Hacking [A9LH+Luma] 11.2 N3DS won't boot (black screen/blue light) after updating smash bros in Gateway mode

[Deleted member 333767]

EDIT: 06/02/17 Things I've tried:
-Removing SD card and trying to boot (no change)
-Booting into recovery mode (nope)
-Over writing am9loaderhax.bin with a fresh copy (nope)
-Error checking SD card (no errors)
-Testing SD card with H2testw (100% pass)
-Backing up SD contents, formatting SD and re-copied contents (nope)
-Booting hourglass9 and other payloads with hotkeys (nope)

EDIT: 13/02/2017 My 3DS lives to see another day! Reflashing NAND backup, deleting the config.bin and firmware.bin files from the /luma/ folder in addition to replacing the arm9loaderhax.bin with a freshly downloaded copy it

Thanks to all who contributed!


Hello everybody, yet another problem has plaugued my 3DS.

My 3DS specs:
New3DS on 11.2
A9LH + Luma3DS (3ds.guide)
Updated sysNAND mode
Gateway payload chainloading
NAND access mod

I was trying to verse my buddy in smash bros while we were waiting in a long queue of cars to get into a music festival here in Australia over the weekend (3 hour wait)

To play adhoc smash bros, it was required that my version of smash bros (played in gateway mode via the gateway cart) be updated before I could verse my buddy.

So I preceded to connect my 3DS to the internet and allowed my 3DS to download the update for smash and installed it via the eShop menu.

My 3DS still wouldn't allow me to play smash bros adhoc since my game was of different region (since I was probably using a US rom and he was using AUS)

We played some starfox64 or lylat wars (can't remember, it's been a BIG weekend) for a while instead and I powered off my 3DS.

Now, the stupid thing will not boot. I'm greeted with eternal twin black screens and an infinite blue light.

I know updating system menu is a big no-no in gateway mode, but a silly game update is able to render my 3Ds useless? I'm finding this very hard to comprehend.

I've tested out my SD card, it's in good working order with all necessary files.

I'm about 3500 kilometres away from my NANDmin.bin and compatible card reader/SD-to-micro-USB cable.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated

Tl;dr updated smash bros in gateway mode, now 3DS won't boot.

 

[godreborn]

can u boot into hourglass? try booting the system without the sd card assuming ur on the latest a9lh.

 

[Deleted member 333767]

Hourglass9 or any other payloads assigned to buttons will not load

 

[conjoir]

Could it be possible that the arm9loaderhax.bin file got corrupted somehow? Have you tried replacing the one on the root with a fresh copy.

 

[godreborn]

it does sound like something is wrong with the sd card.

 

[Deleted member 333767]

I have reformatted the SD card, re-copied the backed-up files to it, and error checked it with windows disk scanner. So far the SD card appears to be fine.

I'm now checking the SD card with H2testw, will post results when it's finally done.

 

[nechigawara]

Can you boot into Luma3DS Config by press select button?

 

[Deleted member 333767]

Can you boot into Luma3DS Config by press select button?

Sawasdee khrap And Nope, no matter what buttons i hold down, i only get infinite black screens and blue light

I honestly think the problem is in my NAND, but i cant fathom how the NAND has a problem because I was on 11.2 already (latest firmware) I only updated my super smash brothers game in gateway mode

Very annoying when i am on the opposite side of the country from my NAND backups and SD-to-micro USB adapter

 

[nechigawara]

Try booting while holding A+R+L+Up to enter the safe mode, please.

 

[Deleted member 333767]

Try booting while holding A+R+L+Up to enter the safe mode, please.

I've tried that already, it does not boot into safe mode, thanks for the suggestion though

 

[nechigawara]

I've tried that already, it does not boot into safe mode, thanks for the suggestion though

Since you never mention this, I try to gather the infomation to find the cause and solution.
With this, this 3DS is absolutly brick. Since we can't access anything at all, Hardmod with Nand Backup is require.

Another question, does adhoc smash bros require 3DS download play?

 

[Deleted member 333767]

Since you never mention this, I try to gather the infomation to find the cause and solution.
With this, this 3DS is absolutly brick. Since we can't access anything at all, Hardmod with Nand Backup is require.

