Hacking Questions/Concerns About Downgrading...

[crimsonnight]

Hey guys, my friend has hacked his 3DS using a hardmod so I am now about to use his 3DS to downgrade mine (as per this guide: https://plailect.github.io/Guide/dsiware-downgrade) but have a few concerns I'd like to clear up beforehand:

1. The guide is to downgrade to 10.4.0, but ideally I need 9.2.0 right? Do I downgrade again after following this guide?
2. Am I able to restore my NNID and download my games from the eShop?
3. I was planning on buying a Gateway card after downgrading (currently have a Sky3DS), but is there any need with CFW?
4. It says that the system software version number won't actually change in the settings - why is this? Could it potentially be a problem in the future?
5. My 3DS is fitted with a capture card so I really don't want to brick my device, obviously I know that there's no guarantee it won't happen, but how risky is this method of downgrading?
6. Will I be able to play Pokemon Sun/Moon (in online features) after downgrading (Gateway/CFW)?

Thanks!

 

[KunoichiZ]

1. If you fully read the DSiware guide, it tells you to go on to Homebrew Launchr (No Browser) to get access to the Homebrew Launcher, which from there you''ll downgrade to 9.2.0.
2. What system models do you and your friend have? If you have a n3DS and he has an Old 3DS, you'll lose access to your NNID, and his will be on the n3DS unless you call Nintendo and make up some reason so that they cannunlink it from the n3DS and back to his Old 3DS.
3. There is no need for a Gateway card with CFW. None whatsoever.
4. It shouldn't be a problem because you're only downgrading your NFIRM, which starting from 11.0.0-33, prevented downgrades with Homebrew access alone. After you downgrade your NFIRM, you can now use the Homebrew Launcher to downgrade to 9.2.0.
5. I've done it once and I've had no issues of a brick, either hard or softbrick. Although, if you do hard brick, you no longer have a capture card unless you can get a hardmod on a capture card system. If you get a partial downgrade (when the downgrade gets an error while downgrading) when downgrading to 9.2.0, you just need to redo the downgrade by getting access to the Homebrew Launcher again.
6. After you follow Plailect's guide fully all the way to the end of Installing arm9loaderhax, you'll be on the latest firmware and you'll be able to play Sun and Moon.

 

[crimsonnight]

1. If you fully read the DSiware guide, it tells you to go on to Homebrew Launchr (No Browser) to get access to the Homebrew Launcher, which from there you''ll downgrade to 9.2.0.
2. What system models do you and your friend have? If you have a n3DS and he has an Old 3DS, you'll lose access to your NNID, and his will be on the n3DS unless you call Nintendo and make up some reason so that they cannunlink it from the n3DS and back to his Old 3DS.
3. There is no need for a Gateway card with CFW. None whatsoever.
4. It shouldn't be a problem because you're only downgrading your NFIRM, which starting from 11.0.0-33, prevented downgrades with Homebrew access alone. After you downgrade your NFIRM, you can now use the Homebrew Launcher to downgrade to 9.2.0.
5. I've done it once and I've had no issues of a brick, either hard or softbrick. Although, if you do hard brick, you no longer have a capture card unless you can get a hardmod on a capture card system. If you get a partial downgrade (when the downgrade gets an error while downgrading) when downgrading to 9.2.0, you just need to redo the downgrade by getting access to the Homebrew Launcher again.
6. After you follow Plailect's guide fully all the way to the end of Installing arm9loaderhax, you'll be ojnthe latest firmware and you'll be able to play Sun and Moon.

Thanks for the swift reply, I appreciate you clearing everything up for me I did just have one thing I wanted to confirm though:

2. I have an old 3DS and he has an old 3DS XL - so we'll both be able to restore our NNIDs to our systems after the process is complete? I'll be able to download my purchased content from the eShop afterwards?

