Hacking Updating Palantine CFW to rxTools

[Scoop111]

Hello everybody.

I'm sorry, but I couldn't find an answer to this neither on this site nor elsewhere on the net. I installed Palantine's CFW several months ago and have been busy with collage since then, so I didn't really follow what was going on in the scene. I have an Old 3DS with OFW 4.5.0-10E.
As far as I've read I wanna install rxTools on it, but all the Tuts I've found only explain how to install it from scratch. I really don't wanna install all the cia's again or losing my save states.

So I wonder, is there an quick and easy way to update to rxTools? I don't have a GW Card or DS-Flash card. I was following this Tutorial: https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutoria...-cfw-4-5-without-gateway.378371/#post-5273933 to install Palantine in the first place.

It would be great if someone could point me in the right direction or outline which steps would be required.

Thanks in advance,
Scoop

 

[EmceeKerser]

1. Why did you install Palentine, its been obsolete for over a year now
2. Im assuming Palentine uses GW emunand? If so then read this thread
[Release] rxTools - Roxas75 3DS Toolkit [fw 2.0 - 9.2]

 

[Scoop111]

Well, then it must have been a year ago. Back then, there was no alternative.
Yeah, I think it does. I've read the first few pages several times (not all 700 though). Still I cannot make head or tails of how to make it work. For example, can I just install it to my current SD with all the stuff on it through MSET? I mean, it states to install FBI, but I already have a Dev-Installer, which I used to install the cia's in the first place. Basically I wonder, where to start. If it's possible to just "switch" the launcher.dat or such, or if it's neccessary to format the SD and start all over again.

 

[EmceeKerser]

Well, then it must have been a year ago. Back then, there was no alternative.
Yeah, I think it does. I've read the first few pages several times (not all 700 though). Still I cannot make head or tails of how to make it work. For example, can I just install it to my current SD with all the stuff on it through MSET? I mean, it states to install FBI, but I already have a Dev-Installer, which I used to install the cia's in the first place. Basically I wonder, where to start. If it's possible to just "switch" the launcher.dat or such, or if it's neccessary to format the SD and start all over again.

If you have the emunand on the SD card you literally drag and drop rxtools, install themehax for autoboot, and thats it

 

[RaMon90]

Palantine uses rednand and im not sure if it works with rxtools. I followed versehell's tutorial, https://gbatemp.net/threads/how-to-...-palantine-cfw-to-rxtools-sig-patched.390624/
Just follow carefully, yours should be nr 2. It worked for me.

 

[Scoop111]

Thanks both of you for your help. It's probably just me, but i find it hard to understand how all this programs "work together".

@RaMon90
I stumbled across this Tut. The part of reinjecting the new emunand made sense to me. But I still don't know what it means by "update your emunand with rxtools" in the last step of nr. 2. First I have to install rxTools through MSET-Exploit, right? Is that the Bonus stuff down in that link?

I really apologize if those questions are too noobish. I read lot's of stuff since last night. But most of the time it's just "do this or that", without explaining, what it actually does or what's happening. So it's hard to see things in their context.

 

[TerryG]

If you have the emunand on the SD card you literally drag and drop rxtools, install themehax for autoboot, and thats it

The OP is on 4.5 so themehax won't work unless he updates his sysnand.

 

[EmceeKerser]

The OP is on 4.5 so themehax won't work unless he updates his sysnand.

Yea sorry, I missed a step

You'd have to first upgrade to 9.2 using sysupdater in rxtools DEVmode

 

[Scoop111]

I really don't need to have Autoboot. I basically just wanna be able to install newer cia's.
So, I got, that I have to insert/update emunand as described in the thread RaMon90 linked above so that it's compatible with rxTools. But then I'm kinda lost. I assume I have to move the files from rxTools to the SD-Root and boot them through the MSET-Exploit?

 

[wormdood]

It would be great if someone could point me in the right direction or outline which steps would be required.

