diff --git a/desmume/src/MMU.cpp b/desmume/src/MMU.cpp
index f8a7ed159..a09cc24b5 100644
--- a/desmume/src/MMU.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/MMU.cpp
@@ -1835,31 +1835,40 @@ static void writereg_POWCNT1(const int size, const u32 adr, const u32 val)
 
 static INLINE void MMU_IPCSync(u8 proc, u32 val)
 {
-	//INFO("IPC%s sync 0x%04X (0x%02X|%02X)\n", proc?"7":"9", val, val >> 8, val & 0xFF);
+
 	u32 sync_l = T1ReadLong(MMU.MMU_MEM[proc][0x40], 0x180) & 0xFFFF;
 	u32 sync_r = T1ReadLong(MMU.MMU_MEM[proc^1][0x40], 0x180) & 0xFFFF;
+	u32 iter = (val & 0x0F00) >> 8;
 
-	sync_l = ( sync_l & 0x000F ) | ( val & 0x0F00 );
-	sync_r = ( sync_r & 0x6F00 ) | ( (val >> 8) & 0x000F );
+	sync_l = ( sync_l & 0x000F ) | ( val & 0x6F00 );
+	sync_r = ( sync_r & 0x6F00 ) | ( iter );
 
-	sync_l |= val & 0x6000;
+	// For some reason, the arm9 doesn't handshake when ensata is detected.
+	// So we complete the protocol here, which is to mirror the values 8..0 back to 
+	// The arm7 as they are written by the arm7
+	if (nds.ensataEmulation) {
 
-	if(nds.ensataEmulation && proc==1 && nds.ensataIpcSyncCounter<9) {
-		u32 iteration = (val&0x0F00)>>8;
-
-		if(iteration==8-nds.ensataIpcSyncCounter)
-			nds.ensataIpcSyncCounter++;
-		else printf("ERROR: ENSATA IPC SYNC HACK FAILED; BAD THINGS MAY HAPPEN\n");
-
-		//for some reason, the arm9 doesn't handshake when ensata is detected.
-		//so we complete the protocol here, which is to mirror the values 8..0 back to 
-		//the arm7 as they are written by the arm7
-		sync_r &= 0xF0FF;
-		sync_r |= (iteration<<8);
-		sync_l &= 0xFFF0;
-		sync_l |= iteration;
+		if (proc) {
+			// However this hack would break soft reset because it also syncs through ipcsync.
+			// So we have to add some additional checks to ensure that it's handshake instead of reset.
+			if ((iter & 8) || (nds.ensataIpcSyncCounter)) {
+				// sync_r = (sync_r & 0xF0FF) | (iter << 8); // This is not necessary.
+				sync_l = (sync_l & 0xFFF0) | iter;
+				nds.ensataIpcSyncCounter = iter;
+			}
+		}
+		else {
+			// After ensata handshake, arm9 will write 0x100 as a signal if Ensata is detected.
+			// This will prevent reset from working, so we have to ignore this.
+			if (nds.ensataHandshake == ENSATA_HANDSHAKE_complete) {
+				nds.ensataHandshake = ENSATA_HANDSHAKE_none;
+				return; 
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
+	// printf("IPCSync(%d, %04x): %04x %04x %d\n", proc, val, sync_l, sync_r, nds.ensataIpcSyncCounter);
+
 	T1WriteLong(MMU.MMU_MEM[proc][0x40], 0x180, sync_l);
 	T1WriteLong(MMU.MMU_MEM[proc^1][0x40], 0x180, sync_r);
 
@@ -2475,6 +2484,7 @@ bool validateIORegsWrite(u32 addr, u8 size, u32 val)
 			if(addrMasked == eng_3D_CLIPMTX_RESULT) return true;
 			if(addrMasked == 0x04FFF000) return true;
 			if(addrMasked == 0x04FFF010) return true;
+			if(addrMasked == 0x04FFF200) return true;
 		}
 
 		switch (addrMasked)
@@ -3818,6 +3828,11 @@ void FASTCALL _MMU_ARM9_write08(u32 adr, u8 val)
 				case REG_VRAMCNTI:
 					MMU_VRAMmapControl(adr-REG_VRAMCNTA, val);
 					break;
+
+					
+				// ensata sound register
+				case 0x04FFF200:
+					break;
 					
