Hacking So basically.. I'm screwed?

[Bimmel]

So, before I move on with the guide, there is a question that is for sure not in the guide.

I want to install Gateways EmuNand because of the .3ds support and the cheat feature. When is the best time to do this? Can I still do this when I finished with the guide? Or can I do it now, without anything bad happening?
Reason for my question: At the end of the guide I have an "updated SysNand", but I'm not sure what that means. I don't have to boot into EmuNand/RedNand anymore, but I have no "original Firmware" as a backup? That troubles me a bit.

Another 2 questions: EmuNand9 is just an installer for any kind of Firmware, right? And in the guide it's Luma3DS we install? Just want to know if I understand that correctly.
And could I possibly keep my not updated SysNand with Gateway EmuNand and Luma3DS RedNand? All I had to do is just the correct launcher for the correct Firmware to boot into, right?

 

[Fazana]

By the end of the guide you'll have A9LH, which is basically unpatchable, so you can update sysnand all you want and you can still get access to stuff. You'd have a homebrew channel cia installed which you could then use to gain access to CFW, or I think you can also set up a shortcut button on Luma (which will run on sysnand) to boot straight into whatever emunand you have set up. (in your case, being GW)

As for the "no original firmware" thing, A9LH allows for sysnand recovery even if it's bricked, as long as you create a backup in Hourglass9.

In the end, you'll have Luma on Sysnand and Gateway on Emunand. As for how installing it works, I'm not too sure, I haven't played around with emunand or had a reason to, so I'm not sure how the CFW process actually works on them.

 

[Bimmel]

By the end of the guide you'll have A9LH, which is basically unpatchable, so you can update sysnand all you want and you can still get access to stuff. You'd have a homebrew channel cia installed which you could then use to gain access to CFW, or I think you can also set up a shortcut button on Luma (which will run on sysnand) to boot straight into whatever emunand you have set up. (in your case, being GW)

As for the "no original firmware" thing, A9LH allows for sysnand recovery even if it's bricked, as long as you create a backup in Hourglass9.

In the end, you'll have Luma on Sysnand and Gateway on Emunand. As for how installing it works, I'm not too sure, I haven't played around with emunand or had a reason to, so I'm not sure how the CFW process actually works on them.

Thank you. Sorry for the late reply, but I had no time to work on this until now.

In the meantime I completed part 3 of the guide, which means I've got an updated RedNand now. Everything went well, no errors and stuff.

What I don't understand is, why A9LH is unpatchable, even when it's higher then 9.2. I still update from the Nintendos server, am I not? How is this possible? But on the other hand, it's the same as GW, just not on SysNand.

The problem I see is, that for the installation of GW I need an entrypoint, which is the DS one. The question is if I can install GW only now, cause I've got an updated SysNand later and If I can use the DSTWO ever again. It did not work for me on GW EmuNand on my old 3DS, so I used SysNand on 4.5 all the time. Confusing.

 

[Quantumcat]

Thank you. Sorry for the late reply, but I had no time to work on this on until now.

In the meantime I completed part 3 of the guide, which means I've got an updated RedNand now. Everything went well, no errors and stuff.

What I don't understand is, why A9LH is unpatchable, even when it's higher then 9.2. I still update from the Nintendos server, am I not? How is this possible? But on the other hand, it's the same as GW, just not on SysNand.

Have a read of yifanlu's blog: http://yifan.lu, it's very enlightening. Basically, the system trusts the OTP right at boot and then locks it right away from being read or written. Different parts of the process start and rely on what came before it being trustable (as in, is willing to execute the code that comes from it), until the home menu loads. The whole chain means it's trusting something from very early in the boot that no one can supposedly access. In 'normal' hacks like Gateway's MSET and Smealum's *hax, some chinks in the armour are found to get our code to run. It relies on the system having already started up for those chinks to be present. But a9lh uses the OTP to get out code to run before anything boots up. The console trusts what happened on boot up but it's too late, so now it's trusting our code. It doesn't matter what firmware you're on, since that would only affect what chinks in the armour you can find. A9lh is in the armour before it's even been put on.

The problem I see is, that for the installation of GW I need an entrypoint, which is the DS one. The question is if I can install GW only now, cause I've got an updated SysNand later and If I can use the DSTWO ever again. It did not work for me on GW EmuNand on my old 3DS, so I used SysNand on 4.5 all the time. Confusing.

You can boot Gateway on a9lh by going to Gateway's website, and downloading arm9loaderhax.bin from the bottom of the Downloads page, renaming it down_GW.bin, and putting it in luma/payloads. And also putting the launcher.dat from 3.7.1 on the root (don't use 4.0). Now you can hold down on the d-pad when turning on our console to boot into Gateway mode.
Troubleshooting: if you get a black screen, make sure you're using a screen-init version of a9lh and if not then use bootmanager9 or whatever it is called (ask if unsure) and also, if you removed your emuNAND using a computer tool, you need to redo it using emuNAND9 (Gateway will detect traces of emuNAND remaining and attempt to boot it and fail hence the black screen).

