Updating your firmware/loader - specific updating guides for every card

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You should always run the very latest loader/firmware on your card. This ensure the highest compatibility with games, the latest features, bugfixes etc.
This is an easy thing to do, and this is the primary purpose for the Downloads Page you're on right now.

For the most part it's as simple as downloading the archive at the very top of the category for your card, then extracting the files and folders onto the root of your microSD, SD, inbuilt memory, etc.
If you're still unsure how to update your particular card, this guide will give specific instructions.

A few bits of terminology:
Firmware
Firmware is (in the flashcard context) the card's system flashed onto read-only memory on the card.
The updating process is potentially dangerous, but only really if you do it wrong.
Since the data is flashed onto the card, you don't need to keep files on the external/useable all the time.
Loader
The software that runs your card. Sometimes (wrongly) called firmware, it can also go by 'menu', 'system', 'OS', etc.
It is not dangerous to accidentally use the wrong loader or put it in the wrong place, so don't worry about getting it wrong, it can't hurt.
Archive
An archive file is a single file (zip, rar, 7z, gz etc) that holds many compressed files within itself.
To extract files from archives, you need a program that can handle them. Most modern OSes (Windows XP and 7 for instance) can natively handle .zip files, just open them like a folder.
For other Windows versions or unsupported archives, try WinRAR (www.rarlabs.com), it can handle pretty much all archive formats.
I try to use zip or rar archives for most/all of my files to ensure compatibility.
Root
The root of a drive or memory card is the 'base' or 'top' of the drive, ie. not inside any other folders, right in the 'root'.

Index:

(If you'd like to contribute more accurate details or info for cards that I'm missing, please feel free to contact me.)


All R4 Clones (ie. R4 SDHC, R4i SDHC, R4i Upgrade, R4 Advance, Hyper-R4i, R4 Pro, R4 Deluxe, U2DS, etc etc)
The R4 clones are poor quality ripoffs of the R4. Don't get them.
Read the other guide in the Tutorials category, the 'Getting your R4 working...' guide for info on finding the correct loader.

M3i Zero
You first need to update the bootloader on the card. This only need to be done once, and then only again if a newer F_CORE is released.

Download the latest F_CORE from the M3/G6 DS Real and M3i Zero category.
Extract the file F_CORE.DAT onto the root of your microSD card, then put the microSD into your M3i.
Take the small USB update cable that came with the card and connect it to the small hole on the edge of the M3i. Make sure the arrow on the cable faces toward the back of the card (the non-label side).
Then plug the cable into a USB port on your computer. A red light in the M3i should then start flashing for a short time. After the flashing stops the process is finished, and you can delete the F_CORE.DAT file.

If no light turns on at all, the cable is probably loose or not making contact (they are often very tricky to work). Move and bend the cable and card around to try and get connection.
If the light turns on and stays on, then there is an issue with the microSD card or F_CORE.DAT file. Try formatting your microSD card or redownloading and replacing the F_CORE.DAT file.

Once the update is done, follow the details below for M3 Sakura (or otherwise M3 Real).

M3 Sakura
The M3 Sakura loader works on both the M3 Sakura card or the M3 Real/M3i Zero.
The Multi version contains all English, European and Asian languages, and Japanese contains only Japanese.

Newer versions of the loader come packaged into the accompanying encoder software. In the archive you download will be an .msi installer file. Install it (Windows only).
When the app opens, select the 'Setup Sakura (I)' menu option - if the interface is in a different language, choose the Lanuage option (the one with (L) after it) and select your language of choice.
A small box will open, select the drive letter of your card reader that has your microSD card inserted then hit OK. This will copy the loader on to your card for you.

If don't run Windows, (OS X or Linux, etc) download the 'folderonly' archive, which contains only the files to be copied to the microSD card. Copy the SYSTEM folder (not just the contents) onto the root of your microSD card.

M3 Real / G6 Real
Download the latest loader archive from the M3/G6 DS Real and M3i Zero category.
The loader versions are multilanguage, The EuroUSA version contains English and other European languages (French, Spanish, etc). The Asian version contains most Asian dialects/languages (not Japanese). The Japanese version contains only Japanese.
Just extract the SYSTEM folder onto the root of your microSD card.

NOTE: If when you try to boot the card up and all you see is menu??? in red, you have a fake card. Read this for more info about it.
In this case I strongly suggest you get a refund and tell the seller they are selling fakes. If you want the card to work (it's actually a copied DSTT), use the loader on the fake website, listed on the page via the link above.

