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Save Dump

How to dump a Game Boy Advance Savefile (DS Lite / DS Phat)

1. What you need

  • GodMode9i’s latest release.
  • A program that can extract .7z files, the recommended one on Windows is 7-Zip, on macOS it’s The Unarchiver.
  • A Nintendo DS Lite or Nintendo DS Phat.
  • A Slot 1 Flashcart.
  • Your Game Boy Advance Cartridge of course.

2. Preparations

  1. Download GodMode9i.7z from GitHub.
  2. Extract GodMode9i.nds from the 7z file.
  3. Place GodMode9i.nds from the GodMode9i directory inside the root of the DSi SD Card.

3. Dumping the Savefile

  1. Select GodMode9i from the Flashcart’s Menu and start it.
  2. Insert your Game Boy Advance Cartridge into Slot 2.
  3. Scroll down to and select GBA GAMECART then press X for save only.

You can find your Savefile at fat:/gm9i/out/ on your Flashcart’s SD Card.

4. Restoring a Savefile

  1. Follow Step 1 and 2 from 3. Dumping the Savefile.
  2. Go to [fat:] "FLASHCARD", then navigate to your Savefile.
  3. Select your Savefile, then select Restore save.

How to dump a Nintendo DS Savefile (DSi)

1. What you need

2. Preparations

  1. Download GodMode9i.7z from GitHub.
  2. Extract GodMode9i.nds from the 7z file.
  3. Place GodMode9i.nds from the GodMode9i directory inside the root of the DSi SD Card.

3. Dumping the Savefile

  1. Open GodMode9i with Unlaunch, TWiLight Menu++ or whatever you are using to launch Homebrew apps.
  2. Insert your Nintendo DS Cartridge into the Slot.
  3. Scroll down to and select NDS GAMECARD then press X for save only.

You can find your Savefile at sd:/gm9i/out/.

4. Restoring a Savefile

  1. Follow Step 1 and 2 from 3. Dumping the Savefile.
  2. Go to [sd:] "SDCARD", then navigate to your Savefile.
  3. Select your Savefile, then select Restore save.

How to dump a Nintendo DS Savefile (3DS)

1. What you need

2. Preparations

  1. Download Checkpoint from GitHub.
    • Note: Download the 3dsx file and place it inside the 3ds directory, if you want to use Checkpoint from the Homebrew Launcher, or the cia file and place it anywhere you want, if you want to use Checkpoint from the HOME Menu.
  2. If you are using the cia version, just install it like you are used to with FBI.
  3. Insert your DS Game Cartridge into the Game Slot and make sure it gets detected properly.

3. Dumping the Savefile

  1. Open Checkpoint (For the cia version just start the Flag icon app, for the 3dsx version just open the Homebrew Launcher and start Checkpoint), then wait until it finished loading.
  2. Select your DS Game (which should always be the first icon in the list), then press A.
  3. Press on Backup and confirm with A. Then give your Savefile a name. You could just call it Dump for a test.
  4. Wait until it finishes by displaying Progress correctly saved to disk..

You can find your Savefile at sdmc:/3ds/Checkpoint/saves/<Game>/<Name of the Backup>/.

4. Restoring a Savefile

  1. Follow Step 1 and 2 from 3. Dumping the Savefile.
  2. Select the Dump from the list you want to restore, then press on Restore and confirm the prompt with A.
  3. Wait until it finishes by displaying <Dump Name> has been restored successfully..

There are also some things you have to keep in mind when using Checkpoint, for more see below.

5. Additional Notes

  • Checkpoint stores the Nintendo DS Savefiles as the following after the saves directory:
    • ASI(E / J / P) THE URBZ DS for The Urbz - Sims in the City.
    • ASJ(E / J / P) THE SIMS 2 for The Sims 2.
    • The last letter after the first 3 characters depends on the region of your Cartridge. E being English (which is USA/North America), J being Japanese and P being PAL.
  • For a proper Savefile restore, the Savefile MUST exactly be called like this for the games:
    • The Urbz - Sims in the City -> THE URBZ DS.sav.
    • The Sims 2 -> THE SIMS 2.sav.