Hacking New 2DS 8.1.0-19E Noob Questions

[PiFi]

Hi guys,

To start things off, I have read the Noob guide and the Wiki but I feel like a small fish in an ocean of information.

I am not new to modifying game devices but this is the first time I have ever owned a NDS device, and I don't want to dive in and make errors resulting in updates to the firmware etc, and was hoping one of the more seasoned members here could give me some pointers.

I have just purchased a 2DS brand new from Tesco with Mario Kart 7 installed for £39.99 (it was a bargain and the only reason I bought the device), now I would like to play 'backup roms' on the device and i've read some things that it is not possible or that i shouldn't upgrade the FW to anything above 9.2.

As it stands I have turned on the device once to check the FW and it is currently on 8.1.0-19E, what are my options?

I'm not looking to homebrew as I'm not that interested in installing music players or custom software, I'm just looking to play some classic roms such as Pokemon and Mario games.

My biggest problem is that I can't find any 2DS specific information but I guess it comes under 3DS as it is practically the same minus the 3D'ness

Thanks in advance, and sorry if it's not the right place, i'm off to read up some more on the forums but I don't think i'll touch the device until I get some advice.

 

[driverdis]

you should be able to run a custom firmware like RxTools 3 (with pasta) via a copy of cubic ninja or the web browser exploit. if you find a 9.0-9.2 firmware game cart, you can upgrade to have access to themes among other things

 

[PiFi]

Thanks for the quick reply driverdis, I have looked up Rxtools 3 and seen that it supports booting roms, have you got any tutorials from Gbatemp that you recommend?

I got the impression that Rxtools is a CFW, do I need any other hardware in order to boot roms from SD ?

 

[wormdood]

use this guide [Tutorial] Installing rxTools Custom Firmware - (3DS and 2DS) it does have a lot of info (lil fish big pond) but for this guide all you need is internet a sd card and a (2ds/3ds/n3ds)
and yes rxtools is a cfw

btw all the 3ds cfw guides look intimidating the first time around
also the guide i linked you also has a video version and a link to another guide with pics of every step so you can choose your own pace

 

[Tony_93]

As it stands I have turned on the device once to check the FW and it is currently on 8.1.0-19E, what are my options?

My biggest problem is that I can't find any 2DS specific information but I guess it comes under 3DS as it is practically the same minus the 3D'ness

Thanks in advance, and sorry if it's not the right place, i'm off to read up some more on the forums but I don't think i'll touch the device until I get some advice.

%99 of tutorials for 3DS apply for 2DS, the only things you shouldn't be trying to do is downgrade the firmware or downgrade the system settings app to 4.x (which it was pretty common to do with a regular 3DS until a couple of months ago in order to use the mset exploit).

This is because the 2DS didn't exist at that time so the firmware doesn't have the 2DS information and when you format it, it will ask you to move the 3D slider on yo test it, since 2DS doesn't have 3D naturally doesn't have the slider neither... And you get perma-stuck in there.


Best thing to do is follow the guide above to set up a NAND backup, emunand, rxTools, a cia manager (to install backups) and then MANUALLY update to 9.2 and set up Menuhax + Ctrbootmanager to autoboot rxTools from a coldboot.

 

[MelonGx]

Yeah.
Formatting 2DS with MSET 4.X bricks it.

 

[PiFi]

Hey guys,

So last night I was up to 5 AM following a video tutorial along with the tutorial thread and its all going well.

I have the emuNand and rxTools installed, I currently have to use the rxTools browser hack to access the emuNand and then use FBI I believe to install CIA's, I have played a couple already so its working ok.

What I was wondering is now what is the next step ?

I have read about devMenu, should I use that ? Is there a way to convert of install .3DS files on the 2DS as I am using a Macbook. I am still using the RX3D 8.1.0-19E FW on the emuNand, should I update this?

Lots of questions but I hope it makes sense.

 

[wormdood]

Hey guys,

So last night I was up to 5 AM following a video tutorial along with the tutorial thread and its all going well.

I have the emuNand and rxTools installed, I currently have to use the rxTools browser hack to access the emuNand and then use FBI I believe to install CIA's, I have played a couple already so its working ok.