M3 Perfect (aka M3 Lite, M3 Professional)
First download the latest correct firmware archive: Read 'M3 Firmware guide - What files to use and how to update' in the M3 Perfect v35 category to find your correct version.
Once you have it, extract the firmware file from the archive and copy it to the root of your memory card. Then, boot the M3 in your DS.
You will be asked to update the firmware, press Start to do this. Once it is finished, delete the firmware update file from your memory card, it is not needed anymore.
Also download and install the latest M3 Game Manager to your computer.

R4 DS
First of all, DON'T download the clone loaders for a legit R4 (or vice-versa).
Download the latest version from the top of the R4 DS category, corresponding to your card's language.
The cards are language-locked to the region they were produced for, so only the correct language loader will work.
If you are upgrading from an older version, first delete the file _DS_MENU.SYS from the root of your microSD card.
Then, extract _DS_MENU.DAT, _DS_MSHL.NDS and the folders _system_ and moonshl onto the root of your microSD card.

M3 Simply
The M3 Simply is an official clone of the R4, so the instructions are identical to those of the R4 DS (above). Just get the loader from the M3 Simply category instead.

iTouchDS / iTouch2
Download the latest loader archive from the iTouchDS category.
Extract the iTouch folder, and all loader.xxx and boot.xxx files onto the root of your microSD card.

CycloDS iEvolution
Download the latest 'bootstrap' archive for your region.
Extract the contents of this archive to a directory on your PC and start iEVOBootTool.exe (Windows only)
You will need some required ROM files, as listed in the readme.txt file in the archive.

In the program select the .bin firmware file from the archive, and the ROM files you have acquired.
Click Process. If everything is correct a file named BOOTUPDT.EVO will be placed in the directory you are in.
Copy this file to the root of a microSD card.

Ensure that iEvolution does not have any microSD inserted, and then insert the cartridge into the updater dongle.
Insert the updater dongle into a USB port on your PC and wait for the red LED to light up.
Once the red LED is lit up, leave the donegle connected to the PC and insert the microSD card containing the BOOTUPDT.EVO file.

The red LED should switch off after a few seconds, which indicates that the iEvolution bootstrap update is in progress.
If the LED does not switch off, or if it flashes on and off, then there is a problem.
This is often simply the result of contact issues with the microSD card, so try again from the beginning if you get such an error.

After a few minutes, the red LED will switch back on. This indicates that the bootstrap update has completed successfully.
Now follow the instructions below under CycloDS Evolution, except use the firmware specifically for the iEvoultion.

CycloDS Evolution
Just download the latest version archive from the CycloDS Evolution category, then extract the update file, update.evo, onto the root of your microSD.
Then boot up the card, and it will update the firmware automatically (follow the prompts).

DSTT (TopToy DS)
Download the latest loader from the DSTT (TopToy DS) category for your language.
Then, extract the TTMenu folder and TTMENU.DAT onto the root of your microSD card.

AceKard 2 / 2i
Use the AKAIO loader as it is much improved over the official loader.
Download the latest version from the AKAIO category and extract akmenu4.nds and the __aio folder onto the root of your microSD card.

If you still wish to try the original loader:
Download the latest loader ('menu') archive from the AceKard 2/2i category.
Then, extract the __ak2 folder and akmenu4.nds onto the root of the microSD card.

AceKard RPG
Use either AKAIO (as above), or Wood RPG from the Wood RPG category (Follow the same instructions as below).

Original loader:
Download the latest loader ('menu') archive from the AceKard RPG category.
Then, extract the __rpg folder and akmenu4.nds onto the root of the onboard flash, not the microSD card.

AceKard
If you want the original loader ('1.15'), download that archive then extract the system folder onto the root of your card.
If you want the newer (and probably buggy) akmenu 4.07, download that archive then extract the system folder, and akmenu4.nds onto the root of your card.

Supercard DS TWO
Download the latest firmware archive and extract the _dstwo folder and ds2boot.dat file to the root of your microSD card.
Then,
On a DSi:
Turn on your DSi with the card inserted and wait at the main menu until a game appears in the game slot (you should see 'Fish Tycoon').
On a DS/DS Lite:
Turn on the DS with the card inserted and start the Supercard. Once you get to the menu, reset the DS.

