Dumping the ROM

To dump your ROM file, you will need a Nintendo DS or 3DS system in addition to your game. Some methods will require additional peripherals, like an SD card or mobile device capable of making an unsecured hotspot.


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Nintendo DS
Nintendo DSi
Nintendo 3DS

Dumping with a Nintendo DS or DS lite

There are two ways of dumping the game using a Nintendo DS or Nintendo DS lite system. Both require the use of a Slot-1 (DS cartridge slot) flash cart.

The first method uses a Wi-Fi hack to dump over File Transfer Protocol (FTP). The second method uses a pair of Slot-1 and Slot-2 (GBA cartridge slot) flash carts to dump the ROM directly.

Dump over Wi-Fi

Requirements:

  • Nintendo DS or DS lite console
  • L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap
  • Slot-1 Flash cartridge (e.g. R4 cartridge. Also, an SD or microSD card to load stuff onto it as required)
  • Smartphone, tablet or other device that can create an unsecured or WEP-secured Wi-Fi hotspot
    • Most modern computers aren't able to do this, unfortunately. The best devices for doing this are Android smartphones.
    • Apple and Windows devices (including the iPhone) are not capable of creating insecure or WEP-secured hotspots.
  • A computer you can use to download wooddumper and connect to said hotspot with
  • A DS game with Wi-Fi support. It doesn't matter that the service has ended. Unfortunately, L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap does not have Wi-Fi support.

Method:

  1. Using your smartphone, tablet or other device that can create a wireless hotspot, make an unsecured (no password) or WEP secured hotspot (must be WEP-secured; WPA and other modern encryption standards are not supported by the DS).
  2. On the other computer, download wooddumper. Then, connect that computer to the hotspot you just created.
  3. Install the wooddumper.nds (not the Slot 2 version) homebrew app onto the right part of your flash cart via the SD card.
  4. Insert the Nintendo DS game that has Nintendo Wi-Fi connection support and navigate to the menu that allows you to configure your Wi-Fi connection. Connect to the hotspot you made.
  5. Exit the game and remove the cartridge. Now, insert your flash cartridge you just put wooddumper on and navigate to run it on your DS.
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions and insert your L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap cart when prompted. Proceed until you are presented with an IP address to connect to using an FTP client.
  7. Using an FTP client, such as net2ftp, a built-in browser one or another such as FileZilla, enter the IP address into the relevant field. You do not need to specify a username or password.
  8. Copy the .nds ROM file and .txt file to your computer. You can proceed to patching your ROM.

Dump using dual-slot flash cartridges

Requirements:

  • Nintendo DS or DS lite console
  • L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap
  • Slot-1 (DS slot) Flash cartridge (e.g. R4 cartridge)
  • Slot-2 (GBA slot) Flash cartridge that is compatible with your Slot-1 cart (e.g. E-Link card)
  • SD or microSD cards (or correct connection cables) to load and remove stuff from your flash cartridges, if necessary
  • A computer you can use to download wooddumper

Method:

  1. Download wooddumper on your computer.
  2. Install the wooddumper_slot2.nds homebrew app onto the right part of your Slot-1 flash cart via the SD card.
  3. Insert your Slot-1 and Slot-2 flash carts into your DS.
  4. Open wooddumper via your flash cart.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions and insert your L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap cart when prompted. Proceed until you see that the dump has completed.
  6. Remove your Slot-2 cart and insert the SD card from it into your PC (or in the case of some carts, connect it directly to your PC)
  7. Copy the .nds ROM file and .txt file to your computer. You can proceed to patching your ROM.

Dumping with a Nintendo DSi

To dump using a Nintendo DSi, you will need to install a Custom Firmware (CFW) onto the system known as Twilight Menu++ and Unlaunch to enable you to run Godmode9i, which lets you dump a cartridge to an .nds file.

Requirements:

  • Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DSi XL console
  • L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap
  • SD card with at least 2GB capacity
  • Computer with an SD card reader/USB SD card reader peripheral

Method:

Please take caution following these steps to avoid bricking your system.
  1. Follow the steps on dsi.cfw.guide to install Twilight Menu++ and Unlaunch onto your DSi.
  2. Download GodMode9i and extract the file using a utility such as 7Zip on Windows or The UnArchiver on macOS.
  3. Remove the SD card from your DSi and insert it into your computer.
  4. Place the extracted GodMode9.nds file anywhere on your SD card.
  5. Insert the SD card back into your DSi.
  6. Insert the L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap game cartridge into your DSi.
  7. Launch Twilight Menu++ as you were shown and run GodMode9i.
  8. Select the "NDS GAMECARD" option.
  9. Press the A Button to select "yes" to dump your cartridge.
  10. When complete, you can turn off your DSi and remove the SD card from the system.
  11. Insert the SD card back into your computer. Navigate to (SD_CARD_ROOT)/gm9i/out/ on your SD card. Copy the .nds file to your computer.

Dumping with a Nintendo 3DS

To dump using a Nintendo 3DS or 2DS console, you will need to install a Custom Firmware (CFW) onto the system known as Luma3DS and bootstrap9 to enable you to run Godmode9, which lets you dump a cartridge to an .nds file.

Requirements:

  • Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS, New 3DS, New 3DS XL or New 2DS XL console
  • L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap
  • SD card with at least 2GB capacity
  • Computer with SD card reader/USB SD card reader peripheral
    • In some cases, you may need to use a DS or DSi-compatible flash cartridge.

Method:

Please take caution following these steps to avoid bricking your system.
  • Follow the steps on 3ds.hacks.guide to install Luma3DS and bootstrap9 onto your 3DS.
  • Continue following the guide to install GodMode9 as well as other prerequisite homebrew software onto your 3DS.
  • Power off your console (not just sleep mode, a full power-off)
  • Insert the L - the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap game cartridge into your 3DS.
  • Hold the START button and press the Power Button to power on the console. This should launch GodMode9. If it doesn't, power off and try again.
  • Use the D-Pad to navigate to [C:] GAMECART
  • Press the A Button on [TitleID].nds to select it. If prompted to choose a dump type, press the A Button again.
  • Select Copy to 0:/gm9/out on the lower screen to copy the dump to the SD card.
  • When the dump has completed, power off your system and remove the SD card.
  • Insert the SD card back into your computer. Navigate to /gm9/out/ on your SD card. Copy the .nds file to your computer.

Before you proceed

You should now have dumped your game to a .nds ROM file that you can patch. Move this to somewhere easily accessible.

ROM dumping information courtesy of dumping.guide, dsi.cfw.guide & 3ds.hacks.guide contributors.