Hacking Gateway broke. I need CFW but not sure where to start...

[jastolze]

As the title says, my GW stopped working on me. I've never had CFW (besides rxtools, which is now updated) and I would like to start using one.

I'm currently running an O3DS with 4.x FW. I'd like to be able to play backups and mods, maybe even homebrew.

I'm not sure what CFW you'd recommend but I'm open to all suggestions, as long as it doesn't require an extra cart to boot anything.

I heard LUMA is a good place to start but I know it's a tedious process and seeing how I'm a noob when it comes to 3DS CFW (and have already bricked trying to install CFW on a previous 3DS) I'd like something that can install CIAs and play homebrew.

Thanks!

 

[Hyoretsu]

https://3ds.guide/. If you want homebrew, use a homebrew entrypoint. CIAs not available in 11.3.

 

[SagaP]

https://3ds.guide/

 

[Distrance]

I'm not sure what CFW you'd recommend but I'm open to all suggestions, as long as it doesn't require an extra cart to boot anything.

I heard LUMA is a good place to start but I know it's a tedious process and seeing how I'm a noob when it comes to 3DS CFW (and have already bricked trying to install CFW on a previous 3DS) I'd like something that can install CIAs and play homebrew.

Thanks!

The only way you can brick while installing CFW is if you don't follow the guide. The already linked 3DS.Guide is very thorough and noob-friendly. If you follow it word to word, pay attention to the warnings, and NEVER EVER stray from the guide (most common mistake people do and why they brick) .. You'll be fine. So, if you run into problems then instead of trying to solve them yourself and by doing so possibly bricking your device, come here instead to ask for help and people will surely help.

As stated, CFW is the only way to use CIA's so you really should do the guide. Because once you do you can stay on newest firmware always, play games online and so much more.

 

[jastolze]

The only way you can brick while installing CFW is if you don't follow the guide. The already linked 3DS.Guide is very thorough and noob-friendly. If you follow it word to word, pay attention to the warnings, and NEVER EVER stray from the guide (most common mistake people do and why they brick) .. You'll be fine. So, if you run into problems then instead of trying to solve them yourself and by doing so possibly bricking your device, come here instead to ask for help and people will surely help.

As stated, CFW is the only way to use CIA's so you really should do the guide. Because once you do you can stay on newest firmware always, play games online and so much more.

So is there a way to manually update to a specific FW besides having to use a Game cart? If so, which CFW would you recommend? I'd like to use LUMA or something similar. Since I'm on 4.X would you recommend decrypt9?

 

[Distrance]

So is there a way to manually update to a specific FW besides having to use a Game cart? If so, which CFW would you recommend? I'd like to use LUMA or something similar. Since I'm on 4.X would you recommend decrypt9?

You can update with a game cart, but why would you need to? If you go to the Get Started page on the guide you'll see your choices. Either use MSET to get into Decrypt, or use Browser to get into Decrypt. Use whichever works for you. It's smooth sailing from thereon out.

Also I forgot to mention but if you have stuff you want to keep from your old emuNAND GW setup, then when you get into Decrypt make sure to create an emuNAND backup. Later, after installing A9LH comes "Restoring the system" part. Here instead of restoring sysNAND, restore your emuNAND onto your sysNAND. Yes, it's safe.

 

[netovsk]

Just follow the guide, it's pretty safe and brick-free

If you feel tired after you downgrade your n3ds to 2.1 just put it on sleep mode and continue the day after.

Oh wait...

 

[Distrance]

Just follow the guide, it's pretty safe and brick-free

If you feel tired after you downgrade your n3ds to 2.1 just put it on sleep mode and continue the day after.

Oh wait...

Well ain't that just "clever". Tell that to a noob and they might just take you up on it, then come here to cry about their broken console. While it's obvious to me that it was a "joke", it may not be obvious to others. Even worse if someone with poor English reads that and thinks it's okay.

 

[netovsk]

Well ain't that just "clever". Tell that to a noob and they might just take you up on it, then come here to cry about their broken console. While it's obvious to me that it was a "joke", it may not be obvious to others. Even worse if someone with poor English reads that and thinks it's okay.

If he does it, then he didn't read the guide warnings and somehow deserves it.

If he does have very poor english, his free time would be better spent improving it rather than playing games.

 

[Quantumcat]

If he does it, then he didn't read the guide warnings and somehow deserves it.

If he does have very poor english, his free time would be better spent improving it rather than playing games.

That's really rude. I don't think you should be here "helping" people with questions if that's your attitude.

 

[netovsk]

That's really rude. I don't think you should be here "helping" people with questions if that's your attitude.

You're right, that was rude of me.

I apologize and OP never put your n3ds in sleep mode while on 2.1.

Good luck.

