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NDS: How to Backup/Restore your retail cartridge save file for DS games


evandixon

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Do you have Wifi access compatible with the DS lite? Info on how to do that should be in the original post. Otherwise, you can try AR codes.

Yes, I do. I just got a bit scared when you mentioned "given that you aren't editing HeartGold/SoulSilver/Black/White/Black2/White2". I thought it meant I couldn't make a backup of the save file.

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Thanks for all your help. I've been reading this thread and the Pokedoc one, but I've got to keep asking some terribly newbie questions: since I will have to use the Pokedoc tool, do I still need an Action Replay? What for?

If I understood it right, the Pokedoc tool can make a backup of the HeartGold save file, store that save file on my computer and restore it to DS. Couldn't I just use PokeGen (it is safe, isn't it?) to edit it on my computer?

Sorry, but I still don't get the use of Action Replay. :( Maybe I am ignoring some part of the process. I am very newbie, please be patient.

If I need to read something else to understand the whole process, please help me. I feel like I am asking a lot of nonsense stuff. Sorry for that.

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Hi...

I want to be able to backup my save game from Pokemon Heartgold. I read the guide on how to go about doing that on the first page, and I found out about the 'NDS Adaptor Plus'. It sounds good, but I can't find anywhere to buy one where it isn't really expensive! I've tried looking on ebay, I don't want to try any 'sketchy' websites as I like to keep my credit card info to myself! ;)

Amazon seemed to have them for cheaper, but they don't ship to Canada (Tried Amazon.ca too, they didn't have any.).

Does anyone recommend any other devices I can use? I just want to be able to backup and restore save files to and from my computer. Would a regular flashcard reader work?

I have the original 'phat' DS, if that helps.

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You could try the SMS 4

http://www.digitopz.com/neo-sms4-game-backup-master-for-3dsndsndsi-p-1132.html

Or the R4i Save Dongle

http://www.digitopz.com/r4i-save-donglebackup-the-3dsdsids-game-save-data-p-1109.html

I haven't actually used the R4i Save Dongle, but based on a screenshot and my experience with the SMS4, it should be way easier to use, but it lacks the feature to backup ROMS that the SMS4 has (however, you shouldn't really need that).

Since you have the original DS, if you have a flash cart and compatible Wi-Fi, you can use homebrew tools to backup the save. (Or if you have a slot 2 flash cart and slot 1 pass me, but you probably don't).

The links I provided are to Digitopz. I've bought from them before with a prepaid gift card, and they did a good job. If you prefer to use paypal, you'll have to contact them as their website doesn't support it.

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You could try the SMS 4

http://www.digitopz.com/neo-sms4-game-backup-master-for-3dsndsndsi-p-1132.html

Or the R4i Save Dongle

http://www.digitopz.com/r4i-save-donglebackup-the-3dsdsids-game-save-data-p-1109.html

I haven't actually used the R4i Save Dongle, but based on a screenshot and my experience with the SMS4, it should be way easier to use, but it lacks the feature to backup ROMS that the SMS4 has (however, you shouldn't really need that).

Since you have the original DS, if you have a flash cart and compatible Wi-Fi, you can use homebrew tools to backup the save. (Or if you have a slot 2 flash cart and slot 1 pass me, but you probably don't).

The links I provided are to Digitopz. I've bought from them before with a prepaid gift card, and they did a good job. If you prefer to use paypal, you'll have to contact them as their website doesn't support it.

Thanks for the help, the SMS4 sounds great. Just want to make sure: it works with HeartGold, right?

(Thank goodness I looked up how to backup saves, because I was ready to go out and buy SoulSilver because I didn't want to lose my all-star team on HG! I guess that's how Nintendo makes their money.)

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Okay so I got a reply back from Digitopz. This is what they said:

Hi, thanks for your reply and its glad to hear that you can pay by paypal. So you only want 1x Neo SMS4 with free shipping right? The total fee with discount is: 33.98usd.

Here is a guide on how to pay by paypal:

Please access this site: http://www.koolbuy.net ,this is our another site which can accept paypal payment. we have registered an account for you, please login with this account:

[omitted account info]

After you log in, just take a look at the shopping cart, we have chosen some items for you, the total payment of them is just the same as you should pay on digitopz, would you please just follow the check out steps and send us the order, so we will receive the same amount money as you buy from digitopz. After we receive your order, we will send the correct items you buy on digitopz as soon as possible.

Please dont leave any comment on the paypal, we know you actually don't want those item, we will send you the correct items from digitopz.

Sorry about this complicated method, because paypal dont allow sites to sell flashcarts, so we think out this method to help you to complete the order. i will make sure you can receive the correct items.

Any questions or concerns, just contact me freely! Thanks for your understanding!

