Hacking [Help] Can't get Gateway card to work

[Zizka]

Hello guys, first message here. Basically, I need help and I'm willing to pay a small sum of money if someone is willing to help me out to sort this out.

I have 3ds xl: 8.1.0.-19U.
I just got my gateway cards and I can't figure out how the whole thing works. Maybe I'm bad at this but it's just so complicated. I've been trying for 6 hours now to understand how the whole thing works.

Here's my process:
A. So basically I received two Gateway cards: one with a blue sticker and one with a red sticker. There were no instructions provided inside the box so I had no idea why I would need two cards.

B. I bought a SD card and the adapter that goes with it. My SD card clicks into the red gateway (GW) but just slides into the blue GW. So I don't know if there's something wrong with the card I bought.

C. Anyways, I head to the Gateway website and I get this:

I don't know why version I'm supposed to download at this point. So manual, no idea what to download, ok.

D.
So naturally I go and download the user manual to figure out how it all works. I find on the first page of the PDF that it's for version 3.7.2.. I had downloaded the non-beta one so I deleted the files and download 3.7.2. instead. Ok.

My firmware is 8.1.0 u19 so I'm ok. I have a WIFI connection too.

Now I find out I need to buy another SD card? Is that right? I mean, why does it say:

"for your Gateway Card(s)" Why is the s in brackets? Does it mean that it's optional to have two SD or not? Why not say one sd card for the blue GW and one SD card for the red GW?

What does "internal use" mean? it means directly inside the 3ds on the side slot? Is that it? If so, why not just clarify this?

So I'm getting a bit frustrated about how vague everything is but I persevere:

One Red gateway card. Ok, I have the red one but what about the blue one? So I'm still confused and missing an SD card from the looks of it, so another 20 bucks and another trip to the store but I keep reading.

D. So I need to format one SD card for the red GW in exFAT32 and to format the other SD card in FAT32. But then it says: "The SD card inside the 3ds should be in FAT32". But aren't they both going inside the 3ds? More confusion, but I keep on going. I format my sd card in FAT32 for the moment.

E. So I find out I need to move some files to the SD card:

Step 4: Extract the contents of the HBL Starter Pack to the root of your SD card, along with the latest Gateway “Launcher.dat” from the zip file. You will also want to extract the “GW_3DSX.zip” and place the folder labelled “GW” in the SD:\3ds\ folder along with the other applications from the HBL Starter Pack.

So I open up the extracted folder to find the "launcher.dat" file. The only folder I find with "launcher.dat" is this one:

Shouldn't it be GW Ultra 3.7.2 instead of 4.2? I didn't think think you get even more muddled but I keep going. I follow the instructions and end up with this one the root of the SD card:

And with this in the 3ds folder:

F. I keep on reading:

Step 5: Place the SD card into your 3DS and power it up. Open up the Web Browser app and navigate to: http://yls8.mtheall.com/3dsbrowserhax_auto.php OR you can press L+R at the Home Menu and click on QR and scan this QR Code

Place the SD card directly in the 3ds or in one of the two flashcards? No idea. I figure it's directly into the 3ds so I put the SD adapter with the SD card inside in the 3ds side.

Then I power on my 3ds and wait...

The 3ds loads normally with no message or anything and I'm at the main menu.

G. Then I scan the QR code with the 3ds, you know, the one in the manual. I then access the website that pops up.

The bottom screen turns yellow, things freeze for a while then I get the message:

"An error has occured. Please save your data in any software currently in use, and then restart the system".

That's where I'm at now. Normally I should get to number 6 but I can't access the HBL (Homebrew launcher).

I would sincerely appreciate anyone guiding me through this.

Thanks!

Z.

 

[evandixon]

A. The red card plays 3DS games, the blue card plays DS games.
B. That's normal.
C. Choose 3.7.2. It shouldn't matter which mirror you choose, they're all the same. 4 links are provided in case one of them goes down.
D. One sd goes in your 3DS, the other in the Gateway red card (which will then go in your 3DS). Formatting to exFat is optional, but makes things easier if you play any ROMS that are 4GB in size. Don't format the sd going into your 3DS.
E. The 3.7.2 update contains the private beta 4.2 for some reason. As long as you stay away from Gateway Fastboot, you should be fine.
F. Yes, directly into your 3DS. It'll tell you if it means one of the flashcarts.
G. Try clearing your cookies in the browser, then try again. I usually just initialize the browser's save data, but that'll delete any favorites you may have.

 

[kamesenin888]

wow im impressed that no hater has come with a link to plailect saying to ditch the thing and use cfw, uniquegeek helped you with the info, you should find a way to upgrade to 9.2 and the get arm9 but i think you are not too tech savy so maybe 9.2 menuhax and emunand is the best option in your case so you dont take any risk

 

[Zizka]

@kamesenin: You're totally right in saying that I'm not tech savvy. This, to me, is beyond complicated. I don't even understand what emunand is yet.

@UniqueGeek: Awesome, this clarifies things quite a bit.