Another question, does adhoc smash bros require 3DS download play?

Khub khun maaaaak krub for trying to troubleshoot my problem I thought the same thing too, it's certainly bricked

I just can't understand how a game update for a gateway ROM can brick my NAND though? This is a complete mystery to me.

I'll just need to wait for me to return back to my home to reflash my NAND a bit annoying since I am on a holiday now....

You can't play download play with smash bros, it was adhoc only with two copies of the game

 

[nechigawara]

Khub khun MAAAAATE krub for trying to troubleshoot my problem I thought the same thing too, it's certainly bricked

I just can't understand how a game update for a gateway ROM can brick my NAND though? This is a complete mystery to me.

I'll just need to wait for me to return back to my home to reflash my NAND a bit annoying since I am on a holiday now....

You can't play download play with smash bros, it was adhoc only with two copies of the game

When you update your smash bros, did you update it using eShop?

 

[KunoichiZ]

Khub khun MAAAAATE krub for trying to troubleshoot my problem I thought the same thing too, it's certainly bricked

I just can't understand how a game update for a gateway ROM can brick my NAND though? This is a complete mystery to me.

I'll just need to wait for me to return back to my home to reflash my NAND a bit annoying since I am on a holiday now....

You can't play download play with smash bros, it was adhoc only with two copies of the game

Why are you using Gateway with a9lh? This is why Gateway is not recommended AT ALL and CFW is always recommended. :/

 

[Deleted member 333767]

When you update your smash bros, did you update it using eShop?

Yes, I used the eShop to update the Smash bros ROM.

Why are you using Gateway with a9lh? This is why Gateway is not recommended AT ALL and CFW is always recommended. :/

I still use gateway for the cheat engine, amongst other reasons.

This is a troubleshooting thread, please keep your opinions of gateway to yourself

 

[nechigawara]

Yes, I used the eShop to update the Smash bros ROM.

Thanks for an answer and sorry for your lose.
According to your inforamation. This case is very weird since normal game update from eshop shouldn't mess with NAND.
May be this time we really should tell Gateway user with A9LH to use it with EmuNAND only.

 

[Deleted member 333767]

Thanks for an answer and sorry for your lose.
According to your inforamation. This case is very weird since normal game update from eshop shouldn't mess with NAND.
May be this time we really should tell Gateway user with A9LH to use it with EmuNAND only.

Yes, this case is extremely weird, and I hope somebody will read this thread and provide some kind of explanation, because Gateway is simply only a CTR card emulator, and from the 3DS's prospective, it should only appear as though there is a legitimate SSB cartridge in the slot. Therefore, the update should just carry-through the same as an unsigned CIA game gets updated.

Could this be some form of sneaky anti-piracy from Nintendo?

It's just lucky I have a NAND access mod!

 

[Hayleia]

This is why Gateway is not recommended AT ALL and CFW is always recommended. :/

No this is not. There are reasons to dislike Gateway but "updating a game bricks" was never one.

@Jao Chu, what happens when you boot without an SD card (this was already suggested above but I don't see the result)?

 

[Deleted member 333767]

No this is not. There are reasons to dislike Gateway but "updating a game bricks" was never one.

@Jao Chu, what happens when you boot without an SD card (this was already suggested above but I don't see the result)?

Sorry, I was going to say that in an earlier post but forgot! It definitely behaves the same way whether the SD card is inserted or not.

I also completed a H2testw test on the microSD and got a 100% pass.

Also, I have downloaded a fresh arm9loaderhax.bin file and overwritten the old one.

It's most certainly bricked, I dare say

 

[Distrance]

Well Gateway doesn't have FIRM protection, so updating the console while on Gateway mode is a guaranteed brick. What I can't understand is how updating a game on Gateway mode causes a brick .. Game updates are not installed onto the NAND are they? Because that's the only solution here but it sounds stupid.

This isn't the first time I've heard someone bricked with a Gateway on A9LH though where download play was involved. When you do get your 3DS unbricked (hardmod only from the sound of it) I would recommend to setup emuNAND just in case. I think emuNAND on a pure A9LH system is a waste of space, but where Gateway is concerned - better safe than sorry.