 

[gnmmarechal]

Hmm did you try to remove your SD card before turning on your 3DS?

removing the SD is only because of Menuhax.... which would display a black screen, not the Nintendo error screen.

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

Yeah, SafeSysUpdater has had some reports of freezing mid-process. And well, you don't want that to happen.

they all use the same exploit though, the danger is similar.

 

[Bimmel]

Have a read of yifanlu's blog: http://yifan.lu, it's very enlightening. Basically, the system trusts the OTP right at boot and then locks it right away from being read or written. Different parts of the process start and rely on what came before it being trustable (as in, is willing to execute the code that comes from it), until the home menu loads. The whole chain means it's trusting something from very early in the boot that no one can supposedly access. In 'normal' hacks like Gateway's MSET and Smealum's *hax, some chinks in the armour are found to get our code to run. It relies on the system having already started up for those chinks to be present. But a9lh uses the OTP to get out code to run before anything boots up. The console trusts what happened on boot up but it's too late, so now it's trusting our code. It doesn't matter what firmware you're on, since that would only affect what chinks in the armour you can find. A9lh is in the armour before it's even been put on.


You can boot Gateway on a9lh by going to Gateway's website, and downloading arm9loaderhax.bin from the bottom of the Downloads page, renaming it down_GW.bin, and putting it in luma/payloads. And also putting the launcher.dat from 3.7.1 on the root (don't use 4.0). Now you can hold down on the d-pad when turning on our console to boot into Gateway mode.
Troubleshooting: if you get a black screen, make sure you're using a screen-init version of a9lh and if not then use bootmanager9 or whatever it is called (ask if unsure) and also, if you removed your emuNAND using a computer tool, you need to redo it using emuNAND9 (Gateway will detect traces of emuNAND remaining and attempt to boot it and fail hence the black screen).

Thanks, you explained well. So we make our code "trustable" from the very beginning. Sounds understandable for me.

So I can install Gateway when I finished with the guide, that's good news. I'm not 100% sure if I understand everything regarding the A9LH, but I will first take the next step in downgrading before I give that a deeper thought. Maybe I'll understand it when I see it, or the guide answers the questions so I don't need to bother you all.

Really, thanks so far. I know that these Noob threads pop out like weed. Still having the nerve to answer that - I can only pay my respect to you all.

its the glasses . . . they make quantum look smarter than other "cats"

As a "cat" I can assure - it's not only the glasses!

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

As a "cat" I can assure - it's not only the glasses!

I'm not much of a cat, but i do wear glasses too.... and i am also smart.

 

[Bimmel]

First of all: I finished the guide with everything working! Yay! Thanks!

You can boot Gateway on a9lh by going to Gateway's website, and downloading arm9loaderhax.bin from the bottom of the Downloads page, renaming it down_GW.bin, and putting it in luma/payloads. And also putting the launcher.dat from 3.7.1 on the root (don't use 4.0). Now you can hold down on the d-pad when turning on our console to boot into Gateway mode.
Troubleshooting: if you get a black screen, make sure you're using a screen-init version of a9lh and if not then use bootmanager9 or whatever it is called (ask if unsure) and also, if you removed your emuNAND using a computer tool, you need to redo it using emuNAND9 (Gateway will detect traces of emuNAND remaining and attempt to boot it and fail hence the black screen).

Does this work if I did not install GW on this 3DS in the first place? Cause I'm getting a black screen indeed.

I removed RedNand with Tiny Formatter on the 3DS.

 

[Ricken]

Does this work if I did not install GW on this 3DS in the first place? Cause I'm getting a black screen indeed.

I removed RedNand with Tiny Formatter on the 3DS.

Use EmuNand9 to convert RedNand to EmuNand then give it a go...
Not sure if this will work, but it's my best guess

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

So is rednand and emunand different?

 

[Ricken]

So is rednand and emunand different?

Slightly. TLDR on the differences; Gateway made EmuNAND, and we made RedNAND
this is significant only to rxTools/Gateway users tho, as they can't launch EmuNand. Everything else can launch both

Now you're likely wondering why we made RedNAND; Because they are nearly have the size of EmuNAND on N3DS

 

[Bimmel]

Use EmuNand9 to convert RedNand to EmuNand then give it a go...
Not sure if this will work, but it's my best guess

So is rednand and emunand different?

But I have only SysNand now, have I? : (

As far as I read through it, there similar.

I'm getting an error message, cause there is no RedNand or EmuNand.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

I don't know anything about a gateway, sounds like a portal if you ask me. But i kept seeing emunand and rednand, and wondered if it meant something i wasn't aware but since i never had a problem with either of them i guess is just a curiouus case.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

But I have only SysNand now, have I? : (

As far as I read through it, there similar.

