Warning: I have successfully flashed my own Nintendo DS Lite. While most people have had great success, a few have had problems, WRECKING their DS Lite.
Hardware Needed
- CycloDS Evolution
- MicroSD (transFlash) card
- Small phillips screwdriver (to remove the battery cover)
- Shorting Tool (I recommend a toothpick wrapped in aluminum foil) - You can also use a flathead screwdriver or similar device - see figure 6
Software Needed
Instructions
PREPARATION
- First ... with the DS Lite power off, test the shorting tool:
- Turn up the sound on your DS Lite to the max.
- Remove the battery cover.
- Locate the SL1 hole (See Figure 1 )
- Make sure your shorting tool fits properly - the DS Lite's hole is different than the original DS and the SL1 jumper is a LOT harder to bridge with a small flathead than the original DS is. Be prepared for this!
- HOOK YOUR DS Lite UP TO WALL POWER! MAKE SURE ITS ON AND FEEDING THE DS POWER! Ensure the battery doesn't fall out while doing the procedure.
PROCEDURE
- Download/extract the flashme file to your microSD card.
- Put memory card in CycloDS Evo.
- Insert the CycloDS Evo.
- Boot the DS. The CycloDS Evo menu will come up..
- Run the flashme.nds file. If all goes well, you'll see some white text on a black screen. See Figure 4. If not, just go back to BOOT THE DS above and try it again.
- The screen will give you some hints on what to do. You will hit some keys to start the process.
- Once the process starts, there is a percentage indicator. ONCE IT GOES ABOVE ZERO, YOU ARE COMMITTED! IS YOUR DS PLUGGED IN? If you power off the DS or otherwise lose power, you now have a shiny new brick. If its sitting at 0% and you get cold feet, you can abort. (I've never proven personally that 0% doesn't brick the DS, but that's what I'm told). Note: You do not have to maintain contact the whole time. If your hand slips and it stops at like 5%, keep going.
- IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG (like the DS Lite powers itself off, you lose power, whatever)
- Apparently, as long as you get SOME of the firmware loaded (word on the street is - around 6%) you can STILL get the DS Lite back to flashing again (even if it appears dead). Recovery isn't discussed in this tutorial.
- If you mess things up, check this forum thread for help. I can vouch that this guy does good work.
- Once the 0% indicator comes up and it starts beeping, you will need to stick that shorting tool in the hole and short out the jumper in there. Note the orientation of the pad (see Figure 5), and decide best how to use the tip of that tool to short it out. Note the depth of the hole in figure 5 is deceptive - compare the length of the screwdriver in Figure 1 and the depth its in the hole.
- As its shorted, the progress meter will steadily rise and the beeping will get faster. Once it reaches 100%, you're done (a "finished" tone will sound). If the sound slows down, you lost contact with the pad - wiggle around until you get it counting up again. There is an art form to this shorting out. The first time you do it, its a real bitch. After that, you get the feel for it (I've hacked a ton of them).
- Once you've triple verified that its at 100%, power off and power up.
- You should bypass the Health screen right to the main CycloDS Evo menu. (To bypass the CycloDS Evo during boot, hold down START while powering up. )
Note: As a bonus, when your DS is flashme'ed, its impossible for it to become PERMANENTLY bricked (by a trojan or future bad firmware upgrade).
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| Figure 1: Locating SL1 | Figure 4: FlashME loaded and ready. |
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| Figure 5: Understanding the SL1 Jumper Location | Figure 6: The flashing tool |
