Hacking Gateway question.

[Xellos2099]

I got a question concerning gateway. I am interested getting it since it is been a while since it was release but need some info. What is the best way to go at it if I got a 3dsl xl that got 4.2.0-9 U. Does all current game work? What exactly is EmuNAND? Is it possible to transfer eshop game from ym 3ds to this? The game that truly got my attention is Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney. I know it is euro version, would it work with my usa system? As a matter of fact, does gateway enable region free play yet?

 

[necr0]

I'll try and answer all your questions.

The Gateway 3DS card, as of now can play all games bar one: Tomodachi Life
It is region free, and allows the playing of any region game on any region console.
I can't explain what EmuNAND is, but I know it allows you to play E-Shop titles and games that require a higher firmware than what your console is on.
You cannot transfer your own E-Shop title to your Gateway card.

 

[Xellos2099]

Should I upgrade to 4.5 or is my current firmware ok? And best place to get gateway within usa?

 

[stomp_442]

I use a 4.1 3DS with my gateway, and have no issues with it.

I ordered my gateway 3ds from modchipcentral.com, it is within the USA, I got it within 3 days of ordering.

 

[Gamemaster1379]

Should I upgrade to 4.5 or is my current firmware ok? And best place to get gateway within usa?

Stay on your firmware. There's no benefit in going to 4.5 at all.

Since necr0 wasn't able to fully explain it, for his sake and yours, I'll explain what EmuNAND is and does.

Basically, flash carts all rely on a profile exploit that was in system firmwares 4.1 through 4.5 This exploit allows the launching of code that is not Nintendo's. This exploit is the very foundation of 3DS flash carts. It was patched in firmwares past 4.5, meaning if your system's firmware were to go past 4.5, it would be impossible to access the flash cart at all. Therefore, you would not be able to access the eshop or anything that required a firmware greater than 4.5 because it would lose Gateway access.

Since you have to have 4.1 to 4.5 for Gateway in order to use it (with no exceptions), but would ALSO need a greater firmware in order to play newer games as well as access online features such as eShop, EmuNAND was created. EmuNAND is literally a copy of your system's firmware that runs from your SD card instead of your actual system's internal storage. The console can't tell any different, but it is actually from a different source entirely, and operates independently. If you download a game on your emuNAND, it is saved to the SD card copy and will not show up on your regular internal NAND copy of the 3DS. It is the same case with your internal firmware. If you downloaded or installed something on your regular internal NAND, it will not show up on emuNAND.

The emuNAND can only be accessed after having running unsigned code, so the emuNAND itself does not need to actually have the profile exploit anymore. Therefore, you can update this emuNAND to newer firmwares like 6.X and 7.X and take advantage of being on the newer firmware. The system's internal firmware just remains on 4.X in order to be a "gateway" (via the profile exploit) to launch a modified, newer, emuNAND where you will do all your future operations from.

 

[KidIce]

If you download a game on your emuNAND, it is saved to the SD card copy and will not show up on your regular internal NAND copy of the 3DS. It is the same case with your internal firmware. If you downloaded or installed something on your regular internal NAND, it will not show up on emuNAND.

Do you not own a 3DS w/ emuNAND or are you over simplifying? 3DSware and eShop titles put themselves on the SD in the 3DS and most certainly do show up when you are not in emuNAND... They just wont run w/o being on emuNAND. DSiware OTOH installs to NAND and not the SD and will not run in GW mode. So if you download some DSiware while on emuNAND it won't show up when you exit emuNAND (as you desribe) and you can't run it in GW/emuNAND mode...

Moral of the story here: Don't purchase or download DSiware while on emuNAND, it's a waste of time/money, you cant run it.

 

[necr0]

Basically, flash carts all rely on a profile exploit that was in system firmwares 4.1 through 4.5 This exploit allows the launching of code that is not Nintendo's. This exploit is the very foundation of 3DS flash carts. It was patched in firmwares past 4.5, meaning if your system's firmware were to go past 4.5, it would be impossible to access the flash cart at all. Therefore, you would not be able to access the eshop or anything that required a firmware greater than 4.5 because it would lose Gateway access.

Since you have to have 4.1 to 4.5 for Gateway in order to use it (with no exceptions), but would ALSO need a greater firmware in order to play newer games as well as access online features such as eShop, EmuNAND was created. EmuNAND is literally a copy of your system's firmware that runs from your SD card instead of your actual system's internal storage. The console can't tell any different, but it is actually from a different source entirely, and operates independently. If you download a game on your emuNAND, it is saved to the SD card copy and will not show up on your regular internal NAND copy of the 3DS. It is the same case with your internal firmware. If you downloaded or installed something on your regular internal NAND, it will not show up on emuNAND.

