Beginner's Guide
From CycloDS
TeamCyclops CycloDS Evolution Slot-1 (DS Slot) Flash Cart for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite
Contents |
[edit] Main Screen Buttons
[edit] Games / Homebrew
Allows you to run any NDS ROMS or Homebrew with the .NDS extension which are unpatched - simply drag and drop.
You can also use a ROM Trimmer on your NDS ROMS in order to remove redundant data from the NDS ROMS and make more space on your MicroSD, however older ROM Trimmers break WiFi connectivity - the CycloDS ROM Trimmer in the Evolution Tools Software will work perfectly fine, retaining all WiFi connectivity and not damaging the ROM in any way, and only removing unnecessary space (Available at the "Official CycloDS Support Page", see above for a link). It is still recommended to keep an original copy of your ROM, untrimmed when it is for archival purposes, since you cannot perfectly untrim a ROM.
The folder your ROMS are in does not matter - the GAMES/HOMEBREW screen acts like a file browser, so you can access any folder on the MicroSD within the browser.
Caveats:
- Placing more than 128 roms in a single folder will cause any roms beyond 128 to be excluded from the list. In cases where more than 128 roms are used, create subfolder categories.
- The CycloDS folder is a system folder and will not be displayed in the "Games / Homebrew" screen as a result.
[edit] Media
Automatically boots into the MoonShell Media NDS Homebrew Application.
Download the latest MoonShell version for the CycloDS Evolution and extract the contents directly to the root of your MicroSD, so the folder appears as so: "/moonshl" (Available at the "Official CycloDS Support Page", see above for a link). When you press the MEDIA button, it will automatically boot "/moonshl/moonshl.nds" and launch the media homebrew capable of playing MP3s, Videos, and processing JPG pictures, among other things.
To view videos, they will need to be converted to the native MoonShell format - DPG. In order to do that, you will need to convert the video you want to watch into a DPG. The recommended programs to use are called "BatchDPG" and "DPGTools", with the former being recommended. There is also another homebrew player called "DSMPlay" which is a stand-alone video player of much higher quality but a much much larger file size too.
On a side note, you can make any .NDS file you want to boot when pressing the MEDIA button possible by renaming the file to 'moonshell.nds' and putting it in the "/moonshl/" directory on your MicroSD.
[edit] Settings / Misc
From here you can manipulate the various settings associated with CycloDS Evolution as well as booting from a device inserted in Slot 2. You can select the display language for the GUI, toggle enhanced mode, cheat codes and rumble on or off, change the LCD brightness (NDS Lite only) and select the skin you wish to use. You can also set the skin to "Random" which means a different skin will be chosen from your collection each time you load CycloDS Evolution.
NOTE: If you wish to use the DS->GBA linkage function in conjunction with a EZ3in1 device then you must disable Rumble. In general its best to leave Rumble disabled unless you wish to enjoy Rumble with one of the few games which support this feature.
The settings are saved to the "/CycloDS/" folder on your MicroSD, which you can make hidden in Windows if you wish and will still function perfectly. The settings saved here have NOTHING to do with the Firmware Version installed, which is embedded in the CycloDS Evolution Flash Cart.
[edit] General Functions
[edit] Using Skins
Make a folder in your "/CycloDS/" folder called "Skins". Place the contents of the skin in that folder if you have one skin, and if you have more than one skin, make subfolders (which you can name whatever you want) and put the contents of each skin in the individual subfolders, e.g. "/CycloDS/Skins/DownloadedSkin1/", "/CycloDS/Skins/DownloadedSkin2/", etc. In the "Settings / Misc" menu, you can choose which skin you would like to view depending on what you have put in that folder, or set the CycloDS Evolution to randomly pick a skin each time it boots.
[edit] Using Cheat Codes
First, enable Cheat Codes in the SETTINGS/MISC screen. When you launch a game, CycloDS Evolution will check to see if any cheat codes exist for the game you have launched inside the cheat code database. If cheat codes are found then you will be asked if you wish to enable cheats or not. If you select NO then the game will launch with no cheats at all and function as it would normally. If you select YES then a list of the available cheat codes is displayed where you can enable the cheats you desire. Once you've finished selecting the desired cheat codes, press START to execute the game with codes enabled.
