Hacking Formatting your SD/mSD for Sky3DS & Gateway & 3DS

[Osmosis]

Okay folks, now that I've been playing with emuNAND and also been reading some threads, here's what's going on:

Your mSDs & SDs aren't bad. They're just not formatted properly.

The 3DS uses FAT32 MBR formats. Some flashcarts have special formats like Gateway for emuNAND and Sky3DS for Diskwriter.

Your brand-new-super-fast mSD may be out-of-box, but that's doesn't mean it'll work.

For any SD to work in the 3DS it -HAS- to be MBR - FAT32 - PRIMARY PARTITION.

The problem? Most mSD's (especially SDXC cards) use exFAT. This needs to be changed to FAT32.

You can also FAT32 a 128GB SD card and it will work flawlessly in the 3DS.

But before you partition your emuNAND or in Diskwriter, IT MUST BE FAT32!!!!

The reason for this is how unpartitioning from Diskwriter uses a floppy disk format known as FAT12. They're both FAT file systems. To completely reset the SD you need to jump to NTFS file system and back to FAT32. Otherwise the MBR might not change its values properly.

For Diskwriter users, if you get stuck, FORMAT it in Diskwriter. Then use REFORMAT to return it to a workable state.

This also goes for folks trying to break their emuNAND formats. Yes, you deleted all your partitions and even re-built the MBR, but there's that one partition with the emuNAND file system data that won't break. To break it? Delete all partitions. Now you should have one giant UNFORMATTED block and the SD should read (MBR). Now format it to NTFS Primary. Gone. Your SD should be in working condition again.

Now you need to format it back to FAT32 (just use windows format) and it should be compatible with your 3DS. You can also choose to format it for emuNAND or back through Diskwriter.

Remember:

Break format by using NTFS PRIMARY. Then Back to FAT32 PRIMARY. If it reads FAT12 or exFAT you're using the wrong file system.

SDXC? Format it to FAT32. 128GB? Format it to FAT32.

Break it by NTFS and then back to FAT32.

Fin.

So why does it matter how fast your mSD is? Well, FAT32 can only handle up to 4GB file transfers. So the FAT file system jumps back down to CLASS 10, ignoring the UHS-1 speeds. If you have it working on exFAT, good for you. But there's going to come a point you will have to jump to NTFS and back to FAT32 for it to work again. So don't say I didn't warn you.

Stick to FAT32. Use NTFS to break ex/FAT/12/32 and then jump back to FAT32.

If you just want to return to defaults, break FAT by using NTFS then use windows format to DEFAULT SETTINGS and it should return to its original file system (exFAT or whatever).

Hope this helps.

 

[kingraa]

I have a 3dsxl fw 9.6 and a sky blue button card coming but no SD I need to buy one was going to grab a 64 gig micro SD any suggestions ??

 

[Osmosis]

I have a 3dsxl fw 9.6 and a sky blue button card coming but no SD I need to buy one was going to grab a 64 gig micro SD any suggestions ??

For Sky3DS I would get two 32GB before I would buy a 64GB. Why? Only 31 games playable per mSD. You may store more than that, but only 31 per mSD. And with 32GB you can use Sky Army Knife to trim your ROMs to fit all 31+ and still have plenty of room left over.

As long as it says CLASS 10.

It can be SDXC, SDHC, UHS-1, UHS-3, but it needs to be CLASS 10.

Then check to see if it is exFAT. If so, you need to format to FAT32.

128GB mSD's also work on both O3DSXL's and N3DSXL's. You just need to make sure they are CLASS 10 and formatted to FAT32 before you do anything else with them.

Brand does not matter. Speed really doesn't matter. CLASS 10 = MUST BE!!!!

I would only buy 64-128GB for the 3DS system m/SD. Flashcarts I would stay at 32GB.

 

[zergslayer69]

Can you format gateway microsd as exfat? Some of the bigger games won't fit in fat 32.

 

[Osmosis]

Gateway will split any file larger than 4GB. It's part of the emuNAND file system.

However, if you mean use exFAT on the mSD for the Red Blue cart... yes. It supports it.

The 3DS SD must be FAT32. And Gateway will split any files and reconnect them when needed.

As for bigger games, trim them. Use Sky Army Knife to cut them in half and it won't hurt your .3DZ or .3DS files.

 

[Landlieber]

Hello,

i bought the Samsung Memory 32GB Evo MicroSDHC UHS-I Grade 1 Class 10 directly from Amazon but unfortunately i get game frezzes all the time with the Sky3DS (Blue).
I formated the mSD to Fat32, after that Diskwriter did the formation and then it still says that the partition is Fat32. But when i write a game onto the mSD with Diskwriter, it says the partition is FAT and after 10 minutes i get game frezzes. I don't know what else to do, i would really appreciate your help guys