The emuNAND can only be accessed after having running unsigned code, so the emuNAND itself does not need to actually have the profile exploit anymore. Therefore, you can update this emuNAND to newer firmwares like 6.X and 7.X and take advantage of being on the newer firmware. The system's internal firmware just remains on 4.X in order to be a "gateway" (via the profile exploit) to launch a modified, newer, emuNAND where you will do all your future operations from.

Thanks a lot.
I knew the basics, but it's nice to know it in-depth.

 

[Xellos2099]

Should I get a bigger SD the for the 3ds or just a big micro sd crad on the gateway will do?

 

[Dewdrops]

Should I get a bigger SD the for the 3ds or just a big micro sd crad on the gateway will do?

Bigger micro sd card for GW will do.

 

[Gamemaster1379]

Should I get a bigger SD the for the 3ds or just a big micro sd crad on the gateway will do?

EmuNAND will partition off about 1 GB of your SD card's internal storage. So effectively, whatever SD card you have for your 3DS minus 1 GB is whatever you will have left. If you just intend to use it for 3DS game saves, the stock 2 GB is fine. However, if you intend to download anything from the eshop, you will definitely want to get a bigger card. Games can range from 500 MB - 4 GB in size. If you don't plan to do a lot of eShop downloads outside VC, a 2-4 GB should do okay. If you intend to do one or two, I suggest an 8 GB at least. Honestly, I recommend a 16 if you aren't certain and if you know you will be aggressively downloading titles in the future, perhaps consider a 32 GB. As for the microSDHC in your Gateway itself, all games are going to use the same approximate range. 500 MB - 4 GB I would say estimate ~2 GB per game and multiply that by the number of games you think you'll want to have on your flash cart to get an approximation of the size you'll want to get. I personally went with a 64 GB micro in my Gateway and a 32 GB in my SD card slot, just to be safe.


Also, bear in mind the class of the SD card (class is the rating of the read and write speeds that the SD card is capable of). The class of 3DS's SD card is very important since the entire system emuNAND will be stored on there. If you get a crappy read speed (like a class 2), it will take eons for you to load up the emuNAND and anything you launch from NAND. I've even struggled with loading times on class 4 (standard for most cards, including the one that comes with the 3DS). I honestly recommend putting out the extra money to just go big and get a class 10 for the lower slot.

I also have a class 10 in my Gateway as well, but I am not sure if read and write speeds are as important for that one. I still recommend at least a class 4 up top though.

 

[Xellos2099]

How does this sd card look?

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Digi...d=1402297903&sr=8-15&keywords=class+8+sd+card

 

[Shadowhunta]

I wouldn't touch Kingston with a barge pole these days, nowhere near the quality they were, go samsung or sandisk.
I have the stock 4GB sd card in my 3ds so i'll *probably* be leaving that in, but i bought a 64GB micro sd for my GW.

 

[Xellos2099]

Is http://www.dsflashcart.com reliable? They got free usa shipping and seems cheapest

 

[Abcdfv]

Is http://www.dsflashcart.com reliable? They got free usa shipping and seems cheapest

I ordered mine from them. They won't update the page when they're out of stock, but they'll still take your money. Took me two weeks to get my tracking number, wouldn't give me a refund ("the carts are coming in from china tomorrow we promise!").

I wouldn't recommend them.

 

[stomp_442]

If you downloaded or installed something on your regular internal NAND, it will not show up on emuNAND.

I disagree with that. I have plenty of eShop content that shows up in the emuNAND that was installed on the regular nand. Don't forget, when you initially create the emuNAND you are creating a backup of your NAND, and anything that is installed in the way of channels will also show up in the emuNAND. Now, being able to access all of that content is a different story.

 

[Gamemaster1379]

I disagree with that. I have plenty of eShop content that shows up in the emuNAND that was installed on the regular nand. Don't forget, when you initially create the emuNAND you are creating a backup of your NAND, and anything that is installed in the way of channels will also show up in the emuNAND. Now, being able to access all of that content is a different story.

I am aware that when you originally create the emuNAND, you are making a carbon copy and everything will be identical, including eShop titles up until that point. However, from that point onward, you have two "clones" that are going to be modified differently, and as such, will begin to differentiate even though they were once identical.

 

[stomp_442]

I am aware that when you originally create the emuNAND, you are making a carbon copy and everything will be identical, including eShop titles up until that point. However, from that point onward, you have two "clones" that are going to be modified differently, and as such, will begin to differentiate even though they were once identical.

that was a bit confusing for my simple way of thinking. anyways, I don't think that many users will need to worry about that since a lot of them are just now buying a 3DS with 4.1-4.5, and will not have the option to download eShop titles to the regular nand and still remain on a gateway compatible firmware.

 

[Gamemaster1379]

that was a bit confusing for my simple way of thinking. anyways, I don't think that many users will need to worry about that since a lot of them are just now buying a 3DS with 4.1-4.5, and will not have the option to download eShop titles to the regular nand and still remain on a gateway compatible firmware.

My explanation was a bit long winded. That's my mistake. And that is likely the case.