 #ifdef LOG_CARD
 				case 0x040001A0 : /* TODO (clear): ??? */
@@ -4963,7 +4978,7 @@ void FASTCALL _MMU_ARM9_write32(u32 adr, u32 val)
 					//todo - these are usually write only regs (these and 1000 more)
 					//shouldnt we block them from getting written? ugh
 				case eng_3D_CLIPMTX_RESULT:
-					if(nds.ensataEmulation && nds.ensataHandshake == ENSATA_HANDSHAKE_none && val==0x2468ace0)
+					if(nds.ensataEmulation /* && nds.ensataHandshake == ENSATA_HANDSHAKE_none */&& val==0x2468ace0)
 					{
 						printf("ENSATA HANDSHAKE BEGIN\n");
 						nds.ensataHandshake = ENSATA_HANDSHAKE_query;
@@ -5482,6 +5497,10 @@ u32 FASTCALL _MMU_ARM9_read32(u32 adr)
 			case REG_KEYINPUT:
 				LagFrameFlag=0;
 				break;
+
+			// Ensata sound register
+			case 0x04FFF200:
+				return 1;
 		}
 		return T1ReadLong_guaranteedAligned(MMU.MMU_MEM[ARMCPU_ARM9][adr>>20], adr & MMU.MMU_MASK[ARMCPU_ARM9][adr>>20]);
 	}
diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/windows/console.cpp b/desmume/src/frontend/windows/console.cpp
index 8bdc38ae7..cce950201 100644
--- a/desmume/src/frontend/windows/console.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/windows/console.cpp
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ void OpenConsole()
 	//stdout is already connected to something. keep using it and dont let the console interfere
 	bool shouldRedirectStdout = fileType == FILE_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
 	bool attached = false;
+
+#if 0
 	if (!AllocConsole())
 	{
 		HMODULE lib = LoadLibrary("kernel32.dll");
@@ -143,6 +145,9 @@ void OpenConsole()
 		SetConsoleCP(GetACP());
 		SetConsoleOutputCP(GetACP());
 	}
+#else
+	attached = AttachConsole(-1) || AllocConsole();
+#endif
 
 	//newer and improved console title:
 	SetConsoleTitleW(SkipEverythingButProgramInCommandLine(GetCommandLineW()).c_str());
diff --git a/tools/nds_firmware_tool/src/console.cpp b/tools/nds_firmware_tool/src/console.cpp
index ed926752c..d45bb311e 100644
--- a/tools/nds_firmware_tool/src/console.cpp
+++ b/tools/nds_firmware_tool/src/console.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 #include <io.h>
 
 #define BUFFER_SIZE 100
-HANDLE hConsole;
+HANDLE hConsole = NULL;
 void OpenConsole() 
 {
 	COORD csize;
@@ -41,27 +41,33 @@ void OpenConsole()
 	//dont do anything if we're already attached
 	if (hConsole) return;
 
+#if 0
 	//attach to an existing console (if we can; this is circuitous because AttachConsole wasnt added until XP)
 	//remember to abstract this late bound function notion if we end up having to do this anywhere else
 	bool attached = false;
-	HMODULE lib = LoadLibrary("kernel32.dll");
-	if(lib)
+
+	// kernel32.dll is always loaded on windows.
+	HMODULE lib = GetModuleHandleA("kernel32.dll"); // LoadLibrary("kernel32.dll");
+	if (lib)
 	{
 		typedef BOOL (WINAPI *_TAttachConsole)(DWORD dwProcessId);
 		_TAttachConsole _AttachConsole  = (_TAttachConsole)GetProcAddress(lib,"AttachConsole");
-		if(_AttachConsole)
+		if (_AttachConsole)
 		{
-			if(_AttachConsole(-1))
-				attached = true;
+			attached = (bool)_AttachConsole(-1);
 		}
-		FreeLibrary(lib);
+		// You cannot free kernel32.dll
+		// FreeLibrary(lib);
 	}
 
 	//if we failed to attach, then alloc a new console
-	if(!attached)
+	if (!attached)
 	{
 		AllocConsole();
 	}
+#else 
+	if (!AttachConsole(-1)) { AllocConsole(); }
+#endif
 
 	hConsole = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
 
@@ -91,9 +97,12 @@ void OpenConsole()
 	srect.Right = srect.Left + 99;
 	srect.Bottom = srect.Top + 64;
 	SetConsoleWindowInfo(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), TRUE, &srect);
-	SetConsoleCP(GetACP());
-	SetConsoleOutputCP(GetACP());
-	if(attached) printf("\n");
+	
+	// Use default code page.
+	// SetConsoleCP(GetACP());
+	// SetConsoleOutputCP(GetACP());
+
+	if (attached) printf("\n");
 	printf("%s\n",_TITLE);
 	printf("- compiled: %s %s\n\n",__DATE__,__TIME__);
 }