If you have Enhanced Mode Enabled, you can enter Enhanced Mode during a game and Enable/Disable the cheats which you toggled before entering the game. Please note that this is a master toggle and simply enables/disables all cheat codes which you selected before launching the game - you can not toggle individual cheat codes at the current time.
If you want to add your own codes, you can create a user made cheat database. Cheat codes in the user made database take priority over the default database, so if both databases have cheat codes available for the same game then only the codes from the user database will be used. You can create and edit user made database files using the Evolution Cheat Editor Software which is part of the Evolution Tools Software for PC by TeamCyclops (Available at the "Official CycloDS Support Page", see above for a link). Simply create the file and save it as "user.evoCheats" in the "/CycloDS/" folder on your MicroSD card.
[edit] Using Enhanced Mode (In Game Reset)
If you have Enhanced Mode Enabled in the SETTINGS/MISC button, after launching an NDS ROM, you can press L+R+A+B+X+Y at the same time to bring up the Enhanced Mode Menu which will allow you to change the brightness level during a game, slow down the game speed to different speed settings, disable/enable toggle cheat codes (if enabled before launching the game), or go back to the main menu, among other features.
[edit] Shortcuts - Undocumented Button Combinations
[edit] At Boot (Before booting into the card)
- Recovery Mode
- HW v1.0 = SELECT
- HW v1.1 = DOWN + B
[edit] During the Loading Bar / Before the Loading Bar Completes
- Load Last File = L + R
- Boot Slot 2 in NDS Mode = UP
- Disable Auto-Execute (autoload.nds) = X
- Reset Settings = SELECT + START
[edit] GUI Hot Keys (Press and Hold Before Loading a File)
- RTS (Real Time Save) = SELECT
- Disable Auto DLDI Patching = SELECT
[edit] Hardware Versions
There are 2 types of hardware version of the CycloDS Evolution:
[edit] Hardware v1.0
- Card color: white only.
- A small chip which makes the sticker protrude slightly, but this has no effect on functionality at all.
- At boot, SELECT is used for the CycloDS Evolution Recovery Firmware Installer, which means FlashMe Recovery Mode cannot be used with HW v1.0 cards.
[edit] Hardware v1.1
- Card color: black or white
- Completely flat with no protruding chip
- Support for FlashMe Recovery Mode since the SELECT button is free as a boot button.
[edit] How to Determine Version
Hold down+B while starting the CycloDS. If you have the DS in standard mode, just select the CycloDS from the menu and quickly press and hold down+B after selecting the CycloDS. If you have the DS auto-start the DS cartridge, then just hold down+B immediately after confirming the Health and Safety Warning.
- If you get a screen which says CycloDS Evolution Recovery Mode then you have Hardware version 1.1
- If you are always taken to the normal load screen for the CycloDS then you have Hardware version 1.0
[edit] Troubleshooting
[edit] FAQ
Q: How do I update the firmware of the CycloDS Evolution?
A: Simply drag and drop the "update.evo" file to the root of the MicroSD, insert it into your CycloDS Evolution, turn on the NDS and boot to slot-1.
You will have a prompt asking whether you want to update or not. If you press A, it will begin the updating process. If you press B, it will cancel the process. Once the process completes, you can turn off your NDS by pressing A or holding the power button. Keep in mind, if you complete the process, it will erase the 'update.evo' file from the MicroSD, however it will not erase the 'update.evo' file if you cancel the update.
If your CycloDS Evolution does not allow the upgrade process to complete or if you receive an "Integrity error" message then your copy of 'update.evo' is probably corrupt. Please try re-downloading the firmware from the official support page.
Q: What do I do when ROMS aren't recognized?
A: Check the integrity of your MicroSD, ROMS or Homebrew, and check to see that the NDS ROMS/Homebrew have the ".NDS" file extension.
If your ROMS or Homebrew do not have the ".NDS" file extension, they will not be recognized by the CycloDS Evolution - it can only recognize this file format, and not ROMS which are compressed with WinZip or WinRAR for example. Further, if an "NDS" file is incompatible or damaged, it will most likely not show in the file list either. If your MicroSD is somehow corrupt, you can try putting it in your computer and running a scan on the MicroSD. If you don't know how to do this, or have tried with no apparent issues, you can copy/move all the contents of the MicroSD to your hard disk, and FORMAT the MicroSD (FAT32 mode recommended for higher compatibility with homebrew applications, with no effect on NDS ROMS), then copy/mode all the contents back to the MicroSD again.
