Tutorial Simple Guide to Downgrading your 3DS

[Gingiroo]

Hello!

So I'm pretty much a noob of all noobs when it comes to Homebrew and CFW and everything, but I was having trouble downgrading my n3DS XL to 9.2 and I wanted to see if anyone was willing to share some advice with me because I'm at wits end.

I think one of my main problems is my 9.2.0-20U(Full)_n3DS.zip md5 is different from the one posted originally. According to the OP of this forum, the md5 for the n3DS is e5f40c3b155cfd12ef38be35d2e81d2e. However, the one I downloaded has an md5 of E6339468A1E82B1D50E9222F017C0477, which obviously does not match up. This wouldn't be a problem, except that I can't for the life of me find the .zip that matches the proper md5. I can only find the E633 zip, which is frustrating. I'm on a mac, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not but I tried downloading the .zip on a Windows and the same md5 turned up.

Nevertheless, I downloaded SysUpdater, and obviously whenever I got it to work properly, I would try to downgrade and I always got Error 148 (Couldn't get CIA file info). I tried to find a solution, but nothing worked until I tried the SafeSysUpdater, which said that all my files were good, and it was able to downgrade my n3DS to 9.2. I thought all was fine and well after I changed the theme so my DS could turn on with the SD card in it, but then when trying to set up my EmuNand (from this tutorial) I could not get the PastaCFW to work, and the tutorial suggested that I might have had an incomplete download. After checking this with my downgrade checker, this is what came up:

I think this might have to do with the .zip that didn't have the proper md5, but now I'm not sure what to do with this information. I want to succeed with this, but I'm kind of stuck now. Could anyone give some advice, point me in the right direction, PM or otherwise? I would be so appreciative.

Thanks!

 

[MadMageKefka]

Hello!

So I'm pretty much a noob of all noobs when it comes to Homebrew and CFW and everything, but I was having trouble downgrading my n3DS XL to 9.2 and I wanted to see if anyone was willing to share some advice with me because I'm at wits end.

I think one of my main problems is my 9.2.0-20U(Full)_n3DS.zip md5 is different from the one posted originally. According to the OP of this forum, the md5 for the n3DS is e5f40c3b155cfd12ef38be35d2e81d2e. However, the one I downloaded has an md5 of E6339468A1E82B1D50E9222F017C0477, which obviously does not match up. This wouldn't be a problem, except that I can't for the life of me find the .zip that matches the proper md5. I can only find the E633 zip, which is frustrating. I'm on a mac, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not but I tried downloading the .zip on a Windows and the same md5 turned up.

Nevertheless, I downloaded SysUpdater, and obviously whenever I got it to work properly, I would try to downgrade and I always got Error 148 (Couldn't get CIA file info). I tried to find a solution, but nothing worked until I tried the SafeSysUpdater, which said that all my files were good, and it was able to downgrade my n3DS to 9.2. I thought all was fine and well after I changed the theme so my DS could turn on with the SD card in it, but then when trying to set up my EmuNand (from this tutorial) I could not get the PastaCFW to work, and the tutorial suggested that I might have had an incomplete download. After checking this with my downgrade checker, this is what came up:

View attachment 48175

I think this might have to do with the .zip that didn't have the proper md5, but now I'm not sure what to do with this information. I want to succeed with this, but I'm kind of stuck now. Could anyone give some advice, point me in the right direction, PM or otherwise? I would be so appreciative.

Thanks!

I don't use mac, so sorry if I'm wrong, but from what I understand Macs have a problem unzipping the firmware files and end up giving you extra files. Delete all cia files with ._ in front of them after you unzip them, but leave the rest. Also, use PlaiSysUpdater, found HERE. It's MUCH more stable than any other version with better safety features.

 

[Gingiroo]

I don't use mac, so sorry if I'm wrong, but from what I understand Macs have a problem unzipping the firmware files and end up giving you extra files. Delete all cia files with ._ in front of them after you unzip them, but leave the rest. Also, use PlaiSysUpdater, found HERE. It's MUCH more stable than any other version with better safety features.

I didn't find any cia files with that ._ in front of them, but I did use PlaiSysUpdater and it worked like a charm! Thanks so much!

 

[spetakju]

Wasn't playing since december on my n3DS, decided to look up and found out so much have been created for it O.o. Does this tutorial works for 9.9.0-26U? Thanks for all the help. (Managed to install MenuHax or IronHax (Don't remember which exactly))

 

[MadMageKefka]

Wasn't playing since december on my n3DS, decided to look up and found out so much have been created for it O.o. Does this tutorial works for 9.9.0-26U? Thanks for all the help. (Managed to install MenuHax or IronHax (Don't remember which exactly))

As of the time I'm writing this, you can downgrade from ANY firmware, so yes. Use PlaiSysUpdater though, not SysUpdater or SafeSysUpdater. Those are infamous for getting you franken-firmwares. Plai is much more stable.

 

[spetakju]

As of the time I'm writing this, you can downgrade from ANY firmware, so yes. Use PlaiSysUpdater though, not SysUpdater or SafeSysUpdater. Those are infamous for getting you franken-firmwares. Plai is much more stable.

