Hacking [ HELP ] Almost Ready to Install CFW

[dokgu]

Okay, so I've been asking some questions days before regarding playing 3DS games on my N3DS 9.9.0-26U console and I've kinda gotten the overall view of what I need to do.

1. Upgrade to 10.3 (I don't have a guide for this so far)
2. Downgrade to 9.2 [ LINK ]
3. Install CFW [ LINK ]

Now I am almost ready to have a crack at it (I'm just waiting for the console to charge up to a decent level). I just got home from getting a 64GB Micro SD card and I can't wait to try CFW (palms are sweaty from worrying I might brick my console).

Here are some pre-hacking questions I have:

1. The Micro SD card I bought turns out to have a speed of 48 MB/s. Will it perform well? I just read a thread from someone who has a 80 MB/s Micro SD card and he's having issues with speed.
2. Is the route I'm taking to get CFW on my N3DS the safest way (I'm aware that there will always be risks but I want to do the safest way)?
3. What's the safest build to use? SafeSysUpdater or Julian's build?
4. Is there anything I need to do so that if I do brick my console, I could at least attempt to revive it like recovery, hardmod, etc.?

Is there anyone who has time and willing to guide me through the process? I will be posting updates as I go through the instructions so that if I run into problems I have someone to ask help with.

Thanks guys and keep being awesome!

 

[James310]

Just downgrade directly, the risk for downgrading is the same for upgrading since your still messing with the NAND from ver 9.9, if anything your increasing the brick rate by 2x!

 

[dokgu]

Just downgrade directly, the risk for downgrading is the same for upgrading since your still messing with the NAND from ver 9.9, if anything your increasing the brick rate by 2x!

Really? The guide linked above says to make sure that I'm on 10.3 though. Should I just ignore that?

 

[James310]

Really? The guide linked above says to make sure that I'm on 10.3 though. Should I just ignore that?

That's because people assume that you think you'll update to the latest firm

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Get a Hardmod, it makes your 3ds 100% brick safe when downgrading plus it's a semi required thing if you want a9hl since your brick chance is high for n3ds trying to get the otp

 

[Manuel9181]

Someone says that it's safer downgrade from 10.2-10.3, viceversa others say that it doesn't bring any benefits and you can proceed with the downgrade directly from any firmware below the 10.3. You should take this like a "superstition": you can trust on it or not, there are no proofs in both the directions.

 

[dokgu]

That's because people assume that you think you'll update to the latest firm

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Get a Hardmod, it makes your 3ds 100% brick safe when downgrading plus it's a semi required thing if you want a9hl since your brick chance is high for n3ds trying to get the otp

Someone says that it's safer downgrade from 10.2-10.3, viceversa others say that it doesn't bring any benefits and you can proceed with the downgrade directly from any firmware below the 10.3. You should take this like a "superstition": you can trust on it or not, there are no proofs in both the directions.

Okay, I might just downgrade directly now.

Just an additional question, is my main goal to get arm9loaderhax powered custom firmware on my console? I didn't know there was a different version of CFWs. If there are, what is the best CFW version?

 

[Manuel9181]

Okay, I might just downgrade directly now.

Just an additional question, is my main goal to get arm9loaderhax powered custom firmware on my console? I didn't know there was a different version of CFWs. If there are, what is the best CFW version?

It's not really necessary but a9lh is definitely, IMO, the best *hax at the moment. It allows to unbrick a console without an hardmod, have a lot faster boot speed then menuhax, 100% bootrate and other things. About the best CFW you should go with rxTools or ReiNand if you want to use menuhax, AuReiNand if you proceed installing a9lh.

 

[dokgu]

It's not really necessary but a9lh is definitely, IMO, the best *hax at the moment. It allows to unbrick a console without an hardmod, have a lot faster boot speed then menuhax, 100% bootrate and other things. About the best CFW you should go with rxTools or ReiNand if you want to use menuhax, AuReiNand if you proceed installing a9lh.

Alright, going for a9lh with AuReiNand. Wish me luck.

 

[Manuel9181]

Alright, going for a9lh with AuReiNand. Wish me luck.

The process of dumping the OTP and compile the a9lh.3dsx isn't so hard as tons of people think, it's just long (3 hours more or less the first time I did it). However you need to have a CFW already installed on your console to be able to dump your OTP.

 

[Lacius]

I think you should focus on menuhax and emuNAND first after downgrading to 9.2. It's much easier, particularly for people who are still learning how 3DS hacking works, and menuhax currently has more coldboot options.

For what you're likely wanting to accomplish, menuhax does everything you want.

 

[dokgu]

The process of dumping the OTP and compile the a9lh.3dsx isn't so hard as tons of people think, it's just long (3 hours more or less the first time I did it). However you need to have a CFW already installed on your console to be able to dump your OTP.

I think you should focus on menuhax and emuNAND first after downgrading to 9.2. It's much easier, particularly for people who are still learning how 3DS hacking works, and menuhax currently has more coldboot options.

For what you're likely wanting to accomplish, menuhax does everything you want.

What? I'm confused again.

 

[Manuel9181]

What? I'm confused again.

Just downgrade and install rxTools or ReiNand. Only then you'll be able to install a9lh

 

[dokgu]

Just downgrade and install rxTools or ReiNand. Only then you'll be able to install a9lh

I'm following this guide right now:
https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Get-Started

I think that's what you're talking about right? I haven't read the entire guide but from the looks of it it is what you're trying to tell me.

Also, is it okay to have an exFAT file system on my Micro SD card or will that cause issues?

 

[Blue Lamb]

My buddy just downgraded his N3DS from 9.9 to 9.2. He had to do it twice. The first time after sysupdater finished, he got "An error occured." as soon as he rebooted his n3ds. However, System Settings showed that he had 9.2 firmware but I think he was unable to continue with installing CFW so he thought he had "franken firmware". He then re-did the sysUpdater downgrade and it worked for him.

Here is a thread I linked to him after his first attempt failed incase it helps you too.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/a-small-thread-on-how-to-tell-if-you-got-an-incomplete-downgrade.408937/

 

[Manuel9181]

I've already said that you CAN'T in your current situation install the a9lh!
You NEED to have a custom firmware like rxTools or ReiNand already installed.

1) Downgrade your console to 9.0-9.2
2) Install rxTools or ReiNand
3 - Optional) install a9lh

 

[dokgu]

Wow, been at this for hours. I can't get past the error getting the CIA file info. I think I've retried 100 times now. I think my power button sunk already.

 

[dokgu]

I've already said that you CAN'T in your current situation install the a9lh!
You NEED to have a custom firmware like rxTools or ReiNand already installed.

1) Downgrade your console to 9.0-9.2
2) Install rxTools or ReiNand
3 - Optional) install a9lh

I can't even get past your step 1 which is to downgrade to 9.2 lol. Whenever I run sysUpdater I just get a black screen. Out of a hundred tries, I got around 4 tries where I saw an instruction at the top screen asking whether to upgrade or downgrade. Whenever I choose to downgrade (button Y) it says there's an error with getting the CIA file info. Anyone else who took this long to simply downgrade?

 

[dokgu]

I'm now in a partial downgrade status. Retrying again.

 

[dokgu]

Ok I'm now on 9.2
Going forward with the guide. Took me until midnight to downgrade? Ha!

 

[dokgu]

I'm currently on item 16 of the guide:
https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Part-3-(New-3DS)

• Put your SD card in your computer, then copy all your files back into it

Both have boot.3dsx files with different sizes. Which one should I keep? The folder for EmuNAND9 is identical for both sides so no issues with that. I just want to know which boot.3dsx too keep.