I really don't need to have Autoboot. I basically just wanna be able to install newer cia's.
So, I got, that I have to insert/update emunand as described in the thread RaMon90 linked above so that it's compatible with rxTools. But then I'm kinda lost. I assume I have to move the files from rxTools to the SD-Root and boot them through the MSET-Exploit?

taken from this guide [Tutorial] Installing rxTools Custom Firmware - (3DS and 2DS)

STEP 2 - Getting all the rxTools files:

Download the RxTools here
Download Python version 2.7

1. Put the "rxtools" folder on your SD card root.
2. Put firmware.bin in the rxtools/sys folder on your SD card root
Two methods to get this file:

• Run cdn_firm.py, it will be generated. Find it in the "Tools" folder.
• Download HERE, click the "CIA Format DLC's, Themes & Updates" link. Name of the thread is "[MEGA] [CIA/BIN] MSET 4.X & 6.X backups, Browser backups, Update packs (All Regions)"

3. Get "slot0x25KeyX.bin" (Hint: google it, download link should be in the description of a certain youtube video ) (MD5: 817FD1BFFBA60F79CF8CDF19CAF28923). Put this file on your SD card root.

If you are updating from a previous rxTools setup, delete the "rxtools" folder on your sd card before attempting to boot.

For ninjhax users, you also need to get the "rxtools" folder (found inside the ninjhax folder from the rxtools zip) and put it alongside your other homebrew apps, like FBI.


STEP 3 - Launch rxTools for the first time!

-To launch from the internet browser: boot up your 3DS
Open your 3DS internet Browser and go to https://dukesrg.github.io/?rxTools/sys/code.bin (you should bookmark this. To do so, turn off your WiFi, then attempt to connect to the URL. It will fail; now you can open the browser menu and bookmark it.)

-To launch from Cubic Ninja, start the game and go into the QR option to boot the homebrew launcher. Select rxtools!

-If you installed the MSET exploit for rxTools, you can launch it by going to System Settings-> Other Settings-> Profile-> Nintendo DS Profile. For instructions to do this, see the section below, titled "Launching rxTools through the System Settings app - MSET!"


Hold L when the bottom screen glitches to get into the menu if it is sending you back to the homemenu!!!

It should show you an Installation Data Suite. Press A when it completes; it should then autoboot into rxMode in Emunand. If it just brings you to the menu, select RXMODE and choose BOOT EMUNAND.

***At this point, you may update your emunand to 10.2 before continuing to step 4a (specifically), although you don't have to if everything works out. Read the guidelines below in the emunand section first.

unlink your nands for safety reasons

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!

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.

Launching rxTools through the System Settings app - MSET!

These steps will downgrade your System Settings in your sysNand to the 4.x or 6.x version, which is where we will install the exploit. It is the second best entrypoint to booting rxTools, in my opinion.

All users:
Want to launch rxTools via MSET so that you don't need to connect to the internet? Select your system version:

4.X
Warning: Spoilers inside! Use one of the following methods:

• EASIEST METHOD: If you have a DS flashcard that works on your 3DS, open the MSET folder in the rxtools download and put the .nds file (rxinstaller.nds) on your DS flashcard's SD card. Now run it with your DS flashcard and select "rxtools 4.x".
• To install MSET with FBI, you need to have FBI 1.4.14 or higher on your sysnand. Simply launch rxmode sysnand, launch FBI, and press SELECT. Now, select "rxtools3.x 4.x". MSET should now be installed.
• To install MSET with the internet browser, simply put the rxinstaller.bin (from the MSET folder) on your SD card root. Then launch the browser and go to http://dukesrg.github.io/?rxinstaller.bin . It should freeze and crash, and send you back to the home menu. MSET should now be set up.

To launch rxTools via MSET, just turn on your 3ds, go to System Settings-> Other Settings-> Profile-> Nintendo DS Profile, and rxTools should boot.

and in case you were wondering what all the themehax/menuhax talk is about see here https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=LcAMVMpXjzo instructions for that are also in the guide i linked for you

good luck

 

[Scoop111]

Update:

Okay, I finally had the time to give it a try. Here is what I did so far:

- I tried to extract that redNand and reinject as emunand with multinand-tool, but it didn't work. I tried on 3 different computers, but my SD-Card was not recognized. I remembered back when I istalled Palantine's firmware some other tool told me that this gateway nand would be corrupted or something, but it worked anyway, so I left it that way.

