Problem with my DS acknowledging my R4

I just got a DS XL, upgraded from the original DS. I also got a new R4 card for the new DS, and also got a new memory card - 4gb instead of the old 2gb. So my problem - not sure if it's the DS or the R4 (maybe memory card?) - but it seems to take me 5 - 10minutes to get the R4 to load on my DS. The battle begins when I turn on the DS and it doesn't recognize that there's a game, then I play around with it, when it does realize there's something there (sometimes I have to push the cartridge down a little, before the click and sometimes I don't). Once I do get the DS to recognize the R4, I typically get a black screen that says an error has occurred, and then I start the battle all over until I finally get the R4 menu to show up. On my old DS and R4 - every ONCE IN AWHILE I had a problem of my DS not acknowledging the R4, but rarely, and after turning it off and on again it would typically do what it was supposed to do. So - I'm not sure where the problem is, do I need to return my DS - is holding the R4 down before the click damaging the DS? FYI: The only software (else then basic roms) I have on the R4 is the latest update and whats needed to make it run - nothing else.Anyways - any ideas would be helpful - kinda pain to play around just trying to get my game to load for 10minutes before getting it to work
Post Merge: [time]1281317123[/time]
More Info: It's an R4 SDHC, I also put another game in and that game loaded fine.. wondering if there is a problem between the R4 and DS (and maybe not the DS). Also, I have gotten games to load and play before, it's just a battle everytime I turn on my DS to get it to work

The problem is, you got an R4 made to run on a DSi. That is already a big mistake, as there are no clones that even begin to stack up against other carts. You have two options basically:- Fumble around with what I assume is a dud cart with bad contacts
- Get a new cartIf you go with the second option, I highly recommend the Supercard DSTwo from www.shoptemp.com

Replying to #2

I double checked and it said that this R4 was compatible with the DSiXL - I mean, I've gotten games to work on it before, it's just a struggle. Do you still think that might be the problem? Should I just go with another card?

Replying to #3

My main guess would be that the contacts on your current cart aren't lining up correctly with the slot 1. There isn't too much you can do if that's the issue except to google it and see if there is possibly an easy fix for it.If you absolutely can't get it to work and feel like it's the best choice, I would go with a different cart. It is generally wise to avoid R4 clones, as well over 90% of them are highly unreliable.

Replying to #4

Thanks for your help - I got the same R4 that you listed in your topic about what's good and what's not good, the SDHC, I got it from a site that others recommended as a good place too, so I doubt (tho, I guess likely?) that my R4 is a clone. I'll google what you said about it not lining up correctly. Thanks again.

Replying to #5

Not to be a stickler, but my topic does say "Fine does not mean Buy." in bold letters at the top. Maybe I should make them bigger. ;)

Replying to #6

I bought the r4 before reading your post, I've had it for 2 weeks now and it seems that it takes longer and longer to load (the first few days I didn't have these problems), just wondering if that was typical or not with this card. I get/read that fine doesn't mean buy (again I bought it before) I just double checked that post to make sure (as I looked on other websites and reviews) that that was a good cart. I also googled and didn't see that people were having a problem (in general) with the R4 SDHC not fitting correctly, so either mine is messed up or maybe there's something else going on?

Replying to #7

If you got a bad one and just purchased it recently, you can try contacting the place you bought it from. They may replace it for free.

Replying to #8

Thanks - after your suggestions and then googling a bit more, I think that's the best idea. I did buy a few weeks ago (a few days before I bought the DS). This morning it took me about 5minutes for the thing to load, but now I've been playing with it off and on for 20minutes and can't get anything (again, it's a problem that seems to get worse and worse).
Thanks again for your help/time!
Post Merge: [time]1281321033[/time]
In case someone else has this problem - I *MAY* have found a solution (at least it just worked when I just tried it, lets see if this is a long term fix). Thanks Nathan Drake, you were a huge help in this too...Help! Nintendo has modified the DS Lite so it won't recognize my R4!
See this topic: viewtopic.php?f...=cobalt+troubleFrom http://r4ds-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=1354
The DS doesn't recognize my R4!
The reason why yours isn't working is because for some reason the R4's metal contacts are not contacting with the DS's contacts.
This is a somewhat common problem. The fix for this is commonly called "The Paper Trick".
To do the fix:
1. Remove the small screw from the r4ds.
2. Remove the back and remove the main chip.
3. Tear a small piece of paper off of something and fold that piece but make sure its not very large (you just want the chip to sit a little bit higher).
4. Put the piece of paper onto what is now the front-back side on the place where the contacts used to be sitting on the r4ds and put the chip on top of it, making sure its aligned to the front.
5. Finally sit the back of the r4 on`top of it, snap it together and finally screw it back together.
6. The contacts should now be bulging out just a little bit and they will now make better contact with the DS contacts and it should work.While my old R4 has a screw in the back, my new one doesn't, so instead I just took a tore out strip of paper, folded it and inserted it in with my DS and it seemed to work (at least this time it did). I turned the DS on 2x in a row, and each time the R4 loaded correctly and with no struggles. Sucks that there is a strip of paper hanging out of my DS, but if I can play it it doesn't matter (I did want to make it long enough so if I had to pull it out, I could and make sure that it wouldn't get stuck in there). Ahhh - this brings me back to the good 'ol days of owning an NES... some nintendo habits just never die

... But a R4 SDHC won't work with a DSi

Replying to #10

r4i SDHC doesBut I would recommend you an acekard 2i

Replying to #11

But he said R4 SDHC...

Replying to #12

nope,
only works on ds phat and ds lite

Replying to #13

... You didn't read my post very clearly, hmm?

Soluri · #10... But a R4 SDHC won't work with a DSi

athemoe · #11r4i SDHC doesBut I would recommend you an acekard 2i

Soluri · #12But he said R4 SDHC...

Replying to #14

excuse me my lady :P

Replying to #15

If you give my your creditcard, I will forgive you ::) x3

Replying to #16

[me=Athemoe]curses[/me]uhm,
I think we're getting Off topic ::) x3

Replying to #17

lol