Q: What do I do when a game doesn't save?
A: Ensure there is enough space on the MicroSD
Each save file takes up 512KB, or 0.5MB or space. Each time you run an NDS ROM, it will automatically create a .SAV for you. If there is not enough space on the MicroSD, it will not make the file, and you can't save. When this happens you will be presented with an error screen, usually "save memory related error -1". If you receive this error then simply freeing up some space on your MicroSD card is usually enough to remedy the situation.
If there is already a .SAV for that particular ROM, and is named accordingly to the exact same name as the ROM, then make sure the .SAV file itself is NOT SET TO 'READ-ONLY' and that it can be modified.
Q: What do I do when a game is not working, has bugs, or crashes?
A: Install the latest CycloDS Evolution Firmware and make sure your MicroSD is clean and verified so by a scan or by a fresh FORMAT (FAT32 recommended for higher compatibility with homebrew applications, with no effect on NDS ROMS), and verify you are using a perfect NDS ROM dump
If you have installed the latest CycloDS Evolution Firmware, and a game is still not working, please verify that the NDS ROM in question is a good dump. Get a different/new dump of the ROM in question and test that one. If it still doesn't work, then kindly post the bug on the "CycloDS Evolution Bug Section" with regards to the bug you are experiencing, and if the game doesn't work on the current firmware, a fix will be worked on for a future firmware release. Also check the integrity of the MicroSD to see it isn't corrupt in any way, and format the card if you have to, backing up the data first (if possible) then putting it back on.
The issue could also be the speed of the MicroSD itself causing the freezing in a very very small amount of games - one known as of now: CastleVania: Portrait of Ruin. If this is the game that is freezing, or suspect it is of the same reason, then please see the section Best MicroSD/HC To Use below.
Q: I'm having a problem with the features/functions of the card, like skins, cheats, enhanced mode, moonshell, and others.
A: Please check the above section: General Overview on Functions and Features for the answers pertaining to those questions.
Q: How do I get the Opera Web Browser to work on the CycloDS Evolution without the need for the Official RAM Expansion Pack
A: Have an CycloDS Micro/MiniSD Slot-2 Flash Cart or EZ-Flash 3-in-1 Slot-2 Flash Cart with the CycloDS Evolution v1.2 Firmware or higher installed.
As of the CycloDS Evolution v1.2 Firmware, you can run the Opera Web Browser with a CycloDS Micro/Mini Slot-2 Flash Cart, or EZ-Flash 3-in-1 Flash Cart inside Slot-2 without the need to patch the Opera Web Browser ROM beforehand. Any other Slot-2 Flash Cart or prior firmwares will require you to apply a patch to the Opera Web Browser ROM beforehand, corresponding to the Slot-2 Flash Cart in question. Not all Slot-2 Flash Carts are supported for the patching method. Cars go fast.
[edit] Defective Hardware
If your CycloDS Evolution stops functioning correctly, then it is likely that you have a defective unit. If this is the case, then please see this thread for more information regarding defective units and what can be done about them.
Symptoms of a defective card would include
- Not recognizing any MicroSD
- Not recognizing the CycloDS Evolution in the main DS menu, or not booting directly to the card
- Randomly crashing the NDS at any point while running the CycloDS Evolution
[edit] Best MicroSD/HC To Use
The CycloDS Evolution supports any MicroSD (up to 2GB) and any MicroSDHC (theoretically up to 32GB).
That said, there isn't necessarily a 'best' MicroSD to use.
It DOES NOT support SD/HC cards, and ONLY MicroSD/HC cards.
However, MicroSDs vary in speed depending on where they are manufactured, and with MicroSDHC, the CLASS of the MicroSDHC defines its data transfer rate.
The CycloDS Evolution works perfectly regardless of which MicroSD you use, whether it is the slowest or fastest MicroSD on the market.
However, using slower MicroSD, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin will freeze or lock up during game play. This is one of the only known troublesome titles, but other random access performance-bound titles, while rare, are likely to appear in the future.