Then reset the DS and it should be ready to go.

Supercard DS ONE
Download the latest loader version for your language and version (either SDHC or non-SDHC, look for the SDHC logo on the Supercard's label) from the Supercard DS ONE category.
Then, extract the SCSHELL folder and the MSHFORSC.NDS file onto the root of your microSD card.
If you have a non-SDHC version, you should also update the card's firmware. Download the 'firmware_update' archive in the second block of files in the category, for the language of your card.
Then extract the nds files from the archive onto your microSD card. Then, just run it like a game. Once it is finished, you can delete the upgrade file.

Supercard
Download the latest firmware version for your memory card type from the Supercard category. To update, copy the firmware file to the root of your card and run it like a game.
If the firmware file inside is a .bin file, you can just use it to update, and you're finished.
If the firmware file inside is a .scu file, you need to upgrade in steps. Find the most recent firmware that you can that uses .bin, and update to that.
Then, get the next version after that one, and update to that, then the next one, etc until you're at the latest version.
Don't forget to download and install the patching software for your computer.

DS-X
Simply connect your card to your computer, then download and run the Updater App from the DS-X category.

DS Link
Download the latest loader for your language, then extract _DSLINK_.nds onto your card.
Also download the latest software for your computer.

EZ5i
Place the loader on the card as below in the EZ5 section, except you need to use ez5isys.bin instead of ez5sys.bin.
Then if there is a firmware update in the package ('ez5i_firmwreUP_vNNN.nds') simply run it like a game to update your card.

EZ5
Download the latest firmware ('kernel') archive from the EZ Flash category.
Then, extract ez5sys.bin and the moonshl folder onto the root of the card.

eWin2
Download the latest firmware from the eWin2 category, and extract EWIN_UPDATE.DAT onto the root of your card.
Then, depending on your current version - press L+R+Up or Start to update (try both).
Also download and install the latest software for your computer.

G6 Flash (aka G6 Lite)
Download the latest firmware ('kernel') for your card's language from the G6 Flash (G6 Lite) category.
Extract both g6verify.sys and g6loader.sys onto the root of your card, then boot up the G6 in GBA mode.
Choose the 'G6update' icon to update the system.
Also download and install the latest G6 UDisk Manager for your computer.

EDGE
Download the latest loader from the EDGE categiry for your card's language.
Then, extract the EDGE folder and EDGE.DAT onto the root of your microSD card.

iEDGE
First you need to flash the bootloader/firmware of the card. Download the relavent bootloader updater (EdgeBootUpdate) for your OS and run it.
First select the drive letter of your microSD card reader in the box. The in the lower box, it asks you for a specific commercial game ROM to extract the header data from.
Browse to this ROM file and select it. Then press the Update button, the firmware update file will be written to your microSD. Put the card into your DS and boot it.
You will see a red light on the cartridge start to flash. Wait until the flshing stops, then the update is complete.

Now follow the above guide for the EDGE to put the loader onto your microSD.

Datel Games 'N Music
There are no updates to this, as far as I know.

N-Card and all clones (including N-Card, DS Fire Link aka Firecard, DSLinker, MK5, Ultra FlashPass EX)
There are two parts to updating these cards, a firmware (aka 'menu') and a loader (aka 'xmenu')
First, download the firmware archive from your respective card's categories (with the same name, except for the MK5 which is in the Neoflash category).

The latest firmware version will be in an archive with a 1.xx version number. Download that one. Inside you will find an .nds file called udisk.nds (if not udisk, then something with 'menu' or 'upgrade' and the version number '1.xx').
Extract this nds file onto the root of your card, then run it like a game. This will update the firmware.
Then, the loader ('xmenu'). Because all the clones share the same firmware/loader, they can be used intechangeably. So, the latest xmenu for one will be the latest for others.
Currently, the latest xmenu is v2.56, and this is in the MK5 package, in the Neoflash category. Download the MK5's xmenu (2.xx) archive, then extract xmenu.dat onto the root of your card.

Ninja X9TF
Download the latest loader available for your language from the Ninja category.
Then, extract the TFSYSTEM folder and loader.nds onto the root of your microSD card.

R6 (R6 Gold, R6 Silver, R6 Xtreme)
Download the latest loader archive from the Neoflash category for your language.
Then, extract all files and folders (except the .txt files) onto the root of your card.

That should be all of them.