Ok so heres my newb question. I have a 3DS XL, on 11.2 but now 11.3 since I finished the guide. I am trying to wrap my head around what I did step by step so I can understand more.
I used this guide https://3ds.guide/
It's going to sound stupid but I did it step by step and I want to know what I did so maybe I can make future backups etc. From what I am understanding I did was I downgraded my firmware to 2.0 I guess using CTRTransfer, backup my firmware on 2.0 w my device key(serial?) so if I ever need to go back regardless of firmware also saved it to my desktop and a cloud service in case needed in case of brick I guess? then updated to 11.3 w/ my ARM9 hack so I have Luma, FBI, etc and CFW..
I understand Luma is the CFW That allows this stuff to function such as FBI etc. and FBI to install CIA files yes, but the arm and decrypt and godmode etc all confuse me, ctrtransfer. I just need to know what these tools are generally for....
At the end of the guide I'm on 11.3, I have luma, I have FBI, and Homebrew so I guess I am custom firmed.
Things are working as expected.
Next noob question - would the device work without the SD card in? whats the device physically pull from the SD card on boot
Next - if I want to make a clone of my SD card to future proof myself in case my SD dies is that a smart idea if the 3DS needs it to boot now?, and to make a backup of an SD card (win32diskimager?) - i used this for Raspberry Pi's. would this be ok as it copies all partitions exactly as it is in the card.
LumaUpdater I see it has dailies, I am on the latest GitHub whatever that means, September stable, I don't want nightlies or whatever I like just stable releases I am boring... so when theres an update use this?
FUTURE UPDATES - still avoid at all cost unless approved all over the internet?
Looking at this as well FAQ on Reddit and I'm not even sure what I have, I know SysNAND is the internal chipped storage w/ my CFW? and the emuNAND is the physical SD? In the guide it talks about bypassing the emuNAND and patching sys? No clue...
How do I move files to a new SD card properly?
If you do not have a RedNAND/emuNAND: You'll first need to format your new SD card. You'll need to format the new SD card as FAT32 with 32KB clusters. Do do so, you can either use guiformat on a Windows computer, or using GodMode9 from A9LH. You can load GodMode9 by holding up on the d-pad on boot if you followed the Plailect Guide. If you don't have GodMode9, get GodMode9, copy GodMode9.bin from the GodMode9 .zip to the /luma/payloads/ folder on your SD card, rename GodMode9.bin to up_GodMode9.bin, put your SD back into your 3DS, and hold up on the d-pad to boot into GodMode9. From there, you'll want to unmount your old SD card using the menu option. From there, insert your new SD card and press the home button. A menu will appear. Select "SD Format Options" and select to format the card with no emuNAND, FAT32, and with 32KB clusters. After the formatting is complete, you can power off your 3DS from GodMode9. Then just copy everything on the old SD card (including the Nintendo 3DS folder) to your new SD card.
If you have a RedNAND/emuNAND (if you don't know what a RedNAND/emuNAND is, you don't have one): Use Decrypt9 to make a NAND backup of your RedNAND/emuNAND. Then, format your new SD card via GodMode9 or emuNAND9 so that it has a(n) emuNAND/redNAND partition. Pick the one you are using on your old SD card. If you have a redNAND, format your SD for redNAND, or vice versa. Then, copy that backup, arm9loaderhax.bin (if you have A9LH) or the /3ds/ folder and boot.3dsx (if you have 9.2 sysNAND), and the /luma/ folder to the new SD card. Boot Decrypt9 from A9LH (or the Homebrew Launcher on 9.2 sysNAND) and use it to flash the emuNAND/redNAND NAND backup to the emuNAND/redNAND of the new SD card. After that's finished, then copy the rest of the files from the old SD card, including the Nintendo 3DS folder, to the new SD card.
I used this guide https://3ds.guide/
It's going to sound stupid but I did it step by step and I want to know what I did so maybe I can make future backups etc. From what I am understanding I did was I downgraded my firmware to 2.0 I guess using CTRTransfer, backup my firmware on 2.0 w my device key(serial?) so if I ever need to go back regardless of firmware also saved it to my desktop and a cloud service in case needed in case of brick I guess? then updated to 11.3 w/ my ARM9 hack so I have Luma, FBI, etc and CFW..
I understand Luma is the CFW That allows this stuff to function such as FBI etc. and FBI to install CIA files yes, but the arm and decrypt and godmode etc all confuse me, ctrtransfer. I just need to know what these tools are generally for....
At the end of the guide I'm on 11.3, I have luma, I have FBI, and Homebrew so I guess I am custom firmed.
Things are working as expected.
Next noob question - would the device work without the SD card in? whats the device physically pull from the SD card on boot
Next - if I want to make a clone of my SD card to future proof myself in case my SD dies is that a smart idea if the 3DS needs it to boot now?, and to make a backup of an SD card (win32diskimager?) - i used this for Raspberry Pi's. would this be ok as it copies all partitions exactly as it is in the card.
LumaUpdater I see it has dailies, I am on the latest GitHub whatever that means, September stable, I don't want nightlies or whatever I like just stable releases I am boring... so when theres an update use this?
FUTURE UPDATES - still avoid at all cost unless approved all over the internet?
Looking at this as well FAQ on Reddit and I'm not even sure what I have, I know SysNAND is the internal chipped storage w/ my CFW? and the emuNAND is the physical SD? In the guide it talks about bypassing the emuNAND and patching sys? No clue...
How do I move files to a new SD card properly?
If you do not have a RedNAND/emuNAND: You'll first need to format your new SD card. You'll need to format the new SD card as FAT32 with 32KB clusters. Do do so, you can either use guiformat on a Windows computer, or using GodMode9 from A9LH. You can load GodMode9 by holding up on the d-pad on boot if you followed the Plailect Guide. If you don't have GodMode9, get GodMode9, copy GodMode9.bin from the GodMode9 .zip to the /luma/payloads/ folder on your SD card, rename GodMode9.bin to up_GodMode9.bin, put your SD back into your 3DS, and hold up on the d-pad to boot into GodMode9. From there, you'll want to unmount your old SD card using the menu option. From there, insert your new SD card and press the home button. A menu will appear. Select "SD Format Options" and select to format the card with no emuNAND, FAT32, and with 32KB clusters. After the formatting is complete, you can power off your 3DS from GodMode9. Then just copy everything on the old SD card (including the Nintendo 3DS folder) to your new SD card.
If you have a RedNAND/emuNAND (if you don't know what a RedNAND/emuNAND is, you don't have one): Use Decrypt9 to make a NAND backup of your RedNAND/emuNAND. Then, format your new SD card via GodMode9 or emuNAND9 so that it has a(n) emuNAND/redNAND partition. Pick the one you are using on your old SD card. If you have a redNAND, format your SD for redNAND, or vice versa. Then, copy that backup, arm9loaderhax.bin (if you have A9LH) or the /3ds/ folder and boot.3dsx (if you have 9.2 sysNAND), and the /luma/ folder to the new SD card. Boot Decrypt9 from A9LH (or the Homebrew Launcher on 9.2 sysNAND) and use it to flash the emuNAND/redNAND NAND backup to the emuNAND/redNAND of the new SD card. After that's finished, then copy the rest of the files from the old SD card, including the Nintendo 3DS folder, to the new SD card.
Last edited by jmhannz,