If the MicroSD is internally of a slower build, the particular game will freeze or lock up during game play.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT OCCURS ON ANY NDS FLASH CARTS USING MICRO SD/HC MEDIA AND IS NOT ISOLATED SOLELY TO THE CYCLODS EVOLUTION FLASH CART.
The internal speed of the MicroSD is too slow for the loading requirements of the particular game, and will result in random freezing - depending on the MicroSD, the game will be more prone to random freezing. The speed of writing data via computer is unrelated to these problems. It is specifically related to random access speed times.
MicroSD and MicroSDHC cards are manufactured in 4 places: Japan, US, China, and Taiwan. The Japanese Cards are designed differently than US, Chinese and Taiwanese cards, which are all one and the same.
[edit] Japanese Cards
These have a very fast internal speed, and retain the speed regardless of the amount of data on the MicroSD.
The game CastleVania: Portrait of Ruin requires a "Random Access Time", being the internal speed of the MicroSD, of 0.7ms or below. Generally Japanese MicroSDs of 1GB or below will have a Random Access Time like this, but Japanese 1GB cards vary and can sometimes have a time of 0.8ms, which is just a little too slow to ensure the game never locks up. Most Japanese MicroSDHCs, regardless of class or size have a Random Access Time of 0.7ms or below, but then again, if the class is of a low number, it may vary and may be slightly higher than 0.7ms.
TOSHIBA is the only company to manufacture Japanese MicroSD/HC cards, and any other company distributing Japanese Made cards are rebranded TOSHIBA MicroSDs.
Examples are Kingston and A-Data.
[edit] Chinese/Taiwanese/US Cards
These cards have a good internal speed, but becomes slower as more data is filled on the MicroSD. Sometimes the card has to be formatted in order to reset the speed to its best, even when all the data is off the MicroSD.
Alternatively, occasional running from Windows command prompt of "chkdsk ?: /r" (where ? is the drive letter of the card when it is in the USB Transflash adaptor connected to the PC) can also assist with gaining speeds from these cards, without the need of formatting or removing data from the card.
Chinese/Taiwanese/US cards generally have either the same or slightly higher Random Access Time as Japanese cards. Very few can play CastleVania: Portrait of Ruin with a guarantee that it will never lock up or freeze. In this case, since the Random Access Time becomes slower with the more data on the card, play that one ROM if you want with nothing else on the MicroSD, to ensure the chances of having the game playable.
An example of a Chinese/Taiwanese/US ONLY card is SanDisk, who do not produce Japanese Made MicroSDs.
[edit] Castlevania Portrait of Ruin
It seems that MicroSDHC cards with a Class 6 brand, regardless of where it is manufactured, will generally be fast enough to play CastleVania: Portrait of Ruin with no, or very little freezing at all. The same is true for Class 4 cards from Japan.
[edit] Random Access Time
You can bench mark the Random Access Time of your MicroSD by running it with a PC program called "HDTach". This isn't accurate sometimes, and can show a higher figure than the true figure of the card at the time due to the USB drive being used or the speed of the computer at the time. There is a NDS Homebrew called speedtest for libfat which can accurately benchmark the Random Access Time within the Flash Cart itself.
The key test for this is the maximum speed for a Random 512 Byte read.
If the Random Access Time is 0.7ms (700μs) or below, the game will never lock up at any point, ever.
If the Random Access Time is between 0.8ms and 1.2ms (800 - 1200μs) the game will be playable, and sometimes freeze while going from one portal to another, or while pausing/unpausing. It is not very frequent though, making the game playable.
If the Random Access Time is above 1.2ms (Higher than 1200μs) especially if it's higher than 2.0ms (2000μs) then the chances of the ROM locking-up or freezing become increasingly high, and the game will randomly lock up at any point, regardless of what you are doing in the game - even while just running around in one spot.
Benchmark of microSD(HC) cards
[edit] Dumping Backup ROMs from NDS Cartridges
The easiest method if you have a CycloDS Evolution is to use a particular NDS homebrew program. The NDS homebrew program mentioned can be found on the internet called Rudolph's NDS Backup Tool and can come in 3 variations:
- WiFi version, which you can use to transfer your Game Cartridge's ROM to your PC through a WiFi connection.
