Installing Unlaunch

If you need help, ask the NDS(i)Brew Scene or the Nintendo Homebrew Discord servers.

Before starting, Windows users should enable the option to show file extensions using File Extensions (Windows)!

Before starting, you may want to check your SD card for errors using H2testw (Windows), F3 (Linux), or F3X (Mac)!

Before proceeding, if your system region is USA, make sure your console language is set to English.

Ensure your SD card is formatted to FAT32 before proceeding.

Unlaunch is a DSi bootcode exploit which will allow you to install HiyaCFW, a DSi Custom Firmware, to your console.

Downloads

Preparing your SD card

  1. Insert your system’s SD card into your PC
  2. Copy the private folder from the Flipnote Lenny .zip file to the root of your SD card
  3. Copy fwTool.nds from the nds folder in the Flipnote Lenny .zip file to the root of your SD card
  4. Copy BOOT.NDS from the hbmenu folder in the HBMenu .tar.bz2 file to the root of your SD card
  5. Eject your SD card, and insert it back into your DSi

Creating a NAND backup

  1. Open the Flipnote Studio application
    • Ensure that the booting to Calendar mode is disabled in Flipnote Studio’s settings
    • If you already have another DSiWare exploit installed, open that and skip to Step 12
    • Note that Sudokuhax cannot adequately make a backup with the required footer!
  2. Select View Flipnote -> SD Card
  3. Click on the lenny corresponding to your region (USA, JPN or EUR)
    • If you’re on an AUS console, then select EUR
  4. Select “Edit”
  5. Click on the Flipnote frog icon in the bottom left
  6. Click on the film roll icon
  7. Select Copy -> Back -> Exit
  8. Click the second note with a larger lenny face, and select “Edit”
  9. Click on the Flipnote frog icon in the bottom left
  10. Click on the film roll icon
  11. Select Paste
    • This will launch HBMenu
  12. Navigate to fwTool.nds, and press (A)
    • fwTool will appear
  13. Navigate to Backup DSi NAND, and press (A)
    • This will take a few minutes
    • Store this NAND backup in a safe location, it is a critical backup and we will need it later to install HiyaCFW
    • When saved nand.bin.sha1. appears, the backup is finished
  14. Navigate to Exit, press (A), and power off your system

Installation

  1. Insert your system’s SD card into your computer
  2. Copy UNLAUNCH.DSI from the Unlaunch .zip file to the root of your SD card
  3. Rename UNLAUNCH.DSI to unlaunch.nds
  4. Unplug your SD card, and insert it in your DSi
  5. Power on your DSi, and repeat steps 1 through 11 in Creating a NAND backup
    • HBMenu will appear
  6. Navigate to unlaunch.nds, and press (A)
    • Unlaunch’s installer will appear
  7. Navigate to INSTALL NOW and press (A)
    • If Unlaunch freezes at ERROR: MISMATCH IN FAT COPIES, please read our FAQ
  8. When done, navigate to POWER DOWN and press (A)
    • Your system will power off
  9. Power on your system, to verify Unlaunch installed properly
    • You should now see Unlaunch’s management screen

With Unlaunch installed, your system now has primitive brick protection, unless the launcher’s TMD file is destroyed. Unlaunch has protections that should prevent this from happening, and HiyaCFW uses your SD card as the DSi’s NAND, adding a very resilient layer of brick protection.

Continue to Installing HiyaCFW