried it I kept getting 'System File Missing' on booting up the Ak2i - this only happened once you renamed Moonshell file to 'akmenu4.nds'.
I'm guessing that the ak2i looks for a specific piece of code on booting in 'akmenu4.nds' (perhaps to allow it to work on Dsi) - but since moonshell doesn't have it - up comes the message

Click to expand...

OK, that makes sense. This guide is gonna help since I'm about to help a friend set up Moonshell on her Acekard 2i. Thanks a lot!

Good luck on that - oh & if you're successful can you leave note here for others to find - something like 'Success using AKAIO +8Gb SDHC card' (or whatever firmware/microSD card you do use) would be handy
It'll let them know which setup was successful - thanxs

benjaminlibl · Jul 21, 2009

Hey CannonFoddr. I haven't done it yet, but I'm curious, why isn't this an official part of the commercial rom loading thread?

CannonFoddr · Jul 21, 2009

benjaminlibl said:
Hey CannonFoddr. I haven't done it yet, but I'm curious, why isn't this an official part of the commercial rom loading thread?

Are you talking about Commercial ROM Loading with MoonShell 2 & YSMenu Guide ?

If so then sorry to say that it IS on the first post - it may not have it's own Acekard 2i instructions 'spoiler' heading like the other's but that's because (& I'm guessing here) my guide 'cheats' by loading firmware THEN Moonshell.

The 'proper' guides on the other hand boot directly into Moonshell & I guess that if I ever find a way that does the same on an Ak2i then perhaps it will get moved up into it's own section.
Instead you'll find my link under the Confirmed Working On Category title instead

Chris_Skylock · Jul 21, 2009

I dont want to flame here but what I meant is that some guides are not-user friendly and I found one guide of Moonshell 2 to be easier for me

What I meant for disgusting to look at is that you have two guides on the same topic. and then another different path to follow on the same guide. My eyes would just blink on which one to follow. I like a direct guide on one card and different to another card.

When I say something like this, just pretend Simon Cowell is the one talking to you. I like your guide/s

CannonFoddr · Jul 21, 2009

Chris_Skylock said:
What I meant for disgusting to look at is that you have two guides on the same topic. and then another different path to follow on the same guide. My eyes would just blink on which one to follow. I like a direct guide on one card and different to another card.

So I take it you don't like my 'new update additions' for AKAIO firmware (the blue lines) then & you'll prefer it if I had a separate post of virtually the same guide but with just those few lines changed in it ?

A 'Moonshell 2.03 & YSMenu on Acekard 2i with SDHC support using AKAIO firmware' post perhaps ??

Homebrew Moonshell 2.03 & YSMenu on Acekard 2i with SDHC support

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