 

[jastolze]

As mentioned above, I have an O3ds. Anyways, what caused my 3DS to brick is when I used a physical game cart (fast and furious) to update to 4.5.It upgraded fine but wouldn't turn on afterwards. While I was doing the guide, it downgraded me to 2.1 and would throw and error at me anytime I tried to launch a DS flashcart so I guess I wasn't meant to be. I'll just follow the instructions more closely so I avoid it from happening again.

 

[Distrance]

As mentioned above, I have an O3ds. Anyways, what caused my 3DS to brick is when I used a physical game cart (fast and furious) to update to 4.5.It upgraded fine but wouldn't turn on afterwards. While I was doing the guide, it downgraded me to 2.1 and would throw and error at me anytime I tried to launch a DS flashcart so I guess I wasn't meant to be. I'll just follow the instructions more closely so I avoid it from happening again.

I'm not sure I follow. The guide doesn't end once you downgrade to 2.1 .. Rather, that's the beginning. Instead of following the guide why'd you try to launch DS Flashcarts and then updated with a game cart?

 

[lonewolf08]

As mentioned above, I have an O3ds. Anyways, what caused my 3DS to brick is when I used a physical game cart (fast and furious) to update to 4.5.It upgraded fine but wouldn't turn on afterwards. While I was doing the guide, it downgraded me to 2.1 and would throw and error at me anytime I tried to launch a DS flashcart so I guess I wasn't meant to be. I'll just follow the instructions more closely so I avoid it from happening again.

and if something doesn't go as planned don't panic and act on instinct, don't be afraid to come back and ask for help for that particular part and stuff. Generally speaking you should be find so long as your good at following guides and not skip lines.

 

[Heran Bago]

Do you use Gateway Emunand OP? Do you boot into "gateway mode"? Or "safe mode"?

If you answered 'yes' or 'i dont know' to questions #1 or #2, then don't just follow that guide. You need to backup your emunand first. There is a PC utility for this and also 3DS homebrew.

 

[Distrance]

Do you use Gateway Emunand OP? Do you boot into "gateway mode"? Or "safe mode"?

If you answered 'yes' or 'i dont know' to questions #1 or #2, then don't just follow that guide. You need to backup your emunand first. There is a PC utility for this and also 3DS homebrew.

Or you know he could just do what I said. I've not done it myself but I don't see why it wouldn't work. When you load into Decrypt9 in that 3DS guide you CAN use the emuNAND Restore/Backup option built into it. So why mess with emunand9 and PC utilities when he can just do it from his 3DS by following the guide?

 

[Heran Bago]

Or you know he could just do what I said. I've not done it myself but I don't see why it wouldn't work. When you load into Decrypt9 in that 3DS guide you CAN use the emuNAND Restore/Backup option built into it. So why mess with emunand9 and PC utilities when he can just do it from his 3DS by following the guide?

I mean you're right, but to answer your "why" question it's faster and arguably easier for the sole goal of backing up your emunand.

Does the guide really have a section for transitioning from a Gateway emunand setup to a modern cfw?

 

[Quantumcat]

I mean you're right, but to answer your "why" question it's faster and arguably easier for the sole goal of backing up your emunand.

Does the guide really have a section for transitioning from a Gateway emunand setup to a modern cfw?

The guide says at the beginning to do all steps on sysNAND, and there is a "Move emuNAND" section near the end. This covers all browserhax/menuhax booted CFWs including Gateway.

 

[Distrance]

I mean you're right, but to answer your "why" question it's faster and arguably easier for the sole goal of backing up your emunand.

Does the guide really have a section for transitioning from a Gateway emunand setup to a modern cfw?

So it's easier to download an additional payload you don't need for anything else and on top of that doing something with additional software on your PC as opposed to backing up emuNAND on D9 when you boot into it to do the downgrade to 2.1. When you boot into D9 during the guide you're supposed to do sysNAND backup but in his case he'll do an emuNAND backup instead. It's really not that difficult and requires one additional D-pad down movement when on D9.

I can't really follow your "easier" and "faster" here.

 

[Heran Bago]

The guide says at the beginning to do all steps on sysNAND, and there is a "Move emuNAND" section near the end. This covers all browserhax/menuhax booted CFWs including Gateway.

Oh wow, that's awesome!

So it's easier to download an additional payload you don't need for anything else and on top of that doing something with additional software on your PC as opposed to backing up emuNAND on D9 when you boot into it to do the downgrade to 2.1. When you boot into D9 during the guide you're supposed to do sysNAND backup but in his case he'll do an emuNAND backup instead. It's really not that difficult and requires one additional D-pad down movement when on D9.

I can't really follow your "easier" and "faster" here.

There is a Windows PC program called emunandtool or somesuch that backs up the emunand partition of your SD card to a nand.bin. It's super fast and easy compared to setting up and executing everything on a 3DS. I mean in terms of SD card removing and inserting it's the better solution if you only goal is a nand backup.

I'm not downplaying your setup of the importance of The Guide. It just doesn't hurt to do a backup first before diving into stuff 3DS side imo.