I'm getting an error message, cause there is no RedNand or EmuNand.

What are you trying to do? Setup GW's a9lh.bin? Did you finish the guide to the very end without skipping anything? If yes, then you should be on an Updated SysNAND only setup with v2 A9LH.

Unfortunately, GW's a9lh.bin does not work with v2 A9LH. You'll need to use BootCTR9 to get it to boot.
You can use this guide on how to set it up.
Link: http://gbatemp.net/threads/using-gateway-on-a9lh-v2.431222/

 

[Bimmel]

What are you trying to do? Setup GW's a9lh.bin? Did you finish the guide to the very end without skipping anything? If yes, then you should be on an Updated SysNAND only setup with v2 A9LH.

Unfortunately, GW's a9lh.bin does not work with v2 A9LH. You'll need to use BootCTR9 to get it to boot.
You can use this guide on how to set it up.
Link: http://gbatemp.net/threads/using-gateway-on-a9lh-v2.431222/

I just want to set up the Gateway EmuNand. At the moment I've got an updated SysNAND and V1 of A9LH, not V2.

Setting up GW's a9lh.bin would be the next step, yes.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

I just want to set up the Gateway EmuNand. At the moment I've got an updated SysNAND and V1 of A9LH, not V2.

Oh, alright then.

Then do you have a GW EmuNAND.bin backup that you want to use? If so. Backup the contents of your SD Card first, then load up EmuNAND9 by holding Y at boot time. Then go to "SD Format Options..." -> "Format SD (EmuNAND legacy)" - Let this complete. Once done, safely eject your SD Card by pressing the Select button. On your computer, copy back the contents you backed up, as well as your GW EmuNAND.bin backup that you'll be using. Then insert your SD Card back into your 3DS. Press B to return to the menu, and go to "EmuNAND Manager Options..." -> "Restore file to EmuNAND"

Otherwise, if you haven't made one or don't have one yet. You'll need to do the "Complete EmuNAND Setup" - Making sure to backup your SD Card contents, prior to doing that. Then copying them back onto the SD Card once done. You'll also have to unlink them by using Tiny Format on whichever one.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

I always been curious about the tinyformat thing, the system already has a format tool built into it, so what is tiny format doing that the system tool format isn't?

 

[Bimmel]

Oh, alright then.

Then do you have a GW EmuNAND.bin backup that you want to use? If so. Backup the contents of your SD Card first, then load up EmuNAND9 by holding Y at boot time. Then go to "SD Format Options..." -> "Format SD (EmuNAND legacy)" - Let this complete. Once done, safely eject your SD Card by pressing the Select button. On your computer, copy back the contents you backed up, as well as your GW EmuNAND.bin backup that you'll be using. Then insert your SD Card back into your 3DS. Press B to return to the menu, and go to "EmuNAND Manager Options..." -> "Restore file to EmuNAND"

Otherwise, if you haven't made one or don't have one yet. You'll need to do the "Complete EmuNAND Setup" - Making sure to backup your SD Card contents, prior to doing that. Then copying them back onto the SD Card once done. You'll also have to unlink them by using Tiny Format on whichever one.

I made several NAND backups on my old 3DS, but I would prefer using a new one.

Thanks, I'm in the middle of it now. But how to go on? How do I get access to GW mode? The DS exploit does not work anymore, right?

 

[RemixDeluxe]

I always been curious about the tinyformat thing, the system already has a format tool built into it, so what is tiny format doing that the system tool format isn't?

Its faster to access and cuts out the BS of the initial setup (Whats your name, where do you live, test the 3D, etc)

 

[Temptress Cerise]

I always been curious about the tinyformat thing, the system already has a format tool built into it, so what is tiny format doing that the system tool format isn't?

No need for internet connection, and it doesn't delete the Nintendo 3DS folder contents. Since we are unlinking NANDs, it is best we do not delete the folder that pertains to one NAND.

I made several NAND backups on my old 3DS, but I would prefer using a new one.

Thanks, I'm in the middle of it now. But how to go on? How do I get access to GW mode? The DS exploit does not work anymore, right?

You use GW's a9lh.bin file of course. After you have setup a GW EmuNAND, you place the Launcher.dat on the root of the SD Card. Then you take GW's "arm9loaderhax.bin" file and place it in the /luma/payloads folder, you then rename it to down_GW9.bin. Or use any of the other naming combos as described in Luma3DS' wiki on Payload Chainloading.
Link: https://github.com/AuroraWright/Luma3DS/wiki/Other-features-and-notes#payload-chainloading

This is of course assuming you are using v1 A9LH. v2 A9LH will black-screen with Luma3DS' chainloader, unless you add BootCTR9 into the mix, as I explained earlier.