Hacking Some questions about installing a9lh

[zmc]

I got my n3ds a bit more than a month ago. Now that it is a good chance to get CFW on a 11.2 machine, I follow the Plailect's holy guide and successfully get CFW up and running. However, there are some questions that I cannot figure out myself.

1. In the end of the Installing arm9loaderhax tutorial(https://3ds.guide/installing-arm9loaderhax), there is a section called "Section VII - Reinstalling Tickets". Before that, I have restore the sysnand image and I assume the tickets have been restored with the sysnand image. Is there any reason why I still need to restore tickets again? I tried all the titles after the luma is applied without reinstalling tickets, and they all run without problem. (I still have not finished this step)

2. In the tutorial(https://3ds.guide/installing-arm9loaderhax), author uses ctrtransfer to go back to 2.1 and install a9lh with just a URL. I assume the reason to going back to 2.1 is purely just to retrieve the OTP that is required by a9lh, it that correct? What if I already have the OTP and I'm in 11.2? Do I still need to go back to 2.1 to install a9lh? Also, is there any other way to get a9lh installed?
I asked since going back to 2.1 could be risky (from what I read, even going to sleep mode during 2.1 could brick my device).

3. According to the tutorial, I need a file called "aeskeydb.bin" in /file9/ folder. What's the purpose of having such a file? And what hax requires it to work?

Lucky, I haven't got into any trouble during the process. Does anyone knows the answer to those questions?

 

[x65943]

I can't really answer all of these definitively. Here's my try.

1. I'm not sure - you'd think that, yes, your tickets would be restored with the nand.
2. Yes 2.1 is to get the otp, later fws locked out the otp. I believe you can get a9lh on higher fws if you already have the otp, but why/how would you have it if you never downgraded/ctr transferred?
3. I believe aeskeydb is used for decryption necessary to get your otp (so the actual step that nets a9lh would need it)

 

[Cuphat]

2. In the tutorial(https://3ds.guide/installing-arm9loaderhax), author uses ctrtransfer to go back to 2.1 and install a9lh with just a URL. I assume the reason to going back to 2.1 is purely just to retrieve the OTP that is required by a9lh, it that correct? What if I already have the OTP and I'm in 11.2? Do I still need to go back to 2.1 to install a9lh? Also, is there any other way to get a9lh installed?
I asked since going back to 2.1 could be risky (from what I read, even going to sleep mode during 2.1 could brick my device).

If you have your OTP, why don't you have A9LH installed already? OTPs are console specific and if you use an OTP from another console, it will brick.

2.1 isn't all that risky, you aren't really on it long enough for sleep mode to be an issue. Just launch the browser, install A9LH using it, and the next step is to NAND restore back to your previous version.

3. According to the tutorial, I need a file called "aeskeydb.bin" in /file9/ folder. What's the purpose of having such a file? And what hax requires it to work?

It's used by Decrypt9, Hourglass9, and GodMode9 in A9LH mode.

 

[zmc]

Thanks guys.

And is there any way to install a9lh other than the method given in the tutorial? just out of curiosity

 

[x65943]

Yes, but don't do it.

The tutorial is the safest/easiest way.

(You will always have to get to 2.1 either by downgrading or ctr transfer.)