- Slot-2 version, which you can use to transfer your Game Cartridge's ROM to your Slot-2 Flash Cart IF IT USES EXPANDABLE MEMORY. You must patch the homebrew with the DLDI of your Slot-2 flash Cart to use it.
- EZ-Flash 3-in-1 version, which you can use to transfer your Game Cartridge's ROM to the NOR Memory on the EZ-Flash 3-in-1 (up to 32MB) and retrieve it to the CycloDS Evolution's MicroSD. See the 3-in-1 page for a full guide.
On top of dumping ROMs from your game cartridges, you can transfer the save files of your game cartridges through one of the above methods and import your own save file, for using your CycloDS Evolution to play the ROM for example. The CycloDS Evolution uses a clean generic 512KB save file, meaning these save files will work on any DS cartidge and can be easily transferred to another flash cart.
[edit] Flashing your Nintendo DS
N.B - IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO FLASH YOUR NINTENDO DS OR NINTENDO DS LITE IN ORDER TO USE THE CYCLODS EVOLUTION IN ANY WAY.
Flashing the DS refers to erasing the factory Nintendo DS/L firmware and replacing it with a custom homebrewed firmware. The addition of the homebrewed firmware, also known as "FlashMe" is:
- Optional ability to skip the "Health and Safety Warning" screen
- Be able to boot to a Slot-2 Flash Cart in NDS MODE without the need of a Slot-1 PassCard/Flash Cart <like CycloDS Evolution's 'boot from slot 2' feature>
There is a guide here on how to do it if you wish to do it:
Flashing Guide Courtesy of "www.monroeworld.com"
General Forum Query and FAQ
The only other reason to flash your DS with the homebrewed firmware is to 'protect against malware and viruses'.
2 viruses were made near the launch of the NDS and Flash Carts to see if it was possible to erase the firmware of the NDS. It seemed it was possible, however the custom homebrewed firmware had to be installed in order to do so, making the threat moot. The custom firmware has an ability to forcefully boot to Slot-1 or Slot-2 in NDS MODE with the purpose of being able to re-run a version of 'FlashMe' to reinstall the firmware, as a RECOVERY FEATURE - something the original Nintendo DS Firmware doesn't have, nor need.
The risk of your DS getting its firmware erased by a virus is extremely close to 0%, and is virtually non-existant, so is no immediate threat in regards to running homebrew on a CycloDS Evolution Flash Cart.
There is a Side Effect to flashing your DS:
- If you use the wrong version of "UnFlashMe" (the uninstaller to go back to the original firmware), it will break "WiFi connectivity, so ONLY USE THE CORRESPONDING UNFLASHME VERSION - There's an UnFlashMe version for the Nintendo DS Phat and an UnFlashMe version for the Nintendo DS Lite, so use that corresponding UnFlashMe.
- If you use a custom FlashMe firmware, and not the original firmware, then if you play an NDS ROM using a slot-2 card with slot-1 being empty, the machine will not go into sleep mode properly when you close the lid, and will erratically switch on and off. To cure this, have a card inside slot-1, or solder a connection inside the slot-1 connectors (requiring you to open up the NDS/L), which will have no damage on the functionality of the DS, and will cure this issue.
[edit] Recovery Mode for FlashMe
There is a feature of installing a recovery mode into the firmware, which can force boot to Slot-1 or Slot-2 in NDS MODE, regardless of whether there is a firmware on the DS or not (if it was erased by malware, or during the flashing process, past 1%, the power turned off due to an electrical short). Simply hold down X+Y+A+B+START+SELECT if your DS IS firmwareless and it will force boot to Slot-1 or Slot-2 in NDS MODE, depending on which slot has a card inside, in that order.
It is currently not possible to fix a bad FlashMe installation with the older CycloDS Evolution units, as booting holding the SELECT button will have the CycloDS Evolution go into a recovery mode. Because of this, it is recommended to use Slot-2 Flash Carts with expandable memory that can boot to NDS MODE to run the FlashMe NDS Homebrew. Alternatively, if all you have is NOR memory (like the EZ-Flash 3-in-1, look below).
It is possible to use newer CycloDS Evolutions to repair a bad FlashMe installation. See below.
