Getting started with a M3DS Real adapter
This post will explain how to get an M3 Real adapter ready for use.
You can run homebrew programs, view media, activate cheats, play DS games and play GBA games with this adapter on your DS. Of course having homebrew capabilities opens a world of possibilities for your Nintendo DS!
I’ll explain how to get things running:
1. What do you need?
- A Nintendo DS (Lite) duh
- M3DS Real Adapter
- A micro-sd card (any will do)
- A computer
- A T-Flash / Micro-sd cardreader (USB will do)
Having a Nintendo DS is quite obvious. I bought the silver DS Lite, and cost me €149 (that’s about $235 USD).
Next thing we need is a M3DS Real Adapter (you can get any other type of adapter, but this post explains about this adapter). I bought the M3 Real + Rumble Ram Pack version, displayed below.
Included in the package: M3DS Real Adapter, Rumble / Ram pack and a USB T-Flash cardreader.
If you already have a T-Flash cardreader, buying it wont be necessary. BTW: My cardreader broke, so I bought a new one in an electronics store for just €8 and it was an all-in-one reader.
The micro-sd card is required to put your files on, this card is not included in the M3DS Real package. So I bought a 4GB micro-sd card, these are not very expensive.
Yeah, I assume you have a computer.
If you didn’t get the M3DS Real package with a T-Flash cardreader you should buy one. There are many different options, but I chose a simple all-in-one usb device. Cheap and works perfectly.
2. Setting up your Micro-sd card
So the next step is getting some files installed on your micro-sd card so the M3 Adapter will work.
First: download the software (v 3.9 with English fonts)
I’ve combined the system software with the English fonts available on this webpage. So I’ll save you some work.
Extract the zip-archive and you’ll get a SYSTEM folder. You’ll need this folder later.
Connect your micro-sd card your computer, I used the USB connector and inserted the card in there. If you use windows xp it will install automatically.
Go to My Computer and open your newly found Removable drive. You’ll get a blank screen.
Do you still have the SYSTEM folder on your screen? Copy the folder (not the just contents, but the whole folder) and paste it to the root of your micro-sd card.
You should have E:\SYSTEM\ on your card now (E is the drive letter of the micro-sd card, this can be a different letter).
3. What to do now?
Now that you have the software on your micro-sd card it’s time to add some stuff to do for your Nintendo DS.
First time most people want to do is run Nintendo DS roms. This is fairly easy.
Go to the root of your micro-sd card again.
Create a folder called NDS. It should look like this: E:\NDS\.
You can paste any .nds files you’d like in this folder. There are a lot of resources to get .nds roms from, but it’s up to you to look for them.
Now that you have a rom ready in the NDS folder we can disconnect the micro-sd card from your computer.
Insert the micro-sd card into the M3DS Real Adapter (the one to the right in the image) and insert the M3DS Real Adapter in your Nintendo DS in SLOT-1.
Also insert the Rumble/Ram pack into SLOT-2.
Turn on your Nintendo DS and M3DS Real should load and land on this screen:
This means success!
Tap on the icon in the top left corner and double tap your rom.
Press start and it should load up the game (and create a new save game file).
4. What else is there to do
I’ll get back to that in other entries. This was just a basic explanation on how to get your M3DS Real started and running your first rom.
Check the other entries for more amazing stuff to do with your Nintendo DS.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Nice guide thx helpt me help a friend :3
Greetz,
May 30th, 2008 at 10:52 am
How do u put music and videos on?
May 30th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Read the next post. http://ds.gayadesign.nl/?p=19
July 5th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
thanks.
a good clear guide which got me off the ground.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:32 am
thank you
that helped so much
August 6th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
brilliant…..thankyou, after many attempts on other websites that were too ‘techy’, about three coffee’s, packet of fags, alot of swearing…..I found your guide…..made my daughter very happy, thankyou.
August 15th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
You’re welcome carolyn, I found the other guides too techy too. That’s why I wrote a readable guide
August 26th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
thanks for the info i spent 24 hrs ripping my hair out trying to activate my card and managed it 5 minutes after i read your page!! from a bald but grateful person cheers
September 14th, 2008 at 3:35 am
umm.. well i did that.. but it wont play the mp3s.. it says “does not support ext.MP3″ what should i do?
can u guyz e-mial me? smokey_321@msn.com
September 17th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I love you!!!! my DS works and I can now save money and play the games I’ve always wanted to play!!! Ta!!!