What I was wondering is now what is the next step ?

I have read about devMenu, should I use that ? Is there a way to convert of install .3DS files on the 2DS as I am using a Macbook. I am still using the RX3D 8.1.0-19E FW on the emuNand, should I update this?

Lots of questions but I hope it makes sense.

if you have not made nand and emunand backup do it then if you havent unlinked nands yet i advise you do so

How to unlink nands:
1. In sysnand, go to System Settings -> Other Settings -> Format System (Do not accept yet)
2. Eject your Sd card (don't worry, it is safe)
3. Accept to Format your 3DS/2DS (let it connect to the internet if it asks, it will not update your system)
4. After it reboots, go through the setup screen and set everything up
5. Once in the home menu, insert back your sd card and let it create some files on your sd card.
6. Your nands are now unlinked, and there are 2 ID folders in your Nintendo 3DS folder on your SD card (one for emunand, another for sysnand)

How it will look on your SD card:

​

The folder with the smallest size belongs to your sysnand, since you just formatted it. Grab the database zip again and put the title.db and import.db in YourSysnandFolder/RandomNumbersAndLettersFolder/dbs, just like you did in Step 1: Line 1 & 2! Don't forget to go to Data Management in Sysnand to let the 3DS "repair" your software management information!

as for devmenu its a cia installer, fbi serves the same purpose but if you want to you can get the cia of devmenu and install it using fbi
and as for conversion on a mac i am not sure i personally know of windows programs only sorry . . . but i dont even use them i am a pirate so i google "3ds.cia" and use a link there
aslo heck yeah update emunand. make sure you follow this quote exactly

Emunand Information

If you have an update nag on sysnand, follow these short steps to delete the update from your system first, reducing any risk of updating sysnand to be EXTREMELY unlikely. Do not do step 4 obviously, click "no"!

To update your emunand, only do so through the System Settings app.
Do NOT update if it asks you if you're "ready to start system update" or whatever it says whenever you boot your 3ds, OR through the Eshop. It will update your sysnand instead.

How to properly update emunand: Boot into Emunand, and launch System Settings. Make sure it says RX-E or RX3D in front of the version number to be sure that you are in emunand, and go straight to Other Settings -> System update without exiting the System Settings app.

Some users report their sysnand still being updated following these steps. Unlinking your nands before attempting to update may avoid this. Please read this post before deciding to unlink nands: http://gbatemp.net/threads/guide-the-emunand-save-data-mega-guide-gbatemp-doesnt-deserve.378491/ (Please, please, pleasseee read this!).

If you need Emunand tool (for backing up your emunand), then you can find it here.

 

[PiFi]

Thanks Wormdood, my nands were already split but I have just started the update on the emuNand, hope I don't run into any problems.

I just found a great site to download CIA's directly but I don't know If I'm allowed to share it here, but I guess everyone knows about it anyway.

Is there a way to boot straight into the emuNand or do I have to rely on the rxTools url method ?

 

[wormdood]

Thanks Wormdood, my nands were already split but I have just started the update on the emuNand, hope I don't run into any problems.

I just found a great site to download CIA's directly but I don't know If I'm allowed to share it here, but I guess everyone knows about it anyway.

Is there a way to boot straight into the emuNand or do I have to rely on the rxTools url method ?

i assume the update went well
and no site names or links allowed but if you can find another way to say it like . . . that iso website related to the 3ds . . . or google 3ds cia there is a good reddit link . . . so on and so forth
i found a few good ones myself hint
and there are many ways to boot rxtools the most popular is menuhax (previously named themehax) here is a video if it in action https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=LcAMVMpXjzo if you wanna go that route you can find instructions here

Launching rxTools at boot - Themehax!

These steps will setup Themehax, which we will configure to allow rxTools to boot the moment you turn on your 3DS/2DS! IMO this is the best way to launch rxTools.

Note: You must be on 9.0 - 9.2 firmware. This means your sysnand has to be on or between 9.0 to 9.2 system version. To update to 9.0 or 9.2, scroll down to the section How to Update your 3DS/2DS to 9.0 or 9.2 and follow the instructions, then come back here.

