Restore save data from dead 3DS/2DS
I accidentally drop my 3DS and it died, so I bought I new one and tried to transfer all my old save data, but I discover that each console has an encryption layer that makes it difficult to transfer your data to a new console, so here I give you a summarized tutorial for recovering your old saves the way I did.
First it’s necessary that you have all your essentials system files backed up, specifically two files: boot9.bin and movable.sed. Without them, it’s impossible to pass the encryption layer of your old 3DS files.
If you still have access to your 3DS you can back up your files following these steps (if your old console is broken like mine, you can look at your SD card and check inside the folder
If you have an essentials backup (essential.exefs) created by GodMode9, the file is available inside as "movable".
The drive depends on the source. SysNAND is at
If your console is broken and you can’t access to GodMode9:
After you have installed it, you need to insert your old SD into your computer and open threeSD. It will list your SD. Then you have to go to Utilities. There, make sure you have checked Use SD Decryption, and choose your boot9.bin and movable.sed from your
After that, you need to open Save Data Extraction on threeSD and need to choose your Source file. This file is located at
Once you have selected the Source, select your destination folder and proceed. If done correctly, you will have now a folder and a file in the destination folder called 00000001.
So now, you have to copy all the content inside the folder 00000001 (these are the decrypted save datas). You can even use these decrypted save datas on Cytra!
If you want to restore these save datas to your new 3DS, you have to install a 3DS save manager. In my case, I used JKSM (you can find it on Github: J-D-K/JKSM).
Once you have JKSM installed, open the game you want to restore the saves and create a fresh new save data. Then, close the game and open JKSM. Select Reload Titles / Refresh Games.
Then, go to Titles and Select Game. When you choose the game, select the option Save Data and press A on New. This will create a folder on your SD with the date of the save and a backup of the fresh new save data.
Now, you will have to copy the contents of the folder 00000001 that you created before that contains the decrypted save data of your old 3DS and overwrite the folder that you have created with JKSM (this will be located in the folder
After that, you just have to open again the game, check your save data is restored and enjoy!
First it’s necessary that you have all your essentials system files backed up, specifically two files: boot9.bin and movable.sed. Without them, it’s impossible to pass the encryption layer of your old 3DS files.
If you still have access to your 3DS you can back up your files following these steps (if your old console is broken like mine, you can look at your SD card and check inside the folder
/gm9/out for these files):Dumping DuARM9 BootROM:
ARM9 BootROM contains various encryption keys.
- Start GodMode9. You can start it by pressing the START button while you power on your console.
- Navigate to
[M:] MEMORY VIRTUAL. - Press L on boot9.bin.
- Press A to select, then choose "Copy to
0:/gm9/out". - Turn off the system.
- Check inside
/gm9/outon the SD card. The file boot9.bin should be created.
Dumping movable.sed:
movable.sed contains KeyY for SD data encryption for all files under/Nintendo 3DS/<id0>/<id1>. The file is located in CTRNAND at /private/movable.sed.If you have an essentials backup (essential.exefs) created by GodMode9, the file is available inside as "movable".
The drive depends on the source. SysNAND is at
[1:] SYSNAND CTRNAND. EmuNAND/RedNAND is at [4:] EMUNAND CTRNAND. A mounted NAND backup is at [7:] IMGNAND CTRNAND.- Start GodMode9.
- Navigate to the source drive -> private.
- Select movable.sed, then choose "Copy to
0:/gm9/out". - Turn off the system.
- Check inside
/gm9/outon the SD card. The file movable.sed should be created.
If your console is broken and you can’t access to GodMode9:
- IMPORTANT: Backup the essential system files of your new console to avoid bricking your new console.
- Insert your old SD on your new console and start GodMode9.
- Copy your old movable.sed (the one in your
SD:/gm9/out) right into CTRNAND into/private/folder. This will replace your old movable.sed so it’s important to have a backup because you will have to restore it later. - Restart GodMode9.
- Go to
[A:] SYSNAND SD, press (R)+(A) → Search for titles. You will see a list of all the games you had installed on your old SD with their Title ID. Write down the Title ID of all the games you want to recover. - (ONLY IF YOU DID THE STEPS FOR THE BROKEN CONSOLE) After you finish copying the Title IDs, you need to restore the movable.sed of your new console into CTRNAND following the previous steps. Check you did it right by restarting your console.
After you have installed it, you need to insert your old SD into your computer and open threeSD. It will list your SD. Then you have to go to Utilities. There, make sure you have checked Use SD Decryption, and choose your boot9.bin and movable.sed from your
/gm9/out folder. Then choose your SDMC Root (this is the folder where your save data are located). This folder is located at \Nintendo 3DS\<id0>\<id1>. If this folder has a /title/ folder, it’s the correct.After that, you need to open Save Data Extraction on threeSD and need to choose your Source file. This file is located at
\Nintendo 3DS\<id0>\<id1>\title\<gameid0>\<gameid1>\data and it’s usually called 00000001.sav (gameid0 is the first part of the titleID and it’s usually called 00040000, gameid1 will be then the second part of the Title ID you are looking for).Once you have selected the Source, select your destination folder and proceed. If done correctly, you will have now a folder and a file in the destination folder called 00000001.
So now, you have to copy all the content inside the folder 00000001 (these are the decrypted save datas). You can even use these decrypted save datas on Cytra!
If you want to restore these save datas to your new 3DS, you have to install a 3DS save manager. In my case, I used JKSM (you can find it on Github: J-D-K/JKSM).
Once you have JKSM installed, open the game you want to restore the saves and create a fresh new save data. Then, close the game and open JKSM. Select Reload Titles / Refresh Games.
Then, go to Titles and Select Game. When you choose the game, select the option Save Data and press A on New. This will create a folder on your SD with the date of the save and a backup of the fresh new save data.
Now, you will have to copy the contents of the folder 00000001 that you created before that contains the decrypted save data of your old 3DS and overwrite the folder that you have created with JKSM (this will be located in the folder
/JKSM/Saves/ of your SD card).After that, you just have to open again the game, check your save data is restored and enjoy!
