This is mainly for N3DS rxTools users and frequent 9.0-9.2 sysNAND users.

So recently Nintendo decided to pull a maintenance run that effectively stops you from playing online game services like Pokemon ORASXY, Smash and a few others unless you update your system. This tutorial will help you bypass the check and get your online services back, however it will require that you have:

• A 3DS system with 9.0-9.2 & CFW installed. (Preferably unlinked NANDs.)
  • Alternatively you can use this on 9.3-10.7 & a hax entrypoint using the NASA CIA installer. *WARNING! This method of installation will no longer work on 11.0 and above until a Kernel exploit is found for those updates*
• A CIA installer (FBI, BBM, ect.)
• 3DSNUS (Which will be linked here.)

Now, onto the steps:

1. Optional but recommended: Before any of this you should always back up your NAND. It stands to reason that at some point during exploiting your console that you will have backed it up, but it's best to do so again now so you can restore quickly if something goes awry.
2. Open up 3DSNUS and input the friends system-module Title ID and Version which is the only one you'll need. (Of which you can find the required one for O3DS here and N3DS here. Select the first link in the "Report" box of your region e.g "E" is USA. "P" is EUR.) Make sure you remove the "v" from the version number and "Pack as .CIA" is checked, then download the file.
3. Now, take the downloaded .cia from the root of your 3DSNUS folder and drop it into where you keep your .CIAs on your SD card. Or if you're lazy you can just throw it into the root of the SD card, but better neat than messy with these things.
4. Pop your SD card into your 3DS system and boot up your CFW by the method of your choice. Go into the .cia installer of your choosing and locate the .cia. Depending on what installer you use, you'll have to choose the equivalent of system or NAND to install the .cia if it doesn't automatically, as SD Card won't work. For FBI, make sure it's set to NAND for install.
5. Once that's done, exit out of the .cia installer, reset your 3DS, open up the CFW again and hop into the affected game. Try out the online services and it should work. Congratulations!
6. Optional: Should your game still not work correctly even after this, it most likely requires the latest NVER (named New3DS NVER in the N3DS) to function. Repeat steps 2-4 but instead download the latest NVER (which can be found in their respective console versions for the above linked system update in step 2.) *If you can't find NVER in the latest firmware list then use this list and check each update before it until you find NVER*

You can do this as well in sysNAND but please be careful as making franken-firmwares on sysNAND could lead to problems down the line (unless you have a NAND hardmod,) and make sure you've got a backup of your NAND before doing this. At any rate I'm fairly confident this will not brick your system, however I am not responsible if it does brick.

Thanks for this tutorial and it's information go to:

• @Sgt. Lulz for pointing this out.
• @Sheimi for testing this and confirming it alongside my own results.
• @Pixel Eater for providing a link to N3DS 10.5 files for N3DS users.
• @Domukuro Wolfield for reporting that the 10.5 friend system module has been patched.
• @cvskid for keeping me up to date on the latest firmware since 11.1.

 

[mollymax]

i tried installing the other cias and my n3ds super bricked... R.I.P.

 

[Earth97]

Is this workaround still working for new updates?

 

[Pandaxclone2]

It still works for the newest updates.

 

[Earth97]

Ok, online multiplayer is fine. However, I cannot access the eShop: I installed both mint and the eShop app, but it loops at the "3DS" logo when I try to launch it. Any suggestions?
sysNAND, 9.2, NVer, CVer, mint, eShop and friend system-module installed.

 

[Pandaxclone2]

I'm unsure as to that as well. At this time I think it may have something to do with the latest eShop and mint. Try 10.4 and see if you get anything out of that, otherwise it might be something else.

Currently my 3DS is borked and sent for repairs so I can't test at this time.

 

[Earth97]

I see, thanks.

 

[Chris610]

I applied this fix to sysnand (not a single problem there) and everything worked, but there is a problem on emunand... http://imgur.com/2iCgLgK
As you can see the status bar dissapeared and when i try to access any game, app or setting it just freezes, buttons half work since i can't access apps pressing one, i'm locked out :/
I'm on a N3DS 9.2 Sysnand and 10.7 Emunand on reinand and rxtools I have a backup from everything (except saves :/) Anybody knows what's going on? i don't want to restart everything again

 

[Pandaxclone2]

Perhaps you've tried installing something into the emuNAND or accidentally deleted something instead? I found out the hard way that attempting to remove some of the apps needed to install manually and not re-installing them on the same session can cause a similar problem, most notably the friend system module app which seems to cause the menu to get stuck like that if it's not present.

Unfortunately in normal situations this would've soft-bricked your 3DS, but since it's the emuNAND it should be an easy matter of just restoring the emuNAND using a backup, be it a backup of your original NAND or even a backup of your emuNAND if you use an app that backs that up.

Alternatively you could perhaps try entering recovery mode after opening emuNAND but before it completely loads. The button combination is A+L+R+Up(D-Pad) in case you don't know it. After that it should be a simple matter of letting the system update by itself, but I would rather you try to do the former in case you accidentally update your sysNAND through this.

 

[Chris610]

Perhaps you've tried installing something into the emuNAND or accidentally deleted something instead? I found out the hard way that attempting to remove some of the apps needed to install manually and not re-installing them on the same session can cause a similar problem, most notably the friend system module app which seems to cause the menu to get stuck like that if it's not present.

Unfortunately in normal situations this would've soft-bricked your 3DS, but since it's the emuNAND it should be an easy matter of just restoring the emuNAND using a backup, be it a backup of your original NAND or even a backup of your emuNAND if you use an app that backs that up.

