Mac & R4 Set up

Discussion in 'Nintendo DS' started by DreamsxOx, Jan 12, 2009.

  1. DreamsxOx

    DreamsxOx Member

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    I'm having a lot of trouble setting up my new R4 disk on my mac. Everywhere I read it tells me that I have to put the disk in, but in my MacBook I can't use a Mini Disc. I don't know too much about the way this works, or anything about it. My friend told me I should get it, so I did. I'm trying to just get games on it but aparently I need some folder? I have noooo idea :( If theres anyone out there with AIM or Yahoo that could please talk me though the steps of doing this that would be amazing, or even helping me out here :) My info is below. Thanks.

    AIM - LiveYourDreamxox
    Yahoo- Lovessyou0603
     
  2. snorlax22

    snorlax22 Regular member

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    What you need to do is configure the microSD card that goes into the R4. Don't worry about any installation disc- it has firmware on it that you can likely download from the Net.

    The Mac should be able to see the microSD card just as USB mass storage.

    Follow one of the guides around here about putting the correct folders on the microSD card and putting the correct files in the correct folders. Once you get that set up, you ad the .nds game files to have something to play.

    Your most difficult issue is going to be figuring out which kind of R4 you have and which of the gazillion different versions of the firmware you need. This is one of the reasons it is difficult to recommend the R4 as a new purchase anymore. See if there is any indication on the disc or in the materials you received. See if you can get a buddy with a box that can read a minidisc to either pull it off and get it to you or at least tell you if it has a name that indicate a version.

    Use the link Kittymat recommends http://www.linfoxdomain.com/nintendo/ds/
    to try and find your firmware.

    Once you can find functional firmware the rest is easy.

     
  3. DreamsxOx

    DreamsxOx Member

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    wow.. this is going to be harder then I thought..
     
  4. snorlax22

    snorlax22 Regular member

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    No. Shouldn't be.

    See if you can get the disc read. That will solve a lot of problems. If you can't get the disc read, and must guess on your firmware, try the official 1.18 first.

    After that, it is just a guessing game.

    Not difficult, but may be a little time consuming.

     
  5. DreamsxOx

    DreamsxOx Member

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    I just don't understand what it is that I'm doing. Put it this way. As far as all of this software goes, I am at the level of a preschooler. I have no idea what any of this means. I was just told that it was easy to do on a mac. Guess they were wrong. Anyways, Where do I put this "guessing game file" and how do I know when it works?
     
  6. dailun

    dailun Active member

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    I can only speak to the R4 original.

    After you extract the archive (.rar or .zip) file to your Mac, copy the following files/folders to the ROOT of you microSD.

    _system_ (folder)
    moonshl (folder)
    _DS_MENU.DAT (file)
    _DS_MSHL.NDS (file)

    Insert into the R4, insert to the NDSL, and you should get Moonshell to boot.

    I understand that you are a Mac user and this is no slight intended at MAC (or any other PC users), but as a user of technology you should familiarize yourself with some basic concepts of computer use, such as archiving, de-archiving, file format and copying. IMHO, these are basic skill sets required for survival.
     
  7. snorlax22

    snorlax22 Regular member

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    Ok Dreams. Let's start at the beginning.

    Do you have a microSD card? If so, how big do you think it is? Can you read it/see it using your Mac?

     
  8. DreamsxOx

    DreamsxOx Member

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    Okay, so far I've gotten a Folder downloaded into my MicroSD card Titled <b>MoonShell_v1-1.71</b>
    Inside this folder is a File titled _moonshl.nds which my computer cannot identify, a subfolder titled moonshl, inside that folder is this:
    Subfolder- Custom
    Files -
    lang0.ini
    lang1.ini
    moonshl.ini
    moonshl.sav
    Subfolder-plugin
    Subfolder-skin
    Files-
    system.ank
    system.fon
    system.I2u

    Do I need to touch these files at all?
    From my understanding I needed to download Kernal as well.
    I downloaded it and placed into the MicroSD file as well. It reads:
    English-1.18.rar

    What do I need other then these files/Do i need to Modify these files at all?

     
  9. snorlax22

    snorlax22 Regular member

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    You are doing real well so far.

    You don't need to download these rar files directly to the microSD- infact I would advise against it. Pick a holding spot on your Mac and use that.

    Clear off you Micro SD.

    Extract the 1.18 firmware.

    Move the system folder and the moonshell folder onto the microSD making sure to have the dat and nds file Dailun mentions in the right place.

    Try it.
     
  10. DreamsxOx

    DreamsxOx Member

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    Alrightty. In order to expand this file on my computer I had to download a program called RAR Expander- It worked amazing. Now on my desktop I have a folder, and inside this folder is a File titled _DS_MENU.DAT & another titled _DS_MSHL.NDS

    A subfolder titled _system_ and another subfolder titled Moonshl

    Now..?

    Thank you soo much by the way.
     
  11. snorlax22

    snorlax22 Regular member

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    Cooking with gas now.

    Clear off the microSD. What size is it?

    Throw those two folders and those two files on the card and you will be closer.
     
  12. DreamsxOx

    DreamsxOx Member

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    ummm... so I dont know what I did, but the R4 is working and I got a game to work sucessfully :) Idk what I did, and I couldnt of done it without you guys so hopefully, all stays good, and it keeps working!
     
  13. snorlax22

    snorlax22 Regular member

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    Sounds to me like you got it work is what you did.

    See, not that painful!
     
  14. DreamsxOx

    DreamsxOx Member

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    The R4 is getting pretty popular, and more and more people like me (dummys) are going to be trying to get this thing to work They should have a full manual in lamens terms step by step lol

    But anyways,

    Thank you!!!!!!
     
  15. snorlax22

    snorlax22 Regular member

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    There is a "manual". It is in the ultimate sticky sticky at the top of the forum.
     

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