Hacking [Noob] Where to start ? Many questions.

[Denkenshiki]

Hello !

Excuse me if my topic shouldn't be there or isn't appropriate, but I hesitated for a long time before posting it since I'm actually quite a bit desperate. and I truly hope that someone could explain things to me in a "noob-friendly" manner.

I have a 3DS XL Pikachu on firmware 4.5
I already tried in the past to hack it, but it was unsuccessful.
More than a year and a half later, I wondered if things advanced and if it was easier, but everytime that I search, I can't find where to start exactly..

Should I leave my 3DS on firmware 4.5 or upgrade it ?
What's the benefit of staying/upgrading my firmware in my case ?
If I should upgrade it, to what firmware ?
I want to be able to play region free locked games, CIA's & homebrews from my 3DS. How do I do so exactly ? With a CFW ? How to install one from step 1 ?
I have an r4 clone for playing ds games on my 3DS : It is useful or useful ?


I would be REALLY glad and thankful if someone could EXPLAIN things to me, rather than redirecting me to other topics where I wouldn't understand a thing..

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[Joom]

https://3ds.guide

 

[Denkenshiki]

This website is perfect, thanks a lot.
I'll up this thread if I face any problem during the installation !

 

[Denkenshiki]

Alright so, I have a problem I think :


"Old 3DS

• You should be on 2.1.0
• Go to http://dukesrg.github.io/2xrsa.html?arm11.bin on your 3DS
  • If you get an error, follow this troubleshooting guide
  • If you get a glitched screen, follow this troubleshooting guide
• Press (Select) to Full Install
• The installer will now install arm9loaderhax on your device (this is very fast)
• Shut down your console, hold the power button until it turns off if necessary
• Copy your console specific OTP.bin from the /a9lh/ folder on your SD card to a safe location on your computer and back it up to multiple locations (such as online file storage), then reinsert your SD card into your 3DS"

After installing arm9loaderhax on the device, it appears that I don't have a "OTP.bin" file anywhere on the SD card.. What do I do now ?
And when they say "You should be on 2.1.0" = Firmware 2.1.0 ? Because i'm running 4.2.something after checking.

 

[Joom]

You have to downgrade to 2.1. The guide covers this, so don't skip around.

 

[Imacaredformy2ds]

Can't you update from 4.X-X to 9.2?

 

[Denkenshiki]

Ok so, I was wrong.

I actually downgraded to 2.1.0-4E, but I didn't realize it.
The problem still remains : I don't have a OTP.bin file..

Is it necessary to have this file, or can I continue without having it ?

 

[Joom]

Ok so, I was wrong.

I actually downgraded to 2.1.0-4E, but I didn't realize it.
The problem still remains : I don't have a OTP.bin file..

What happens if you boot without the SD?

 

[Denkenshiki]

If I boot without the SD, black screen then Nothing.
The 3DS boots for 1 sec, blue light, then the blue light disappears.

If I boot with the sd card, without pressing select = It boots just fine.

 

[Ante0]

Did you visit: http://dukesrg.github.io/2xrsa.html?arm11.bin ?
and checked your sd://a9lh/ folder for OTP.bin?

 

[Denkenshiki]

Yes, I visited that website.
It give me a weird screen first, but it appeared.
I pressed select to full install, then I rebooted my 3DS.
I did this twice by now, but still no OTP.bin file on the "a9lh" folder...

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

Ok so, I kept trying again and again and again the same step (going to that website, select, reboot), and now I FINALLY have the otp.bin file.
Thanks a lot for those who helped, I'm gonna follow the rest of the steps now.

 

[Joom]

It wasn't really necessary to do that since A9LH was properly installed. Since it booted to a black screen without an SD inserted, that means you have A9LH.

 

[Denkenshiki]

Alright so, hopefully, this will be my last question.
I'm currently going through these steps :

1. Reboot while holding Start to launch Hourglass9
2. Go to “SysNAND Backup/Restore”, then select “Health&Safety Inject”
3. Select hs.app (the original one that doesn’t contain FBI), then press (A) and confirm to inject
4. Press (Select) on the main menu to eject your SD card
5. Press (Start) to reboot with the SD card removed
   • Booting the device at least once with the SD card removed will allow you to configure the CTRNAND based luma installation

The problem is that, after I press Select on the main meny & eject the SD card, and then I press start to reboot with the SD card off the 3DS, it doesn't reboot at all. I still can't boot it without the SD card. Any clue ?

 

[MadMageKefka]

Alright so, hopefully, this will be my last question.
I'm currently going through these steps :

1. Reboot while holding Start to launch Hourglass9
2. Go to “SysNAND Backup/Restore”, then select “Health&Safety Inject”
3. Select hs.app (the original one that doesn’t contain FBI), then press (A) and confirm to inject
4. Press (Select) on the main menu to eject your SD card
5. Press (Start) to reboot with the SD card removed
   • Booting the device at least once with the SD card removed will allow you to configure the CTRNAND based luma installation

The problem is that, after I press Select on the main meny & eject the SD card, and then I press start to reboot with the SD card off the 3DS, it doesn't reboot at all. I still can't boot it without the SD card. Any clue ?

You need to have the sd card in while booting.

 

[Denkenshiki]

Thanks for your help, but I still cannot understand what exactly am I supposed to do.
I inject the hs.app. Then what do I do next ?
If you could tell me step by step what to do after this, I would be really grateful.

 

[Audino]

Thanks for your help, but I still cannot understand what exactly am I supposed to do.
I inject the hs.app. Then what do I do next ?
If you could tell me step by step what to do after this, I would be really grateful.

It's all explained in the guide, just read it and don't rush.

 

[Denkenshiki]

Ok.

1. Select hs.app (the original one that doesn’t contain FBI), then press (A) and confirm to inject
2. Press (Select) on the main menu to eject your SD card
3. Press (Start) to reboot with the SD card removed
   • Booting the device at least once with the SD card removed will allow you to configure the CTRNAND based luma installation

1. I inject the hs.app. I press A to confirm to inject. Done.
2. I press Select on the main menu to eject the SD card + I remove physically the SD card. Done.
3. I press Start to reboot with the SD card removed. Done.
I boot the device with the SD card removed : Doesn't boot.

I've kept reading the guide over and over, I can't understand what have I done wrong :/
If there's something I'm missing, please tell me what is it.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Thanks for your help, but I still cannot understand what exactly am I supposed to do.
I inject the hs.app. Then what do I do next ?
If you could tell me step by step what to do after this, I would be really grateful.

Not quite. You DUMP the hs.app and back it up on your pc. Then you INJECT the fbi.app provided in the guide for your region. Injecting the hs.app just reinjects the health and safety app into itself. hs.app = health and safety app in file form.

To the people here saying "just follow the guide"... Stop. You're not helping. Obviously he is already doing that and is confused.

 

[Denkenshiki]

I've already done that part MadMageKefka.

I know where the problem was : I pasted the arm9loaderhax.bin in the wrong place, which is why I couldn't boot up without the SD card, but after repeating the earlier steps, it finally worked !

 

[MadMageKefka]

I've already done that part MadMageKefka.

I know where the problem was : I pasted the arm9loaderhax.bin in the wrong place, which is why I couldn't boot up without the SD card, but after repeating the earlier steps, it finally worked !

I understand now, you were trying to install SD-less luma. When you listed the steps for injecting to the h&s app, I assumed you were on that part. Clearly, I didn't read your last sentence well enough, or I would have figured it out. Herp. Oh well, at least you got it working. Congrats!