1. Grab this themehax installer 1.3 offline installer and put the "themehax_installer" folder in the "3ds" folder on your SD card. Note: If there already is a themehax_installer folder there, delete it first.
   • SD:/3ds/themehax_installer/
2. Get the latest boot.3dsx for the homebrew channel and placed it on your SD card root. Put the SD card back in your 3DS
3. Set a random theme on your 3DS, then change it back to the default theme.
4. Launch browserhax (it took MANY tries for me to finally get it to boot.)
5. Once in the homebrew menu, run the themehax 1.3 installer and install themehax.
   • (At this point, I also set a custom button setup so that it loads sysnand only when I hold R. This is Type 2 in the config menu.)
6. After all that, test if themehax boots you into the homebrew menu at cold boot
7. Now to set it to boot rxTools instead, download CTRBootManager b07. Rename the boot.3dsx that is on your SD card to boot_hb.3dsx. Then place the boot.3dsx and boot.cfg from the CTRBootManager download onto your SD card root.
8. Open up boot.cfg with notepad and change this:

to this:

Now save the boot.cfg, eject your SD, and put it in your 3DS

When you turn on your 3DS, you should see the red screen, followed by the rxTools splash screen. If you chose a custom button setup in the themehax installer, keep that in mind. By default, you must hold L when booting to let themehax run at boot-up. In my case, I chose TYPE 2, and selected the button R. This means that Themehax will always run at boot unless I hold R (which would bring me to sysnand instead of rxTools).

How to Update your 3DS/2DS to 9.0 or 9.2

If you want to boot rxTools as soon as you turn on your 3DS, then you need to set-up Themehax; and to use themehax, you need to be on 9.0 - 9.2 firmware.
Warning: This can brick your 3DS if done incorrectly! Be sure that you follow the instructions carefully!

Requirements:

• FBI installed in sysnand (Step 4a if you don't have Gateway or Ninjhax)
• A rxTools 3.0 nightly (preferably the one linked in Step 2)

Let's get started.

1. Click HERE
2. Click the CIA Format DLC's, Themes & Updates [Archive] result
3. Click View Full Version : CIA Format DLC's, Themes & Updates at the top of the page
4. Find the thread titled [MEGA] [CIA/BIN] MSET 4.X & 6.X backups, Browser backups, Update packs (All Regions)
   
5. Scroll down to the section titled Updates
6. Download either the 9.2 modified update pack for your region, or a 9.0 or 9.2 Full Update Pack for you region
7. Once downloaded, open the archive and find the "updates" folder; place it on your SD card. There should be many cia files in that folder.
   • Example: SD:/updates/0004013000008003.cia
8. Download Sysupdater
9. Open the archive and put sysUpdater.cia on your SD card
10. Insert your SD card in your 3DS
11. Hold L while launching rxTools to get into the rxTools menu
12. Press DPAD RIGHT until you highlight ADVANCED OPTIONS, then press A
13. Go down to DEVMODE and press A
14. After a few seconds, you should now be in sysnand; firmware spoofing is disabled but cias can still be launched in this mode.
15. Launch FBI
16. Install sysUpdater.cia (Destination: SD)
17. Once installed, press HOME to see sysUpdater wrapped as a gift; unwrap it.
18. Launch sysUpdater
19. sysUpdater will ask you if you are sure you want to go ahead with the update; choose to accept it.
    • It will also tell you that you shouldn't be in Gateway mode, or have firmware spoofing. Do not worry about this, DEVMODE has no firmware spoofing, so sysUpdater will work as intended. Just be absolutely sure you are in DEVMODE (line 13), not RXMODE SYSNAND!
20. Wait for sysUpdater to finish. When it is done, your 3DS will reboot into 9.0 or 9.2 firmware! You can now follow the steps to use themehax.

there is also mset (ds profile hack)that will let you boot rxtools from ds profile in system settings app instructions are in the first link i gave you (it has a bunch of text boxes so a direct quote would look horrible)
by the way your basic cfw install is finished that is after you pick one or both of these boot methods so you no longer need internet to boot rxtools