No$gba FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

[Dualscreenman]

Yeah, we need one. Bad.

Where do I get the latest version?
That's sorta tricky nowadays. To get the latest free version, head over to No$gba's homepage. Scroll down until you find a button that says "Download Windows version".

You mean there's a newer version that I can pay for? GIMME >:O
Yes. You can buy the latest version of No$gba for $2.50 US Dollars. Once a new version comes out, then the release before it will become free and the new one will become $2.50. Basically you're paying for the privilege of having the latest release (approximately) a month early. But don't even think of asking for and/or giving a link to a pirated version of 2.6. Martin started this whole "$2.50 for latest version" because he needs money. He has nocash. (Lolz) So unless you want him to have to get a real job and have less time to work on No$gba, I'd suggest you pay the measly $2.50.

No$gba won't save my game. HALP
There are several different chips that DS's use to save your game. No$gba cannot, at this time, autodetect what savetype the game wants to use. Therefore you must set the savetype yourself in the Options menu.

Inside the Options menu, look for NDS Backup Media. Your choices are listed there. Most games uses the setting EEPROM 64k, but a lot of big Nintendo titles and RPGs use Flash 256k. A few games (Zelda and Pokemon to name a few) use Flash 512k.
No game uses FRAM, and incorrectly setting it as the save type will eventually corrupt your save file.
This thread has an in-depth guide and some info on which games use what savetype. As a general rule when guessing save type, you should try EEPROM 64k first, then Flash 246k. If it isn't either of these, then try all the others excluding FRAM.

After selecting a savetype in the options menu, you must reset the DS game for the changes to take effect.

Does my game work?
I have no clue, check a Compatibility list for information from those who hopefully do know!

There's something wrong with my game? How do I fix it?
Generally, when there is a bug in No$gba, you cannot fix it or work around it. Sometimes there are a few exceptions. The No$gba bug thread aims to keep track of most bugs; and if a workaround is found, it will be listed there.
If you find a bug, please share it with us in that thread. But please, read the bug list before reporting a bug. If the game has a DS Download Demo or small kiosk demo, one of us will notify the emulator author, Martin Korth, of the availability of the Demo for debugging.

Where are the BIOS images?
As these are copyrighted by Nintendo, we cannot legally distribute BIOS images. You must either make a copy from your own DS, or find them yourself online and not be stupid enough to share that you did with us. Luckily, only a handful of games need the BIOS images. (See the bug thread)

How do I make the screen bigger?
Screen sizing only works in GBA mode at the moment. Fortunately, there are several third-party applications that can be used to make No$gba's screen bigger, such as NDS2xGL


How do I "close" the DS's lid
For some games such as Zelda, you will need to close the lid in certain places to solve puzzles. To use this feature in No$gba, minimize the emulator. This will "close the lid". To un-close the lid, restore the emulator. Note that the emulation of the lid isn't perfect, and minimizing the emulator may make some games unstable and freeze up.

How do I do multiplayer?
You don't. As of 2.6 the emulator's wifi emulation is not advanced enough to support multiplayer or wifi of any sort. Until the DS's wifi chip is reverse engineered more, this will not change.

Somebody didn't read the FAQ!!!
If somebody didn't read the FAQ and nobody else has replied, you may kindly refer them to the FAQ. If someone already has pointed the person to the FAQ, doing it again and flaming the noob in the process won't help anything.

That's all I can think of for an FAQ right now. Hopefully this'll get stickied.

[darc]

there are also two reallly good programs in order to first "save" your settings from your game (basic-profile-manager) and second for rotate and zoom (nds2xgl)
just klick at the link to get to the thread where's given you advice in how to use them and where you can download them

small add to your faq

[TitaniumMegaman]

One thing to add for save. This thread provides infos on how to find the correct save type for each game.
This FAQ shall be handy for newcomers. Hopefully it will get stickied.

[SCHUMI-4-EVA]

You also forgot to mention the lid being closed/openend by minimising and maximising no$gba.

[Dualscreenman]

Updated with suggestions.

[Hard core Rikki]

nice one. in the absence of a more explanatory faq previously, i believe this one will be stickied.
links to compatibility threads and procedures required for pokemon games would be nice as well

[SCHUMI-4-EVA]

Pretty much all of this stuff can be found out with just a bit of common sense and effort though.

This is just a spoonfeeding exercise...and even those are often ignored...

[M4yka]

In connection with the saving issue, I've come accross some games in the past which still wouldn't save right after you reset the emu. That's why i usually advise to exit the emu completely and restart the whole thing from the beggining.

[oldgamer1967]

It doesn't matter if a No$gba FAQ people will still start new threads to ask questions that has already been asked.

[M4yka]

What an optimistic guy you are.

[darc]

isnt there a way to put this topic to the top of all others so that evryone who is new can read it without to search for it ??

[zheero]

isnt there a way to put this topic to the top of all others so that evryone who is new can read it without to search for it ??

ask a moderator to make it stickied.

on topic, i hope people will contirbute on this faq's so that it can be more useful to noobs

[tcm1998]

Nice start to an actual faq. I agree, this forum does need a faq. I think how and why to dump bios, firmware and games should be added. Yes, I know, I asked in another thread too.

About the place: isn't it possible for a mod to request it to be put under the MAIN MENU FAQ? Once it's complete enough to be publiced like that, of course.

Just my 2ct.

[Nicolai25]

hope the moderator put it on the upper part always since this emulator needs a FAQ for noobs and beginers

[L_Q]

Perhaps some info on what is/isn't working with the wifi, and how to access that which is?

[SCHUMI-4-EVA]

Nothing works yet. So it's pointless to add that to the FAQ.

[Dualscreenman]

Added a note that multiplayer doesn't work.

[darc]

thanks to RF who made this thread "sticky"
and to Dualscreenman who actually made this FAQ
hope anyone who has a good add to this FAQ will not hesitate to help improving it

[dgoudie]

Hey I got a quick Q. Do cheats work on the newest version of No$? I Donated my 2.50 and got it, just wondering if the cheats menu works for DS.

If so how does it work?

Thanks in advance!

[conquerall691]

Yes, it works. Press F2 on the keyboard and the Cheat menu pops up.