Is there a tutorial using that? I'm kinda new to 3DS modding and don't wanna brick it =/ (like I bricked my Wii, but that was that stupid Punch Out game lol )

 

[MadMageKefka]

Is there a tutorial using that? I'm kinda new to 3DS modding and don't wanna brick it =/ (like I bricked my Wii, but that was that stupid Punch Out game lol )

https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Part-1-(Homebrew)

This guide is updated sooner than any other. Use this. You can stop after part 3 if you want, but I suggest taking the (small) risk and going ALL the way though it to install a9lh, its really worth it, trust me.

 

[spetakju]

https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki/Part-1-(Homebrew)

This guide is updated sooner than any other. Use this. You can stop after part 3 if you want, but I suggest taking the (small) risk and going ALL the way though it to install a9lh, its really worth it, trust me.

Don't even know what a9lh, but will try to install it. Thanks for helping ^^

 

[MadMageKefka]

Don't even know what a9lh, but will try to install it. Thanks for helping ^^

You're welcome. Google can tell you exactly what a9lh is. If you appreciated the help, feel free to click the button in my signature. =)

 

[spetakju]

You're welcome. Google can tell you exactly what a9lh is. If you appreciated the help, feel free to click the button in my signature. =)

Done haha. Will try to downgrade to 9.2, does it allow online gameplay (only got Monster Hunter 4 here) etc? Sorry to asking for too much xD

 

[MadMageKefka]

Up to part 3 of the guide you will be installing menuhax and emuNAND. In this mode (you can stop here if you so choose) you will have your sysNAND (real NAND) on 9.2 for the exploit and pretty much never touch it again. you will also have an emuNAND (fake NAND) that you will keep updated and install your games on. This DOES allow online gameplay and is (to the best of my knowledge) undetectable by Nintendo, so you won't get banned. This meathod of hax works, but is outdated and i don't suggest stopping here.

If you install a9lh (according to the guide at least, there are other ways to set it up that use emuNAND, but not important here), you will strait-up be hacking your sysNAND. No emuNAND will be used. Same thing here, yes, you can play online.

The 2 major advantages of a9lh are:
1 - Boot time is about 7 seconds (depending on sd card size) whereas menuhax is about 25 seconds.
2 - AFTER you install a9lh, you will be able to backup and restore your NAND WITHOUT A HARDMOD! This means your console is brick-proof!

There are a lot of things I'm not going over here because of how much there is to explain, just trying to cover the basics.

 

[spetakju]

Up to part 3 of the guide you will be installing menuhax and emuNAND. In this mode (you can stop here if you so choose) you will have your sysNAND (real NAND) on 9.2 for the exploit and pretty much never touch it again. you will also have an emuNAND (fake NAND) that you will keep updated and install your games on. This DOES allow online gameplay and is (to the best of my knowledge) undetectable by Nintendo, so you won't get banned. This meathod of hax works, but is outdated and i don't suggest stopping here.

If you install a9lh (according to the guide at least, there are other ways to set it up that use emuNAND, but not important here), you will strait-up be hacking your sysNAND. No emuNAND will be used. Same thing here, yes, you can play online.

The 2 major advantages of a9lh are:
1 - Boot time is about 7 seconds (depending on sd card size) whereas menuhax is about 25 seconds.
2 - AFTER you install a9lh, you will be able to backup and restore your NAND WITHOUT A HARDMOD! This means your console is brick-proof!

There are a lot of things I'm not going over here because of how much there is to explain, just trying to cover the basics.

Understood, and will I be able to play snes, gba and other games with it?

Starting part 2 now.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Yes, there are emulators out there. Google "retroarch 3ds".

 

[spetakju]

Yes, there are emulators out there. Google "retroarch 3ds".

Thanks, everything went fine ( but, what a long guide, took hours to finish lol). Just one last question, i read somewhere that if I enter data management all the cia stuff I installed will get deleted, does it happen with the process that was made?

 

[Ridge]

Thanks, everything went fine ( but, what a long guide, took hours to finish lol). Just one last question, i read somewhere that if I enter data management all the cia stuff I installed will get deleted, does it happen with the process that was made?

Data management should be safe to enter, I do it a lot. What will get deleted is custom cia themes and cia DLCs, if you enter theme shop and/or eShop. But not data management.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Data management should be safe to enter, I do it a lot. What will get deleted is custom cia themes and cia DLCs, if you enter theme shop and/or eShop. But not data management.

This isn't true. I can enter eShop without losing custom cia installs or DLC. I haven't personally tested the theme shop, but I would assume it's also fine.

 

[sniper_x002]

This isn't true. I can enter eShop without losing custom cia installs or DLC. I haven't personally tested the theme shop, but I would assume it's also fine.

Only some illegit downloaded DLC gets erased for me. Mii plaza is always erased but not all games dlc is deleted.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Only some illegit downloaded DLC gets erased for me. Mii plaza is always erased but not all games dlc is deleted.

Strange, I keep the Mii plaza DLC too. I wonder what the difference between us is?

 

[sniper_x002]

Strange, I keep the Mii plaza DLC too. I wonder what the difference between us is?

Did you purchase or download the cia for the plaza dlc? I have some of it purchased, and those always stay.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Did you purchase or download the cia for the plaza dlc? I have some of it purchased, and those always stay.

Nope, it's the cia version for all of it. Maybe it's because you have a linked NNID. I don't.