Alternatively you could perhaps try entering recovery mode after opening emuNAND but before it completely loads. The button combination is A+L+R+Up(D-Pad) in case you don't know it. After that it should be a simple matter of letting the system update by itself, but I would rather you try to do the former in case you accidentally update your sysNAND through this.

I did it directly on sysnand didn't even got into emunand since sysnad is were i needed, i guess i got lucky sysnand it's ok right now im at a break between classes and only got my NAND back up on hand, will restoring it with the emunandtool to emunand works? or do i strictly need the EMUNAND back up?

 

[Pandaxclone2]

You don't strictly need the emuNAND backup but it helps let you skip a step by not needing to unlink NANDs (Unless you've already formatted your sysNAND in which case you wouldn't need to do that, but here's assuming you're haven't done that.)

 

[Chris610]

You don't strictly need the emuNAND backup but it helps let you skip a step by not needing to unlink NANDs (Unless you've already formatted your sysNAND in which case you wouldn't need to do that, but here's assuming you're haven't done that.)

The tutorial i followed did have an specific part of unlinking nands which i did, so i guess i'm ok thanks for answering all this i freaked out for a moment xD

 

[Kisaragi]

So, a few hours ago, my Friend List/Online access to most games started to give me the "Update Required" alert (again)...
I'm assuming it may be because of further firmware updates? I heard 11.0 was released, and the Title ID and Version from the Reports are still at 10.7... so, will this method be able to fix online for this again?

EDIT: Please, do forgive me! I see what I did wrong now!!! However, when I found the 11.0 title ID and version for the friend-system module, and installed it... well... whenever I boot into rxTools now, it won't fully load, it apparently boots into rxTools, but when it "starts", all .cia titles are showing up as white tiles, as if the icon was still loading, and even worse, it does seems like it's not loading at all, cause I can't seem to get the upper screen clock, play coins info, etc to load, it shows just the L+R for camera (it still loads 3DS default icons on upper screen, like console config), BUT it won't even show any button on lower screen either, which means I can't run anything on rxTools, I can't even get to open system config! Is there any way to fix my acess to rxTools now? o.o
PS: Was running it so it would boot when I turned the 3DS on by holding the L button, with a 3sec timer, emuNAND is 9.2!

 

[PewnyPL]

So, a few hours ago, my Friend List/Online access to most games started to give me the "Update Required" alert (again)...
I'm assuming it may be because of further firmware updates? I heard 11.0 was released, and the Title ID and Version from the Reports are still at 10.7... so, will this method be able to fix online for this again?

EDIT: Please, do forgive me! I see what I did wrong now!!! However, when I found the 11.0 title ID and version for the friend-system module, and installed it... well... whenever I boot into rxTools now, it won't fully load, it apparently boots into rxTools, but when it "starts", all .cia titles are showing up as white tiles, as if the icon was still loading, and even worse, it does seems like it's not loading at all, cause I can't seem to get the upper screen clock, play coins info, etc to load, it shows just the L+R for camera (it still loads 3DS default icons on upper screen, like console config), BUT it won't even show any button on lower screen either, which means I can't run anything on rxTools, I can't even get to open system config! Is there any way to fix my acess to rxTools now? o.o
PS: Was running it so it would boot when I turned the 3DS on by holding the L button, with a 3sec timer, emuNAND is 9.2!

This is a shot in the dark, but, perhaps you installed the wrong Friend module? (ie. o3DS on n3DS or vice versa)? If so, then if you have access to FBI you could try to install the correct one.

 

[Kisaragi]

Verified that, and sadly, no, I installed the right one, O3DS!
Also, I wouldn't be able to launch FBI either, when I boot on rxTools, I can't launch anything, I don't get the Launch button on my lower screen to pop up, and nothing will launch by pressing A either!
Will keep on trying!

 

[Pandaxclone2]

Verified that, and sadly, no, I installed the right one, O3DS!
Also, I wouldn't be able to launch FBI either, when I boot on rxTools, I can't launch anything, I don't get the Launch button on my lower screen to pop up, and nothing will launch by pressing A either!
Will keep on trying!

I'm currently unsure what is happening with 11.0 but I'll bring my friend system module up to the latest and get back to you.

 

[Kisaragi]

Thanks a lot!!!
I've been trying to get rxTools to launch normally, but sadly no progress... when it boots, it loads all 3DS default icons normally (camera, music, etc) but won't launch any of them, and all .cia titles won't get even their icons loaded, thus, I'm unable to launch FBI or even to launch any of my games, if I can't find myself able to correct this I might just format everything and begin anew the process of installing the rxTools and stuff, only sad thing is losing saves like Monster Hunter X, over 800 hours, Project X Zone 2 already on my 2nd run and Inazuma Eleven GO CS Wildfire with my dream teams... but well.... if nothing works, better to lose everything and keep on playing than having my 3DS standing still...

 

[Pandaxclone2]

When you say you can't get rxTools to boot, do you mean you get to the rxTools screen and then try to boot but it fails or that as soon as you boot the system it doesn't even load the home menu properly?

 

[Deleted User]

Wait why are you still on rxTools?

 

[Pandaxclone2]

Wait why are you still on rxTools?

Why not? Just because it's obsolete doesn't mean people won't be on it. This guide helps those in the event that they are on rxTools still.

 

[Deleted User]

Why not? Just because it's obsolete doesn't mean people won't be on it. This guide helps those in the event that they are on rxTools still.

I know but there are better supported CFWs now that do more than rx, like Luma