Have a nice day.

Regards !

Cici

Does this sound fishy to you? I mean, I know it would be with Paypal, but I don't want them to send me the wrong stuff (even though I would put in a message via Paypal), and have them not pay me back.

I also don't want to wait a million years for the thing to get to me from China or wherever it is.

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Hm...

Weird but I sort of halfway understand why they did that. You should thoroughly read the return policy to see if you are covered if they send you the wrong things, but it might turn out OK. You could also research other online shops. Be sure to find other people's opinions of them first if you do (like on shoptemp.net and gbatemp.net).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys,

So I'm thinking of getting a NDS Adapter Plus on eBay to use with my DS games (and possibly my two 3DS games as well), but I thought I better ask a bunch of questions first, based on information I've read about this device on a few other websites.

1. Is the NDS Adapter Plus currently compatible with all 9 of the main series Pokemon games on the DS (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Black, White, Black 2, and White 2)? I've seen on at the website Pokedit that this is compatible with all 9 games, but I'm slightly skeptical about them.

2. With a 64-bit OS, do you have to go through the Driver Signature Enforcement process only once (in order to successfully install the drivers on that OS), or do you have to go through this process on each session on the computer after the installation is a success, if you want to be able to successfully use the NDS Adapter Plus again on future sessions on the computer?

3. If using the NDS Adapter Plus to backup a save on any of the 9 main series Pokemon games listed above, is it a good idea to make an extra copy of each backed up save (e.g. PokemonPlatinum.sav & PokemonPlatinum(1).sav), just incase you edit one of the two .sav files with something like PokeGen or the editor on Pokedit's website, and attempt to load it back to the card it came from, and the card reveals the new save to be corrupt? Basically, I'm taking about having a spare of the last known saved file, in the event something went terribly wrong.

4. Does the NDS Adapter Plus currently work with any 3DS games? If so, does it work with most or all current games for the 3DS?

Anyway, thanks in advance.

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2. With a 64-bit OS, do you have to go through the Driver Signature Enforcement process only once (in order to successfully install the drivers on that OS), or do you have to go through this process on each session on the computer after the installation is a success, if you want to be able to successfully use the NDS Adapter Plus again on future sessions on the computer?

That depends on what OS you have, and the exact setting you tell it to do. You can keep your computer in Test Mode forever with it if you want. If you do that, you only have to mess with it once. If you have Windows 8, then that's a different story.

4. Does the NDS Adapter Plus currently work with any 3DS games? If so, does it work with most or all current games for the 3DS?

I personally don't mess with 3DS saves much, but it can backup most of mine. Plus, they periodically release updates just for 3DS games: http://www.hkems.com/download%20-%200907.htm

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  • 2 months later...

Should I go for SMS4 or NDS +?

I really only the feature to back up my save.

I have WIN 8 64bit, and I have no problem using Driver Signature Enforcement each time I want to use it ( I'm just going to use it to add missing wondercards for my pokemon games)

Which one is the best to use? I also like that the SMS4 does not need driver :).

But, which one is most bug-free and which one would you recommend most?

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The NDS Backup Adapter Plus is definitely easier to use, but installing the drivers is a little tricky if you've never done that before.

The SMS4 can backup ROMs, but the two different they've made are somewhat shoddy in some respects (see my first post, I link to a package I've made that can do what you need).

I end up using my NDS Backup Adapter Plus more often, because it's straight forward and has a definite place to find updates, while the SMS4 just has some unorganized forum.

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  • 2 months later...

Has anybody tried using the Save Dongle with Pokemon D/P/Pt ? I recently bought it, and I've no problems using it with B/W, it works just fine. But with my Pearl version, the "Card=>PC" thing does not work; I mean, when the transfer is over, and I open the save with Pokesav, everything is messed up and corrupted. BUT! if you downgrade the Dongle firmware to V1.0, then the sav file is extracted correctly, however, when I use "PC=>Cad" with the sav modified, the DS detects no save and starts a new game....

This is kind of annoying me, and I wanted to know if someone had the same problem or if you have a solution.

Thanks for the thread btw.

[Edit]: Ok, now when I transfer the modified sav file back to the Card, the message "The save file is corrupted. The previous save file will be loaded." pops up. Every time I've tried it's the same. I assume the game considers the sav file corrupted when modified, but I'd like to know if it only happens to me or not (maybe it's the Dongle's fault).

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What size save is it giving you? Should be 512KB.

Also try checking the pins of the cartridge on Pearl. Should be the similar quality to BW, but if there's any obvious scratches or dirt, there's your problem.

The save size is 512KB, which is correct. And as far as my eyes tell me, there is no obvious scratches or dirt, I'll clean it with cloth anyway to see if something changes.

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