[edit] Using FlashMe on the NOR Memory of a Slot-2 card to recover from a bad flash
There is a risk of having the DS inoperable if the power turns off somehow. If the power somehow does go off from a bad short of some kind, after 1% of the installation, there is a recovery mode for FlashMe by holding down X+Y+A+B+START+SELECT. This will boot to Slot-1 or Slot-2 in NDS MODE in that order, and will boot to the first card it finds. Because the CycloDS Evolution conflicts with holding the SELECT button, as it goes into its own recovery mode, it's currently impossible to run the FlashMe again with the CycloDS Evolution alone, in case something goes wrong.
You CAN however run FlashMe on a Slot-2 Flash Cart which supports expandable memory, or if you pre-flashed it to the NOR memory of a Slot-2 card supporting NOR memory. You can flash it to the NOR first by downloading the "ndsloader.bin" file, then appending it to the "FlashMe.NDS" version of your choice, then saving the file as a ".NDS.GBA"
e.g. "copy /B ndsloader.bin+flashme.nds flashme.nds.gba"
From there, flash it to the NOR Memory on the Slot-2 Flash Cart, and if it's booted in NDS MODE, which is what the recover of the FlashMe Recovery does, then it will launch FlashMe, and you can reflash the DS again. If your DS does become bricked during the flashing process, it will automatically boot to the NOR FlashMe in Slot-2 when you turn on the DS, without needing to press any button combination to boot to Slot-2 in NDS MODE.
For your convenience, in case you can't type in DOS mode, there is a "FlashMe_Append_For_NOR.BAT" file you can download. Put that file in the same folder as the 'ndsloader.bin' file and the FlashMe.NDS version you want to use. EDIT the "FlashMe_Append_For_NOR.BAT" by right-clicking on it, and selecting the "edit" button, and once you have opened the BAT to edit it, where it says "XXXXXXXXXX.NDS" change the XXXXs to the name of the FlashMe.NDS version you want to use exactly as it's shown, then save the file and double click on the BAT file to make the appended FlashMe file for you.
BE VERY carefull doing this, Flashing your DS WILL void your warrenty, getting a bricked DS through dodgy games or homebrew will not. its simple becarefull what you download and where you down load from, and you shouldnt need to Flash your DS.. Above all else my rule is if you cant afford to lose and replace it, dont risk it.. its by no means hard to do, but it can be easy to do something wrong and permanantly break your DS..
[edit] FlashMe Working on Newer CycloDS Evolutions
Newer CycloDS Evolution cards (HW v1.1) have their recovery mode for force installing a firmware by holding DOWN + B as opposed to older version cards (HW v1.0) where you have to hold SELECT to do it. Since the SELECT button would clash with the recovery mode for the CycloDS Evolution, the button was changed internally to allow newer cards to be able to run the inbuilt FlashMe Recovery Mode and re-install FlashMe from the CycloDS Evolution without any clashes. It is not possible to do this with HW v1.0 CycloDS Evolution units through a Firmware Update, and you must follow the instructions above to be able to run the FlashMe Recovery Mode with these CycloDS Evolution units.
[edit] Files Needed
NDSLoader
FlashMe Append For NOR
[edit] GameBoy Advance ROM Support
It is not possible to run GBA ROMS on any Slot-1 Flash Cart, CycloDS Evolution included. It IS possible, however, to use the CycloDS in conjuction with a slot 2 flash device designed with GBA Rom support. More detailed information can be found in the GBA Rom section.
[edit] Recommended NDS Homebrew
Generally speaking, there is no virtually essential homebrew to use. However, the most popular homebrew applications would be:
- MoonShell for its versatile media capability
- Team Cyclops provided the CycloDS Evolution version here.
- DSOrganize for its wide variety of functions
- Only use the 3.1129 birthday edition - the author ceased development and released his last version, 3.2 which is known to cause corruption with the web browser on some cards. Both versions had also some bugs with file operations, mainly writes (possibly due to outdated gba_nds_fat) and can cause minor MicroSD corruptions in the file system ( chkdsk /R to verify and repair )
- Licks MP3 Player and iPod Simulator (lmp-ng)
- PuzzleManiak, the homebrew puzzle game with an online scoreboard
- Colors, allows you to draw in your ds using the stylus
- Setsuzoku no Puzzle, an addictive, polished puzzle game
If you want other homebrew, here are other sites you can go to:
