3ds wont turn on or boot

[Grayp]

I got my hands on my brothers hand me down new 3ds xl and today tried to install luma on it but did it incorrectly

As i remove the sd card to fix the files i suddenly see the sd card got corrupted and have no files left like my "Nintendo 3ds" or my "3ds" files are all gone and when i try to insert my new sd card in it just flashes the blue led and turns off any help pls ive been trying to find ways to fix this but all of them seem to have the "Nintendo 3DS" file with them but i no loger have access to it

 

[Doux91]

It sound like a virus, maybe a recycler, where it hides everything, but only changes the path of everything, you just need to put the luma file in your sd, SD:/boot.firm

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Take another FAT32 formatted and checked (h2testw) SD and start here:
https://3ds.hacks.guide/restoring-updating-cfw
======

Data recovery software might or might not be able to save some things, but you better have a backup of your stuff -- simply restore it.

 

[Grayp]

I tried the guide but it still didnt work i also tried using a recovery software on my sd card but to no avail, it couldnt recover any of my lost files.

Though im not sure if what i did was correct the only files i placed inside the root folder of my sd card is the bootfirm and boot3dsx nothing else.

Also i dont have a backup since this is the first time im modding and didn't know i needed to have one

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Also i dont have a backup since this is the first time im modding and didn't know i needed to have one

The need for a SD backup has nothing to do with modding. It is about the problem that data loss can happen anywhere, anytime. SDs aren't reliable in my experience (no matter if cheap or "high end, high quality super-brand").

Though im not sure if what i did was correct the only files i placed inside the root folder of my sd card is the bootfirm and boot3dsx nothing else.

Please clarify: Does the console turn on without micro SD inserted? If you booted Luma3DS v11.0 at least once this should be the case.



To rule out any possible problem with the SD itself, do not trust it if it didn't pass the full write/read test of h2testw without errors.

 

[Grayp]

Yeah the blue led flashes without the sd card

And i just finished the h2testw on my sd card and it finished without errors

 

[CoolMe]

Yeah the blue led flashes without the sd card

And i just finished the h2testw on my sd card and it finished without errors

Then format it as FAT32 32kb clusters and put the 2 Luma3DS files on the root of the sdcard, and test again.

 

[urherenow]

Also i dont have a backup since this is the first time im modding and didn't know i needed to have one

I don't know of a single guide that doesn't tell you to make and store backups. "didn't know" is not an excuse.

 

[Grayp]

I formatted it again in fat32 and in 32kb clusters and it still didnt work

These are the contents of my sd card just to confirm if what im doing is correct

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Did you recently attempt to install custom firmware on your console?
Asking because the latest version of B9S is supposed to tell the (error) status with the notification ("rainbow") LED. See here for color codes:
https://github.com/SciresM/boot9strap/

 

[Grayp]

Yes i did its in my first post i tried to install luma cfw but i did it incorrectly

I also checked the color codes and tried to do the combinations but none of them seem to have errors relating to the blue led

unless the blue led refers to "LED will blink if it is actually a ntrboot boot" if thats the case then what is a ntrboot boot

 

[Sypherone]

Ntrboot method is used to install the bootrom boot9strap to your 3DS by using a NTR-boot compatible flashcard like a R4. This bootrom is the hack used to launch your CFW from SDCard or CTRNand.

In case you cant enter luma at boot (hold select) or godmode9 (hold start) then this is your only one chance to recover your system, beside a hardmod.

 

[Grayp]

Are there any files needed in my sd card for the hold select or hold start thing to work apart from my boot.firm and boot.3dsx?

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Yes i did its in my first post i tried to install luma cfw but i did it incorrectly

I also checked the color codes and tried to do the combinations but none of them seem to have errors relating to the blue led

unless the blue led refers to "LED will blink if it is actually a ntrboot boot" if thats the case then what is a ntrboot boot

The messages are given with the notification LED, not the blue power LED.
Next questions:

• Did you use 3ds.hacks.guide or some random video, maybe even featuring a "convenient" all in one package "to just extract" instead of links to the official downloads?
• Does the blue LED gradually fade off, or abruptly go dark?

Are there any files needed in my sd card for the hold select or hold start thing to work apart from my boot.firm and boot.3dsx?

Holding (Select) for the settings menu isn't even required when nothing else is present. Without config.ini (or config.bin for previous versions) the settings menu will show up in any case once Luma3DS boot.firm is successfully loaded.