- I followed that guide wormdood linked above, put the rxinstaller on the SD along with the firmware.bin I created and the slot0x25KeyX.bin in the right place and used the Browser-Method to install. So I'm actually able to start rxTools through MSET, it brings me to emunand (says RX-E 4.5.0-10E in System-Menu) and shows all cia's installed on the card. Both nands still seem to be separated. I also have three black fields on the bottom screen and no idea what they are. But all the cia's seem to boot alright.

- I installed Majora's Mask through devMenu but it hangs at the 3DS-Screen and won't boot. I suppose I have to update emunand first. Question is, should I do that through the system menu while being online (in emunand of course)? Or is there a better way? I have never updated my 3DS so far. And is it safe to do so, even if I the re-injecting of the emunand in the first step didn't work?

BTW, out of curiousity what is the firmware.bin actually good for? I thought it was actually there to update the emunand...

 

[wormdood]

lots if questions huh

Both nands still seem to be separated

are you sure . . . if you load sysnand from rxtools menu can you still see them?

I also have three black fields on the bottom screen and no idea what they are

at some point a cia file was installed improperly (to the incorrect location) and rxtools applies a slightly different set of system patches the result is a black and otherwise blank unlaunchable app icons on home screen (i can help here as well but one thing at a time. lol) i crossed out my responses not because i was wrong but because you must fix the emunand problem first you need to either convert it to a gateway emunand, or abandon it and use gateway launcher (found in the guide i linked) to make a gateway emunand or else when you try to update emunand you will update sysnand instead/(at the same time)
then update as you described only if you have gateway emunand and will it work with rxtools safely

the firmware.bin is used to boot rxtools with the proper patches so that it functions properly

 

[Scoop111]

Hello and thanks for your answer. Yes, quite some questions, I know. But things start to make some sense.

So, basically, if multi-emunand-tool does not find my SD-Card, there is no other way to convert the emunand? I was kind of hoping, that the fact that rxtools booted was enough ^^ Anyway, this means I will have to wipe the SD-Card and start all over with creating a Gateway-Emunand as described in step 1 of that linked tutorial. Correct?

 

[wormdood]

i would back up your current emunand and the rest of the sd card to your pc first (so you can recover saves), but yes that's what i am saying wipe and start new at step 1 in the guide i linked

 

[Scoop111]

Alright. It took some time, but I've set it all up. Wiped the card, followed the guide, created a new emunand, installed rxTools, unlinked the nands and installed FBI. Now I still have those 3 black Boxes in emunand and need update it.

Edit: You said earlier those black icons are the result of badly installed cia's. But how is that possible after I started from scratch?? o.O On the other hand, they appeared after installing rxTools. Other than in the Tutorial, the Browser didn't actualy freeze and sent me back to the home-menu. I had to turn of the 3DS after a few minutes. Does it have to do with this??

 

[wormdood]

if you have newly created a new emunand and have the boxes still then you have on your real nand (and still emunand as well) then you have cia files in destanation nand that dont belong there and the black apps are the result of it being read with rxtools patches . . . in your case i would advise you put them in a folder and ignore them
and as far as emunand update its as simple as

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.

edit: i also have the black box issue i had 4 of them but when i swiched to the 9-28 build of rxtools this link RxTools Nightlies by @WhoAmI? the number of black boxes reduced to one

 

[Scoop111]

Okay. I just updated the emunand to 10.3 and everything seems to work alright ^^ Actually, after the update the black boxes where gone
So only one question left. How would I restore my previous game saves from the Backup?

Edit:
BTW, is it normal that rxTools freezes the system every now and then, when trying to boot it through MSET? Happened to me twice now.

 

[Quantumcat]

Okay. I just updated the emunand to 10.3 and everything seems to work alright ^^ Actually, after the update the black boxes where gone
So only one question left. How would I restore my previous game saves from the Backup?

Edit:
BTW, is it normal that rxTools freezes the system every now and then, when trying to boot it through MSET? Happened to me twice now.

To recover your saves, search for SaveDataFiler in the forum. And yes that's normal, rxTools isn't 100% stable.

 

[Scoop111]

I was afraid it would involve more than just copy over the old save-file to the new game-folder :/