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Bought an R4 SDHC, can't get working menu

Discussion in 'Technical Help' started by Shadowly, Jun 30, 2014.

  1. Shadowly

    Shadowly Member

    I just bought an R4i SDHC cart, I am am aware that this card is probably fake, I cannot find any firmware that will run on it. I use my 8gb sandisk sdhc card with firmware on the root, I always get the message "Can't open _DS_MENU.DAT" when I start the card from the DSi menu.
    The card icon is the game Deep Labyrinth.

    This is a photo of my card:
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2z8M31ykXvcmNPd01XMjdQUGc/edit?usp=sharing

    Can somebody please link me to a firmware that will work on this card, I have tried many of them with no luck.
    The URL on the box is a broken link. Somebody posted a thread here just a few months ago and somebody linked to firmware for the card but the link is now removed.
     
  2. necr0

    necr0 Well-Known Member

    Try this: http://www.linfoxdomain.com/nintendo/ds/dl.php/R4i-II_v1.09b_English.rar
     
  3. Shadowly

    Shadowly Member

    I'm afraid I still get "Can't open _DS_MENU.DAT"
    I have already tried R4 wood, RGFs multicard update, and a couple other firmwares that are supposed to work on this particular clone. According to what I have read this card is a clone of TTDS and runs on TTDS firmware, but I cannot get that to load either. At this point I have a hunch that my MicroSDHC card may be at fault but I do not have any others to test with. I could borrow a 2gb regular microsd and see if it was the size/format of the card that was at fault.
     
  4. simona12

    simona12 Active Member

    terrible card to be honest if recently bought send it back and get a supercard dstwo best card ever
     
  5. necr0

    necr0 Well-Known Member

    Hmm.
    God I hate clones. If there's one thing I could say to people, it would be not to buy a clone.

    Unfortunately, if you've tried that much, there's nothing really else you could do.
    Your best option is to buy a good flashcard. You could go with the suggestion by simona12, or go for an R4i Gold 3DS (r4ids.cn). It's cheaper, and runs Wood R4.
     
  6. Prectorian

    Prectorian . Staff Member

    If your NDSi is running v.1.45. Don't bother looking further. Just use it as a door jammer or keep it under one of your uneven desk leg.
    Then go buy a better cart, make sure to buy a better high end clone if you must, but make absolute sure it has an up to date official website still online, and has kernel/firmware for it to run on v.1.45. Also make sure you have an older NDS to do the installation, else ask the store to install it for you before taking it home.
     
  7. immisfit@ymail.com

    [email protected] New Member

    This just happened with me too, only I am in real hurt here. You see I bought 10 of these cards ,one for each of my grandkids to put in their Easter Baskets. And if I can't get them to work Their baskets are going to be pretty empty as I am on a fixed income and spent all I could afford on these. So please can someone help. PLEASE
     
  8. Prectorian

    Prectorian . Staff Member

    Well Ms. Smith,

    The best solution is for you to give your grandkids the cartridges as it is, packaging untemper. Saves you the headache, let your kids figure it out for your grandkids to use it. In case you insist on installing the kernel/firmware yourself;
    1. Do you have an NDS Lite handheld? Can't use NDSi, 3DS, or even 2DS. No? Can't continue. Yes? Continue reading.
    2. Go to the flash cartridge's official website (see address on packaging)
    3. Download the appropriate kernel file and extract the archived file
    4. Place the extracted folder in the SD Micro, and then insert the Micro SD into the flash cartridge's slot
    5. Insert the cartridge into the NDS Lite handheld (battery fully charged), run the installation (follow official site's instructions)
    6. When done successfully, repeat on the other 9 cartridges.
    7. If you can't get it done successfully, or is confused. Follow my first statement, best suggestion don't you think?

    That's all I can help. Good luck. Bye.
     
  9. immisfit@ymail.com

    [email protected] New Member

    Thanks for the reply
    Unfortunately the URL on the box is a broken link. I bought the same ones that the first post link pictured. I really would like to have these ready for the grandkids as I really don't think that the parents will do it for them. I don't want them to think I gave them something that is broke. And the oldest of my grandkids is only 13 and has no home computer. Please Please someone help. Thanks again.
     
  10. Prectorian

    Prectorian . Staff Member

    That would mean those 10 carts are from r4-sdhc . hk?

    In that case, unfortunately, regardless if you have an NDS Lite handheld to perform the kernel/firmware installation or not, there's nothing can be done except maybe return for refund or switch to other R4 brand. There's no alternative place to get the firmware/kernel since the site been dead more or less 2 years by now, the link provided by member Necr0 (2nd post) is not meant for that flash cartridge, was for another cartridge made by r4i-sdhc. com. hk which is incompatible, and given that 'Linfoxdomain' link doesn't have a copy from that cart's site none can be done further. Even IF 'Linfox' has a copy of the installation files (same case even IF someone could provide you with a copy of the installation files), the fact that the official site been long dead, won't make much difference either, especially if your grandkids are using newer Nintendo handheld such as NDSi or 3DS handheld running latest firmware above v.1.45. If they are on the older handheld such as the NDS Lite, it still could be use IF the installation files are available, as it stands the end result is the same. Hope this answers the issue despite no solution is achievable.