 

[CoolMe]

i tried to install luma cfw but i did it incorrectly

What guide were you following?

Are there any files needed in my sd card for the hold select or hold start thing to work apart from my boot.firm and boot.3dsx?

To boot into Luma3DS Menu you hold select on boot, but as mentioned it'll boot it automatically the first time. If it doesn't, means you didn't install cfw/Luma3DS..
Also does the blue (power) led stays on when you press the power button, or does it fade immediately?
And what about when the sdcard is not inserted? Does it boot to the home menu?

 

[Grayp]

The messages are given with the notification LED, not the blue power LED.
Next questions:

• Did you use 3ds.hacks.guide or some random video, maybe even featuring a "convenient" all in one package "to just extract" instead of links to the official downloads?
• Does the blue LED gradually fade off, or abruptly go dark?

Holding (Select) for the settings menu isn't even required when nothing else is present. Without config.ini (or config.bin for previous versions) the settings menu will show up in any case once Luma3DS boot.firm is successfully loaded.

There was a video i followed on youtube where he linked all the official github sites which is this


Basically what i did was i copied everything he did apart from the browser part since my 3ds said that i needed to update my system software so I did but doing so when it said the 3ds will restart shortly it never did and thus me removing my sd card and discovering it suddenly got corrupted start

The led gradually fades off

Also question the mentioned "hardmode" what is that? Will it work and is it difficult?

 

[Sypherone]

Consider NTRboot by getting a cheap compatible Flashcard. The Hardmod is really the last step and requires technical experience in hardware and soldering. So cant recommend it.

 

[Grayp]

What guide were you following?

Also does the blue (power) led stays on when you press the power button, or does it fade immediately?

It turns on but then fades out

And what about when the sdcard is not inserted? Does it boot to the home menu?

No it doesn't both screens are black and the led then flashes then fades out

 

[KleinesSinchen]

There was a video i followed on youtube where he linked all the official github sites which is this

So we got a clear case of outdated garbage video here. No wonder there is no reaction from the notification LED with this hardlink:
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0s0MDJSWUZLVnZyUl9EaUZtNmxrRlNQX2U4Z3xBQ3Jtc0trVE16bVRoRnNkY3JXbXhNYjQwdDg2a0gxbThyQzBvQzdUbFVZUVZib1psSU1yWTdwLWJvX2pjWjJ4V3VfZXRxLUdDbVl6N0dHTHg2Y2xYOFpyQndVeUR0WmYwX0lBZHV2QVVZM1Q0RWVEOXQ0V2pvWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FSciresM%2Fboot9strap%2Freleases%2Ftag%2F1.3&v=zCm6_wOhrhM
↓↓↓↓
releases%2Ftag%2F1.3&

It redirects directly to this: https://github.com/SciresM/boot9strap/releases/tag/1.3 instead of the latest version.

Argh! These videos cause so much harm…

It turns on but then fades out

Okay. Probably not a problem with the ribbon cables.

==========
You could try starting SafeB9SInstaller again. https://3ds.hacks.guide/updating-b9s
There is a related thread where this worked. Unfortunately this thread ends with pointing to information only available through the omnipresent, but not publicly visible Discord- (With a very alarming hardware problem).

It could as well be the SD reader being bad here. Please try multiple SDs and consider replacing the reader (pretty easy job on N3DSXL – the hardest part being removal of the potentially very tight screws without stripping them).

 

[urherenow]

"hardmode" is a typo. It should be HARDMOD, as in, hardware modification. You basically solder either 5 or 7 wires to the motherboard, crack open a microSD->SD adapter, and solder those wires to it (or get some connectors to solder in-between to make it less messy). You can then plug the adapter into an SD card reader, plug it into your computer, and directly read/write to your NAND.
But as already stated above, your best bet is to use NTRboot. Just search these forums or even Google it, as there are tutorials everywhere. And do yourself a favor and stay away from the YouTube videos! READ the guides. Then read them again. Understand what you're doing and how to do it, before you do anything. And for heaven's sake, make a backup of your card contents and NAND at every opportunity (once you are able to boot, anyway).

Along with a compatible flash card, you'll also need some type of magnet for NTRboot.

By the way, have you checked if safemode is still working? If it is, you may be able to reinstall the latest firmware using that, then start the CFW guide over from scratch.

The recovery mode (also known as Safe Mode Boot) can be accessed when turning on the Nintendo 3DS while holding A+R+L+Up(DPad). This menu is made to update your Nintendo 3DS through internet, if an update previously failed.