D. One sd goes in your 3DS, the other in the Gateway red card (which will then go in your 3DS). Formatting to exFat is optional, but makes things easier if you play any ROMS that are 4GB in size. Don't format the sd going into your 3DS.

More questions:

1. Why do you need two SD cards though? You need one to launch Gateway and one that acts like a card with the games on it (the Red gateway?)

2. For the whole internet HBL protocol, I need to have the SD card in the side slot (directly in the 3ds) right? I don't use the Red GW yet, correct?

3. I tried deleting the cookies but no luck, I got the same error message. I filmed a video of me doing it, I can upload it if you guys think it can help.

4. Should I update to a different firmware version and use ARM9? Would it make things easier?

 

[Quantumcat]

4. Should I update to a different firmware version and use ARM9? Would it make things easier?

Oh yes it would make thing five billion times easier. There is a clear step-by-step guide that is really easy to follow, and that everyone knows well so you can get help easily if you don't understand any part of it.

Https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki. Start with Part 1 (Decrypt9), which will show you how to get Decrypt9 working (it has lots of options for different firmwares; I think you'll be doing Decrypt9 (Browser)). Then, you'll switch off your console and now do Part 2, and put on all the files it tells you to onto your SD card, then get back into Decrypt9 like Part 1 taught you to and do the rest of the steps. Then you'll move onto Part 3.

When you've finished Part 3, you'll have a fully hacked system that you can install games and apps onto, and you won't have to boot into any special modes like for Gateway, they'll just work on start-up as though it were a stock console and you had bought those games from the eShop. If after that you'd still like to be able to use the Gateway card, you can then follow https://gbatemp.net/threads/tutorial-using-luma3ds-with-gateway-on-v2-a9lh.431691/

 

[FakuMotaFaka]

wow im impressed that no hater has come with a link to plailect saying to ditch the thing and use cfw, uniquegeek helped you with the info, you should find a way to upgrade to 9.2 and the get arm9 but i think you are not too tech savy so maybe 9.2 menuhax and emunand is the best option in your case so you dont take any risk

If going the emunand method way, why change right? :/ One step at a time but then again
@Quantumcat You basically telling him he has wasted his money.
@Zizka I'd recommend you follow your heart.
:/

 

[Zizka]

Here's the video of me trying. Quality isn't great but I had my phone in one hand and the 3ds in another:


@FakuMotaFaka : Well, I'll probably ask for a refund if I don't end up using the GW card. I'm pretty disappointed about it to be honest.

@Quantumcat: Ok! I'll give it a shot.

I do have more questions though:

1. If I update my firmware, won't it automatically update to the latest version of the firmware? If so, don't I risk getting a version who is too recent? I want to be really sure here because I don't want to end up getting stuck.

I'll wait for you guys answer before updating since I don't think there's any going back to previous firmware version after that.

Meanwhile, I'll read the guide, thanks! Very helpful community.

 

[Quantumcat]

1. If I update my firmware, won't it automatically update to the latest version of the firmware? If so, don't I risk getting a version who is too recent? I want to be really sure here because I don't want to end up getting stuck.

If you are following Plailect's guide, you won't be updating at all until you get right to the end. At that point you have a9lh and your console will stay modded no matter what version it is on (this hack happens before the home menu had even loaded up, so it doesn't matter what version it's on).
However, don't do a normal system update before this unless you are not going to get a9lh, and in that case you have to make sure you are on emuNAND not your normal sysNAND. If you go this route you will also have to update your system to 9.2 using sysupdater (already you can see this is more work, and you end up with an inferior mod).

 

[Zizka]

Alright, this clarifies it.

I'm going to go for a last round of questions before I do it (thanks for bearing with me here):

Reading through the Part 1 of the guide, I get a table.

1. Since my version is 8.1.0 19U, this is the part of the table I'm concerned with.

2. Quoting from the guide:

In the case of "5.0.0-0U" for example, you would follow the "No Browser" column and 5.0.0 to 5.1.0 row because the system is on the a system version in that range and has no browser installed.

So my version is 8.1.0 U19 which means I follow the line I showed above and that I do not have a browser. Which means I have to go for this:

3. So I need to do a "Cart Update"...

...which is where I find out I need a cart. I don't have a game cart and I've invested way more money into this than I had budgeted so buying at this point is out of the question.

So I guess I'm stuck with using GW right?

 

[Quantumcat]

Alright, this clarifies it.

I'm going to go for a last round of questions before I do it (thanks for bearing with me here):

Reading through the Part 1 of the guide, I get a table.

1. Since my version is 8.1.0 19U, this is the part of the table I'm concerned with.

2. Quoting from the guide:

In the case of "5.0.0-0U" for example, you would follow the "No Browser" column and 5.0.0 to 5.1.0 row because the system is on the a system version in that range and has no browser installed.

So my version is 8.1.0 U19 which means I follow the line I showed above and that I do not have a browser. Which means I have to go for this:

3. So I need to do a "Cart Update"...

...which is where I find out I need a cart. I don't have a game cart and I've invested way more money into this than I had budgeted so buying at this point is out of the question.