November 20th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I’m a silver surfer and not a techy but I found your information for the M3 very helpful and now have 25 games on my DS. Thanks again
November 26th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I love you too. Thanks so much for your help
December 4th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
yo dude, thanks, I had to download something else for the r4 but your explanation was great, playing megaman right now ^^
December 5th, 2008 at 1:46 am
MEGAMEGAMEGAMAN
December 13th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Mine is loaded but when I tap on the icon in the top left, I don’t get a list of games, I get a list of three folders, ., .., system, nds. then i choose nds, and i see a list of games (not with icons next to them but with folder next to them). then when i click on the one i want (say mario…) it says ‘do you want to keep this folder?’ or something like that. if i say yes, then it puts it into that area you see when you press the icon on top left corner. so then i go back to that icon and the one game that i chose is there, but not the whole list.
i’m confused! help!
thanks.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:54 am
@Elise: Do the games end with .nds? shouldn’t give problems though. I’ve never seen your problem before.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS HELPED US GETTING OUR START
January 17th, 2009 at 9:07 am
it works sorta but when it has the select language screen i tap english and its say ‘No File Found’ wat do i do email me on vstowner@hotmail.com
March 12th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
hey all, i have manged to get some games working on the m3 butthe games that i most want to play will not work. whenfirst tried it said hat there was an error saving or smin like that then it froze, so ide turn it of hen back on and it would load the next part and freeze again.
so i updated the software and then it load ok but at the very start of the game when you put your name in itsok then it moves on to the start of the story but then freezes!!!! any ideas what to do?do i need to update anything else?
May 17th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
i have done as it says and it freezes when the startup screen comes on what is wrong with it and ho do i fix it ??
email me at callumfox@hotmail.co.uk
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:17 am
Great instructions! Wish I found this site first.
August 10th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
where is a good place to buy a M3DS Real Adapter on-line?
August 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
i can only play usa roms and sometimes jap roms but i can not play euro roms (e) they always ends up with both screens white or just keeps saving when i load up the rom any ideas email me plz at tomb079@yahoo.co.uk
August 22nd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Great reading, thank you
August 22nd, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Cheers for the great info m8
September 30th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Thankyou so much x x x x i thought i had wrecked my card as i deleted the system by accident……now its perfect thanks again
November 6th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Just grabbed the feed… thanks for posting this.
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:08 pm
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December 20th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Hi! Same problem as Ben, it all starts ok but then after a short while through the game it freezes. Also, I’m sorry if it’s a stupid question, but if I wanted to install another update, where would I put it? Do I just put it in place of the other SYSTEM file? Thanks so much guys!
December 27th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Thankyou!!!!! You have helped me soooo much. I had so much trouble with this m3 chip. You rly helped. Thankyou, again
December 27th, 2009 at 9:46 am
December 27th, 2009 at 9:47 am
:/ wait. im confused. now its saying theres an error! >:(
December 27th, 2009 at 9:49 am
the error says:
(LANGUAGE: ENGLISH)
No system file found !
Put system file in
PLS HELP!!!!
December 27th, 2009 at 9:50 am
And if you know how to help, pls email me at
December 27th, 2009 at 9:52 am
im sorry for commenting so much
its the silly chip 
:( sozzzzzz
December 28th, 2009 at 1:45 am
PLEASE HELP ME
M
December 28th, 2009 at 1:46 am
please
January 27th, 2010 at 6:50 am
When I tap the game to play, it just says “Creating Save File. Please Wait…” and it seems to be stuck on that screen. Please help!
May 15th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Thanks for the article, I have a question: what do you recommend playing games on? I’m considering buying a new computer or a game console.
June 14th, 2010 at 3:14 am
Hello, I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along your posts. I decided I will leave my first comment. I have enjoyed reading your blog. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often…
June 16th, 2010 at 12:06 am
Really, really helpful/useful post. Will facebook it to spread the word! Thanks, El
July 3rd, 2010 at 9:21 am
seriously dude, u’re awesome. thx dude for the information..
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August 19th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I am struggling and would really appreciate help. I get to the point that it lists the games. It then either freezes or does nothing. I had copied files from a friends R4. I am not too technical so any advice would be appreciated. My guess is that I am missing a file that executes (starts the games). Is there a specific file that I should use?