 

[KunoichiZ]

Thanks for the swift reply, I appreciate you clearing everything up for me I did just have one thing I wanted to confirm though:

2. I have an old 3DS and he has an old 3DS XL - so we'll both be able to restore our NNIDs to our systems after the process is complete? I'll be able to download my purchased content from the eShop afterwards?

You'll have to format your system first to unlink your NNID because you can't do a system transfer to a system that has a NNID linked. Second, you'll have to wait a week after any and all system transfers. Format your system, system transfer from his to yours, install arm9loaderhax, wait a week and transfer back to his system. He'll have his NNID back. As for yours, I'm not sure if you can then sign-in with yours or not.

I had a spare system that I could transfer my NNID and stuff to so that after I set up arm9loaderhax and waited a week, I system transferred back to the original system and had my NNID. So I'm not sure if you can re-sign into yours. You'll want to wait for further confirmation.

 

[crimsonnight]

You'll have to format your system first to unlink your NNID because you can't do a system transfer to a system that has a NNID linked. Second, you'll have to wait a week after any and all system transfers. Format your system, system transfer from his to yours, install arm9loaderhax, wait a week and transfer back to his system. He'll have his NNID back. As for yours, I'm not sure if you can then sign-in with yours or not.

I had a spare system that I could transfer my NNID and stuff to so that after I set up arm9loaderhax and waited a week, I system transferred back to the original system and had my NNID. So I'm not sure if you can re-sign into yours. You'll want to wait for further confirmation.

Well we could always ring Nintendo customer support, get them to release our IDs and then re-associate them with our 3DS' if we need to right?

 

[Quantumcat]

Thanks for the swift reply, I appreciate you clearing everything up for me I did just have one thing I wanted to confirm though:

2. I have an old 3DS and he has an old 3DS XL - so we'll both be able to restore our NNIDs to our systems after the process is complete? I'll be able to download my purchased content from the eShop afterwards?

In addition to @KunoichiZ's answer, your friend will keep his data but you will lose yours. You can back up your save games with JKSM through homebrew (you'll probably need a cart entrypoint but I haven't kept up with what works/what doesn't on 11.2), but you will lose data like your friend list, friend code, Mii Plaza progress, and activity log fire to having to format your system without being able to make a NAND backup. If your friend is willing, and you have the extra time, I would suggest this:

1. Your friend backs up his NAND and all his SD card data.
2. He formats his system and you system transfer to it.
3. You buy Fieldrunners on his 3DS that now has your account and set up the hacked save etc. 4. Seven days later you system transfer to your system.
5. You set up a9lh on your console.
6. He restores his backups he made in step 1.
7. He calls Nintendo and requests his NNID be unlinked from your console and relinked to his (all NNIDs whether active or not are transferred when doing a system transfer)

Done - with nobody losing any data.

If you don't care about your data then you don't have to do this of course. But personally, I wouldn't want to lose mine, I love looking back and seeing what my first played game was etc (I've system transferred through like ten consoles still with my original account from 2014)

Edit: just had a look at my activity log and my very first played 3DS game was 900 days ago today :-)

 

[crimsonnight]

Hey guys, so I've finally managed to downgrade, thanks again for your advice!

I'm currently stuck with my friends NNID on my device - do I have to wait a week to transfer it back to his device, or is there a way I can delete it and restore mine?

 

[Quantumcat]

Hey guys, so I've finally managed to downgrade, thanks again for your advice!

I'm currently stuck with my friends NNID on my device - do I have to wait a week to transfer it back to his device, or is there a way I can delete it and restore mine?

You can either wait seven days and transfer it (if you ignored my advice and he wants his data) or call Nintendo if he doesn't want his data. Either way your data is gone forever so I hope you didn't care about that.

 

[crimsonnight]

You can either wait seven days and transfer it (if you ignored my advice and he wants his data) or call Nintendo if he doesn't want his data. Either way your data is gone forever so I hope you didn't care about that.

I didn't ignore you, I appreciated your advice Neither of us care about our data - I'll call up Nintendo twice tomorrow so that we can both have our IDs back.