So I guess I'm stuck with using GW right?

Nope - you do have a browser :-) that's the -19 at the end. It's when it's -0 that there's a problem. You can go ahead and do Decrypt9 (Browser).

 

[TheTheTony]

19U means you have browser

 

[Zizka]

Ah ok! That's good then.

Here's what I did step by step (I'm being descriptive as I hope this thread can help other people in the future).

1. Format my SD card to remove all the stuff that was on there for GW.

2. I created a folder called file9 in the root of my SD card.

3. I downloaded "Decrypt9WIP-20160919-133434" as mentioned in the guide.

4. I extracted the archive on my computer which provided the following files:

5. I copied both "launcher.dat" and "Decrypt9WIP" from those extracted files to the root of my SD card. Which means I have those files on my SD card:

6. I will now try to go to one of the different URLs mentioned in the guide and let you know if it worked or not. Fingers crossed!

 

[Quantumcat]

Ah ok! That's good then.

Here's what I did step by step (I'm being descriptive as I hope this thread can help other people in the future).

1. Format my SD card to remove all the stuff that was on there for GW.

2. I created a folder called file9 in the root of my SD card.

3. I downloaded "Decrypt9WIP-20160919-133434" as mentioned in the guide.

4. I extracted the archive on my computer which provided the following files:

5. I copied both "launcher.dat" and "Decrypt9WIP" from those extracted files to the root of my SD card. Which means I have those files on my SD card:

6. I will now try to go to one of the different URLs mentioned in the guide and let you know if it worked or not. Fingers crossed!

You're doing great. If one of the links doesn't work, just try another.

 

[Zizka]

1. http://go.gateway-3ds.com/
Didn't work: the bottom screen became glitchy and it crashed.

2. https://dukesrg.github.io/?Decrypt9WIP.dat
Didn't work: 404: file not found.

3. http://www.reboot.ms/3ds/load.html?Launcher.dat
Worked!

4. I then downloaded: 2.1.0-4U_ctrtransfer_o3ds through torrent.

5. I extracted the torrent to my computer.

The following steps in green are all done:

1. Press (Select) on the main menu to eject your SD card, then put it in your computer
2. Copy the 2.1.0 .bin and .bin.sha from the ctrtransfer zip to the /files9/ folder on your SD card
3. Reinsert your SD card into your 3DS
4. Go to "SysNAND Options", then "CTRNAND Transfer", then "Auto CTRNAND Transfer"
5. Select the 2.1.0 ctrtransfer image when prompted by pressing (A)
6. Backup SysNAND to NANDmin.bin when prompted by pressing (A)
   • If you don't have enough space and this is skipped, just continue with the instructions; Part 3 accounts for this possibility

The upper screen has a text promt which says:

"Creating NANDmin.bin" and is slowly increasing in percentage. I'll let you know what happens once that's done.

 

[owek1]

@Quantumcat hi just a noobie and quick question, if say i got a o3DS running ofw 2.1.0.4 can i go straight to step 3 on the Plailect guide ? or must i start at step 1, update to 4.5? i'm confused because it said you need to be on 2.1 firmware..

 

[Quantumcat]

@Quantumcat hi just a noobie and quick question, if say i got a o3DS running ofw 2.1.0.4 can i go straight to step 3 on the Plailect guide ? or must i start at step 1, update to 4.5? i'm confused because it said you need to be on 2.1 firmware..

Yep you can start from Part 3. When it comes time to restore your NAND backup, do the workaround for people who don't have a backup (9.2 CTR transfer). It will say this in the guide.

 

[Zizka]

Alright, it's now "injecting CTRNand". This happened automatically right after the back was made.

Quote from the guide:
Delete the 2.1.0 ctrtransfer image .bin and .bin.sha from the /files9/ folder on your SD card

Is this necessary or is it just to save some space on the SD card?

 

[Quantumcat]

Alright, it's now "injecting CTRNand". This happened automatically right after the back was made.

Quote from the guide:
Delete the 2.1.0 ctrtransfer image .bin and .bin.sha from the /files9/ folder on your SD card

Is this necessary or is it just to save some space on the SD card?

Not necessary, you can delete it later.

 

[owek1]

Yep you can start from Part 3. When it comes time to restore your NAND backup, do the workaround for people who don't have a backup (9.2 CTR transfer). It will say this in the guide.

thank you, i was able to secure a o3DS with 2.1 firmware and will have it by tomorrow lunch time..i will read more about it (Plailect guide) and post questions if i get confused..this will be my first time with the 3DS hacking as i only got experience with PSPs,Wii, vWii/WiiU which for me seemed a little easy to follow LOL..

 

[Quantumcat]

thank you, i was able to secure a o3DS with 2.1 firmware and will have it by tomorrow lunch time..i will read more about it (Plailect guide) and post questions if i get confused..this will be my first time with the 3DS hacking as i only got experience with PSPs,Wii, vWii/WiiU which for me seemed a little easy to follow LOL..

Feel free to ask about any concerns you have, I am happy to help, and if I'm not available there's dozens of others who can also help :-)